Army Collection - Oathmark - Orcs and Goblins

Building a Goblin-Only Army for Oathmark

I already own a sizeable Gloomspite Gitz army for Age of Sigmar, so when I discovered Oathmark, I wanted to play immediately and also, I was not looking to start another fantasy army from scratch. Instead, I started reading through the rules and quickly realised that I already owned most of the miniatures needed to build a respectable Goblin army.

That immediately made Oathmark far more appealing. Rather than buying and then having to paint an entirely new collection, I could use miniatures that were already painted and sitting on my shelves. In fact, I had enough Goblins, Trolls and characters to put together a solid Oathmark Goblin army with only a few minor adjustments. This would then allow me to try the game for a minimal cost, basically, just the cost of the rules!

Oathmark - Is this my new fantasy game?

I suspect I am not alone in this situation. Many fantasy gamers already own armies for Age of Sigmar, Warhammer Fantasy Battle, Kings of War or other systems. One of the strengths of Oathmark is that it allows those collections to find a new purpose. The miniatures remain the same, but the style of game feels very different.

For more Oathmark Articles→.

1000 Point Army of Goblins and Trolls

I have since built an Orc and Goblin army using the official North Star miniatures. Click the link to view the North Star Orc and Goblin Army.

Age of Sigmar and Oathmark

Although both games revolve around fantasy armies battling across the tabletop, they approach warfare in very different ways.

Age of Sigmar places a great deal of emphasis on heroes, monsters and powerful special abilities. Units generally move in loose formations and individual characters can have a dramatic impact on the outcome of a battle. Many armies are built around impressive centrepiece models supported by smaller units.

Oathmark feels much closer to the rank-and-file fantasy battles I grew up playing during the Warhammer Fantasy Battle era of the 1990s and early 2000s. Heroes are still important, but they support the troops rather than dominate the game. Infantry blocks form the heart of most armies and positioning becomes critically important. Units need room to manoeuvre, battle lines need protecting and careful movement often matters more than flashy special abilities.

This difference in gameplay is one of the things that attracted me to Oathmark in the first place. The idea of manoeuvring ranked units around the battlefield feels very nostalgic, whilst still offering a modern ruleset.

Building a Goblin Army

After looking through my Gloomspite Gitz collection, I realised I already owned enough miniatures to build a respectable Goblin force.

The backbone of the army comes from three large infantry units:

• 20 Moonclan Grots with swords acting as Goblin Soldiers – 200 points
• 20 Moonclan Grots with bows acting as Goblin Archers – 200 points
• 20 Moonclan Grots with spears acting as Goblin Spearmen – 220 points

Together these units provide the sort of ranked infantry formations that Oathmark armies are built around. The Soldiers and spearmen form a solid core, and the Archers offer ranged support.

How to Paint Moonclan Grots

Choosing the Characters

One advantage of collecting Gloomspite Gitz is that it is very easy to accumulate large numbers of characters, especially as I play Warhammer Underworlds. Looking through my collection, I realised I already had several suitable models available.

To lead the army, I have chosen a Goblin Advisor. At 124 points, the Advisor provides a mixture of command and combat ability without becoming the focus of the army.

The Advisor will be attached to the Archer unit, meaning I only need nineteen ordinary Archers within the regiment. His purpose will be primarily to provide a command bonus to the army.

I have also selected two Goblin Champions at 37 points each. One Champion will join the Goblin Soldiers whilst the other will join the Goblin Spearmen. This means each unit only requires nineteen ordinary Goblins alongside their Champion. They are there to provide some additional hitting power, which I think the goblins will need.

Finally, I wanted to include some magic. Whilst I do own several Goblin shaman models, I think a Level 2 Spellcaster is appropriate for an army of this size. At 80 points, he brings useful magical support without consuming too many points.

Adding Trolls

Fianlly, I decided I need a some real hitting power. Fortunately, my Gloomspite Gitz collection already includes three Trolls that can be used directly in Oathmark.

How to Paint Rockgut Troggoth (Stone Troll) Flesh

At 65 points each, the three Trolls contribute another 195 points to the army. The Goblins can hold the battle line (the Anvil), the Trolls (the Hammer) can then deal with tougher opponents and supporting key combats. The Goblin Advisor will need to be on hand to use his command bonus to keep the Trolls activating.

The Army List

Using miniatures, I already own, I can field the following force:

• Goblin Advisor – 124 points
• Goblin Champion – 37 points
• Goblin Champion – 37 points
• Level 2 Spellcaster – 80 points
• 19 Goblin Soldiers – 190 points
• 19 Goblin Spearmen – 209 points
• 19 Goblin Archers – 190 points
• 3 Trolls – 195 points

Total: 1,062 points

For an army built almost entirely from an existing Age of Sigmar collection, I think that is a very respectable starting point.

Building the Kingdom

One of the most interesting features of Oathmark is that armies are tied to the development of a Kingdom rather than simply existing as standalone army lists.

The Goblin units, including the Advisor, the Spellcaster and one of the Champions, can all be recruited from a Goblin City, which is available as a Region 1 terrain feature and my capital. A Goblin Smithy, available at Region 2, provides access to another Goblin Champion. Finally, a River at Region 3 grants access to up to six Trolls.

What I particularly like is that the Kingdom system gives the army a sense of progression. Rather than simply adding units because you have enough points, new troops become available as your Kingdom expands.

Would I Buy Oathmark Goblins Instead?

Interestingly, I do actually own some of the dedicated North Star Oathmark Goblins. They are good miniatures, although they are less detailed but significantly cheaper than GW, and work perfectly within the game's aesthetic.

However, for this particular project I find the idea of reusing existing miniatures more interesting. Many players already own Goblins, Orcs, Elves or Dwarfs from other fantasy systems. Demonstrating that these collections can be repurposed for Oathmark lowers the barrier to entry considerably and may help get your friends to play.

If you already own a fantasy army, there is a good chance you are closer to playing Oathmark than you might think.

Final Thoughts

What I find most appealing about this project is how easy it has been to build an Oathmark army using miniatures I already own. Rather than starting a completely new collection, I have been able to take an existing Gloomspite Gitz force and give it an entirely different role.

On the tabletop, the army will feel very different from its Age of Sigmar counterpart. The same Goblins that usually fight in loose formations now stand shoulder to shoulder in ranked regiments. Heroes take a supporting role rather than dominating the battle and careful positioning becomes far more important.

In many ways, the result feels closer to the large fantasy battles I remember from my youth. It may use the same miniatures, but it offers a very different gaming experience.

For anyone interested in trying Oathmark, my advice would be simple: check your existing collection before buying anything new. You may discover that your next army is already sitting on your shelf.

Related Articles

• Oathmark - Is this my new fantasy game?
• Oathmark - Building an Army
• Oathmark - Building a Kingdom

• Painting Gloomspite Gitz

Discussion

I hope you found this article useful.

If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below.

Happy hobbying.