Everyone keeps saying how good the K’daai are, how they are must haves, etc. but I’m gonna be straight here… I don’t get why…
Is it the Blazing Body + Stomp automatic hits that make them such a threat? Maybe this is a noob question, but I just don’t get what makes them so drool-worthy. One Toughness test fail and a bad roll and that’s one model gone with no saves… It seems to me like a gamble on a unit that’s relatively expensive and (with some bad luck) could easily implode without the enemy having to do anything.
Is it the Blazing Body + Stomp automatic hits that make them such a threat? Maybe this is a noob question, but I just don't get what makes them so drool-worthy. One Toughness test fail and a bad roll and that's one model gone with no saves... It seems to me like a gamble on a unit that's relatively expensive and (with some bad luck) could easily implode without the enemy having to do anything.
They are very specialised. Against str 3 T 3 20mm infantry, they are amazing. The auto hits and stomps do all the work, the attacks are just a bonus. Then the enemy needs 6s to wound you and you get a 4+ ward. Against humans, skaven and elves, they are very good and can do a lot of damage. Against higher strength enemies and other monstrous infantry, they have to be much more careful as the risk of failing a bunch of ward saves is dangerous (this is where only having 2W really hurts).
The T test means you have to take 4-6 for them to be viable, so its a fair investment. Even 3 of them can demolish a Core elf unit though...
Centaurs... I'm having trouble envisaging a role for them. Even with great weapons, only 2A and WS4 is poor. They went toe to toe with my mate's Maneaters when I gave them additional hand weapons, but they didn't do enough damage with great weapons.
K’daai are monstrous inf, which can attack in 2 ranks, which is great. Even a unit done 2x2 has less frontage for minimizing attacks back.
They are equivalent T5 and S5 with a 4+ ward save! Oh, and WS 4 is good to help keep the hits off. What’s bad about these guys?
As for B Centaurs, use them to hit the flank of a unit that’s stuck in. Huge unit of hobgoblins or Stubborn dwarfs should do that easy enough. The BC in the flank will cause some damage.
The bull centaurs are solid, the fireborn are a touch more specialized.
Method
that is also my experience. bcs are tough and quite reliable, fireborn are, well, fancy...sort of. they'd be really good against low I, low model count elite light infantry... which i have yet to encounter. ... so i guess they're still good/ok against light infantry, at least to hold it up for a while, but then probably need support.
bcs otoh get along quite well on their own... last game they smashed through 2 bret lances before being locked by grail knight bus, general on hippogriff and 2 more lances.... lost one centaur, and won me the game ;)
the game before that, they razed a gutstar....