Kings of War 3rd Edition: Ogre Army Review

This review has been rewritten for Clash of Kings 2024. I have done my best to highlight Clash changes in red.

Wow, it’s finally here! The big shake-up, the Clash of Kings update which gives some game-wide tweaks, and army-specific updates. We at Dash28 are using this update as a chance to do some major revisions to our previous army reviews. Units will shuffle, descriptions will change, and hopefully, they will all reflect even wiser advice for armies that have now had several years of Third Edition to play in.

I am not just revising the previous Ogres Review, but rewriting it from the ground up. The original Ogres Review, written by the late Jesse Cornwell, will remain in its pristine, untouched condition and can be found here. Though many of the rules have since changed, it is still well worth your time and I do hope that you will give it a read.

If you are interested in our other Tiered Army reviews, you can find them here.

Tier Rankings: 

Trying to rank units in Kings of War is not a perfect science. By pure design, many units are meant to work in combination with other choices in the army and can be hard to judge on their own. For this exercise, it’s assumed the unit is being used to its utmost potential within the army. This is not just a math problem to determine the most cost-effective unit but to also see how they compare in scope, role, and impact across not just a single army but all Kings of War armies. For the most part, units will be treated as one entry; however, if an option or size drastically improves a unit it will be separately mentioned.

S Tier: Reserved for units that are widely acknowledged as either being significantly undercosted or having a combination of rules that perform well above units in similar roles. These units are often called “auto includes” as any list stands to be made better with their inclusion. Expect these units to be addressed in future CoK book updates.

A Tier: These units are some of the best the army has to offer. They excel in their specific roles and commonly help form the core of most competitive lists. While not auto include, they are great in almost any army they are taken in and will be seen frequently.

B Tier: These units have a mix of strengths and weaknesses that make them very playable but balanced. These units work great with specific roles in mind; however, their weaknesses mean they do not help every list. In a perfect world, all units would fit into this category.

C Tier: C tier units may still shine in niche lists and roles; however, they will feel underpowered when compared to similar units in other armies. Decidedly suboptimal, you could make them work but frequently will see other things that are just better. You will rarely see many lists take these units.

D Tier: Units that need some considerable love and attention. You will struggle to find any role for this unit that another unit couldn’t do better. Very often you will see these units labeled as “unplayable”.

Ogres

Formation – Hell on Wheels [1] – C Tier Rating

This Formation consists of two Warrior Chariots Regiments and an Ogre Warlord mounted on a Chariot. The Warrior Chariots Regiments cost an additional 5 points each and gain the Rampage (D3) special rule. The Ogre Warlord mounted on a Chariot costs an additional 15 points and gains both the Rampage (D3) and the Rallying (1 – Chariot only) special rules.

The upgrades afforded by the Formation are undoubtedly a good value, and gaining Rallying (1 – Chariot only) is terrific. However, I have placed this Formation firmly within the C Tier because the units themselves are not optimized. Warrior Chariot Regiments hit hard yet have an awkward unit footprint which can make them difficult, but not impossible, to use effectively. The Ogre Warlord, as we will see later in the review, is severely outclassed by the other Hero options.

S Tier

Nomagarok [1] – Nomagarok saw a points increase in a previous update, but this did nothing to knock him off his throne in the S Tier. His combination of spells and special rules are so powerful, and so unique within the army, that it is nearly impossible to justify leaving him out of a list. Bane Chant (3), Heal (4), and Lightning Bolt (4) can all be increased by a maximum of +3 as with a normal Ogre Warlock. However, his Heal spell also benefits from the Bloodlust special rule, which means, assuming you roll at least one hit, the target unit gains Vicious (Melee) until the end of the turn. This is exceptionally efficient and plays to the natural strengths of the army. Expect to see him often, and expect him to have an outsized impact on the battle.

A Tier

Siegebreakers – Siegebreakers are the gold standard against which all other Large Infantry Hordes, across all armies, are judged. The hit like a truck with 18 Att, Me 3+, and Crushing Strength (2). They are resilient with De 5+ and Big Shield. Their 15/17 Ne, an inherent weakness, can be mitigated with the Staying Stone, Chalice of Wrath, and Dwarven Ale magical artefacts. And when they are being enhanced by Nomagarok they will slice through the enemy like a hot knife through butter.

Boomer Chariots* – Here’s the thing – Boomer Chariots are trash. They are expensive, fragile, and have a mediocre damage output in both the Ranged and Melee phases. However, one unit may be upgraded with Black Powder Guns [1] for 25 points which grants the unit Aura (Stealthy). This, combined with Sacred Horn to extend the range of the Aura, makes a single Boomer Chariots* Troop a terrific inclusion to a list for 165 points. A major weakness of the Ogre Army is vulnerability to ranged attacks, so a 9” Aura (Stealthy) can have a massive impact in certain matchups.

Crocodog Wrangler – The Crocodog Wrangler has earned its place in the A Tier due to how effectively it breaks one of the foundational rules of the game. The Through the Legs special rule reads, “Friendly Core units with the Ogre keyword do not block Line of Sight and can be charged through by the Cocodog Wrangler, as long as it ends its movement clear.” Yes, you read that right. The Crocodog Wrangler can charge through friendly units with relative ease, thanks to being an Individual with Sp 6 and Wild Charge (D3+1). At Ht 2 it can safely hide behind the Ogre units until it is ready to be unleashed upon an unlucky foe. Top that off with 7 Att, Me 3+, Crushing Strength (1), Vicious (Melee), and Duelist, and you get one dangerous little pet.

Red Goblin Blaster – The Red Goblin Blaster offers more bang for your buck (pun intended) than any other unit in the game. For the low, low investment of 65 points you get a Monster that the opponent is forced to respect or suffer the consequences. Its 3 Att with Me 3+ benefit from Blast (D6), Crushing Strength (3), and Brutal. It is unpredictable, yes, but the ceiling is incredibly high, especially given a Flank or Rear charge. I have seen these nefarious contraptions rout everything from a Tree Herder to an Ice Elementals Horde… with a front charge, no less! Yes, thanks to the Boom! special rule this unit is removed after dealing damage in a round of Melee, but for 65 points it really doesn’t matter. The icing on the cake is De 5+ with -/10 Ne, making it more difficult than it has any right to be for the opponent to mitigate with ranged attacks.

Berserker Bully – For a pure Melee threat the Berserker Bully is a bargain at 130 points. He packs 8 Att with Me 3, Crushing Strength (2), and Brutal. He is quite mobile with Sp 6, Wild Charge (D3), and Nimble. And he won’t be Wavered thanks to -/14 Ne. He also comes with Inspiring and is, of course, a scoring unit. Equipping him with a cheap magical artefact or running him stock standard are both valid options.

Ogre Warlock – The Ogre Warlock now starts at just 75 points, but without any spells. Assuming you purchase Lightning Bolt (3) for +25 points, this is actually a 5 point increase. Still, this is a minor change that makes the Ogre Warlock even more versatile. Additionally, Bloodboil [1] dropped from 30 to 20 points. The Ogre Warlock special rule adds an additional die, to a maximum of three, to Drain Life, Fireball, Lightning Bolt, and Mind Fog for each Friendly Core Large Infantry Regiment, Horde, or Legion within 6”. This means the Ogre Warlock is super efficient, even when just sitting back, slinging Lightning Bolt and providing Inspiring. It is not uncommon to see these run in trios alongside Nomagarok for a whopping Lightning Bolt (25) – or (27) with the Boomstick.

The Paymaster [1] – The Paymaster is an attractive new Hero (Large Inf) for an army that is already replete with many such choices. What sets them apart is their Rallying (1 – Merc only) special rule. This is a new special rule that has been added to the Berserker Braves, Ogre Warriors, Boomers, Hunters, and Shooters units. An inherent weakness across the army is the relatively low 15/17 Ne you see on most of the hammer units. Being able to boost that to 16/18 Ne, or -/16 and -/19 on the Berserker Braves Regiment and Horde, is quite meaningful for 100 points. They also are no slouch in a fight, boasting 4 Att with Me 3+, Crushing Strength (1), and Brutal.

B Tier

Red Goblin Sharpsticks* – I have long sworn by two Red Goblins Sharpsticks* Hordes in my standard tournament list. Now they are an even better value thanks to a decrease in points – by 10, 15, and 25 points for the Regiment, Horde, and Legion, respectively. I like the Horde because it combines cheap Unit Strength with a relatively high 19/21 Ne, and the Phalanx special rule helps to mitigate many of the threats which are faster than the Ogre Hordes – namely Cavalry and units with the Fly special rule.

Berserker Braves – The Berserker Braves Regiments make excellent thicc chaff, thanks to their -/15 Ne and their respectable 15 Att with Me 4+ and Crushing Strength (1). The Wild Charge (D3) is also quite useful. And the addition of the Merc Keyword means they pair nicely with the Paymaster. Hordes are decent, also, but are a significant investment of points in a unit that is susceptible to ranged attacks with only De 4+.

Hunters – While the Hunters are also De 4+, I definitely rate them in Hordes. The combination of Sp 7 with the Ensnare and Pathfinder special rules means that they fill a unique role within the army. In fact – they are one of only two unit entries in the entire army to have the Pathfinder special rule. Of course, being an Ogre Horde, you can still expect them to do work in Melee, with Slayer (D3) and the Crocodog upgrade accounting for a few extra points of damage. In Clash of Kings 2024 they have seen a nice decrease of 5 points at both the Regiment and Horde levels, and have been given the Merc Keyword to pair with the Paymaster.

Ogre Warriors – The Ogre Warriors are a popular choice because they are both a solid unit and the cheapest source of unlocks. While Large Infantry Regiments do not normally provide unlocks, three Ogre Warrior Regiments do provide one unlock each in the Ogre army. This is pivotal in an army so spoilt for choice when it comes to the Hero, and to a lesser extent, Monster, unit entries. They also can be taken in Hordes and even Legions, though that option seems more thematic than competitive. In Clash of Kings 2024 they have been given the Merc Keyword to pair with the Paymaster and the new Matriarch [3] upgrade, which grants them the Redeploy special rule for +5/+10/+20 points. This upgrade seems like a decent investment of points, but certainly not an auto-include.

Red Goblin Scouts* – The Red Goblin Scouts* Troops make excellent chaff units and are the fastest option available in the army with Sp 10 and Nimble. They even have a modest damage output, boasting 7 Att with Me 4+, Thunderous Charge (1) and Vicious (Melee). With careful positioning they can offer the Ogre army with some of its best defense against units with Fly special rule. They can also be taken as Regiments, but seem a little too fragile for the points.

Warrior Chariots – Warrior Chariots come in all shapes and sizes – Troop, Regiment, Horde, and Legion – and there is an argument to be made for including each in a list. They are by no means cheap, but they hit harder than anything in the list with Me 3+, Crushing Strength (1), Thunderous Charge (2). They also come in at a respectable Sp 8, extending their threat range quite a bit compared to their Large Infantry counterparts. That being said, they are trickier to maneuver and Thunderous Charge doesn’t always work, so they are not quite as straightforward as Siegebreakers.

Mammoth – The Mammoth is a perfectly fine Monster choice with Strider and some decent Melee punch, but The Big Deal [1] upgrade is what brings it from C to B Tier. For 30 points this grants it Very Inspiring, increases it from Brutal (1) to Brutal (2), and also allows you to select a single friendly Core unit with the Ogre Keyword within 12” to gain Brutal (+1) at the start of each Melee phase, regardless of Line of Sight. This is a devastating rule that can mean all the difference between Wavering/Routing an enemy unit or leaving them Steady.

Red Goblin Slasher – Similar to the Mammoth, the Red Goblin Slasher is a perfectly fine Titan choice with Strider and some decent Melee punch, but the War-Trumpets upgrade is what brings it from C to B Tier. For 10 points this grants a 12” ranged attack that sports 10 Att with Ra 4+, Piercing (1), and Steady Aim. This is similar to the ranged attack the Boomers bring to the table, but on a faster, more threatening, and more resilient unit.

Sergeant – The Sergeant is a highly customizable Hero who can perform well in a variety of roles. Their middle-of-the-road profile (for an Ogre Hero, anyway) is bolstered by the Elite special rule, which applies in both the Melee and Ranged phases should they be equipped with a Heavy Crossbow. The option to mount them on a Chariot is also quite nice as it increases their Ht to 4, their Sp to 8, and adds Thunderous Charge (1) on top of the built-in Crushing Strength (2). Their flexibility means they can fit nicely in many styles of lists.

Grokagamok [1] – Grokagamok packs all of the punch of an Ogre Horde in a 40mm square base. 7 Att with Me 3+, Blast (D3), Brutal, and Crushing Strength (3) is just plain dirty. Very Inspiring doesn’t hurt, either. At 250 points he is priced similarly to an Ogre Horde, as well, but with only a sole point of Unit Strength, which helps to keep him a balanced unit.

Kuzlo & Madfall [1] – Kuzlo & Madfall are my favorite unit to field in all of Kings of War. They are capable of filling a wide variety of roles on the battlefield but are also rather fragile and can even hurt you if not wielded properly. They are the only unit in the army aside from Hunters with the Pathfinder special rule. Their Ravenous Lizard special rule applies a -1 penalty to the Waver and Rout Nerve values of all units within 6”, both Friendly and Enemy, and stacks with Brutal to really manipulate the odds of a Melee in your favor. They are also highly maneuverable with Sp 8, the aforementioned Pathfinder, and Nimble. Their 5 Att hit hard with Me 3+, Crushing Strength (2), and Vicious. And they even sling Hex (3) and a modified Enthral (5) – only 12” range but you roll for damage for each hit scored. All this is to say that with forethought and precision they can be a super rewarding unit to use.

C Tier

Red Goblin Spitters* – Red Goblin Spitters* offer some of the same benefits as Red Goblin Sharpsticks*,but are (even) less resilient, hit (even) less effectively in Melee, though they do provide a ranged attack.

Boomers – Boomers used to be a better unit. The reason they’ve dropped down to C Tier is not because they’ve gone up in points or had any nerfs, but rather, other units (both within and outside of the Ogre army) have gotten better. Their Boomsticks offer 9/18 Att with a 12” range, Ra 4+, Piercing (1), and Steady Aim. But their De 4+ allows them to be easily neutralized before they get close enough to shoot. The addition of the Merc Keyword means they pair nicely with the Paymaster, but honestly, I’d rather taken the Red Goblin Slasher with War-Trumpets.

Shooters* – Similar to Boomers, Shooters* also used to be a better unit. But, unlike Boomers, this is the result of a nerf. Because they are both expensive and Irregular, the opportunity cost of including multiple Hordes in a list is very high. For Clash of Kings 2024 they have gained the Merc Keyword to pair with the Paymaster and have also ditched the Pot Shot special rule. These are welcome changes, but not quite enough to advance them beyond C Tier.

Red Goblin Scout Sniffs* – Unfortunately, Red Goblin Scout Sniffs* are really just a worse version of Red Goblin Scouts*. They can only be fielded as Troops. They gain a very weak ranged attack but lose Thunderous Charge (1), drop from 10/12 to 9/11 Ne, and drop from De 4+ to De 3+. They also cost 5 more points. In a list with lots of ranged attacks I could see why they would be included, otherwise, I would recommend sticking with their spear-wielding counterparts.

Giant – The Giant is slightly better than the Mammoth or the Red Goblin Blaster in terms of their Nerve value and Melee punch, but lacks a cool upgrade to advance them beyond C Tier. There is a place for the Giant in some, but not all Ogre lists. In Clash of Kings 2024 the Giant has been upgrade, along with all Titans, to Unit Strength 2.

Boomer Sergeant – Of the eleven Hero units in the Ogre army, the Boomer Sergeant is the only one that does not have Inspiring or Very Inspiring – even Kuzlo & Madfall have Inspiring (Self)! So, while the Boomer Sergeant does have a nice ranged attack in a very maneuverable platform, it is really hard to justify taking them over the Ogre Warlock or the Sergeant with Heavy Crossbow.

Ogre Army Standard Bearer – The fact that ten out of eleven Hero units in the Ogre army offer Inspiring or Very Inspiring also hurts the Ogre Army Standard Bearer. For Clash of Kings 2024 they have been upgraded to Very Inspiring. Though this is a welcome change, they just don’t bring much to the table when, for a small increase in points, you can have a more effective Hero that will also Inspire.

D Tier

Red Goblin Rabble* – The Red Goblin Rabble* are identical to the Red Goblin Sharpsticks*, but with fewer Attacks and without the Phalanx special rule. Yes, this does mean they are slightly less expensive, but I would recommend paying the extra points to take the Red Goblin Sharpsticks* any and every time.

Red Goblin Biggit – The Red Goblin Biggit is honestly a terrible unit. It doesn’t have enough Attacks to make an impact on the battle. It is an Individual with Yielding so cannot be relied on to hold up an enemy unit for a turn. It has Inspiring but so do nine other Hero units in the army which are all infinitely more useful. To top it off, the name is bad. Mantic – please remove this unit from the army or rework (and rename) it for the next edition!

Ogre Warlord – This one breaks my heart. I love the Ogre Warlord and continue to include one in my tournament lists. However, the inexplicable decision to give the Elite special rule to the Sergeant in a previous update and the existence of both the Berserker Bully and Nomagarok all make it difficult to justify paying the points for the Ogre Warlord. Any of those three options are just straight up better investments of your points.

Conclusion and Example List

I hope that my review has given you a lot to think about, whether you are refining your existing Ogre army for the Clash of Kings 2024, starting a new Ogre army from the ground up, or simply looking for some insight on what to expect when facing an Ogre army on the tabletop.

If you would like read more about my approach to the army, the list I run, and the tactics I employ, please take a look at this entry from my Ogres of the Moonlit Hunt Army Blog.