I've been playing this a lot (and I mean it), with a high success rate against all kind of players.
Trollbloods Army - 75 / 75 points
[Theme] Storm of the North
(Borka 2) Borka, Vengeance of the Rimeshaws [+27]
- Dire Troll Mauler [15]
- Dire Troll Mauler [15]
- Pyre Troll [8]
- Rok [19]
- Trollkin Runebearer [0(5)]
Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress [4]
Valka Curseborn, Chieftain of the North [0(6)]
Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes (min) [6]
- Northkin Elder [3]
Northkin Fire Eaters [7]
Northkin Fire Eaters [7]
Hearthgut Hooch Hauler [18]
The Bearka/H³ combo is absurdly strong, and almost every piece of the list has a synergy with the others:
The H³ gives an attack roll bonus to everything, which is already strong alone (Maulers at MAT7 are a just cause for despair). It's a good combined arms piece, able to inflict a variety of damage pattern to almost all targets: it can harm a heavy, lit a handful of grunts on fire, and break most lights in one round. Its only downside is that it's not very precise, but most of the time I just use it as a battering ram for the feat turn: killing it during Borka's feat is harsh, and I generally go to great lengths to hinder the few models that can do it (Sentinels mostly). And even if you opponent drop it, chances are that you have a lot of stationary targets to bash. The Stumbling Drunk aura is really good too, especially during feat turn, as it will discourage almost every KTC tentative for the sheer randomness of the thing (add the counter-charges in the mix and enjoy).
Rök is an outraging brute alone, a worst one with Rage, Lanyssa is his BFF, and did I say that he's MAT8 with the H³ ? He can also take advantage of the H³ and the Elder to have an very efficient spray, that you can apply from a long range with Lanyssa. Bonus point: Rök can spray using any friendly model to have the best angle available without risking anything, as you whole list is immune to frost damage. And as Rök is always Stumbling Drunk, you can also use it to hold a zone alone or bait resources away from the H³.
The Pyre Troll has multiple usages, the first being to allow Borka to hit at POW 21 if the opponent hit him last turn. Which is scary, I've recently broken both the Scyrah BE then the Colossal (then Yssiria) in 3 consecutive rounds that way (camping 0 in the middle of the table and being mostly safe from danger). Second, once Raged, it can be a fairly efficient missile to drop on an unsuspecting target, or it can use both H³ bonuses (Oil and Veteran Leader) to either apply damage easily (the boost from Oil meaning your Pyre is mostly fury-free) or snipe an important solo (very efficient from turn 3, as you list is usually in the middle of the table), or it can simply light the NFE on fire and let them to the work. And, finally, it's not a really vital piece, so you can sacrifice him to contest. Especially annoying for non-fire immune opponents.
The two Maulers are pivotal pieces that you can use as they were meant to be: horrible beatsticks with a
free rage on Borka every turn, or even Primal if you need a MAT9 Mauler (DEF14 ? Not a problem.) Both threat extenders not being Rush-dependent also means that your opponent can't count on forcing Rush to hinder their damage output. And counter-charging Maulers are always a valid threat, especially MAT7 Maulers.
Depending on personal taste or the opponent (ADR, right ?) you can swap one Mauler for a Earthborn for more tank, or a Brawler for more fun (Counter-Charge + Relatiatory on either the Brawler or Borka is probably more fun than should be legal, considering the Knockdown of Borka's mount). You can also change it for two lights, a Basher would give access to Chiller for more fun: get Chiller for free, charge with Borka, do the impact, knock the target down,
swap for Flamming Fist and get POW16 WM slaps in you opponent's face (Butcher approved, doesn't require the Elder SPD bonus so you can get farther, or the opponent to hit you beforehand to hit hard).
The Runebearer allows you to spread a little more, spray something (H³ bonus for a MA7 \o/ ),
swap an animus on Borka (see the fun on the previous paragraph). With the Elder bonus, it can run for 14" and contest something or take a flag you opponent wasn't watching.
The NFE can take the round zones, are a simple and efficient danger for your opponent. Their role is generally limited to dying first as you opponent can't let them live, so the rest of you list can close on safely. And a lone survivor can still do a little damage, kill a solo, hide to take a zone, contest, etc. Depending on the situation, you can use both H³ bonuses (as the Pyre Troll) to alleviate the need to light them up everytime. And with 6 of them, the Elder bonus for more range, etc, you can do a real lot of damage if your opponent forget them.
Finally, Valka is mostly an end-game piece, his very long list of combat rules added to the others bonuses of the list make him a real pain in the ass at the end of the game (ARM21 with Unyielding, Relatiatory Strike, etc), and he can protect your backline or remove something from you path with it's two high-MAT WM weapons. And native counter-charge make him a really good scenario piece in the end of the game, as you opponent can't simply contest a zone where Valka is with a single solo/grunt.
There is still a few particular lists that I couldn't take with him, namely Lylyth 1 with double Raptors, as they can ignore the feat completely and stay out of range while removing a heavy every turn. I didn't tried the match again but I think it can have a match if handled properly (probably need ballz of steel though.)
