Wondering how to play Age of Sigmar competitively with a Moonclan Grot army? Come see a solid list you can build for around $200!
The recent winner of the Warhammer Grand Tournament (Heat 3) was none other than a Moonclan Grot Alliance with lots and lots of squigs. Talk about thinking outside the box! This is only going to be more prevalent when the new Generals Handbook 2 comes out later this year with special rules for each alliance. That being said, let’s take a look at a 1,000 point army of Moonclan Grots and what that might look like.
First you have to start with your 2 battle line units of Grots with Fanatics hiding in there, which are then supported by a Grot Warboss. (40 Goblin Grots on ebay: $40, 4 Fanatics on ebay: $20, 1 Warboss on ebay: $10 *Note buy the Warboss on foot with the pet squig, NOT the one ON the squig. You are looking for the command ability “I’m da Boss, Now Stab’em Good!”
- 20 Grots: (120 points) Battle line 1 of 2
- 20 Grots: (120 points) Battle line 2 of 2
- 2 Fanatics: (60 points) no unit type
- 2 Fanatics: (60 points) no unit type
- 1 Grot Warboss: (80 points) leader 1 of 4
Grots: They have 1 wound, 5 move, 6+ save, and 4 bravery. The Grots you should use have bows, as these things will not do much in combat. They shoot 16 inches, with 1 attack, hitting and wounding on a 5+, for 1 damage. There melee weapon is the same, just with a 1 inch attack. Should you have a netter or two any models within 2 inches of a netter you subtract 1 from there hit rolls. Finally, the leader gets +1 to hit, the musician adds 2 to run rolls, and the banner that either adds 2 to their bravery as long as no enemies within 3 inches, or one that adds 1 to save rolls against shooting attacks.
Fanatics: 1 wound, 2D6 move, 10 bravery, and no save. They do D6 attacks, hitting on a 4+, wounding on a 3+, with -2 rend for D3 damage. These guys hide in your Grot units and at the start of ANY charge phase can be released and instantly charge. Anytime for a move or charge that they roll doubles they instantly die.
Grot Warboss: He has 4 wounds, and a 5 for move, bravery, and save. This one will be armed with a moon-prodder which has a 14 inch range. It shoots a D6 attack, hitting on a 4+, wounding on a 3+, with -1 rend for 1 damage. His melee is a Giant Squig attack with 4 attacks, hitting on a 4+, wounding on a 3+, with -1 rend for D3 damage. He has two abilities the first is “Dead Tricksy” which makes hit rolls of 6 as 1’s against him. The second is “Down in One”, which on his squigs wound rolls of 6, the attack deals D6 damage rather than D3. Finally his command ability lets you select a Moonclan unit within 20 inches, and makes there wound rolls of 6 deal double damage.
Then you support your squigs with a couple of Shamans. (Blisters from GW come with two for $15)
- 1 Grot Shaman: (60 points) leader 2 of 4
- 1 Grot Shaman: (60 points) leader 3 of 4
Grot Shaman: 4 wounds, 5 move, 6+ save, and a bravery of 4. They have a moon staff with 2 inch range for 1 attack, hitting a wounding on a 4+, with -1 rend for D3 damage. He can eat mushrooms before casting spells which on a 2+ adds 2 to the casting roll. They have a unique spell called “Curse of DA BAD Moon”, which is a casting value of 8 arcane bolt that on a 4+ hits any units within 6 of the target.
Finally you finish out the army with a large unit of squigs, some herders, and then a super squig that is a single model but can dish out damage. (15 cave squigs on ebay: $45, 2 squig herders on ebay: $10, Mangler Squig from GW: $58)
- 15 Cave Squigs (180 points) no unit type
- 2 Squig herders (20 points) no unit type
- Mangler Squig (240 points) Behemoth 1 of 2.
Cave Squigs: Move of 5, 2 Wounds, 6+ save, and a bravery of 3. They have 1 attack hitting on a 5+, wounding on a 3+, with -1 rend for D3 damage. If you are within 5 inches of squig herders you can re roll runs and charges and add 1 to their hit rolls. Finally when any cave squig flees on a 4+ the deal 1 mortal wound to the nearest unit within 6 inches. (Moonclan units are ignored)
Squig Herders: Move of 5, 1 Wound, 6+ save, 4 bravery. They have one of two different weapons, the first being a noisemaker. Which has 1 inch range, 2 attacks, 5+ to hit, 6+ to wound, for 1 damage. The other one is a spear with 2 inch range, 1 attack, hitting on a 5+, wounding on a 4+, for 1 damage. Opponents must subtract 1 to all hit rolls against them if they are within 5 inches of a cave squig.
Mangler Squig: Move of damage table (starts at 3D6, down to D6), 5+ save, 10 bravery, 10 wounds. He has three different melee attacks, the first being massive fangs. That attack is range 2, 6 attacks, hit is damage table (starts at 2+ down up to 6+), wounds on 3+, with -1 rend for 2 damage. The next attack is ball and chain with 2 inch range, damage table attacks (starts at 2D6, down to D3), hitting on a 4+, wounding on a 3+, with -2 rend for 3 damage each. Finally Bashing sticks with 1 inch range, 4 attacks hitting and wounding on a 5+ for 1 damage. When you roll doubles on a charge you add 1 to hit rolls with the ball and chain, and when slain each unit within 6 inches of the mangler squig suffers D3 mortal wounds on a 4+.
Loadout: For the Grots I would go bows if you can, but make sure you have the command and if you can swing it a netter or two. (Don’t break the bank on these guys though). For the Warboss you want the one with a squig on the base and that model comes with a moon-prodder.
Tactics: The main point of this army is to use your Warbosses command ability on either the Mangler Squig or the Cave Squigs and watch them chew through units. If you can keep the Squig Herders alive and behind your Cave Squigs that is a bonus. But if your opponent directs attacks at them to kill them it is not a deal breaker either. With the double damage and rend characteristic on your squigs these bad boys will take out anything in their way. Your Grot Shamans should focus on casting the unique spell on a single target, and then casting mystic shield on your Mangler or Cave Squigs.
With the Grots if they have bows any damage they deal is bonus. Really they are there for battleline and to throw out Fanatics, which can interrupt your opponents charge moves and hit very hard. Your Mangler Squigs are a glass cannon; they hit hard but will then die easily. So make sure you either finish off your opponent with them, or trade for a higher point model. Finally, keep your Warboss out of range as he is very squishy. But his command ability more than makes up for his cheap point cost, and with a range of 20 you should be able to keep him out of harm’s way.
There you have it! This is a start to a very fun and interesting army that as we have seen in the past tournament, can go toe to toe with anyone. Total cost is variable a little bit as most of these are eBay units, but you should be able to get everything for under $200.
You might even be able to find a night goblin lot, which has a lot of what you are looking for a better price with more models.
More of Your First 1,000 points
About the Author: Travis Perkins
