This is my first post and my first army list for Chaos Dwarfs so I’m looking for some advise on what to do with the list I have come up with and have some of the errors or issues rubbed out before I go and start buying my models. I’ve owned the Tamurkhan for some time as I use it with my WoC but have decided to try out the Chaos Dwarfs in all their glory. This is a list I’ve come up with based on some minor research on the army list threads here and my own ideas based on the book itself. I’m a long time WHFB player so hopefully this list isn’t too far from being effective.
Sorcerer-Prophet - Level 4 Hashut
Enchanted Shield, Talisman of Preservation & Earthing Rod
375
Daemonsmith Sorcerer - Level 2 Fire
Dispell Scroll
160
Infernal Castellan - BSB
Great Weapon & Mask of the Furnace
205
Bull Centaur Taur’ruk
Blackshard Armour, Great Weapon, Dragonhelm & Crown of Command
230
30x Infernal Guard
Full Command & Banner of Eternal Flame
402
40x Hobgoblin Cutthroats
Full Command & Shields
202
5x Bull Centaurs
Full Command, Gleaming Pennant & Great Weapons
270
1x Magma Cannon
1x Deathshrieker Rocket
1x Deathshrieker Rocket
1x Dreadquake Mortar
Slave Ogre
ARMY TOTAL = 2399
So the general thinking was to put the SP & BSB into the Infernal Guard for a Ld10 bubble with re-rolls. Levlel 2 will baby sit the WMs for the re-rolls. Hobgoblins are for a nice steadfast tarpitting unit. Taur’ruk will ride with his Centaurs and will decimate anything they can hopefully using the Taur’ruk’s S to beat the hell out of enemy chars in challenges. WM’s do what they do with the support of Ash Storm etc.
I have a few concerns with this list though which I could do with some help addressing. Firstly I seem to have put a lot of points into Heroes but don’t really want to drop any without losing effectiveness. Also I REALLY struggled with either K’daai Fireborn or Centaurs. I <3 the K’daai models and I’m really not so keen on the Centaur ones but I plan on using the New D.Ogres + Shaggoth model instead as I think they look nicer and are much cheaper!
I also really liked the look of the Destroyer and considered going with one but seeing as most of my other armies don’t use many WMs I went with this. I was tempted to use the Slaughterbrute as a Destroyer in the event Ii went with one.
I’m going round and round in circles here trying to figure out where to go with this list so some help, advise and list bashing would be appreciated!
Ok so due to the lack of responses I figured this list wasn’t really fairing all that well in public opinion so I have revised the list. Here’s what it looks like now. Please comment and offer any advise to improve it if at all possible
Sorc Prophet - Lvl 4 Hashut, E.Shield, Talis of Pres., Earthing Rod
Daemonsmith - Lvl 2 Fire - D.Scroll
Castellan BSB - GW, Mask of the Furnace, Luckstone, Ironcurse
Hobo Khan - Wolf
Hobo Khan - Wolf
30x IG - FC + Razor Standard
40 Hobos (HW&S) - FC
6x Fireborn - Manburner
1x Magma Cannon
2x Deathshrieker Rockets
1x Destroyer
Total = 2399
I decided I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get some K’daai models and so dropped some expensive heroes and the bulls for K’daai instead as they are much more my style. What do you think??
Obviously any army list is just a matter of personal opinions and everybody plays with their own style…that being said, I would offer the following advice:
1) Drop the level 2 Daemonsmith, go with just a level 1…keep him near your war machines for his reroll. that’s his real purpose and strength. It’s rare to get a level 2 casting anything successfully, so don’t waste you spell pool dice on him (save them for your level 4)…go with a level 1 to help out your war machines.
2) Give your dispel scroll to your level 4…he has a higher chance of living and you want that scroll "on hand’ when you need it…don’t lose it because of a low level hero getting picked off.
3) Lose the K’Daai Fireborn…more often than not they’ll burn out by turn 4…why give your opponent all those free victory points? Any savvy player will avoid them or redirect them to the edge of the table and let them burn up for free VP’s.
4) I love Deathshrieker rockets, but would suggest you only take one and go for 2 Magma Cannons instead. The Deathshrieker is a great ‘sniper’ war machine against any single model (monsters and war machines are easy targets)…but they suck against units. And there will always be more units than monsters.
5) The K’Daai Destroyer can unleash massive carnage…it can also be stuck in a tarpit of cheap Skaven slaves or held up by ethereal models. It does not always get back its point cost in VP’s…again, any savvy player knows how to counter it. Unless you are planning to send him ‘up the middle’ as fast as you can, you may be disappointed in his overall performance. Yes, I love the Destroyer…but I rarely use him.
All of these points I mention are, as I said, just personal opinion…I suggest before laying out wads of cash on models that you may be disappointed in, that you play some friendly games and just proxy them initially. That way you can figure out what works best for you and more importantly: What is fun for you :hat off
Thanks a lot for your post, it has certainly given me a lot to think about and I was planning on arranging a friend to come round so I can play test a few list ideas to see what I like before paying out the backside for FW models etc.
My Daemonsmith was originally a level 1 but I had some spare points and figured I’d dump them there but I can see your logic and will probably revise this list again to see where I can trim some fat and look to optimize it’s potential. As for the Dispell scroll I’m used to having it on a lower level “scroll caddy” but seeing as it’s a fairly important item I may very well look to relocate it just so it has a darn good chance of sticking around until I need it.
As for the K’daai Fireborn, I probably will leave them in the list for now. I want an excuse to buy the lovely FW models and if I don’t like how they perform I’ll probably replace them for Bull Centaurs but one way or another I must have those models! As for the Destroyer it’s something I really like the sound of and so will probably try it out to get a feel for however I can see it’s weaknesses being an issue. One Dragonbane Gem/ Dragonhelm and he will be stuck there for pretty much an entire game. I get the impression though he will be like my High Elf Dragons, more gimmicky than practical in game terms but it’s worth a shot!
As for the Warmachines looking at the rules I would have assumed it was the other way around. I do really like the Magma Cannon models and the fussion between a conventional cannon and a flame thrower is right up my street so perhaps with some of the previously mentioned fat trimming I can drop a Deathshrieker and swap it out for a 2nd Magma Cannon.
Plenty of food for thought! This is exactly what I was after, thanks! :hat off
If I may, your list looks solid. What you could do though is the following:
1)As Fuggit say get rid of the Daemonsmith’s second level. You can give him a charmed shield (2+ save against first wound for only 5 points? Hell yeah).
2) Hobbo Khans are great!!! But maybe one is enough to redirect?!?
3) If the Sorcerer Prophet and the Castellan are supposed to go into the Infernal Guard then drop the unit down to 28. And get rid of that Razor Standard. Trust me, these guys are there to be your anvil, and by my experience you DON’T want to get them into combat (unless you are 1000% sure of the outcome).
4) If you followed all the above you should have more than 100+ points free! This can allow you to buy something else.
5) As Fuggit said play some test games! Try to run 6 Centaurs with Great Weapons, full command, and Gleaming Pennant! And try 6 Fireborn with Manburner. Also try the Dreadquake and the Hellcannon! Or switch the Hobbos for Blunderbusses. After all practice brings to perfection.
...Trust me, these guys are there to be your anvil, and by my experience you DON'T want to get them into combat (unless you are 1000% sure of the outcome).
Skink
Very true! This is the best advice to any new Chaos Dwarf player, a BIG thanks to Skink for mentioning this. You'll find out rather quickly that you will usually always be outnumbered and that CD's are slow. If you opt for combat with your IG, you will be outnumbered with a steadfast unit(s) and overwhelmed by fast opponents (watch out for flanking chariots that will pin you in for the kill). Bull Centaurs and Hobbo's on wolfs will be your fast friends to keep your opponent away from your anvil unit.
And as Skink said, get rid of the Razor Standard...I suggest go with the Lichebone Banner, gear the unit for defensive survival, not for offensive fighting. Other stuff in the army is better suited for fighting.
