As we began updating army reviews with the Clash of Kings 2024 updates, we came to this review written by our dear friend, Jesse Cornwell. As Jesse is no longer with us, we couldn’t bring ourselves to just replace this review written in his delightful voice and style. So, we’ve preserved it here as a memorial.
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
How goes it? Jesse here and bringing you the Ogre review. If you’re reading this, I assume you’re new to Ogres and looking for advice, so I’ll do my best to keep it simple and explain my reasoning.
If you read nothing else then please read this part, these rankings are simply MY opinion. Yes, I play with this army A LOT, so, people think I know what I’m talking about, HA I’ll show them! Err wait…
But for real don’t be scared to take a unit I say is C tier or even D tier. Some of the best results have come from people trying out units and making them work. Lists don’t win KoW games, the player and strategy do.
Before we rank units let’s talk about the Ogres as an army.
Pros:
They hit hard and are deceptively fast. You can count on them to lay a decent amount of damage on pretty much anything in the game. Coming stock with crushing strength is nice. Brutal is found on almost every unit they have and that (mathematically) counts as an extra wound every time you attack. Feels good
Cons:
A surprisingly steep learning curve. Ogres hit like a truck but need to be driven like a Ferrari. The grind is not our strong point. We have one heal in the army (actually Drain Life) and our nerve ain’t great. 15/17 is a combination you’ll see a lot and that’s not a hard number to reach quickly. 5 wounds on a horde of Warriors and suddenly they’re within a dice roll of going away. So be smart, leave stupid for the Orcs and Goblins.
S Tier
Siege Breakers: All aboard the Pain Train! These brutes are fantastic and they unlock. They are what other large infantry wishes they were. 240 points of absolute smash. Brutal, defense 6 in the front and 5 in the sides and rear, crushing 2, AND speed 6. I loved them in 2nd ed, in 3rd everyone loves them.
Berserker Bully: This beast, what can I say? He’s fearless (-/14), has 8 attacks (hits on 3’s) and is crushing 2. Oh, did I mention he inspires Berserkers and is also nimble? The only drawback is they are defense 4. If they hits first and avoids shooting then the defense doesn’t matter much.
A Tier
Berserker Braves: This is the squad the bully was promoted from. Fearless with a bunch of attacks these guys are fantastic at blending chopping. Hitting on 4’s is kinda “meh”, but 30 attacks makes up for it.
Red Goblin Blaster: When you look at this unit, they doesn’t seem like much. Then you realize it hits more like their Ogre employers and less like a goblin. Sure, they go away after it melees something but that’s why you hold them back until you can pick up a juicy flank or rear. 65 points and they score so you can afford to be patient.
Ogre Warlord: This guy, this guy right here has earned the Warlord title. His nerve is the same as a horde of warriors and he crushes just as hard as siege breakers. Give him a 2hander and he can go to crushing 3. Not an individual so he can score objectives and be a pain in the flanks and rear of units.
Army Standard: Mr. Flag Guy himself. Defense 5, hits on 3’s and has the same US as a Giant? Oh, inspires and 70 points? Yes, thank you please.
Boomers: The original bad boys, great in the shooting phase and great in the melee phase, you can never go wrong with these guys. Slap the elite or vicious item on them and you won’t be disappointed.
Grokagamok: All the nice things I said about the Warlord, add in attacks that are naturally crushing strength 3 AND blast d3. Yikes. It’s nothing for Grok to one-shot a fresh zombie legion if he gets a rear charge. Just realize your opponent knows how dangerous he is and will do everything to make sure he dies quickly. If they don’t know how dangerous he is, well, education is fun.
Kuzlo & Madfall: This goblin and his trusty lizard has a little bit of everything, his biggest feature is a dread-like aura. It’s not Dread exactly, it’s different in the regard that it lowers the nerve of everybody within 6” of him. That means your opponent and you. Used correctly this guy is devastating due to that fact his aura and Brutal stack. Now, if not used correctly… (see D tier)
B Tier
Red Goblin Rabble: This rabble isn’t going to killing anything, but they might win you games. A nice chunk of nerve with a decent unit strength. Don’t need the smash ability of a giant but want that chunk of nerve, these are your go-to.
Red Goblin Scouts: Same thing as Goblin Fleabag riders this is the Ogres fast cavalry unit. Thing is though they don’t hit that hard with a paltry Thunderous Charge(1). Yeah, they have vicious so at least a couple of wounds will stick. What makes these minions shine is two things, first, they are the same height as Ogres and they are speed 10 with nimble. Fantastic chaff that can get in the way. With nimble they can also get out of the way if they’re wavered. Use them as a harassing unit and not as a beat stick and you’ll get great mileage out of them.
Warriors: The kings of the B squad. These are what every large infantry unit is based off of. Great solid average unit. You can’t go wrong with running these.
Hunters: Lower defense than warriors but faster with pathfinder and ensnare. Properly used and they can be frustrating for your opponent to deal with, not properly used, well they’ll be off the board quick so your turns will go faster. Try to use terrain and careful target selection to mitigate the amount of attacks that hit the hunters.
Giant: The only reason I don’t have them ranked A tier is that a whole bunch of armies can take it. They are a solid wall of nerve that doesn’t care about your defense 6. Fury means they are always punching when in melee (which is where you want them) and they love getting flanks. Run them with a Flag Guy and have a good time.
Sergeant: This character is a bargain Warlord. They are not bad but are in that weird middle spot, if you want punchy, take a Warlord, if you want shooty, take a Boomer sergeant.
Boomer Sergeant: Shooty sarge! Great to be annoying and always fun to run three. Running three of them will cost you 270 points but it also gets you 24 shots, which ain’t bad compared to 230 points for 18 shots from boomers.
Red Goblin Biggit: Our only individual in the entire army. It comes stock with crushing strength (1) now which makes it a bit easier for them to damage flyers and war machines. Give it the doggo upgrade and run around to be annoying like a proper goblin!
Warrior Chariots: Hoo boy, Siege Breakers may be the pain train but these are the pain highway. Their biggest issue is base size. A legion base for these ain’t no joke but neither is their damage output. They hit something in the face and it’s going to hurt, a lot. God forbid you get a flank or rear, yikes.
C Tier
Red Goblins Spitters: You take these to be a wad of bodies. Yeah, they can shoot but poorly. You’re basically paying for more expensive Rabble.
Red Goblin Sharpsticks: See Spitters but replace shooting with phalanx. Too expensive, just take rabble.
Red Goblin Scout Sniffs: Everything I said good about the Red Goblin scouts applies to these as well. Plus, they can shoot. The issue is they don’t shoot well, and you’re paying more for them to do what Scouts already do.
Mammoth: I want to love it but they makes it so hard. There’s no reason why you wouldn’t just take a giant unless it’s points. The chariot base can make for some flank shenanigans, but just take the giant, they does what the mammoth does, just more gooder.
Ogre Warlock: Our only source of magic (not counting Kuzlo) and he’s kinda, meh. The cool thing about him is he is able to bump his spells up by being surrounded by other Ogres. The bad part is his spells are “ok”. Some use him to great effect while others get frustrated. Your mileage may vary
Shooters: They have piercing 2 and a range of 36”. Sadly, they’re the same height as the rest of the army and the army is pretty tall. So even if they can see something, they’re more than likely shooting at something in cover. Just take Boomers and save yourself the frustration.
D Tier
Red Goblin Slasher: Please refer to “Mammoth” entry. Add in: The arbalest is nice but honestly, you’ll maybe shoot twice, hit once? Then it’s lizard to the face time.
Boomer Chariots: Not thunderous, low amount of attacks and are height 4. Bleh, the only reason they don’t get immediately shot off the board is because your opponent feels bad you took them.
Kuzlo & Madfall: Right, so you more than likely came here from the lofty A tier. Yeah that Dread ability, used incorrectly and you’re lowering nerve on your own dudes. Ogres have enough nerve issues as is. It can be bad, quick!
