is there any point in Jagged Gore-hackas?

[flindo]

every time I look at the brute stats, I always think that 2 brute choppas always seems like the better option, concidering on a charge you have to end within .5" anyways.

[Soulsmith]

If you have enough of them, I would say units of ten, the range bonus means they're all still probably fighting.

[flindo]

2 minutes ago, Soulsmith said:

If you have enough of them, I would say units of ten, the range bonus means they're all still probably fighting.

how popular is units of 10 though? I was under the impression that its more competitive to run multiple units of 5 than one big unit.

[N_Watson]

9 minutes ago, flindo said:

how popular is units of 10 though? I was under the impression that its more competitive to run multiple units of 5 than one big unit.

Unit of 10 with Jagged gore hackas is probably the hardest hitting unit we can get. 

Allows you to buff 10 brutes with one buff. If I really want to kill something, I give them +2 to hit and have all the special weapons hitting on 2s. Try it out. 

[flindo]

16 minutes ago, N_Watson said:

Unit of 10 with Jagged gore hackas is probably the hardest hitting unit we can get. 

Allows you to buff 10 brutes with one buff. If I really want to kill something, I give them +2 to hit and have all the special weapons hitting on 2s. Try it out. 

sounds fun, cheers!

[Turragor]

7 hours ago, flindo said:

every time I look at the brute stats, I always think that 2 brute choppas always seems like the better option, concidering on a charge you have to end within .5" anyways.

You end one model within .5 so you could have a chunk of the unit 4 - 5 inches away. Long reach weapons are great in the sense that you dont need to pile in as far to reach.

You also might be able to reach a unit your opponent thought was outside pile in range near to the unit you connected with.

Finally, if you charge 2 units into 1 and your first unit wipes out the single enemy unit your 2nd still gets to pile in but often won't find anything within 3. However your total threat range is the pile in plus weapon range. So opponents sitting at 6 inches are still in range of a stormcast protector piling in for instance.

But I mean, in practise, range isn't everything. Other stats count too.

[Lord Biscuit]

12 hours ago, N_Watson said:

Unit of 10 with Jagged gore hackas is probably the hardest hitting unit we can get. 

Allows you to buff 10 brutes with one buff. If I really want to kill something, I give them +2 to hit and have all the special weapons hitting on 2s. Try it out. 

 

The other thing is that while the Claw and Smasher is a super lethal character option that probably rivals megabosses for sheer damage output, the more individual units you have, the more likely those units are going to suffer losses in combat before they swing. Thus on that critical first turn where you have to hit out in a mass combat check, a super buffed brute squad can act first and do some serious damage, rather then swinging with one then the other.

 

That being said, it largely depends on function of list.

 

10 man groups are mainly deathstar's who's role it is to break the formation of the other side and do serious damage in a single blow. Essentially this is a hammer that is designed to break the hardest of nuts. However it really does require inspiring pressence to avoid attrition until it makes contact (because well, once you actually hit a unit worth hitting, WAGGGHH to maximise the damage is probably a priority!)

 

5 man squads are basically flanking glass cannons or just glass cannons. These fellas will probably do huge damage against a unit, but damage output will probably drop off. Two weapons is good, but Jagged will probably come into play more then you think if the brutes are shadowing the 'ardboys, hit on a flank and everything will hit, not everything may hit if they flank otherwise.

[Chris Tomlin]

@flindo - In short, the answer to your question is yes!

As suggested by a few others in here, units of 10 Brutes with Jagged Gore-hackas are a great choice and will probably be the linchpin of most Ironjawz lists. It's very efficient when it comes to buffs, just one Megaboss (Inspiring Presence) and Warchanter (+1 to hit) can turn the unit into an absolute killing machine which is quite resilient in return.

MSU Brutes seems an odd choice due to the alternating combat activations, although on the flipside, maxing out on Klaw & Smasha attacks is great. @Lord Biscuit has written a good post above covering lots of this.

Don't get me wrong though, units of 5 Brutes are still really good and you would never equip these with Jagged Gore-hackas; Choppas are just better. You still have a reasonably small frontage as the Gore-Choppa still has a 2" reach so can tuck in behind.

The list I've been using since GH came out runs a unit of 10 and 2x 5. At Clash of Swords this weekend I will be trying 2x 10 and 2x 5...interested to see how double 10's goes. I am packing two Warchanters but worry about the lack of Inspiring Presence on one unit. Tempted to use the Ardnob as my General in some games, dependant on how close together the units plan to operate.

[SpleenThief]

I use gore hakkas on my brutes, originally for rule of cool but was glad very quick when things get crowded and everyone sill gets to swing. once models are in contact they can no longer move in a pile in and cannot pan around allies they "must" end closer to the closest model if they move and nothing is closer then contact so no rotating to make room once in contact.

Not sure about your local play but in my area we all choose to play bases instead of models so things don't get sill or you end up trampling each others beautiful basing jobs, so bonus range helps alot when wanting to hit from behind other models in same unit.