MLP:
I was wondering what you guys think about the different characters in the Tamurkhan book.
It seems that most lists I’ve seen at around 1500 - 2500 points have the following in some form:
Sorcerer-prophet on foot general
Demonsmith warmachine reroll
Castellan Battle Standard Bearer
Hobgoblin Khan sacrificial annoyance
I think everyone agrees that Core units are overpriced and certain special/rare units are overpowered. But what about the characters? Do you think a Bull Centaur Taur’uk is worth taking? Is the Demonsmith worth his points as a just-in-case reroll giver? Can you make a decent combat Lord Sorcerer-Prophet?!
I’m just trying to think outside the box when choosing characters for my lists so what do you guys think?
Thommy H:
No, that’s about the only combination that works. Sorcerer-Prophet is a given, as he’s the only Lord. Don’t make him combat-focused, because that makes him jack of all trades, master of none. You need those re-rolls from the Daemonsmiths, plus since you’re taking a wizard Lord, you may as well go magic heavy. Castellan BSB is a no-brainer, since he’s Stubborn as well. Khans are cheap redirectors, doing the job of an entire unit of Wolf Raiders without using any Rare points. Taur’uk’s don’t even get a look in - they don’t provide anything that a unit of Bull Centaurs or Fireborn can’t.
There’s one build that works in LoA:
- Sorcerer-Prophet
- Some Daemonsmiths
- Castellan BSB
- At least one Khan on a wolf
- A couple of blocks of Infernal Guard, preferably without any weapon upgrades
- A unit of Fireborn or Centaurs
- As many Magma Cannon as possible
- Destroyer
- Whatever other war machines you can fit in after that
Bitterman:
Largely agree; anyone playing 8th Ed without a level 4 wizard is a braver man than me, likewise for a BSB given how useful they are in this edition (and especially as ours is Stubborn). A level 1 apprentice wizard with a dispel scroll who also gives rerolls to our war machines is too good to pass up.
I personally don’t bother with a Khan as it feels too “tricksy” and not the way I like to play Warhammer, though I can see the benefits; but the Lord/BSB/Smith seem like no-brainers, you’d have to have a really really good reason not to follow that basic outline.
MLP:
No, that's about the only combination that works.
Thommy H
A fair point. The good thing about your book is that all options are viable, you don't feel you have to include something just to make the list playable!
Sorcerer-Prophet is a given, as he's the only Lord. Don't make him combat-focused, because that makes him jack of all trades, master of none.
Thommy H
I think there's potential for a combat focused Lord. Give him Blood of Hashut and some saves he's straight away a character assassin. And if he gets a decent result with his darkforged weapon it can make him pretty good in combat.
I personally don't bother with a Khan as it feels too "tricksy" and not the way I like to play Warhammer, though I can see the benefits
Bitterman
I agree with you there, I normally prefer a unit of Wolf Raiders to the khan for flanking, a unit of 5 with standard give +2 combat res straight away and is pretty easy to do. Also they make half decent screens for other troops.
Method:
I run a BC hero with the sword of swift slaying and the 2+ armor.
While he and his guard unit of 5 BC(with great weapons) arent the strongest MB unit out there,
they importantly allow you to project force along with the destroyer.
Otherwise you have a static army that can only react. But that’s my 2 cents so take for it what you will.
Agalstrax:
Well, I asked myself the same questions, MLP posted.
Especially, ist there a good combo for a Prophet on a Great/Bale Taurus??
(I think it fits in this post)
nilbog:
After a Bsb and a level 4, there’s not much room for more characters, except a daemonsmith and maybe one or two khans. I’d love to try a taaruk, but every time I think ‘will a hellcannon do better than this?’ to which the answer is invariably yes. It’s a shame, because I run a cavalry prince with my high elves and would love to try something similar with chaos dwarfs.
Baggronor:
I find combat is unavoidable with the Prophet, we simply don’t have enough units and as he can’t join Hobgoblins, we can’t have a bunker. He isn’t exactly a soft target though. Enchanted Shield is usually enough to deter rank and file.
I’d love to try a taaruk, but every time I think ‘will a hellcannon do better than this?’ to which the answer is invariably yes.
Not necessarily. If I were taking a large block of BCs, I would definitely take a Taur’uk. He gives a big melee boost and Ld9 to a unit that may well find itself straying out of the General’s 12" Ld bubble. With Crown of Command, Dragonhelm and a great weapon, he also makes a great fast-moving blocker on his own (can’t be thunderstomped either, which is handy).
I personally don’t bother with a Khan as it feels too “tricksy” and not the way I like to play Warhammer, though I can see the benefits
He is a very good hunter for enemy chaff and war machines too though, not just as a redirector. Worth it, I reckon.
Is the Demonsmith worth his points as a just-in-case reroll giver?
He is much more than that, he gives you a second lore (which can be crucial), a scroll, and is tough enough to deal with most war machine hunters. With Lore of Fire he can blast away from way back in your deployment zone, or with Metal he provides some nice anti-armour abilities and buffs. I would always take him.
MLP:
I run a BC hero with the sword of swift slaying and the 2+ armor.
While he and his guard unit of 5 BC(with great weapons) arent the strongest MB unit out there,
they importantly allow you to project force along with the destroyer.
Otherwise you have a static army that can only react. But that's my 2 cents so take for it what you will.
Method
I have a fast moving combat list with 6 Bull centaurs, 6 K'daai and a Destroyer I might try it out with your Taur'uk there see how that works.
Well, I asked myself the same questions, MLP posted.
Especially, ist there a good combo for a Prophet on a Great/Bale Taurus??
(I think it fits in this post)
Agalstrax
What's good is that he gets 100 points for magic items along with his darkforged weapon and he can take Blood of Hashut in addition. I think there's defintite room for a combat general and he can still cast spells as he's charging in.
Just aim him at any mounted character and spray him with hashut's blood!
I find combat is unavoidable with the Prophet, we simply don't have enough units and as he can't join Hobgoblins, we can't have a bunker. He isn't exactly a soft target though. Enchanted Shield is usually enough to deter rank and file.
Baggronor
I agree, it's a waste spending points trying to keep him safe and out of combat. With WS6 T5 W3 2+ 4++ He shouldn't be dying easily.
I'd love to try a taaruk, but every time I think 'will a hellcannon do better than this?' to which the answer is invariably yes.
Not necessarily. If I were taking a large block of BCs, I would definitely take a Taur'uk. He gives a big melee boost and Ld9 to a unit that may well find itself straying out of the General's 12" Ld bubble. With Crown of Command, Dragonhelm and a great weapon, he also makes a great fast-moving blocker on his own (can't be thunderstomped either, which is handy).
Baggronor
Thinking like that that makes sense, if he can keep the Bull Centaurs stable behind enemy lines there's a lot more damage potential there. I'd be interested to see a comparrison, Although the Taur'uk won't do anywhere near as much damage through attacks alone, if he can change the unit from a blocker to a unit breaker that changes things.
Zuh-Khinie:
I just played a large game last weekend with 10 players (pictures will soon follow in a different thread), and brought 3000 points to the table.
I was able to field 2 demonsmiths (one with a scroll), a BSB with a 4+ ward save, a sorc.lord with the mask of the furnace and a tau’ruk with the enchanted shield, crown of command and warriorbane (just for fun).
The tau’ruk ran with a unit of 7 BC with the standard of discipline… A combined charge with a destroyer crushed the entire line of tomb kings on the other side of the table.
When you look at the options for a tau’ruk, you might notice that a shield option costs as much as an enchalted shield…
nilbog:
Perhaps if I played bigger games (3000 points or so) I might make better use of a taaruk. But at 2400 points there’s just not enough room to squeeze one in unless…
Forget about the warmachines altogether and go for a combat/magic support list?
Sorcerer prophet
Infernal castellan bsb
Taaruk
2 x blocks infernal guard
Destroyer
6 Fireborn
6/7 Bull centaurs
Zuh-Khinie:
I’d drop the 2nd block of IF, and fit in 2 blocks of 20 hobgobs (I also remotely remember you have to bring 3 core units to the field). Then 5 BC, and a destroyer, a BSB, a tau’ruk and a sorc.prophet. I guess you’d have some spare points then to fit a demonsmith and 2 deathrockets, but being at work, I can’t run the maths on it.
Rickie:
Needing 3 core units was 7’th edition. The new one is that you need to have atleast a general and 3 units, they dont need to be core thou. Wanted to check the brb to make sure but to lazy 
MLP:
I’ve been trying to fit a Taur’ruk in lists of 2000 points and under but he just takes up too many points so you can only have either one other decent hero or maybe two naked ones. I wish he could be a BSB that would make him 100% more viable in my eyes.
I’ve been toying with the idea of a Khan on wolf with light armour, shield and either Ruby Ring of Ruin(can he actually use this?) or the Terrorfying Mask of Eee. Having him running around casusing terror on weak units or throwing fireballs behind enemy lines(also augmenting further fireballs) seems pretty fun!