Kamphre:
Does anyone tried to choose 2 two blocks of 40 hobgoblins (bows or shields) with a castellan (to be stubborn) to fill core?
Is it efficient? How do you play them?
Thanks!
Da Crusha:
you can’t do that because of the contempt rule. it prevents the castellan from joining the hobgoblin unit.
EDIT: Hobgoblins in big units can be quite nice tar pits though. as long as they are within 12" of the general and BSB and have more ranks than the enemy they should have rerollable leadership 10.
Kamphre:
Arf, didn’t thought to that!
Is is still viable to use them in 10 wide formation, maybe with the general and BSB just behind (let say in a blunderbuss unit)?
Da Crusha:
I suppose against some foes it might be a viable tactic but for the most part, I just use them as tarpits, cannon fodder or flanking unit.
rpitts2004:
No using them in a horde formation is a big mistake, these are tarpits, and sacrifice units you want to deploy 5 wide 8 deep,
Gives them steadfast usually regardless of whats going on, I call them my hobgoblin konga lines.
They work great in holding up units for bull centaurs, hell cannon or k’daai’s get hit the flank.
Plus it puts a lot more models on the table for us.
Bolg:
I like them in a horde. A tarpit is better! (say 40, 5 wide handweapon lightarmour + shield)
But when facing a T3 S3 opponent the horde is a serious option, an extra rank of attacks is always more fun if you are rolling the dice.
If they get outside of the LD/BSB bubble, you lose them (horde or tarpit) at the first breaktest you have to take.
Kamphre:
I knew that they were done to tarpit. It’s goblin’s familly… 
I was just thinking to something never done before, something so surprising that opponents would be surprised to see. A stubborn horde of Hobgoblins, boosted by the metal buffs for example or hatred.
And as they are cheap, is not a big loss if they are killed.
Grimbold Blackhammer:
Surprise your opponent and put down a 10x10 block with bows and shields. That’s a LOT of shots. And good luck getting the points out of it!
adolrak:
I loved my 60 man unit of HW/SH gobbos in my last tournament. Lore of metal meant 3+ AS and a parry they never went below 30 models in any game. The 100 man unit of bows also seems funny but thats just a huge point sink that probably wont earn any back.
Goblins rock
Glimpse the Void:
Grimbold, that is dirty and it made me smile.
Fuggit Khan:
Hobgoblins in big units can be quite nice tar pits though. as long as they are within 12" of the general and BSB and have more ranks than the enemy they should have rerollable leadership 10.Agreed, and for a bit of added fun, throw in a Hobgoblin Khan with the Dagger of Malice magic item for Hobbo Eternal hatred.
Da Crusha
BABIS:
I think it could work also with the mask of eee!Hobgoblins in big units can be quite nice tar pits though. as long as they are within 12" of the general and BSB and have more ranks than the enemy they should have rerollable leadership 10.Agreed, and for a bit of added fun, throw in a Hobgoblin Khan with the Dagger of Malice magic item for Hobbo Eternal hatred.
Da Crusha
Fuggit Khan
gashnag:
I regularly take 2 hordes of 50 Hobgoblins with shields on the flanks of a 30 man unit of cd with banner of slavery at 240 points for 50 HG with standard and musician you can take them in horde but if they are about to be charged by anything but strength and toughness 3 opponents free reform to be 5 wide to maintain max ranks as long as general and bsb are within 12" they will be a tar pit to hold any unit in place until your hammer units hits them from the flank
The Gib:
I have recently made a list where I run three units of between 35-40 hobgoblins with bows and shields. Put a unit of IG within 12"of each but outside of 6" of each. Give the IG the banner of slavery and what the gobos never move. Keeping them this distance from the IG means they are ItP and still subject to animosity, which is a good thing. Only a roll of six does anything, you lose D3 guys and get +1 to hit, I’ll have some more of that. I like 36 for nine wide and 4 deep until they get into hand to hand the go 6x6. One anything gets in that 24"range is 28x3 shots coming at them. They should get one to two rounds of that and then a stand and shoot. I think they are even better than chaff because they are much harder to kill, cheap, and can put out some big damage. I held up a frost phoenix for three turns with 30 of them and dealt four wounds. Stick them in from of warmachines and important units and the enemy has to fire anything that requires BS at them or take a big penalty. Only down side I see, there is always one, is that if that IG unit is destroyed you are in trouble. Might as well watch the army crumble. I say surround the IG with Khan’s so nothing can fit in to make a legal charge. You will be crammed together but you can set it up so that the enemy has to charge the gobos.
Bad Gram Northern:
I’m just gonna add to this thread: is it worth the points to equip hobgobs with shields and bows? even in bus formation?