[Archive] How to win with the legion of azgorh

nilbog:

Core:

At first glance, there appears to be only two core choices, but equipping them differently gives a few more options.

Infernal guard are heavily armoured, with blackshard armour and shields as standard. Although they don�?Tt die easily, one WS4 S4 attack means they don�?Tt kill much either. A big unit (25-30) is recommended, with full command. A unit of 30 makes a decent horde, or six ranks of five if you need static combat resolution. You need at least one unit to put your sorcerer-prophet and battle standard in.

Infernal guard can have additional weapons as well (note that these don�?Tt replace the shield). Great weapons seem useful, but the high price and the fact shields can�?Tt be used in close combat makes them less so. Fireglaives again seem handy, but short range, cost and BS3 shooting makes them a luxury rather than a necessity. Blunderbusses are an iconic chaos dwarf ranged weapon (and the big hat models are lovely) but ridiculously overpriced. Consider a unit of 30: for the additional cost of blunderbusses, you could have a unit of bull centaurs, nearly two deathshriekers or a unit of hobgoblins, giving you more flexibility.

Hobgoblins, as with infernal guard, are overpriced. They do however have their uses. Armed with a bow they can take potshots at lightly armoured fast cavalry, skaven weapons teams or the odd wizard that�?Ts lurking out on his own. Don�?Tt forget they also have throwing knives so can always stand and shoot. For a meager investment they can have additional hand weapons instead, giving them a quasi-sneaky gits feel. A big unit might warrant the inclusion of shields, if you feel they need to survive any longer. Keep them close to your big block of infernal guard so they don�?Tt suffer animosity and also benefit from the general and battle standard nearby.

I wouldn�?Tt spend more than necessary on core units; the special and rare choices do all the killing.

Recommended set-up:

28 Infernal guard, full command, lichebone pennant 383

20 hobgoblins, full command, bows 122

The unit of infernal guard total 30 with the sorcerer-prophet and battle standard in there. The lichebone pennant gives you a combined 4+ ward against lore of fire or metal spells.

At higher points levels, there are more options: bulk out the hobgoblin unit to 40 and run a horde (hard to get rid of; lots of attacks); add another hobgoblin unit (two units can shoot at different targets); drop the hobgoblin unit and take another unit of infernal guard instead. If you take another unit of infernal guard it might be worth putting the battle standard in one unit and the sorcerer-prophet in another, and equipping the sorcerer-prophet with the crown of command. This gives you two stubborn blocks.

Discoking:

Keep these up, lol… I need to know more!

Da Crusha:

good stuff I dont disagree with anything so far. most of it all is the standard LoA army builds. the only one I never considered is the lichbone pennant, (Im not familiar with it).

brotsorrow:

This is awesome, especially for a new CD player. Hopefully you add special and rare soon :slight_smile:

wallacer:

Nice summary. Worth some slaves I feel.

nilbog:

Thanks for the feedback (and slaves, Wallacer!). I’m working on special and rare at the moment, these will be up soon.

nilbog:

Special:

This is where the fun kicks in. There are quite a few choices here, some better than others. Let�?Ts start off with a not-so-good one.

Infernal ironsworn are better versions of infernal guard. They have a higher weapon skill and ensorcelled weapons. However, they still only have 1A and are close to Chaos Chosen in price. If they had 2A and were stubborn, it would be worth trying them. As it is, I�?Td leave these guys at home.

Bull centaur renders are fairly fast, tough, multi-wound monstrous beasts. As such, they are very useful if you want to hold a unit up for a turn or fancy chasing something. You need to be selective in what you get into combat with, as they�?Tre not indestructible, but as long as you�?Tre careful, these guys can be a nuisance. I�?Tve found it useful to think of them as heavy cavalry. There are some options, including full command and additional arms and armour. If you want them to survive longer, give them a shield for a 2+ armour save with a 6+ parry save. If you want them to do damage, give them a great weapon. I wouldn�?Tt bother with the additional hand weapon; another WS4 S4 attack isn�?Tt going to do much. Unit sizes for bull centaurs can start at three and go up to eight (I don�?Tt think any more than this is feasible); I�?Tve found that three or four do the job perfectly fine, but a big unit can really start wading through stuff. I usually give mine a cheap magic banner as well, either the gleaming pennant or the standard of discipline, as they are usually outside of the general�?Ts and battle standard�?Ts range. Banner of swiftness is worth a look if you want them moving faster.

Where bull centaur renders are an excellent mobile road-block, k�?Tdaai fireborn are excellent at killing T3 units �?" elves, humans, skaven etc. The blazing body rule means they start killing before combat even starts and the bound daemon rule means they are hard to get rid of. However, the burning bright rule means it is quite easy for them to burn out (in some games I�?Tve removed more models from this than my opponent has killed), so you need a unit of at least six. A unit champion can be taken, if you�?Tve got a spare ten points.

Warmachines are next, and first up is the magma cannon. Take one. Target high armour or multi-wound units, as these are usually the hardest to shift once they get into combat. Did I mention you should include this in your army?

The deathshrieker is better going for T3 units. Given the preponderance of marauder hordes, big units of night goblins, skaven ranked ridiculously deep and halberdiers that hate everyone, they shouldn�?Tt be short of a target. The deathshrieker can also use a single S8 D6 wound shot which may seem ideal for monsters but is subject to normal scatter. I may have hit with this once, but I�?Tm assuming it would be better against monsters on big bases like arachnaroks or thundertusks. For this reason, it is probably a good idea to take two deathshriekers, then you have a variety of different ranged weaponry.

Both of these warmachines can be upgraded to be hellbound (which gives magical attacks, +1W and +1 T) and/or mounted on a steam carriage, which allows it to be towed by an iron daemon. The warmachines also count as being behind an obstacle and in soft cover with this. The only one of these I�?Td consider is hellbound on the magma cannon, if points are spare �?" you never know when those ethereals will make an appearance!

The iron daemon must have the most convoluted set of rules ever to grace a warhammer model. Basically it�?Ts a steam engine (note that since it doesn�?Tt have a separate tender this makes it a tank engine, like Thomas the Tank Engine) that can have either a cannonade (which uses steam pressure from the boiler to fire) or it can be upgraded to a skullcracker which has huge spiky arms instead of the cannonade. The skullcracker is useful for when you don�?Tt need the flexibility of firing and want to do some damage with impact hits and thunderstomp. Hellbound is worth a look, as it adds another wound and point of toughness. The iron daemon can move normally and shoot. Or it can move faster, but only in a straight line; this means it doesn�?Tt have a charge arc as such, only what is directly in front of it. This limits it�?Ts potential if you only take one. If you take two or three, they start to become scary �?" avoiding one iron daemon is easy, avoiding three is hard. If you go down this road, it is worth having a mixture of iron daemons and skullcrackers. Unfortunately, other than the impact hits and thunderstomp, the only other attacks are from the crew, so things that can�?Tt be thunderstomped won�?Tt suffer much damage. Avoid charging into these units unless you are supporting the charge with another unit, or are confident you can do enough damage in one round to wipe them all out.

Recommended set-up:

3 Bull Centaur Renders, great weapons, standard, musician, gleaming pennant 170

Magma cannon xxx

Deathshrieker xxx

Deathshrieker xxx

This is where a good variety comes in though. You could forego the second deathshrieker and take another unit of bull centaurs. Or have fireborn instead of bull centaurs. Or have three iron daemons. Play around until you find a style that suits you.

Smog:

I kind of disagree on the hobgobbos. They are about as cheap as skaven clanrats and the only real difference is that they are I2. A deep unit of 40 is great for negating opponents steadfast and its nice to have big units cheap that can take cavalry charges, tie up monsters and draw out fanatics.

Also, don’t forget all the fun things you can do with a castellan with the arabyan carpet and another 25 pts of magic items of your choice.

Hashutcopper:

K’Daai destroyer isn’t held by anti flaming infantry characters, thunderstomp isn’t affected by special rules.

though it is held up by any other type of character.

very nice list

nilbog:

Indeed, but I’ve had it held up by a chaos lord on a disc with the dragonhelm. Any lone character with dragonhelm or dragonbane gem on a mount will hold it up…for OnG, a goblin big boss on a spider for what? 55 points? Add a great weapon and they could actually harm it as well…just be careful, it’s good but not that good (which is just as well, really).

A slightly different standard list (2400 points):

Sorcerer-prophet, level 4, hashut, enchanted shield, talisman of preservation, crown of command 385

Infernal castellan, battle standard, mask of the furnace, iron curse icon, shield 202

Daemonsmith, level 1, fire, dispel scroll, charmed shield, 125

Hobgoblin khan, wolf, light armour, shield, dragonhelm, biting blade, 76

24 Infernal guard, full command, lichebone pennant, 335

24 Infernal guard, full command, 320

Magma cannon xxx

Magma cannon xxx

6 K’daai fireborn, manburner 340

K’daai destroyer xxx

Slightly different; two blocks of stubborn infernal guard, two magma cannons as the warmachines. Get stuck in quickly with both k’daai.

nilbog:

Rare:

Some excellent choices here, and some duff ones.

Hobgoblin wolf raiders are not that good a unit. Animosity, low leadership and out of the general�?Ts and battle standard�?Ts range means that they spend most of the time dying or running off. Stick with a khan on a wolf for similar points.

The dreadquake mortar looks fine if you study its rules. Even the slow reload isn�?Tt a problem with an ogre in there. Then you look at the points cost and realise that you could have a different S5(10) template weapon for similar costs, which can also look after itself.

This brings me neatly to the hellcannon. Warriors of chaos players will know this a decent buy. It�?Ts actually better for the legion of azgorh as we can use the daemonsmith re-roll. Use it to anchor your flank; if you�?Tve got all your warmachines clumped together, stick this on the far end rather than the middle and it�?Tll see off fast cavalry and other annoying stuff. I use one in bigger games instead of a second deathshrieker as not only has it got a template, it�?Ts also S10 under the hole.

The k�?Tdaai destroyer is one of the best monsters in the game. Take two at 2500 points and watch all your friends disappear. Watch out for: poison; solo characters with the dragon helm or dragonbane gem; dragon princes; getting it stuck in protracted combats with stubborn/unbreakable blocks; overrunning into unfavourable positions, like off the board.

Take a siege giant if you want. I suppose it�?Tll be a bit more survivable against arrows and so on, but otherwise it�?Ts still a giant.

Recommended set-up:

Hellcannon xxx

K’daai destroyer xxx

KramDratta:

Rare:
The k�?Tdaai destroyer is one of the best monsters in the game. Take two at 2500 points and watch all your friends disappear.


nilbog
Not possible mate. Game needs to be >= 2600

Apart from that I agree with most of what you've written.

Far2Casual:

The Hellcannon is indeed a S5(10) template and is obviously better atm, but I am ready to bet my two arms that it won’t stay so for long. All army-specific catapults are nerfed one after the other with the new 8th ed books (scraplauncher, mortar, hellstorm battery), so expect the Hellcannon to become S4(8) or even S3(9) in the next WoC book, rumoured for Q3/Q4 2012. This is, in my opinion, part of the reason why they didn’t copy the rules for the Hellcannon in Tamurkhan, and why the S5(10) template of the Mortar is priced like that.

That said I think I came to the exact same conclusions as you did. Good job putting that all together.

Bitterman:

Somehow I’d overlooked the usefulness of the Hellcannon as the outermost “war machine” to protect the flank, but thinking about it it’s a really good idea. Last game my Magma Cannon crew fluked a few good dice rolls to see off a bunch of Ungor, but if it had been a Hellcannon instead they’d never even have dared go near it. Nice.

Personally I strongly disagree on the one Magma Cannon, two Deathshrieker set up. If you’re going to go with three war machines, just take three Magma Cannons, they’re vastly better at killing units (5" blast really doesn’t hit very much more than the flame template, certainly not enough to make up for -2 Strength) and Deathshriekers aren’t even much better at killing single models, either… I just don’t see a place for them in the list. Triple-MC won’t win you many friends, but it will win you games and the thread is called “how to win”, right…? (Though for myself, I’d normally settle for double-MC and take more manuoevrable stuff instead. But triple-MC is nasty, and I see little value in Deathshriekers).

nilbog:

Kram: I don’t know where I got my numbers from. I play 2400 games and knew it had to be higher points to fit in two destroyers, I must have got it into my head it was 2500.

Far2casual: you’re probably right. Make the most of it while you can!

Bitterman: I think the fact that the deathshrieker homes in on its target is useful; I usually shoot the hellcannon (don’t want that think misfiring), then the magma cannon, then the deathshrieker. If the hellcannon doesn’t misfire, i’ve got the reroll for the magma cannon if needed. Then it doesn’t matter too much if the deathshrieker misses initially, it usually hits something in the end. Also it’s got a longer range.

Bitterman:

Bitterman: I think the fact that the deathshrieker homes in on its target is useful; ... Also it's got a longer range.

nilbog
Range, true enough, fair point. Homing ability... well, it's not like Magma Cannons ever miss, is it? It's only ever a question of how many they hit, not if they hit.

nilbog:

Putting it all together:

Time for some suggestions on putting all this wonderful advice into practice and writing an army list. This is my list at the moment, 2400 points.

Standard Legion of Azgorh list (2400 points):

Better known as ‘deal with these monsters while I shoot at you’.

Sorcerer-prophet, level 4, hashut, enchanted shield, talisman of preservation, blood of hashut 370

Infernal castellan, battle standard, mask of the furnace, iron curse icon, shield 202

Daemonsmith, level 1, fire, dispel scroll, charmed shield, 125

Hobgoblin khan, wolf, light armour, shield, spear, 60

Hobgoblin khan, wolf, light armour, shield, spear, 60

28 Infernal guard, full command, lichebone pennant, 383

20 hobgoblins, bows, full command, 122

20 hobgoblins, bows, full command, 122

Deathshrieker xxx

Magma cannon xxx

3 bull centaurs, great weapons, full command, gleaming pennant 180

Hellcannon xxx

K’daai destroyer xxx

Try to castle with the infantry blocks, with the warmachines nearer the middle of the board (hellcannon furthest away from the infantry to protect that flank). Khans to go where they can cause most mischief. Destroyer as close to enemy infantry as possible (but not so it gets mired down), bull centaurs either extreme flank or to support the destroyer in causing carnage if needed.

brotsorrow:

Thank you for finishing the special and rare units - greatly appreciated. Nice work!

nilbog:

Putting it all together:

Time for some suggestions on putting all this wonderful advice into practice and writing an army list. This is my list at the moment, 2400 points.

Standard Legion of Azgorh list (2400 points):

Better known as ‘deal with these monsters while I shoot at you’.

Sorcerer-prophet, level 4, hashut, enchanted shield, talisman of preservation, blood of hashut 370

Infernal castellan, battle standard, mask of the furnace, iron curse icon, shield 202

Daemonsmith, level 1, fire, dispel scroll, charmed shield, 125

Hobgoblin khan, wolf, light armour, shield, spear, 60

Hobgoblin khan, wolf, light armour, shield, spear, 60

28 Infernal guard, full command, lichebone pennant, 383

20 hobgoblins, bows, full command, 122

20 hobgoblins, bows, full command, 122

Deathshrieker xxx

Magma cannon xxx

3 bull centaurs, great weapons, full command, gleaming pennant 180

Hellcannon xxx

K’daai destroyer xxx

Try to castle with the infantry blocks, with the warmachines nearer the middle of the board (hellcannon furthest away from the infantry to protect that flank). Khans to go where they can cause most mischief. Destroyer as close to enemy infantry as possible (but not so it gets mired down), bull centaurs either extreme flank or to support the destroyer in causing carnage if needed.

Bitterman:

A slightly different standard list (2400 points):

Sorcerer-prophet, level 4, hashut, enchanted shield, talisman of preservation, crown of command 385
Infernal castellan, battle standard, mask of the furnace, iron curse icon, shield 202
Daemonsmith, level 1, fire, dispel scroll, charmed shield, 125
Hobgoblin khan, wolf, light armour, shield, dragonhelm, biting blade, 76

24 Infernal guard, full command, lichebone pennant, 335
24 Infernal guard, full command, 320

Magma cannon xxx
Magma cannon xxx
6 K'daai fireborn, manburner 340

K'daai destroyer xxx

nilbog
Yeah, personally I'd consider this pretty close to being the archetypal list template. Maybe play around with a few different magic items, maybe swap the Fireborn for Bull Centaurs, according to personal taste.