In a new book, which do you think would be more likely to appear? Or do you think they both will? Or neither?
This is assuming that hobgoblins are not ‘slaves’ along the lines of the skaven ones, probably more like mercenaries or auxiliaries/ supplementary troops.
Tactically the hobgoblins have the edge at the moment because of the variety of weapons and the wolves. They can fill a greater number of roles including war machine crew. Slaves would probably have no weapons, and unless they had some nifty special rules they would not have many tactical uses other than the meatshield. Having slaves allows some really cruel warmachines though… :idea
Fluffwise I can see the benefits of both. If it came down to which was the most characterful it would be hard, but I would go with tortured slaves.
In terms of GW business could hobgoblins have the edge? Admittedly with both option unless people converted them they would need to buy the actual models, but slaves would be far easier to do ‘counts as’ just by throwing together all the old models you have and painting them suitably.
I think it would be a mixture of both. Either the hobogoblins would be the official models for slaves or they would be mixed in or something.
The main reason I’m replying is a little off topic, but you mentioned cruel war machines because of slaves: what if it was like a stonethrower with live slaves bing fired? It could cause panic or something (essentially be a screaming skull catapault) and, at the risk of getting to rulesheavy (it could be left out), have a chance of the slave surviving the landing/being caught and joining the unit/making them frenzied or something…
Slaves would probably have no weapons, and unless they had some nifty special rules they would not have many tactical uses other than the meatshield. Having slaves allows some really cruel warmachines though... :idea
Grimstonefire
There's no real reason why slaves can't be well armed and trained. Many armies, the Spartans included, used slaves in combat, in some cases they formed the elite of the army. Other than that, it could be argued that conscripts are really just slaves.
Yeah, I don’t see why the two options have to be mutually exclusive. An option to make generic slaves into something resembling Hobgoblins (say, poisoned attacks) would be possible.
Thinking about it though, other than sneaky gits or characters (if there were any), I don’t think there is any difference between slaves and hobgoblins anyway (the “high” leadership of slaves is due to their masters at their heels maybe) statswise and I doubt basic hobgoblins would have poisoned attacks. Just my opinion…
Slaves mwahahah. I would prefer to see slaves in than Hob-Goblins, if it came to a straight choice. I could see Hob-Goblins becoming units that oversee slave units and make them better when close by, and you could make a weapon or rule for a sorcerer like that Dark Elf Dagger.
I like hobgoblins and I’d like them to stay… they are here to take care of slaves… so Chaos Dwarfs have only to worry about “big stuff”.
Slaves are ok too…
my main desire is being able to shoot at slaves! Place a unit of hobgoblins/slaves to redirect enemy and… blunderbusses both, enemy and slaves, to death!!! This would be amazing!
Poisoned weapons would be interesting. Would the CD be likely to give them decent weapons? These may be the stronger more ‘loyal’ slaves, the fighters that live for war and war only.
Like mordheim pit fighters or gladiator style slaves. They wouldn’t all have to be useless, just a different way of looking at them.
That way they could have a wider range of weapons, maybe additional or slings, possibly a shield as well.
Like mordheim pit fighters or gladiator style slaves. They wouldn't all have to be useless, just a different way of looking at them.
Grimstonefire
That's a fair point, I guess. In Tuomas' list there is a CD Clan (Ashodar?) who are the slavers, so I guess they might go to war with fighty bodyguard-type slaves.
I still think most slaves would be worked to death in the mines and factories though, rather than sent to die on a battlefield.
Would the CD be likely to give them decent weapons?
Just to remind everyone: Hobgoblins are slaves in the current fluff, even though they don't have to work in the mines and stuff. So a theoretical generic "slave" unit ought to have access to anything Hobgoblins can get, since it might well encompass them.
Maybe they would put them in front of a unit bearing shields as a missile and body screen. I could see them using slings as a weapon.
In my army list on of the ideas we came up with was to do with slaves. You have Field slaves that carry great weapons but have low WS, they are the cheapest. Followed by Forge slaves who can crew war machines (2 slaves = 1 dwarf for crew numbers). Finally there were House Slave or Body Guards. All slaves skirmished.