Orcs & Goblins by the Meta: Stas’ Old World List Comes Together
We had one of those very Old World list-building chats where a couple of short comments suddenly turn into a whole army taking shape.
This time it was Stas putting together an Orcs & Goblins force, with the discussion orbiting around the current meta, specific tech choices, and a few very practical answers to things we expect to see across the table. Bretonnia came up, the Green Knight came up, and of course there was also a bit of side-eye at the fact that even a limit of one balloon apparently is not enough to discourage “the Cathay guys”. Meta is gonna meta.
What we liked most here is that this is not just a random pile of cool models. It is very clearly a list built with matchups in mind.
Small choices that matter
The first thing that jumped out at us was Stas saying it was probably a good call to take the biting blade, because the Green Knight is Ethereal. That is exactly the kind of upgrade that can look minor on paper and suddenly become the thing that makes a game much less awkward.
In the same spirit, Michał pointed out that Blood of Hashut should come in handy too, and the general conclusion of the chat was pretty simple: these armies are being built with the meta in mind.
That also led to the obvious question from Ender: is Bretonnia really that good? If the list starts including specific answers to Green Knight and other annoying threats, then… well, that question does not come from nowhere.
The army at a glance
Stas later dropped a full army shot and walked us through it clockwise from the left. This is the kind of message we love, because suddenly the list stops being abstract and becomes a real force on the table.
Here is the core of the force:
- Warboss on Wyvern borrowed from Wilini — a proper beast, with 3+ save, 5+ ward, and a biting blade for AP -2 magical attacks. Very specifically included as an answer to the Green Knight and even things like a Banshee.
- Night Goblin Big Boss on Giant Cave Squig acting as the Battle Standard Bearer, carrying the Ruby Ring of Ruin to throw fireballs around.
- Orc Shaman, level 2 running with 15 Black Orcs equipped with shields and choppas.
- 30 Night Goblins with 3 Fanatics.
- A Doom Diver.
- 8 boar-mounted elites with spears.
There is a lot to like here. The Wyvern boss is clearly one of those centerpiece models that also has a very practical battlefield role. The BSB on Giant Cave Squig is exactly the kind of gloriously characterful pick we want to see in Orcs & Goblins, and the Ruby Ring gives him an extra bit of utility that can be surprisingly relevant. Then there is the solid infantry anchor, classic goblin nonsense with Fanatics, and artillery to keep opponents honest.
In other words: this feels like an army that knows what it wants to do, while still staying very much in the spirit of the faction.
The emergency baggage train solution
The other brilliant part of this update is the most hobby-realistic one.
Stas mentioned he had a lot on his plate over the last few weeks, so for now the baggage train will be represented by a mini-diorama held together “with spit”, meaning Blu Tack. Honestly, we respect that deeply. Sometimes finishing the perfect side element is less important than just getting the army ready and making sure everything needed for the event is on the table.
The only concern, as Stas put it, is hoping nobody mistakes it for an actual unit. Which, to be fair, is a very real risk when you put anything vaguely regiment-shaped onto a Warhammer table.
Why we enjoy posts like this
What makes this kind of army-building update fun is that it captures the real process. Not the polished final version with a perfect tournament report attached, but the stage where we are still talking through tech picks, reacting to the meta, borrowing models from friends, and improvising the baggage train because real life got in the way.
That is hobby too.
And honestly, this list has a lot of charm already: a nasty Wyvern boss with magical attacks for problem targets, goblin tricks, boar cavalry, a Doom Diver, and a barely-glued logistical afterthought trying not to be mistaken for a combat unit. Very on brand.
We are definitely curious how this one performs once it hits the table — and whether Bretonnia really is good enough to justify building in anti-Green-Knight tech from the start.