Saturday, January 15, 2011

Dwarf Hordes in 8th Ed

So far in 8th Edition Warhammer I've been happily playing with units 20 big. This post is me thinking out loud about using larger blocks to take advantage of the Horde rules, rather than talking from experience. i.e. I'm talking outta my arse.

Dwarf Lord on Shield Bearers vs Skeleton porridge unit.

I've recently bought some bases (5wide x2 ranks deep) to re-base Quarrelers which can now fire from two ranks deep - as such there's no point in having them in large single file 1x10.

If it turns out I'll need much larger unit blocks and I need to re-base my CC units (warriors / hammerers etc) as 30 strong units are much better I'll be pretty miffed.

Anyway, 'Hordes'.
p49: Any unit that is at least ten models wide is counted as being a horde. Warriors in a horde can make supporting attacks from the third rank.


Yup. So that's why you'd be wanting 30-35 figures in a unit.  Blasting into combat with 30 GW attacks, from a 10 wide 3 ranks deep horde could be pretty damn nasty.
GWs means striking last and losses, but 30-35 figures should go the distance...famous last words?

Disadvantages:

  • you'll be losing a +1 in for CR via Extra Rank bonus as you'll only have 2 ranks.
  • Steadfast: as your unit has less ranks you might be giving the enemy unit the ability to take their break test on their unmodified leadership.

Deployment:

  1. place unit in a 5x6 ranks deep formation at the start of battle, if playing defensively reform the unit into your horde of 3x10 before being charged
  2. if playing offensively, move forward in 5x6 mode, survive a round of combat and reform while in combat (so you don't waste a turn reforming)
  3. or place in 3x10 when deploying so that you don't waste a turn reforming
Options 2 & 3 sound ok to me.
If we chose door 2, what are the reforming in combat options?
p55: Reforming From Victory:
If you win or draw the combat, your unit can immediately make a free reform.
p55: Reforming Amid Defeat:
If you lose combat but don't flee, you can make a reform if you pass a Leadership test. Unfortunately this leadership test is subject to the same modifiers as the break test. If you lose the CR by 2, then you'll be making this test on -2 as well.

Door 3 means a much wider battle line.

I'll let you know how these go...

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