Thinking about joining the WAAAAGH!

[Gorsk]

I was at my local flgs playing a card game the other night and they had an AoS demo going on.  From my mmo days, I have really enjoyed the zany and/or steampunk flavors in games.  Warhammer Online gave me a taste of the setting and the various alliances.  Greenskins are a natural draw for me, with the stunties being a not-too-distant second.

Could someone explain a little bit about the difference in play style and/or strategy among the greenskinz, bonesplitterz and ironjawz?  With the ironjawz start collecting pack coming up and the player enthusiasm, it's hard not to lean towards the ironjawz.  But, I would like to find out about the other groups within Destruction before dropping $500+ to create an army.

From a modeling perspective, I would love to run an army that eventually mixes in some ironjawz, bonesplittersz and moonclan grots.  But would they have enough synergies to make a good fight?

[Soulsmith]

Ironjawz tactically are mainly about using synergy to buff their speed, and mash into the opponents before they can react. Knowing which units to tie stuff up with and the order to fight is how to effectively use them. Bonesplitterz have a bit more to them, with their shooting being surprisingly strong (one battalion can potentially give them 3 shots each).

I don't know from experience but I hope there is multi synergies between the other allegiances. I'm planning a mixed list myself but that's mainly because I'm using old unpainted fantasy stuff I got when the savages got new plastics

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[Dez]

Green iz best, and Ironjawz iz da GREENEST and MEANEST!!!! We squishez da Bugz and krumpz painted mugz!

My advice is to pick the army you like the look of the best, especially if it's your first army. You'll be spending most of your time building and painting it  I think Ironjawz will server you well, they are a go forward and smash style army though movement and buff auras are key. There's nothing stopping you from branching out later, and as stated Bonesplitterz have some good shooting (if yer inta wearin' paintkinis and weedy shootin').

I also love Night Goblins (Moonclan) and think they could work great in conjunction with either army. Moonclan brings the warmachines, and their troops are pretty crazy when you take them in lots of 40 and buff them up. They can hold their own in combat, and are really nice in area denial. 

Welcome aboard, let us know if you have any more questions!

 

[Sangfroid]

The ironjawz are your elite solid force (think plate wearing dps in MMO terms) they are the evolution of the Black Orc, every model has a 4+ or better armour save except the shaman, every unit access to rend -1 or better and multiple attacks per model. They have great formations and one in particular (ironfist) that enables excellent mobility combined with over arching destruction trait. Finally they have the wrecking ball that is Gordrakk the fist of gork and to a lesser extent mega boss on a maw crusha, seeing is believing with these two but they are expensive (albeit worth it) 

start up cost realistically to get a decent working force would be 2x the new start collecting boxes, mawcrusha, a megaboss on foot and  2 x boxes of brutes this will give you multiple options for your 1000 or 2000 point games (another strength of ironjawz all the units cost the same 180pts so you can mix and match to taste. 

[Thanatos Ares]

Bonesplittaz are exceptional monster hunters, and can have vastly different looking armies depending on preference (shooting heavy/all cavalry/infantry swarm etc..) but they lack armour saves almost entirely and have very limited access to rend weapons. They make up for this somewhat with volume of attacks. If you wanted pure Bonesplittaz then you get access to some very nifty spells and artefacts. Entirely depends on your natural play style really

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[Riavan]

I just picked up my start collecting set and just finished painting up a shaman, I am pumped!

[Lucio]

As with many Age of Sigmar factions, the synergies tend to stay within the same narrow allegiance rather than being able to boost outside of that, so you're rewarded for sticking to a single type such as Ironjawz or Bonesplittas rather than mixing and matching.

To that end, my suggestion for starting any new faction is always plan a small (say 500 points under the GHB) group of models around a Start Collecting box, play with it, and if you like it, expand it up to a larger group and once you've hit a decent enough size (typically around 2000 points under the GHB), then pick up the next faction.

Collecting in this way lets you build and theme each force, and as you expand your collection, start looking at combining the forces, so maybe you field a core force from your first collection, and then your recent aquisitions from your second.

In terms of mechancial analysis

You play Ironjawz or Ogors because you like lower model counts, high wound models and at least a chance to roll an armour save most of the time

You play Bonesplittas or Grots if you like a horde army, where individually your troops are weak and die, but when rolling those large stacks of dice, things tend to work out.

Greenskinz are middle of the road, some armour, some horde, definitely fun to field as many chariots as you can

 

[Durant]

If you are thinking, then WAAAAGH is not for you

 

Orruks and grots are fun army to colect, lots of diferten models, fun to kit bash. Fun to paint for beginers go for it, just do not think

[Chris Tomlin]

Hey,

Bit late to the party here. Been sick last couple of days so playing catch up!!

Most of what I'd say has been said. Some very solid advice above, I especially agree with @Sangfroid on where to start with the army if you decide to begin with Ironjawz. However what @Lucio advised around the mixing of Destruction factions is completely valid.

You definitely can mix and match, but as suggested above are somewhat rewarded for staying "in faction". We're not entirely blessed as far as generic Battleline goes, with Savage Orruks being the new go to choice (Moonclan Grots are viable).

But in short, I reckon just picking up a Start Collecting box and going from there is a solid shout. Can't go too far wrong. I wouldn't get hung up on what is or isn't "good", just have fun with it.