Equipping and Ironjaw Waaaghh

[Trokair]

I am thinking of starting AoS and have been reading around a bit on the web and here on the forum, so far I am leaning towards Sylvaneth and Ironjaws. I am still new so please say so if anything I say is factually wrong or I have just misunderstood.

Anyway, based on what I have read and the content of the starter box I have rough idea of what units I want. However what I am less sure is which weapons to give to the units.

Let’s start with Brutes.

The general load out I have seen seems to be two Choppas in units of 5 brutes and Gore-hacka in units of 10. Is the extra reach that important to give up the extra attack?

So yes you will lose some attacks if not all make it into range, but will the extra attack of the ones that did make it nor make up for it?

Secondly has anybody sued Gore-choppa, they have the extra reach and between the worse to hit but extra damage probably do the same on average as Gore-hacka. With two in a unit of 10 they give the extra reach of Gore-hackas while the rest still have Choppas for the extra attack.

Brute Boss, I assume that the Klaw and Smasha is the way to go, it does more damage but is more luck reliant.

 

Ardboys. I am going to have 20 of these. I might field them as two units of 10 or one of 20. As they can mix and match weapons it seems both simpler and yet more complicated.

Choppas and Smashas seem to way to go as more attacks. The army has plenty of rend elsewhere so as a new play I would assume that it is not necessary needed here. Target selection towards larger units with worse save would also reduce the need for rend while benefiting from more attacks. So the inverse of Brutes ideal targets (few better armed with more wounds per model).

Shileds seem good if the unit needs to absorb a more of damage rather than deal it, say for objective holding.

I am thinking of equipping 10 with Choppas so that they can be a unit by themselves and 10 with shields to join the 10 when fielding a unit of 20. Thoughts?

 

Meggaboss on Maw-krusha (why are these called cabbage?)

Gore-hacka and Scrap-tooth for more attacks or Chopa and Rip-tooth Fist for higher potential damage with more luck reliance? Here I am not sure at all but assume that the Maw-krusha is already providing plenty of rend so more attacks for horde clearance is what I am leaning towards.

 

So please share your thoughts and any advice on how you have or would equip your Ironjaws.

[Sangfroid]

so easy ones first,they are called cabbages because when they first came out a very jealous non ironjawz player remarked that they looked like a cabbage (not entirely sure who first spotted this) we have adopted it because let's face it the grumpy dragons do have a cabbageesque look about them. If your going to give him the meteoric hammer blade artifact I'd go with choppa and rip tooth fist (so you can use the hammer blade in place of fist when there are more than 3 models in range. If not using that artifact then the hacka and scrap tooth might be better (or use gordrakk.....)

Brutes: I have 10 with choppas (well 6 + 2 gore choppa and 2 bosses) as I'd rather have extra attacks (plus I sometimes field 2 units of 5 anyway) it is possible to maximise all 10 models with a 1" range but requires a wider formation and it is not always possible to get them all into combat. The 2" range of the gore hacka means that it's a lot easier plus you can pack them very tightly together freeing up space for other units to get in and get Krumpin. In very basic terms if you have choppas and 2 guys can't get into fight because of range then you would have been better with gorehackas. As you need to the game I'd try out both combos to get a feel for it. I like the klaws on bosses too if not just for the fun factor :-)

Ardboyz: mine are a throw back from black orcs when there was no choice so are armed with a mixture of weapons so what I tend to do is have a unit with GW and then a unit with 2hw and then a mixture unit. Both perform okay, I don't bother with shields as you lose an attack or -1 rend for a 6+ which will help but if your taking enough damage that it does they are probably well on the way to being dead anyway (just my opinion of course) though a unit with 20 shields maybe a new take I hadn't considered which would possibly make the 6+ worthwhile 

[Knight of Ruin]

a question of my own;

Gordrakk or generic maw krusha? When is which better/more fun?

[Sangfroid]

It's a personal choice really as he is so expensive if you know for a certainty that you are facing nagash, mortarch, archaon, allarielle, treelords, frost lords etc.... Then has to be gordrakk 

in most lists he effectivly costs you either 10 ardboyz, 5 brutes or 3 gorgruntas 

is a mawcrusha megaboss and one of the above more useful to you? So depends on army your facing and opponent really 

 

[Dangermouse425]

I like that Gordrakk costs 180pts more than the Megaboss on Maw Krusha.

The Ironjawz Battleline options are in simple "building blocks" of 180pts, you can easily swap them out for each other, without needing to cut points elsewhere, or (as Sangroid puts it) you can just trade in a unit of 10 'Ardboys, 5 Brutes of 3 Gore-gruntas.

Gordrakk is obviously much better than the Megaboss on MK in a face-to-face comparison on paper, but whether he's worth losing a unit of 'Ardboys, Brutes of Gore-gruntas is really down to the list. It's a hard one to judge in isolation, from an overall list perspective. I think both have their place.

[Blueisola]

I've opted for double-fisting with both my Ardboyz and Brutes for the extra attacks.

with a buff of +1 attack a unit of 10 boyz potentially rolls 30 dice!  shots on goal for me...

[Dez]

I'd rather get the rend myself, especially if given +1 to hit by a Warchanter. 

In regards to 2h vs 1h for Brutes, there's one more thing to consider. If you want to benefit from the buff auras (which are huge for our army) you'll need to be packed in tight. We're creating more of a wrecking ball with Brutes and Heroes, a Deathstar.

[Trokair]

Thank you all

Supplementary question, which Standard should I give to Ardboys? Also which one is which?

I assume the banner is the one with the beastman head and the Icon the other one.

[N_Watson]

28 minutes ago, Trokair said:

Thank you all

Supplementary question, which Standard should I give to Ardboys? Also which one is which?

I assume the banner is the one with the beastman head and the Icon the other one.

If I am not mistaken, you can take both in one unit. Is that right guys? 
 

If you want to only take one, the one giving +2 bravery in combat might be better. 

[Dez]

You can take both! What I did was use the banner as the banner (I know I know) and then used bits and bobs to make Icons.