Fracture Army Focus: Ogres

This is the second article in a series. You can check out the first article, on Basilea, here.

A Closer Look at the New Ogre Army List

Kings of War: Fracture is out now, bringing the next major chapter of Pannithor to the tabletop.

Inside the book, you’ll find new lore, stories, scenarios, universal Command Orders, and gameplay updates and four completely new army lists for Basilea, Ogres, Forces of the Abyss and Forces of Nature.

To take a closer look at those new lists, we’ve teamed up with members of the Kings of War Core Playtesting Group for a special series of army-focused articles.

For this second instalment, we’re looking at Ogres, with insights from Matthew Temple from the CPG. Matthew is a Kings of War veteran and active member of the community in the US, who has appeared as a guest on the Counter Charge podcast multiple times in the past.

Ogres are one of Pannithor’s most practical, independent and culturally distinctive peoples. They have no great capital city, no single ruler and little interest in the grand divine politics that shape so many other nations. What matters to them is hunting, fighting, earning, surviving, and making sure great deeds are remembered in stories.

Driven from parts of their ancestral home on the Mammoth Steppe after the flooding of the Abyss, Ogres can be found, now more than ever, working across Pannithor as warriors, bodyguards, sailors and mercenaries. They’ll fight for almost anyone who pays well enough, but that doesn’t mean they’re simple brutes for hire. Ogres are canny, experienced and dangerous, with a strong culture of their own, and a long memory for both good contracts and unpaid debts.

The Ogre Battalion Box makes a great starting point for a new Ogre army

In Fracture, Ogre mercenary companies are being hired in increasing numbers as war spreads across the south of Pannithor. Whether they’re defending Ophidia, fighting alongside the Salamanders, or looking for a path back to the lands they lost, one thing is clear: when an Ogre army gathers, everyone nearby should start paying attention.

We asked Matthew to talk us through the new Ogre list, and share some insights into what players can look forward to when they take these mighty mercenaries to war in Fracture.

What do you personally like about Ogres, and what do you think defines the army?

Matthew: Ogres are perhaps the best “jack of all trades” list in Kings of War.

With high Defence, Crushing Strength and Brutal, they can take a lot of damage and give a lot back. Ogres tend to be an army that new players gravitate to, partly because of their all-round effectiveness, and partly due to the relatively low model count. That said, they’re also popular with plenty of veterans!

If you like an army that can take a hit and keep going, then Ogres are a great choice!

They also have a really strong identity in the background. They are highly valued as mercenaries and have a reputation as supreme warriors, but not all Ogres are happy with the loss of their homelands. Many of them still long for a return home.

Warriors and Boomers form a solid backbone for any Ogre force

What was the team trying to achieve with the Fracture version of the Ogre list?

Matthew: While looking at the army for Fracture, we wanted to give players the tools to really lean into the strengths of the list, as well as compensate a little for some of its weaknesses.

Ogres have some of the best Defence 6+ units in the game, and some powerful characters that can swing well above their weight.

On the flip side, Ogres can struggle to bring high Unit Strength to the table. So with that in mind, we thought about ways to help counter those issues, while keeping the army as close to the same as possible.

It was also important to us that the army “feels” right. The armies should match the background and stories about them.

Can you share a few highlights from the new list?

Matthew: Well, to start talking about all the cool new stuff for Ogres...we’re going to start by talking about Goblins!

That may sound a little silly, but Red Goblins are a big part of Ogre lore. Red Goblins are Goblins that have attached themselves to an Ogre, or a group of Ogres. In return for protection, the Goblins do odd jobs and try to make themselves useful for their Ogre “masters”.

Because of this, they are very eclectic when called upon in combat. They’re carrying a hodgepodge of different kit – some may shoot you with a bow, while some may stab you with a knife or spear. The new Red Goblin unit rules embody this by giving them Phalanx and a ranged attack all in one unit, which of course also makes them an interesting choice tactically.

Another exciting addition is a change to the Berserker Bully. When you take the Bully, Berserker Braves become Core choices. The same happens with the Warlord on a Chariot: Warrior Chariots become Core.

Heroes like the Berserker Bully now provide more options for changing things up

This allows for more flexibility when players are building their lists. It was important during playtesting for players to have more choices, and these changes also give players a little more value out of their heroes and champions.

By giving those hero units special unlocks, it improves their utility without needing massive points increases.

Are there any new units or returning favourites players should look out for?

Matthew: One of my favourite additions to the Fracture list is kind of a big deal…

Yep, The Big Deal is back, and it’s a massive Hero Titan for the Ogres! This Warlord comes on an 80x100mm base, so you can take an infantry regiment base and turn it sideways.

And for those of you wondering: yes, it does have Strider. (In loving memory of Jesse Cornwell.*)

The Big Deal comes with Crushing Strength 3 and Thunderous Charge 1. Along with a few other abilities, this unit can deal a lot of damage while also Inspiring the units around it. It will give Ogre players a huge centrepiece unit on the battlefield, both in rules terms and hobby terms.

Which Command Order best captures the feel of the new list?

Matthew: While all five of the Ogre Command Orders are very good, one stands out to me: That's Our Stash.

This gives a unit +1 Unit Strength until the start of its next turn. Are you one short in the Dominate circle? Tied on that objective? Well, now you’re not!

This helps mitigate the low Unit Strength issue that Ogre armies sometimes have.

How does the Fracture list bring Ogre lore onto the tabletop?

Matthew: Something I am really proud of with the Orders in the Fracture book is how they bring elements of the army’s background to life on the tabletop.

That's Our Stash comes from the Ogres’ love of gold, and their possibly unnatural desire to hoard it. The unit will not give up its treasure, and it will be that much harder to dislodge them from it on the tabletop.

For those of you who really want to have an army that “feels” right, these kinds of changes will help you do that.

The Paymaster embodies the Ogres' mercenary attitude and love of gold!

What kind of player will enjoy the new Ogre list?

Matthew: The army is still very friendly for new players, as Ogres have a lower model count than most other armies. At the same time, it still offers tactical choices through Command Orders and units, giving veteran players the tools they desire for competitive games.

All of this happens while Ogres maintain their identity on the tabletop, so players can really get a feel for what they are like in the world of Pannithor.

I hope that you have fun reading the new Fracture book, and I look forward to seeing all those cool Ogre armies on the tabletop!

The Biggest Deal in Town

Thanks again to Matthew for sharing his thoughts on the new Ogre army list in Fracture.

Ogres have always been tough, dangerous and brilliantly practical, and the new list builds on that identity with increased flexibility and more ways to bring the Ogre lore to life on the tabletop. Whether you want to focus on warriors, chariots, Red Goblins, big guns or one very Big Deal, there’s plenty here for Ogre players to get stuck into.

Kings of War: Fracture is available now in hardback and PDF, with the rules content also available through the Mantic Companion for subscribers.

Grab your copy of Fracture, build your list, and get ready to show Pannithor why hiring Ogres is usually a very good idea – as long as you remember to pay them!

Stay tuned for more blogs in this series, coming soon.

*Note from Mantic: Jesse was a larger-than-life and much-beloved member of our US Kings of War community, who very sadly passed away before his time. During his years playing Kings of War, he campaigned loud and hard for the Mammoth to get the Strider rule, since its Melee 4+ and propensity to clip terrain on the charge made it rather ineffective otherwise. After his passing, he was immortalised with both the magic item Sir Jesse's Boots of Striding, and with the Ogre legendary unit, The Big Deal - named as such because "I'm kind of a big deal" was a favourite catchphrase of his. Rest in peace, Jesse.