Future 35pt Troll list

[Knight's Bane]

eDoomy +6

Earthborn DireTroll 10
DireTroll Mauler 9
Full Champions 10
Min Kriel Stone Bearers 3
+Elder 1
2x Whelps 4
Swamp Gobbers 1
Fell Caller Hero 3

Trolls are a new faction for me so I want to buy according to a list so I don't go hog wild like I did for my Menoth army. Currently this list looks a little light warbeast short. I was looking for a bit of synergy between the two heavies, the whelps and eDoomy, while watching the combined wall of doom that was the champions combined with an elder, Kriel stone, and Fell Caller. The gobbers are for eDoomy for cloud of "please don't shoot me Kara Sloan."

[Katzu]

((I'm such an idiot. I missed that you're using eDoomy.))

Gimmie a picture of what you would be doing with this force. It almost looks like my 35, but I feel like Whelps are a bit of a "gimmick" and so I don't use them. With your EBDT and Mauler you'll be cranking 6-10 Fury a turn, and Doomy can take 7 of that no sweat, so unless you're doing a modified Brick the Krielstone will be hit-or-miss. Look at this:

Doomshaper - 7 Fury (1st and 2nd turn)
2 to cast EBDT's Transmutation on the Mauler or Doomshaper, as needed.
2 for Fortune on the Champions (will be upkept using Great Power)
2 for Fortune on the Mauler or EBDT
1 for transferrance early game.

Doomshaper - 7 Fury (later turns)
Fortune on the Champions using Great Power
2 to cast EBDT's Transmutation on the Mauler or Doomshaper, as needed.
2 to cast Mauler's Rage on EBDT (Rile the Mauler to put Rage on himself and to generate 2 Fury.)
2 for Fortune on the Mauler or EBDT
1-3 for transferrance early game (if you don't Rage the EBDT.)

With the Krielstone and a unit of Whelps out, you could pick up an Impaler (AMAZING ranged Lt. Warbeast,) max your Champions, and grab Saxon Orrick, a fiendish little Minion Monster Hunter.

OR...

Ditch the Krielstone and both Whelps to pick up an Axer (the Hvy. beast in a Lt. beast's body. Reach+Threasher!), max your Champions, and add a Champion Hero. Would look like this:

Hoarluk Doomshaper +7
----- Troll Axer 6
----- Dire Troll Mauler 9
----- Earthborn Dire Troll 10
Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew (Leader and 1 Grunt) 1
Trollkin Champions (Leader and 4 Grunts) 10
Fell Caller Hero 3
Trollkin Champion Hero 3


TROOOOOLS!!!!!!!

[Knight's Bane]

Well, it's Epic Doomshaper. Rage machine of doom. (I don't have pDoomy just yet) The champs are already full, too. I was debating on the Kriel stone because it's really expensive support just for the champions, making them (with the Elder) immune to continuous effects and giving them an armor of 20 as they advance B2B up the board. The whelps are to survive the range that almost every list has now. They pop out when shot, getting my big beasts up the fray guaranteed. D3 isn't much, but with 10 of them, that's a solid ~15 points of life that I don't have to force a regen or heal with fury.

I don't see much anti-infantry in this list, though either. Honestly, I'm not sure how to get that with trolls outside the Pyre, which I really don't see me using. I could get the axer if I got rid of the Kriel, elder, and one whelp unit. It's more beat face, but will my champs make it up surviving spells/AoE/ranged? My Menoth style of play is coming to mind, so I need expert experience with Trolls on the list. Survive the barrage to punch back. Should I shoulder the damage and just put more attack oriented units in the list? I could almost get rid of the kriel, elder, and whelps to get a full unit of fennblades. Or keep one unit of whelps and use a min unit of Fenns. But that Axer is so anti infantry, especially with the Mauler's Animus. Thresher at PW 17...goodbye shield wall tarpit.
Too many options.

I guess my main questions is about the Kriel Stone. How useful is it for 4 points (with Elder)? 2 armor and immune to continuous effects.

[Katzu]

The Krielstone is still a huge benefit to a Troll army, but with one unit cranking up to ARM 20 its not as effective as the Brick running 2 Champs or CHamps and Warriors, in which case you should rather be using Madrak or Borka (or Grissel for the extra Fell Calls - remember one per unit!)

And if Doomshaper (either one) is using his beasts effectively he's only keeping enough on himself for a transfer or two and the rest is going to use beasts animi on each other.

ps. While the Axer's animus is boss, it isn't as good as EBDT's Transmutation with the Mauler in rough terrain.

[Knight's Bane]

My plan with the army is an early feat turn. Get up and personal FAST (turn 2 in a perfect world). Not only could I get either my EBDT or Mauler up to atleast a 11' charge threat, but could Goad into whatever else I needed to really get to. Go all out, push one of the beasts to red-line and not worry about it if he frenzies. Could also refuge on an EBDT, send him way out there (probably a 13' change on feat turn), then waltz up to whatever I want dead next turn. So the enemy has to make sure whatever is refuged in their backline is dead, while worring about the oncoming second wave of infantry that follows up the Beast charge. Theoritically it might work. Aaaand, Attuned Spirit + upkept Wild Aggression is amaaazing.

Given the above information, I guess 2 beasts doesn't squeeze everything I could get out of Doomy's feat. The Axer would fit awful nicely. But what would I give up? I'm thinking the Kriel (4), Whelps (2). That gives me two points after an axer for one untis of whelps (which for some reason I am intent on using). I'm scared to lose that 20 armor bonus and back up Fury battery, though. With Doomy, I'll probably be casting like this:

Turn 1:
Wild Agression 3 (maybe)
Refuge (maybe) 2
EBDT animus is Free

Turn 2:
Upkeep Aggression (maybe)
EBDT animus Free
Rush 2
Pop Feat

Turn 3: whatever survives
Upkeep Aggression (maybe)
Use Primal shock to DEATH

I need to play with how animi and spells work in conjunction to flush out that list better. Btw, in an amazing sceneario:

EBDT with feat and Rush = 15' charge. (5+3 charge +3 feat +2 Communion + 2 rush). CRAZY! And for freaking free.

I also have eMadrak (for looks because holy crap that axe is huge). But I'm not used to in-the-fray warcasters let alone warlocks. He's on the shelf until I'm comfortable with Doomy.

[Knight's Bane]

So I'm going to purchase the cheapest way to get me to 35 points, and my list is probably going to suck. Yet for all its oddities, I think that alot of giants trolls running forward will be intimidating. I currently have the models for the heavies I'm fielding. So I'd only have to spend ~60 bucks.

eDoomy +6
EBDT 10
Mauler 9
Mauler 9
2x whelps 4
Max FennBlades 8
Swamp Gobbers 1

Should be a cheap list for me to practice with. I don't think Fenns are a bad investment at all (currently). But I'm going to wait for the official Primal MkII to come out before I make the purchase. I miss my solos. Trolls are such a huge shift from Menoth. But I think beefy engines of destruction are freaking sweet.