Today we’re going to analyze the Orcs and Goblins list by Samuele Rasulo, an Italian player who scored 89 points at the World Championship, which put him in second place.
Congratulations, Samuele Rasulo: I think it’s quite an achievement to score so many points with Orcs, since many teams use them more as a “shield list” than a “sword list.”
The only army—if you’re wondering—that finished with more points, obviously to nobody’s surprise, is Grand Cathay.
This isn’t just a list; it’s an analysis of the context, the list, and its variations—so you can adapt it to your personal style.
This is part of a series of The Old World lists that I think will be very useful.
If it helps and you want to support the project → Don’t do it yet—what if the post’s a dud…
Read it first, and I’ll drop a link at the end of the post.
Let’s dive in.
General context and constraints the list was built for
Event format and structure
This list was created for an eight-player team event where pairings are arranged beforehand (it’s possible to “protect” certain lists. For example, if a teammate brings no magic defense, it’s very possible to “shield” them so they never face a magic-heavy list in any round, which affects list composition and makes them differ from a singles event where you can’t “dodge” a pairing no matter how rough it looks).
General army restrictions
- Maximum 500 points in a single character or unit.
- Allied are not allowed, but Mercenaries are.
- Your army may only include 0–2 Level 3 Wizards and/or 0–1 Level 4 Wizard.
Category limits
0–3 Characters: Character subtypes listed under the same unit entry (e.g., Chosen Lord, Exalted Champion, Aspiring Champion) are considered part of the same unit entry for this rule.
0–4 Core
0–3 Special
0–2 Rare and Mercenaries
If the same unit entry appears in multiple categories (e.g., Special and Rare), all of them count toward the most restrictive applicable limit. Example: Cathay can only take 2 giants at most, no matter how many Shugengan they include to field them as Special instead of Rare.
Character mounts count as part of the corresponding unit entry if that mount exists as a standalone unit (e.g., Heavy Chariots).
Named characters are exempt from all restrictions.
Secondary objectives and victory conditions
All games last 6 turns—no Break Point or variable game length (if you don’t know what I mean, here are the victory conditions from the Matched Play Guide explained).
Secondary objectives: The list is designed to play a total of 4 combined secondaries in each game (Domination or quadrants count as 2).
For example, one round might be baggage trains (1) + 2 strategic locations (1+1) + special feature (1), while another might be domination (2) + 2 strategic locations (1+1). In both cases there are 4 total objectives combined in different ways.
This is crucial, because lists are tweaked around the pack and would be different if you played all secondaries at once each game, or only 1 secondary per game.
Line of sight special rules
Large targets are only blocked by other Large targets. Neither hills nor impassable terrain block (at the event this list was built for) large targets.
Warhammer Old World Orcs and Goblins Army List
354 – Black Orc Warboss, Great Weapon, General, Wyvern, Trollhide Trousers, ‘Eadbuttin”At, Talisman Of Protection
57 – Night Goblin Bigboss, Shield, Battle Standard Bearer
112 – Night Goblin Bigboss, Great Weapon, Light Armour, Giant Cave Squig, Charmed Shield, Trollhide Trousers, Potion of Foolhardiness
137 – Night Goblin Warboss, Great Weapon, Light Armour, Giant Cave Squig, Charmed Shield, Trollhide Trousers, Potion of Foolhardiness
317 – Orc Warboss, Great Weapon, Heavy Armour, Wyvern, Shield of the Warrior True, Trollhide Trousers
60 – 5 Black Orc Mobs
67 – 6 Goblin Wolf Rider Mobs, Cavalry Spear, Shield, Boss
172 – 30 Night Goblin Mobs, Shield, 3x Fanatic, Boss
172 – 30 Night Goblin Mobs, Shield, 3x Fanatic, Boss
172 – 30 Night Goblin Mobs, Shield, 3x Fanatic, Boss
95 – Doom Diver Catapults
95 – Doom Diver Catapults
95 – Mangler Squigs
95 – Mangler Squigs
How to play this list—and against it
It brings the units you usually see: three blocks of 30 Night Goblins with shields and their corresponding Fanatics.
You might think it’s just the typical “shield list” that, in a team setting, is there to tank the opponent’s most aggressive lists and give up as few points as possible. But in reality this list is quite aggressive, because besides those typical “shield” units it also brings things like two Wyverns, four squig elements: two Mangler Squigs and two characters (Night Goblin Warboss and Night Goblin Big Boss) on Giant Cave Squigs—and something very interesting:
He’s spammed Trollhide Trousers across all mounted characters.
All of its mounted characters take them, both Goblin characters and Orc characters on Wyvern.
It’s the first time in this list I’m seeing Goblin characters get magic items, because people usually try to keep them as cheap as possible—and if they die, they die. Samuele Rasulo does give them survivability.
I also find it interesting that he gives them the potion that grants Immune to Psychology for one turn, to make sure they don’t flee on the key turn. These Goblin characters can be placed behind an Orc on Wyvern in combat so that, if he gives ground, he stays engaged with the enemy, and if he flees the combat due to a bad roll, that Orc moves through the goblin and the enemy can’t catch him.
Goblin Wolf Riders can also fill this role, although their first job is to hold an objective so a 30-goblin block doesn’t have to—and can keep advancing.
In other words, you’re holding an objective with 67 points instead of doing it with a 172-point block.
It’s pretty interesting.
In that vein, Goblin Wolf Riders can also charge a Great Eagle or something threatening the Doom Divers. Quite flexible.
Be very careful here, because if you position these goblin riders poorly, thanks to Impetuous it’s easy for them to charge something you don’t want—or at a time you don’t want—since their Leadership is very low.
It’s also interesting that the Orc player gave the Black Orc Warboss the ‘Eadbuttin’ ‘At (which grants Impact Hit (1) on the charge). It’s not an item you see often.
Per the TOW FAQ v1.5, the Impact Hit happens before issuing challenges, but it goes against the unit; you don’t allocate it to the enemy unit champion to avoid the challenge.
To play against this list, it’s a good idea to hunt his monsters with your monsters, since his are smaller and will die sooner (probably).
You need to be very careful with the units that have Random Movement, because you can’t flee a charge from them, nor stand and shoot. Also remember that with Random Movement, the unit doesn’t have to move the full distance shown on the dice: it can move less and choose the direction after seeing the dice result.
This is very different from the compulsory movement in 6th edition.
It shouldn’t be hard to catch those six Goblin Wolf Riders, although in many cases it may not be worth it because they’re only 67 points.
However, it can be very hard to dodge or minimize damage from Fanatics. Honestly, in Warhammer: The Old World, Fanatics make little sense, even after being nerfed (they could previously be launched while marching as well).
Old World Orc Army List Combos
This list has great synergy, with fast units and two Wyvern-mounted characters.
It’s easy to place a unit behind them so that if things go wrong for the character in combat, he can flee safely without being caught, passing through the unit behind him. And if it’s terrain, that Orc won’t get stuck by colliding with your own unit.
Running two big monsters lets you charge the same unit with both and eat the challenge with one while the other causes casualties to win the combat.
The squigs with Random Movement have 360-degree vision and are very useful for protecting the Doom Divers from ambushers, who are typically ideal for hunting war machines or burning the baggage trains. That defensive role is very interesting.
They can also be used as a redirector, since they’re not Immune to Psychology unless they drink the potion.
The Battle Standard Bearer gives you that safety you want in a team tournament so you don’t lose the game to a failed check. At 57 points it’s a very interesting character.
Fixed things in any Old World Night Goblin Army List
- Whenever we see an Orc Warboss or Black Orc Warboss on Wyvern, the combo is great weapon + Trollhide Trousers + Talisman of Protection. If we see double Wyvern character, the second one usually carries some cheap shield for a ward save.
- You won’t see a block of Night Goblins without their Fanatics. If they’re not the best unit in the game, they’re very close.
- Doom Divers are completely mandatory: no Orc player leaves home without one—especially in a meta where you might face double dragon.
Possible variations for your Old World Orc list
Double monster: in the current meta you can run two Wyverns or one; the standard is 2 to set up joint charges, but 1 is viable.
Magical protection: in this list the player doesn’t run any anti-magic, and my explanation is the same as in the Dwarf Expeditionary Force list (which I already explained earlier and link below, to avoid repeating myself): they protected him in pairings.
But in an individual event it’s likely those Trollhide Trousers, perhaps one Giant Cave Squig or even the BSB, would be replaced by at least a Level 1 Wizard for dispels.
Black Orcs: people either run the obligatory unit of 5 (60 points) or units of 20+. Another option is not to take them and run an Orc Warboss on Wyvern, but not a Black Orc Warboss, which I’m very much in favor of.
Night Goblin equipment: Standard and Musician aren’t mandatory; nets are viable, and you can also play a unit with bows. I don’t rate spears.
A fourth block of Night Goblins with Fanatics is feasible—i.e., more than 90 goblins is feasible—yes, but personally I find the list gets really boring, both to play and to face.
I’m glad Games Workshop nerfed the 80/60 Night Goblin unit with the Spider Standard and bows. Only one was seen at the World Championship.
If your goal is a more “shield” list, a good option is to swap Mangler Squigs for catapults: Rock Lobbers, not goblin catapults (the Doom Divers are baseline in the list).
Magic!: the Goblin Shaman—night or common—is also playable with the Idol of Gork (or Mork), depending on the main role you want to give him. Elementalism works, the Waaagh! lore works.
Orc Boar Riders: another viable option—they hit hard and are cheap. Those who ran them at the World Championship ALL took the banner that gives +1 Strength on the charge (Butchery). They work in both small and big units (12).
I really like the one that gives them Frenzy, since you’re swinging five attacks per model at S5.
Orc Big Bosses on Chariots: cheap, tough, and they hit hard. Viable if you don’t want to spam Wyverns, though they have a huge problem I’ll talk about in another post.
Squig Hoppers: they do a great job babysitting war machines, and they’re also a unit that—although it’s made of glass—hits very hard and is very cheap. Useful both in combination with Mangler Squigs and on their own.
It’s funny to see an Orc list without a single Orc regiment, but Night Goblins are just too good and they overshadow each other in terms of battlefield role.
The army book is very strong and therefore it has many interesting options. If you feel this project deserves support, here’s the link where I explain 5 ways to support TOW for free.
I won’t lie to you.
Whether you support this or not, I’m going to keep bringing these analyses and lists because they’re useful (people write to thank me, so there must be a reason).
Anyway, here are the related posts
Warhammer Old World Dwarf Army list | Expeditionary Force
How to buy Cheap New Minis and support TOW?
Secondary Objectives Old World 1.5 Explained
Razing of the Westerland New Common Magic Items
Shadowlands Lore of Magic Razing of the Westerland
Chaos Warriors Update Razing of the Westerland
If you think there’s an error in the post, feel free to reach out at theoldwarrior@theoldwarrior.com, and I’ll review it. Hope you enjoy ToW!