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TACTICS: CHAOS DWARF WARRIORS

Hello, this is my test for what may become a series of Tactics articles, detailing the various units we have at our disposal. I'm starting with Warriors, because it seems like a logical choice.

Now, first off, what are Chaos Dwarf Warriors?

Basically Dwarf Warriors that get screwed over.

Now, let me explain. For 9pts, we get a Dwarf warrior who comes with HA+Shield, and lacks Relentless. The Dwarf Warriors get their choice of equipment, so the shield isn't necessary. Relentless is also a useful ability, but I'll get into that in a bit. For now, however, there is one glaring flaw with the system as it stands: Great Weapons.

Chaos Dwarf Warriors are very tough melee combatants. However, for the cost they have some rather lackluster offensive ability. Some might remedy this by using Great Weapons. Is it effective? Not really.

True, with low I you'll be going last anyways, and it is a significant strength boost. However, remember that you can't use your shield. Remember when I said that Dwarf Warriors don't need to take a shield? We do. In effect, you pay an extra point for the Great Weapons, since you have a shield you can't use. Some find the flexibility useful, but on the whole using HW+Shield is more effective. Let's do some math:

First, we have 11 CDWs with Hand Weapon + Shield. Against a WS4 T4 opponent, the 11 CDWs will score 5.5 hits and 1.83 wounds, with no save penalty.

Now, let's look at 9 CDWs with Great Weapons. They get 4.5 hits and 3 wounds, and inflict -2 on the armor- good against heavily armored, skilled troops. Not too bad, eh? But now let's factor in the armor on the CDs. Because they have a 5+ save, the GW CDWs are going to take twice as many wounds as the HW+Shield CDWs. They'll take more wounds, and also take many more points' worth of damage due to the higher cost. If we were to apply a static ratio of wounds dealt/theoretical wounds taken, we find 1.83 dealt/1 suffered to 3 dealt/2 suffered. While this shows that the HW+Shield troops are better off (not factoring in armor saves), there are other considerations.

Against troops like Empire State Troops, for example, the GW is less of a bonus, while on the other hand the low S of the humans ensures that the HW/S CDWs will take very little damage in return. Also, that armor-ignoring bonus is fairly useless when he's got low armor to begin with. The high armor on HW+S CDWs is especially crucial because rarely will the CDs be getting the charge- thus it is vital to make sure that as many survive to retaliate as possible.

Let's take a full example. A group of Empire Militia (frontage of 5) charges a block of each of the two options (also 5 frontage). Against the more armored stunties, they inflict .27 of a wound (this represents roughly a 1 in 4 chance of the CDs taking a wound, for those less mathematically inclined). On the other hand, the less armored CDs take .54 wounds. So, when they strike back, the armored ones have 4.73 attacks, while the GW ones have 4.46 attacks. So they strike back- and the HW Dwarfs inflict 1.57 wounds, whereas the GW Dwarfs inflict 2.45 wounds. Seems great for GWs, doesn't it? Except, when you look at the raw data, you find that the ratio for wounds dealt/inflicted was better for the HW+S Dwarfs. This means that anything except heavy infantry or monsters is best dealt with by using basic CDWs.

Add to that the fact that the shield gives a bonus against ranged fire.

Add to that the fact that the Great Weapon Dwarfs cost more (in the example they were both the same numbers, which isn't fair).

Add to that the fact that your opponent is scoring more victory points for each GW Dwarf he kills.

Now, you might say that the GWs are good against big, tough things like Ogres, which is true- however, there's a big problem: Movement. CDs are the slowest infantry in the game. You are not going to be able to maneuver to be able to charge monsters, and they certainly won't charge you (unless, of course, he doesn't know what he's doing...). In fact, since most large monsters have just about cavalry speed (Move 6 for most), they can pretty much run circles around your poor Warriors without ever giving them a chance to engage. Earthshakers can help slow them down, but with the massive radius you're most likely hurting yourself as well. Thus, you cannot expect them to ever be able to pick their fights- which makes monster-hunting impossible.

As for unit size, it is recommended you always use at least 20 (I'll go into Blunderbusses in another article), arranged 5x4. While this is somewhat a fragile formation (1 hit and you lose rank bonus), there are several reasons.

The first is cost- CDs are expensive, so putting all your eggs in one basket isn't usually a good idea. Having more units is often better than one massive one.

The second borders on contradicting the first- combat resolution. Since you won't be getting many kills (or, you'll get more kills but take a crapload of hurt in return), you need to rely on static combat resolution. Multiple Small Unit theory does not apply here, since without a rank bonus you will not be able to win CR against an infantry block. If you want a speedbump unit, go for Hobbos. In order to get this combat resolution, you need full command whenever possible. A Standard increases CR, a Musician breaks ties, and a Champion gives you another attack (not too important) but also unlocks some nasty tricks. I'll get to that in a moment.

The third and final reason for 20 is that you can be virtually guaranteed to get into combat with a full 20-strong unit- because the CDs have several options for avoiding missile fire. The main two are Earthshakers and Hobbo screens. This isn't the right place to go into detail about them, but I think you can figure out most of it yourself.

Now, why include a Champion, you ask? Well, there are several reasons. For the cost of another CD, he adds a single attack. Doesn't seem too great, does it? Think of it this way: Instead of 20 CDs with 5 attacks, you get 19 CDs with 6 attacks. But even after taking five wounds, you still get six attacks. So, in effect, it's like getting more than just one attack- because it doesn't disappear after the first casualty you take.

But that's not the main reason. Oh no. The real reason is much more entertaining. As I said, the CD infantry win by static combat resolution. So, if a unit of Chaos Warriors comes up led by Pimpass Ownage the Killer, you just challenge him. Either Pimpass sits out of the combat, or, more likely, he accepts. He will go apeshit on that poor champion. But even if he inflicts full overkill, with your rank bonuses, Standard, musician, outnumbering, flanking Hobbos, etc. ad. infinitum., you will still win the combat just by hunkering down and watching the champion get slaughtered while the other CDs just say 'Oooh, sucks to be him'. But hey, you win the combat.

So, there you have it. I've gone over the various tactics and options of Chaos Dwarf Warriors. Next up will be the many uses and fun applications of Blunderbusses.

All comments appreciated

Aw hell. Forgot about tactics section.

Oh well, it does say 'anything Chaos Dwarf-related...'.

About Killy Characters- yes, they can help CR, but I still don't find them terribly powerful compared to other races. But that's for a different article

Let me answer the three of you as best I can:

As I said in the article, Chaos Dwarf Warriors win combats via static combat resolution. While it is true that a Great Weapon increases the number of kills, you take more in return (which also puts your rank bonuses/outnumbering at risk). However, flanking is another issue.

Shooting is not an issue. As I said in the article, there are plenty of ways for a CD general to avoid getting shot. Hobgobs come to mind, as do Earthshakers, Wolf Riders, etc. So we don't need to worry about them getting shot.

However, CDs are slow. Getting that unit in position isn't easy, and without the human Detachment System, you cannot reliably countercharge until the next turn.

One last problem: Why not use a ten-strong unit with HW+Shield for the same role? They won't give free CR to your opponent by getting killed, and will survive longer if you fail to break the enemy on the first turn. By staying alive they ensure a massive CR boost from ignoring his ranks and flanking.

For flanking, it's best to rely on the Hobgobs. They're a little faster and a good bit easier to kill, but much cheaper.

By the way, since people seemed to like this I plan on doing one for every unit/choice in the army list.

Actually, I've decided that I'm going to write them all here. Sometime tonight I'll have the Blunderbusses done.

Feel free to ask questions or provide feedback, I'd be happy to help, and feedback is always a good thing

I love writing stuff like this. I'm pretty terrible at math (just scraping by geometry in high school...) but for some reason calculating effectiveness and ratios comes easily. I just didn't think anyone thought my stuff was any good :0

Especially those idiots on Warseer who say that math means nothing and experience is more accurate

Of course. And I might make an all-hobgob army- and it would be a blast to play. But that isn't the effective method, which is what tactics are about. The aim for these articles is to give you the most bang for your buck- but I'm not trying to say 'THIS UNIT SUCKS!' and ram it down your throat until you never use it again. True, it might not be very good- but go ahead and use it! It would be a very boring game with just the most effective [cheesy] lists. It's not about winning, it's about having fun (and, hopefully, winning in the process).

Fun is always good, but let me say for a fact that math is more accurate than experience- your experience won't change the percentages of the dice. What math can't do is tell you how exactly to play the game- that's why you need experience. But for calculating effectiveness, it's great.

I'll be looking at the various Orcs and Goblins available as well. The general issue is that they take a Special slot. But wait until I write the article before the discussion.

By all means, give me your thoughts, disagreements and ideas on the articles I wrote. I'll edit them if someone presents a very good point.

New article!

TACTICS: BLUNDERBUSSIERS

Chaos Dwarf Blunderbusses

So, what is a Blunderbussier? To put it simply, it’s a Chaos Dwarf Warrior with a shotgun. This boomstick is one of the most powerful, reliable, downright scary weapons in the game. However, it has several weaknesses that must be addressed.

First off is the short range. CDs are slow. Therefore getting to within the 12” Ground Zero of the blast is rather difficult. Thus, like many other CD units, it encourages defensive play.

The second issue is the way it fires. In order to hit, you need to be lined up perfectly with your target. However, since you can move and fire this isn’t usually a problem- but it certainly can be, which I’ll get to.

The third problem is a reliance on numbers. To have a minimum unit with the best Strength bonus is 12-strong, will run you 144 points, won’t hit much with each salvo, and will get downright raped in melee. Usually (not always, you’ll see), we don’t want that.

The last problem is cost. At 12pts apiece, you need to be very careful in the way you deploy and use them.

So, first I’ll talk about unit selection. I recommend you do one of two things- either take that unit of twelve and use them for flank support, or go with a unit of 18 arranged 6x3. That gives you the full Strength, plus a wide enough frontage to do some serious damage.

‘But, Ross’, you say, ‘Perhaps we should take 24, so we can have them 8x3 and also be good in melee?’ The answer is no. Not only is that a massive sink of points, but there’s one other issue- friendly fire. The wider your frontage, the harder it is to avoid friendly fire- and you’re not getting much of a bonus by having a huge frontage. So, no more than six- after all, the only enemies that will rank up six wide are Gnoblars or Night Goblins.

So, we have our unit sizes. But how to actually use them? First, we need to go over what to avoid.

Blunderbussiers do not like missile fire. They have lighter armor than their HW+Shield brethren, and they can’t shoot back. Not to mention the units are rather fragile- you’ll lose your strength bonus with one wound.

Thus, you need to protect them. Just like with Warriors, you have the same set of options. I recommend the Earthshaker method, because it completely eliminates the threat from a missile unit- and generally wipes it out pretty quickly too.

Blunderbusses are strange, in that they are a missile unit built directly for killing melee infantry, but can’t fight back against other missile troops. Again, this places more reliance on artillery, but it means they have a very interesting use.

It's just holding the line. This is the easiest way to use them. If you have an Earthshaker and some Hobbos, you can very easily pull this off- basically, use the Hobbos as a screen and to block fast cavalry, while you wait for some heavy infantry to march up. Then, slam the infantry with the ‘Shaker. They take a bunch of casualties, and can only move slowly (aim directly on the enemy unit- your blunderbusses won’t be within the blast most of the time unless they’re very close, in which case he can charge anyway). Now, here’s the really nasty bit. If you’re within eight inches, he can’t march. But with his move halved, he can’t charge. So, this enemy unit is stuck crawling 2” per turn- and, if you don’t get hit by the ‘Shaker blast, you can just turn to rear, move an inch and a half, and turn to front again. He’ll be only getting ½” closer per turn if he’s Move 4- in other words, he’s screwed. That unit is going to die horribly- 20 shots (if the enemy unit is 20-strong) at S5 are going to, against a T3 enemy, inflict 11.1 kills. Against say, Halberdiers, that’s 55.5 points of damage from one round of shooting- not bad at all, especially when he can’t fight back. That’s more than half the unit dead from one round of shooting- and that isn’t counting the ‘Shaker’s kills.
Now, what about command? Take none. You do NOT want the unit getting into combat. Sure, they have heavy armor, but think of it this way- they have the low offensive power of the HW+S Warriors, and the vulnerability of GW Warriors. AND they’re even more expensive than the GW Warriors. This is not good. Thus, even if you have a large unit of them, you want to keep them out of melee where possible. Giving them upgrades that help in melee is equipping them for a situation they shouldn’t be in, and even if it helps them, the upgrades won’t ever make back their points. Better to have command for another unit of HW+S Warriors than for Blunderbussiers, right?

Well, this wraps up the article on Blunderbusses. Next up, Hobgoblins.

10 CDs with great weapons are a superior flank countercharger vs a cav unit. Static res is great for staying when the cav hits, but shields dont matter when you get 5 great weapon attacks to the flank of 1 knight.. he isnt gonna get attacks back.

Whaaaaaat? Fire into melee.. Where are you finding this rule?

The rules for CDs do not specify that you pick a target- only that any model in the fire zone can be hit.

Then, the FAQ says that you cannot fire into a melee if your own troops are in the fire zone- but the only reason it gives is that only Skaven can fire when they might hit their own units.

Thus, if enemies in melee fall within the fire zone, there's nothing preventing you from shooting.

Would it be any different if I was shooting at another unit just behind the one in melee? Either way, I still be hitting troops in melee.

A breath weapon is the closest equivalent and it cannot be used against models in combat.  The next closest is normal shooting, which also cannot be used against models in combat.  Are there some other rules that would allow you to? I can't find it.

You can't use the FAQ as some kind of allowance - it says specifically when you can't fire and nothing else.

It would make sense that a blunderbuss unit's favored target is an infantry block. Lets say we face 15 blunderbussers off with 20 orc biguns with shield and command, both about 180 points..

If the BBs get to just within 12" they can shoot the orc front rank, the orcs move up 8", BBs shoot all the orc ranks, then the orcs charge. If the BBS are lucky on getting that first shot at 11 and 3/4 inches then they can move back 1.5 inches and get a stand and shoot on the orcs, not likely. Numbers would look like.. 5 shot at, 2-3 hits, 1-2 wounded and dead, followed by 18 shot at, 9 hit, 5-6 wounded and die, for a total of say 8 dead before the 12 orcs hit, 6 attacks hitting 3, wounding and killing 1-2, so combat is close to a push and no clear winner. This tells me the Blunders must have backup to countercharge, or if they can, flee and hope to rally, and throw a different unit into close combat.

It would also seem better to move up to get more models in the 12" range, while still staying out of 1/2 charge distance to allow a stand and shoot. Shoot 20 orcs once and get 10 hits, likely 6 wounded and dead for a panic test, then when they charge you shoot the 14, hitting 7, wound and kill 4 more, another panic test, and if you did better the remaining orcs number under 10 and are easily beat in combat with your 2 ranks and outnumber.

The situation looks worse the more attacks each enemy model gets, the faster it moves, the fewer in number it is like cav, or the more heavily armored.

The situation is much better for the BBs if you can soften the enemy with other fire first, or hit behind the enemy with the earthshaker to slow them down. Dont guess short on the earthshaker when the enemy unit closes in on the BBs, or you may make your BBs unable to shoot by it's area effect.

In any case, if you can hit a whole unit, you will hit half and wound more than a 1/4 in total for a panic test, given they dont have great armor.

Hope this rambling made sense.

I was just thinking it may be possible to effect a situation where blunderbussers can shoot an enemy unit, but the enemy are forced to charge another unit, like Wolves. The wolves Wturn away from the center mass of the enemy and flee off to the right, leading the enemy E off such that the blunders may get another shot in their flank. Assuming the wolves rally, they are fast cav and can move to another irritational baiting

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As Ive said before I think for a melee unit you should drop the banner and go 30 naked hobgobs, a whopping 60 points for 3 ranks and outnumber.

Take 20 with shield, armor and banner for 90 points, lose one to shooting and you lose a rank, now you have 2 ranks and banner.. and losing the outnumber in combat res is like giving up 2 points, cause your opponent gets it. If the unit has a banner it becomes worth +100 VP so a smart opponent might throw something at it that can blow through it.. easy 190 pts compared to chewy CDs.

If you are gonna dump points in a middleweight unit, maybe go with orc boyz, T4, LA, and choppas, 5pts!

My thoughts on wolf riders.. taking more than 10 in a unit would be silly. Musician is a good idea if you use them a I do, bait and flee. Figure on a flee roll to average 10 so dont get closer than your opponents charge range minus 10. Never charge with them unless the opponent is rediculously soft. Set them up to bait charges that will either slow your opponent down by preventing a march move, or make your opponent charge in a way that will expose their flank. Bows arent likely to make back their points, but can be an annoyance, I prefer only a musician.

Wolf riders are one of the most dependable defences we have vs cav IMO

arrer boys vs gob archers..
"2. Do the math. Against S3, being T3 4+ save is better than T4 6+ save."

Against S3 sure, but I would take the T4 with choppas any day as sooo many fast units are S4+

Don't forget that they work as an excellent retinue for a Bull Centaur character. They keep their fast cavlary ability, even if they are slowed down. When you get the Hero near his destination, charge him out of the unit and have the Wolfboyz go on their merry way.

Last time I checked, they were the only Fast Cav who could have every bit of armour possible and stay Fast Cav. And another thing to point out: never, ever give them bows. Their BS isn't that great. You are better off putting their numbers to use by getting them into the flank of a handgunner unit. That is one good point about their minimum unit size. They always have a fair chance of breaking small, missile troop units.

EDIT!!! Something I just noticed. Musicians are always worth it. Why's that? Simple. A Hobgoblin has rubbish leadership. Anything to improve it is always good. And why only move after fleed charges, when you can move after every time you run away?

I just looked through the last five pages and damn! I wish I got in on this thread sooner! Metro, you ruffian! All your agruing scared me off! Nah, I kid.

The Bull Centaur trick is basically my substitute for the Great Taurus. At 3000pts, I had a Mage Lord and the fighty Lord on the Taurus. Having the Mage as my general was never a good idea as he was prone to blowing up. So out went the Taurus and in came a BC Lord. I thought it'd work relatively well in smaller games. And it did. First game the Hero killed two Slayers crewing the Goblin Hewer and stopped it firing for the rest of the game. It takes a little more skill to use than the Great Taurus but the army has a whole benefits with all those free points up for grabs.

I think that Hobgob archers are great at 5pts each. 50pts for a unit? yes please. If they die it's only a 50pt loss and if they don't thay can still contest table quarters.

As for BS3, even dwarfs are BS3. The only races that have abundant BS4 are elves.