I couldn’t think of a name immediately, though Hearth Guard seems fitting.
Anyhow, after reading the King’s Champion rules for WoTR, it got me thinking about how this could be used on a unit. GW clearly have issues about giving Dwarf units additional hand weapons, and after reading the fluff for this guy it is clearly because they think the lack of defence is important fluffwise.
So I had the idea to expand the kings champion rules a bit.
Hearth Guard. Dwarf warrior stats with additional hand weapons.
Mixed Formation
Hearth Guard units may purchase Large Shields for +2pts/ model. Any number of models in the unit may have shields,
The Large Shield will provide +1 armour save for another model in the unit against missile fire (non cumulative), in addition to providing +1 save for him. In combat the models armed with a Large Shield can only fight with hand weapon and shield.
The arduous training of the Hearth Guard dictates that those with additional weapons will drop one and pick up the shield of a fallen shield bearer, meaning that casualties are removed as usual.
The idea with this basically being that you put the ones with shields down the flanks. It may need some working…
The word you’re looking for is “pavise”. Warhammer Ancient Battles gives rules for a Roman-style phalanx and a Dark Ages shieldwall that perhaps gives the effect you’re looking for - essentially, in Warhammer 8th Edition terms, the unit can adopt a formation that allows it to count as being behind an obstacle.
Well, no, those aren’t pavises - but the things Grim’s talking about are, and the effect he’s going for is similar to the Roman testudo which you’ve provided a picture of there. The idea, I’m assuming, is that the pavises form a shieldwall, wherein the shields form an interlocking wall and each man protects the soldier to his immediate left. But I think the rules Grim suggests are a little clunky when there’s a perfectly serviceable mechanic already there to be plundered.
Allowing the unit to count as being behind an obstacle is easy enough to describe, the Pavise (which would need a more dwarf name) would just count as providing soft cover.
My issue though is that some models will have additional hand weapons, some will have shields. How to allow for this in the unit options…?
I suppose a generic “20 points per unit” etc would be one way not limit it to specific model combinations.
That sounds quite good actually. It would take some imagination to see the unit moving around without every model having one of these… But it would work. Cheers.
Could you guess how many points that is for the besiegers?
11 points/model. Basic human stats with heavy armour and a crossbow as well as the pavise. So that works out at 3 points for a pavise? Sounds about right anyway.
