Ogre Kingdoms Review: Old Book, Part 2

Leadbelchers: 55 point ogre bulls who get light armour and a leadbelcher cannon, in a unit size of 2-5 fatties. The cannon counts as a club in close combat. Otherwise they have a range of 12”, hit at strength 4 with armour piercing and roll an artillery dice worth of hits. A misfire makes your entire unit take D6 S4 hits and that cannon doesn't fire. They take no penalties for long range, moving or multiple shots. Once they fire, you can't fire them again unless you take an entire turn reloading them, which means doing absolutely nothing for one turn.

The myriad of problems with this unit should be apparent. When you get within 12” of the enemy you fire your cannons, most likely hurting your own unit of leadbelchers in the process. You kill a few rank and file men and now no longer have any shots left to pummel them with unless you spend a turn doing nothing. You can stand and shoot with your cannons either, but not if they're reloading. If you do stand and shoot, you have your leadbelchers standing around doing nothing, and they'll most likely ignore you. They could be charged, but you're throwing expensive, naked bulls into combat. The enemy now has ample time to charge you and bring you down. You only have 5 ogres so you have the fighting power of ogre bulls, without the parry save of ironfists.

55 points each. A champion and a musician costs you 10 points each. If you did take 4 it costs you 240 points, 260 with a champion and musician. A champion without BS4. 4 ironguts with full command costs 242 points.

Ogre Kingdoms Review: Old Book, Part 1

Ogres.

With the advent of the Ogre Kingdoms being rereleased for 8th edition, isn't it time we walked down memory lane, nostalgia goggles rosed up and tinted so we could look back at what is, compared to what will be?

I've decided to try and take my hand at writing up a Then & Now comparison for the Ogre Kingdoms. Let's review what we know and see if times change for the better.

The Old book was written by a certain Phil Kelly. Back in 2003 before he got around to Space Wolves and Dark Eldar, the gods of Games Workshop instructed him to write out a book for the Ogre Kingdoms. And so he did, and what a wonderful trip it was. It was so full of cool and interesting fluff about our favourite fatties. All the possibilities of an Ogre Clan or family, their markings and rituals and where they get their equipment from.

Then you read the rules, expecting that your army of ogres would be a match and beat the face off those dark elves or daemons. Surely, Might makes right?