Dealing with hordes

[Gotrek]

With the new discounts for massive regiments i thought it could be useful to create a toolbox of sorts for people who find themselves struggling with the potential shift towards larger units. Sadly i dont know enough about chaos and drestruction to name anything from there (aside from the maw spell), so if anyone would like to chime in with any tools they have or if i missed anything for order/death let me know and I'll update. 

 

Note: I'm trying to avoid models that are out of production. Not much use in knowing of a tool when you cant buy it.

 

Death:

zombie dragon. Its breath attack auto hits if theres more than 6 models in the target unit.

Arkhan the black: curse of years has the ability to wipe out entire units if you roll well enough

 

Order: 

Collegiate arcane:

Luminark of hysh- the hurricanum's overlooked brother comes with a nifty spell, burning gaze. Casts on a 6 and does d3 mortal wounds. Double if the target unit has 10 models, triple if it has 20+.

 

Darkling Coven

Sorceress on Black Dragon-noxious breath, pick a unit and roll a dice for each model within 6", for each 6 the unit suffers a mortal wound.

Daughters of Khaine

Bloodwrack Medusae -pick a visible unit within 10 inches, roll a dice for every model in that unit, does a mortal wound on a 5+. Seems really good as you roll for all models in the unit, even those models that may not be within 10 inches of the medusa.

 

Dispossessed:

Flame cannon- units that suffer damage from it will continue to burn for d3/d6 (if you have an engineer nearby) on a 4+ 

Eldritch council:

Drakeseer- his unique spell is also a variation on the maw (mortal wounds that keep happening on a 4+). Casting value 7, but the damage increases every time you roll to keep it burning

Fyreslayers:

Magmadroth- its roaring fyrestream will auto hit for d3/d6 (if within 5") mortal wounds against hordes.

Ironweld arsenal:

Cannon- reroll damage for units with 10+ models. Not a great bonus, but its not like cannons suck normally.

Gyrocopter- steam gun gets 1 attack per model within 6"

Steam tank- cannon gets +1 to hit for units with 10+ models

Order serpentis:

Dreadlord on black dragon- noxious breath, pick a unit and roll a dice for each model within 6", for each 6 the unit suffers a mortal wound.

Seraphon:

Stegadon- flamethrowers are good yo. 1 attack per model within 8". Bubblewrap with saurus warriors to keep lil steggy safe for the first round of combat so it can cook up some horde sammiches

Kroxigor- 1 in 3 can equip a moonstone hammer, which gives 1 attack for every model within 2"

Stormcast:

Decimators, 1 attack per model within 2". Might seem underwhelming but ive had a squad of 5 get over 30 attacks against my skeletons.

Stardrake- rolling thunderhead ability, pick and enemy unit and roll a dice for each model within 18" for each 6 rolled the unit suffers a mortal wound 

Sylvaneth:

Drycha- her swarm of squirmlings picks a unit and for each model within 10" of her you roll a dice. For each 3+ (depending on her wounded chart up to a 5+) the unit suffers a mortal wound.

 

Chaos:

gaunt summoner-infernal flames. casting value 8, pick a visible unit, roll a dice for every model within 18", mortal wound for each 4+

-Blades of khorne:

Skarr Bloodwrath.  Instead of making his normal attacks, you ca make one attack for each enemy model within 3"

-Clan pestilins:

Plagueclaw catapult: goes to 2d6 damage if +10 model in the unit.

Verminlord Corruptor's Plague spell: Roll a dice for each model in target unit. Mortal wound on 6+. Can then spread to another unit within 7" on a 4+. Can spread forever as long as you keep rolling 4+ on spread roll and there's another untouched unit nearby.

-Skaven Masterclan:

grey seer-  has a spell, casting value of 6. pick a unit within 26" (pretty nice that you'll be outside unbind range) and roll a dice for each model in the unit. for each 6 the unit suffers a mortal wound

 

 

 

Destruction:

-Ironjaws:

Weirdnob shaman- foot of gork, casting value 10. d6 mortal wounds and will keep going on a 4+

 

-Gutbusters:

Scraplauncher: 1/3/4/-/D3 damage, increasing to D6 against 10+, 2D6 against 20+ (It just has to get to the damage point first)

Ironblaster: 1/4/2/-2/D6 damage, re-roll failed hits if there are 10+ models

 

[PJetski]

Seraphon

1 in 3 Kroxigors can equip a Moon Hammer, which gets 1 attack for each model within 2" range

[Uncas]

Daughters of Khaine

Bloodwrack Medusae

-pick a visible unit within 10 inches, roll a dice for every model in that unit, does a mortal wound on a 5+. Seems really good as you roll for all models in the unit, even those models that may not be within 10 inches of the medusa.

[tea_wild_owl]

gaunt summoner

infernal flames

ccasting value 8, pick a visible unit, roll a dice for every model in it, mortal wound for each 4+

[shadowgra]

Putrid blightkings: on a 6 to hit they cause d6 hits instead of 1.

Plagueclaw catapult: goes to 2d6 damage if +10 model in the unit.

Epidemius in general

 

[mdkinker]

Chaos:

Verminlord Corruptor's Plague spell: Roll a dice for each model in target unit. Mortal wound on 6+. Can then spread to another unit within 7" on a 4+. Can spread forever as long as you keep rolling 4+ on spread roll and there's another untouched unit nearby.

Edit: Stormfiends with Ratling Cannons would do the trick, too. 3d6 shots on 4+/4+/-1/1dmg per Stormfiend.

[Thanatos Ares]

Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon has a spell:

Mortal wound, keeps going on a 4+


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[Olincay]

Gaunt summoner on a balewind would be pretty juicy. 

[Azamar]

The flame cannon only gets extra mortal wounds on a 4+ once, you don't keep rolling. 

You could add a drakeseer to that list: his spell flames of the Phoenix does 1 mortal wound, if you roll a 4+ it does an extra 2 mortal wounds, on another 4+ it does an extra 3 wounds and so on. If you can roll a 4+ 5 times in a row then that's 21 mortal wounds, and it just keeps going. 

[RuneBrush]

Skarr Bloodwrath.  Instead of making his normal attacks, you ca make one attack for each enemy model within 3"

Bloodreavers with nearby Bloodsecrator.  Lots and lots of attacks.

I'd also say don't undervalue your own hoards.  When fighting against big units, it's pretty much down to weight of dice rather than the power of those attacks.

[Kramer]

1 hour ago, mdkinker said:

Chaos:

Verminlord Corruptor's Plague spell: Roll a dice for each model in target unit. Mortal wound on 6+. Can then spread to another unit within 7" on a 4+. Can spread forever as long as you keep rolling 4+ on spread roll and there's another untouched unit nearby.

Edit: Stormfiends with Ratling Cannons would do the trick, too. 3d6 shots on 4+/4+/-1/1dmg per Stormfiend.

Don't forget the grey seer, mortal wounds on a 6+. roll for every model. Doesnt spread though. 

[Arkiham]

This guy.

 

Or hell cannon. 2D6 mortal wounds. +1 for units 20+ can be a 2+ to hit

[Jocho]

The Weirdnob Shaman's Foot of Gor.... D6 mortal wounds and 4+ another D6 until you fail 4+ roll.

[Caffran101]

10 minutes ago, Jocho said:

The Weirdnob Shaman's Foot of Gor.... D6 mortal wounds and 4+ another D6 until you fail 4+ roll.

You actually have to cast it first though! D=

[Jocho]

8 minutes ago, Caffran101 said:

You actually have to cast it first though! D=

 

Sure, but if you manage to cast it, a horde of 30 guys can become a unit of 12... 

I have seen him do in my Sraphon army, which were stomped by mighty Gork T_T

[PraetorDragoon]

The Pestilents Plagueclaw Catapult gets bonusses to hit and damage 2d6 vs units larger than 10 models. (not 10 or more, more than 10) Only 1 attack, so don't go rolling 1s to hit.

[polarbear]

I'd like if they got rid of the +1 bravery per 10 models thing. I like hordes but I'd also like to see hordes evaporate from a nasty battleshock.

[Duck1986]

Empire mortar - 2/3/-1/D3 - this increases to D6 damage if there are 10 or more models, or 2D6 if there are 20 or more models . Also doesn't require line of sight.

 

On an additional note, another problem with playing hordes is when they are somehow immune to battleshock - I've found this playing against Dispossessed with a Thane - so worth working out where the battleshockl buffs come from early and eradicating that early on to get rid of those hordes quicker!

[SpiritofHokuto]

9 minutes ago, Duck1986 said:

Empire mortar - 2/3/-1/D3 - this increases to D6 damage if there are 10 or more models, or 2D6 if there are 20 or more models . Also doesn't require line of sight.

 

On an additional note, another problem with playing hordes is when they are somehow immune to battleshock - I've found this playing against Dispossessed with a Thane - so worth working out where the battleshockl buffs come from early and eradicating that early on to get rid of those hordes quicker!

This can be a bit tricky versus horde based Chaos armies like Skaven and Beastmen, as they can hand out multiple I.P. thanks to Crown of Command.

However there's no guarantee that it will still be available in the GHB2017, and even if it is only one can be taken.

[Uncas]

Also,

Darkling Covens

Sorceress on Black Dragon

-Noxious Breath: pick a unit and roll a dice for each model within 6", for each 6 the unit suffers a mortal wound.

[Sleboda]

11 hours ago, Gotrek said:

Flame cannon- units that suffer damage from it will continue to burn for d3/d6 (if you have an engineer nearby) on a 4+ until you stop rolling 4+ (just like the maw)

Not true. It gets one extra roll, not continuous extra rolls.

[Tuluth]

Destruction Ogors have a few options:

Scraplauncher: 1/3/4/-/D3 damage, increasing to D6 against 10+, 2D6 against 20+ (It just has to get to the damage point first)

Ironblaster: 1/4/2/-2/D6 damage, re-roll failed hits if there are 10+ models

Bellowers: Ogor units (all with minimum size 3 models) Leadbelchers, Ogors, and Ironguts all have the Bellower ability, so that units within 6" subtract 1 from their bravery. Wording is wonky on this, but until a rule is published saying that abilities of the same name cannot stack on the same unit, this stacks. Ogors generally go onto 40mm bases now, so that's some large fear bubbles.

Beast Skull / Rune Maw Banners: Ogors and Ironguts have an option to take a banner, where when a model flees from a unit, that on a roll of 6 another model flees. Since this is by the model, 4 models running means 4d6 being rolled.  

 

[Rhellion]

15 hours ago, Gotrek said:

Chaos:

gaunt summoner-infernal flames. casting value 8, pick a visible unit, roll a dice for every model in it, mortal wound for each 4+

Every model in the unit that is also within range (18")

[heywoah_twitch]

Sylvaneth: DRYCHA HAMADRETH

Swarm of Squirmlings: At Drycha’s command, a Swarm of Squirmlings bursts forth to assail nearby foes. When she attacks with her Swarm of Squirmlings, pick an enemy unit and roll a dice for each model in that unit that is within 10". For each 3+, the unit suffers a mortal wound. (half the time you re-roll 1s. The target number goes up as she gets more wounded)

Bonus: She looks awesome and is a bargain points-wise at a cool 280.

[Duck1986]

9 hours ago, SpiritofHokuto said:

This can be a bit tricky versus horde based Chaos armies like Skaven and Beastmen, as they can hand out multiple I.P. thanks to Crown of Command.

However there's no guarantee that it will still be available in the GHB2017, and even if it is only one can be taken.

This could be me being somewhat new to AOS bit where does it say only one can be taken? I thought you could have 4 artillery pieces just as separate units in a 2k battle ?