Recently we’ve had alot of discussion about Hobgoblins of late. Honestly, alot of the community seems divided as to their uses, their diversity, and the general purpose of them.
Personally, I view this as a good thing! So, that having been said, lets open a topic to discuss it. What are your thoughts of hobgoblins, why do you use them, not use them, would want to use them…etc.
Is it because it’s “Fluffy” to you? Do you like the models? Do you think they are worthless points wise etc.
Please note I’m not trying to start a flame war here. I’m trying to open up intellectual discussion on the hobgoblins as it were, and to see what many other of us Chaos Dwarf players think.
To me, I like the models, I think they are very fluffy and appropriate for the army, and I actually prefer the look of them over Orcs by a great margin. Not only that, but to me I see them as more reliable as I feel they are more survivable in combat. Plus it’s a matter of me not wanting to buy more models since I already have so many to paint. (150 Hobgoblins!!! Not counting the Wolf Riders!!! :~ )
I love greenskins in general but i’ve always liked hobgoblins i think it with them being a bit different, i always think of them as being quite Siberian but that might just be me, i have always like orcs tho cos there just brutes. I dont have enough models to field an army yet so i dont know how they are in a battle but i have fought with dwarves alot and really cheap expendable units and fast cavalry should be a hell of a help
I like them enough that I wrote up almost all the fluff in the wiki here and I crafted an entire army list for using just them…
However, on the other hand, I won’t be able to complete my physical army based on the list. Not for a while anyway. I am going to be studying over seas for a year starting in a little over a week now and I won’t have access to any of the models or paints or anything…
I am not the best modeler anyway though, so its not like anyone would miss out on seeing anything cool and no one played WarHammer in my area anyway. In fact, the only local gaming shop dropped their WarHammer Fantasy line years ago. (40K was semi-popular for a long time though)
I like them because they add options of light infantry and cavalry to a slow, static Dwarf army.
As I’ve written in several threads, I find the most effective kit for Hobgoblins as melee units is Shields and Light Armor- although they cost twice as much as naked hobbos, they’re twice as hard to kill, which denies kills (and thus CR) to your opponent, and since the unit is then half as large due to cost they’re easier to maneuver.
Of course, as meatshields you give them nothing. Let them die in droves, there’s plenty more where those came from…
Lastly, I think that bows should not be discounted. Although they are pretty crappy, they’re better than Night Goblin shortbows, and are useful for the simple reason that they can fire where a Blunderbuss can’t.
I think hobgoblins are what helps make the Chaos Dwarfs the army that they are. The coolest thing about the CDs is that they have this slave based society going on, which gives them their evil touch. Hobgoblins are great for screening. The protect your warriors and blunderbusses from unfriendly fire. And also, the hobgoblins on wolves protect your Bull centaurs. They also provide a cheap unit +4 AS men to hold the flank or gap for 1 or more turns. Not fighters on their own, they can with the LD of the CD general provide the plug in gaps that may occur. Not to mention they can mount wolves which gives a CD general the ability to utilize fast calvary. The bows can sometimes be helpful for back up on the flanks and protecting war machines; but no more than 20 goblins with bows should be used IMO.
I generally don’t use too many but this is mainly down to fluff. And there was the time in my first game with Chaos Dwarfs when a unit squabbled for five turns.
Having said this, I do use a few units. Three naked units of Hobgoblins are in my 3000pts, purely to catch bullets for the CD Warrior units. I use a small unit with bows because I have the models and I swear by using the Wolfboyz because having that speed is really handy.
i also like the idea of hobgoblins as more sneaky and devious than your more typical sneaky but not so devious goblins. the models look cool too, and they are worth their points on the battlefield even if its just to bulk up your numbers.
lets not forget another use - holding table quarters. Leave a 20pt unit of hobgoblins safe in your corners so an enemy cant claim it.
Personally I use them as just another cheap and expendable fighting unit. They are great at holding the enemy at bay in CC when equioed with Shields and light armour. Oh, and fond hellos go out to all that I know in this Forum Yes that means you Uzkul
So what are people's thoughts on Hobgoblin Bowmen? Better than their Orc counterparts as some think?
Uzkul Werit
Yes, but thats because Arrer Boyz are a joke, I don't think I have ever gotten my points back with them in the few matches when I decided to experiment with a medium-sized unit,
Overall I find hobbo archers pretty meh, but I don't use them much so take my opinion with a pinch of salt...
Id say they were but frankly I never use bowmen so It would be a theoretical answer. Or a fluff one tbh. Orcs dont have bows. They have choppas Its the way of the world. But maybe I should try it out just the same
I use ten from time to time, mainly because they’re the only models in my army that (I think) are painted well. In 1500pts they’re useful for getting rid of that one lone Skirmisher unit or Fast Cav that people seem to take.
i think im going to add lots of hobgoblins into my army simply because i want it to be heavily infantry based.
i think going for 2 units of 20 armoured hobgobbos without the command, and possibly some small 10 man detachments of unarmoured archers without command to hold m own quarters and act as small support for warmachines or infantry blocks.
basic unarmoured hobgoblins have no real purpose apart from the fact they are cheap, and can be versatile in the ways they can die. they might see use in very large blocks or as screens but nothing else really.
I prefer Hobbos to orcs in a CD army as they are uniquely part of our fluff - your not just taking models from the Orc and Goblin range. There is also the sheer versatility of them - they don’t take up any slots, but they can be an anvil, sacrificial unit, flanking fast cavalry, cannon fodder, archers, missile cavalry and even shock cavalry depending on what you give them and what else you put in the unit. Add bolt throwers and sneaky gitz and you just have to love them! Only problem is you have to do a lot of work for not many points, but then thats true of most cheap troops
id though of that too xander, my brother was saying hat the point, and i was like well 11 hobbos for 22 points to stop him being singled out and to add to him the combat res/unit size - it would cost a hell of a lot more for a magic item that does that!
Yes that means you Uzkul 
Its the way of the world. But maybe I should try it out just the same