How to Play Orruk Warclans in Warhammer Age of Sigmar (4th Edition)

The two armies feel completely different at the trait level, so learn whichever one you're playing.

Ironjawz are about relentless forward momentum. Their signature battle trait gives eligible units a short free move in the hero phase (published as Mighty Destroyers), letting the army redeploy and threaten charges a turn earlier than opponents expect - you can even nudge units into or out of combat. On top of that they have a once-per-battle army-wide Waaagh! that hands nearby Ironjawz units bonus melee attacks and a charge bonus, turning one crucial turn into an avalanche of attacks.

Kruleboyz are built around Dirty Tricks: a menu of underhanded abilities (repositioning, ambush damage, making enemies strike last, poison-style critical hits) where each successive trick you use in a game gets harder to pull off, so you must sequence them rather than spam them. Their poison-flavoured hit bonuses and 'strike last' tricks let a fragile army punch above its weight if you dictate the terms of the fight.

Because this book pairs two armies, do not assume a friend's Orruk list works like yours - confirm which battle traits apply to the army in front of you.

Battle formations are a free army-wide sub-theme you pick during list-building; each army has its own set. Below are representative, well-documented choices - see this guide's dedicated formation entries and the warnings note for the fuller list.

Ironjawz tend to choose between all-out melee output (a formation rewarding big charges with extra attacks) and mobility (a cavalry-focused formation that gets faster as it racks up kills). There are also support-oriented options that grant wards or escalating hit bonuses.

Kruleboyz choose between anti-shooting resilience (a terrain-based concealment formation), extended shooting reach for their Boltboyz, teleport/ambush trickery, and buffs for their monstrous companions.

Pick the formation that amplifies the list you actually own: a Gore-grunta-heavy Ironjawz army wants the cavalry theme; a Boltboyz gunline wants the Kruleboyz shooting theme. Formation power shifts with Battlescrolls, so re-check before committing to a build.

Ironjawz - Megaboss on Maw-Krusha - the flagship monster-hero hammer and general; huge output and presence, but a points-heavy target. - Orruk Megaboss (on foot) - a cheaper melee beatstick and buff piece. - Weirdnob Shaman - the army's caster, enabling Lore of the Weird spells and mobility/damage tricks. - Ardboyz - durable battleline infantry that hold objectives. - Brutes / Brute Ragerz - elite close-combat infantry that do the heavy krumping. - Gore-gruntas - fast pig cavalry; the core of a mobile, charge-focused Ironjawz list.

Kruleboyz - Killaboss (on foot or on Great Gnashtoof) - core hero and general options. - Gobsprakk / Swampboss Skumdrekk - characterful named heroes providing magic and support. - Gutrippaz - the battleline anchor: sticky, poison-armed infantry. - Man-skewer Boltboyz - ranged threat and the reason to invest in shooting-support formations. - Hobgrot Slittaz - cheap, aggressive chaff/objective-grabbers. - Beast-skewer Killbow / Marshcrawla Sloggoth - monster-hunting and support pieces.

Ironjawz play a proactive, front-foot game. Use the hero-phase free move to shorten the distance, screen against alpha strikes, and set up multi-charges; then time the once-per-game Waaagh! for the turn you can commit your Maw-Krusha, Brutes and Gore-gruntas together. You want to be the one charging - Ironjawz are strong on the attack and less comfortable sitting back.

Kruleboyz play a reactive, controlling game. Bank on terrain, repositioning tricks and shooting to soften and disrupt the enemy, force disadvantageous fights with 'strike last' effects, and win the objective game rather than the straight slugfest. Sequence your Dirty Tricks so the hardest-to-use ones come out while they're still easy.

Whichever you play, Destruction as a grand alliance also has access to army-wide comeback tools (published under a 'rally'-style trait that can return a destroyed unit at reduced strength) - build your plan around trading and objectives, not just tabling the enemy.

• Trying to mix Ironjawz and Kruleboyz. This is the number-one new-player error. In a normal list you cannot; only the Big Waaagh! Army of Renown mixes them, and it imposes strict pairing rules that make casual mixing impractical.
• Ironjawz over-extending. The free move tempts you into premature charges; feed the enemy piecemeal and elite Orruks get ground down. Commit in numbers, ideally under the Waaagh!.
• Kruleboyz spamming tricks turn one. Because Dirty Tricks escalate in difficulty, dumping them early wastes your best turns. Hold value tricks for the decisive moment.
• Fragility and low model count. Both armies (Kruleboyz especially) can be out-bodied on objectives by cheap hordes, and Ironjawz's small elite footprint can be overwhelmed if isolated. Bring screens and respect the objective game.
• Assuming last edition's tricks. This is a 4th-edition faction with a 2025 battletome and ongoing Battlescroll changes - 3rd-edition/Broken Realms combos no longer apply.