You know that feeling you get the night before something awesome is about to happen?

Maybe for you it’s Christmas Eve, and that feeling is the anticipation of opening all of Santa’s presents the next morning. Or perhaps it’s when you’re trying to sleep the night before you go on a long vacation to a place you’ve always wanted to visit. That feeling I’m describing is what I’ve had in my gut every day since I found out we were finally going to make a Dracodile model.

I have wanted this model for years. YEARS I TELL YOU!!! Now my (and many of your) dreams are coming true, and very soon we’re going to be able to smash up our opponents with one of the biggest, meanest, and best-looking gargantuans ever made.

The Dracodile’s release also marks the emergence of Black Anchor Heavy Industries, our direct-to-consumer product line that is going to deliver the most badass (and enormous) miniatures directly to your face! I mean home—directly to your home. Check out the official announcement about Black Anchor Heavy Industries here.

Now then, allow me to continue gushing about the Dracodile. I have been toying with literally dozens of lists since the Blindwater CID cycle ended, trying to figure out my perfect list that would include the Dracodile. I’ve been playing with this model in playtest for quite some time now, but post-CID the final point cost and rules were finally locked in. While I think the Dracodile works well with any Gatorman warlock, I’ve found myself leaning the most toward Bloody Barnabas and Rask, my tournament go-to.

I’m still working out a few kinks, testing and tweaking, experimenting and refining, but below is my preferred “let me show you just what my Dracodile can do” army list.

Theme Force: Will Work for Food

Rask
-Gatorman Soul Slave (free from theme)
-Dracodile
-Blackhide Wrastler
Wrong Eye
-Snapjaw
Dahlia Hallyr
-Skarath
Rorsh
-Brine
Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress (free from theme)
Eilish Garrity, the Occultist (free from theme)
Bog Trog Mist Speaker (free from theme)
Swamp Gobber Chef

Let me give you my quick thoughts on each model in the army!

Rask: You know him, you love him . . . probably. His feat allows me to deliver my army on my terms. His spell list is just . . . it’s just the best, y’all! With Fury I can crank up the violence on any warbeast in my army to 11, with Admonition I can keep Rask safe near the back-to-midfield, with Veil of Mists I have some situational utility that can get my huge-based Dracodile where I need it, and with Boundless Charge I can send warbeasts roaring across the battlefield at breakneck speeds.

Gatorman Soul Slave: I’m fairly certain this is Rask’s best friend, and all he really does is cast a free Boundless Charge each turn. But then again, he casts a free Boundless Charge each turn!

Dracodile: Remember that time my Raged, Furied, Boundless-Charged Dracodile charged a Hunter’s Marked Goreshade 3, blinded him with the assault spray and then one-shot him? I do. It was glorious. Feel free to change “Goreshade 3” to any number of warcasters or warlocks. Feels good each time.

Blackhide Wrastler: In addition to being an incredible heavy warbeast based on its own stats and abilities, the Wrastler brings the Rage animus, which can be cast on any warbeast in this army. Combined with Rask’s Fury spell, all of my warbeasts are insanely hard-hitting threats.

Wrong Eye & Snapjaw: In addition to being a deadly duo that can wreak havoc, Wrong Eye is packing Star-Crossed. I typically keep him Submerged back behind the Dracodile with Star-Crossed up until it’s time for the swamp partners to get their claws bloody. Star-Crossed is just such an incredibly potent defensive ability and can completely change the tide of the game when used properly.

Dahlia & Skarath: I have yet to build a Will Work for Food army that doesn’t include these two. Skarath with Overtake is sick. If my opponent is running massed infantry, I’m looking to my Dracodile and Skarath to do the heavy lifting and clear some of the chaff out of my way.

Rorsh & Brine: The third lesser-warlock duo in my list exists for one main purpose: to keep my opponent’s caster honest. The threat range on Brine in a list that contains both Rask and Lanyssa is rude. There’s no better way to describe it—it’s rude y’all. With Rorsh using either Diversionary Tactics or Souie, Rask or the Soul Slave casting Boundless Charge, and Lanyssa painting a target with Hunter’s Mark, you can slingshot Brine across the table at a moment’s notice and even manage to keep him in Rorsh’s control range!

Lanyssa Ryssyl: Hunter’s Mark is silly good, and key to alpha striking against some lists out there, especially the turn after Rask uses his feat.

Eilish: Unbinding is necessary in this list. The last thing I want is to get shut down by some rude-as-Rorsh upkeep spell that ruins my entire gameplan.

Bog Trog Mist Speaker: In addition to making Rask hit more accurately with his Trident Cannon, and potentially giving up his life to keep Rask alive, the Mist Speaker brings Guidance. Most of the time this goes on Rask to allow him to see through Stealth, but sometimes you really need the Dracodile or Skarath to clear out some Incorporeal infantry, making this another invaluable ability to support my list.

Swamp Gobber Chef: I had a point left. Worst-case scenario: he shoves himself into the pot and removes the fury from a potentially overloaded Dracodile. Best-case scenario: he stabs a caster in the back and wins me the game. Hasn’t happened yet, but it will one day. Mark my words.

And there you have it! Hit us up on Twitter and Facebook and let us know what lists you’re thinking about putting your Dracodile in. Also, let me know if your Gobber Chef has ever murdered a caster. Now I’m curious. You have less than a week if you want to preorder the Dracodile and get a FREE shirt! Click here, and pick that bad boy up.