03 Jan 2010
by Bullgut Irontooth
"So, this is it, the best of the best. Been there, killed that. These lads will chew you up, spit you out and ask for seconds. Most of them anyway."
Welcome future Tyrant. If your looking to fill out your army with some elite brothers-in-arms, a blood-ravaging land shark, or just a plain old giant, you've come to the right place. Ogre players have three rare choices, not including Dogs of War. I'll discuss the pros and cons of each, as well as some advice on how to use them.
Gorgers
Skinny ogres, discarded as infants, can sometimes grow up to be a perfect killing machine.
Introduction
Gorgers are one of the very few things that Ogre players can agree on. They are a fantastic value. You'll be hard pressed to find an experienced Ogre player that doesn't field Gorgers if they have the points available.
The Pros
Gorgers are a perfect war machine hunter. Being able to enter the game on any table edge, means that every cannon crewman needs to be scared. Gorgers are also toughness 5 with 4 wounds, which means that even if that cannon turns around and shoots him square in the chest, he has a 50% chance of surviving ! Did I mention that Gorgers have 4 attacks, and killing blow ? Oh, and they're Unbreakable too ! They're great at "tar pitting" that pesky unit and holding them up for the rest of the game. But the best part may be that they are only 75 points !
The Cons
Gorgers enter the game randomly, so there can be games where your Gorger won't show up until turn 5, which is bad. They also can't charge on the turn they enter, which can get him shot to death before he even gets a charge off. Remember though, shots fired at the Gorger aren't being shot at the rest of your army! Gorgers are not considered "Ogres" (probably because they're skinny) so Gut magic does not affect them.
Uses and Tactics
As mentioned earlier, Gorgers are great warmachine hunters and they're perfect for this role but they can be used to slow down big blocks as well. About the only units that they don't do well against are ones that can dish out a good number of high strength attacks. Against strength 3 opponents, Gorgers can hold up entire units for quite some time. If your not taking Maneaters in games of 2000+ points, it's a good idea to take 2 Gorgers to limit the possibility of them not showing up unitl it's too late.
Slave Giants
Ogres often beat down and enslave Giants. Why ? Because they can.
Sometimes people save the best for last. Well not Ogres ! Slave Giants are generally regarded as the worst Rare choice available. While they are cheaper than normal giants, I think that most players would gladly fork over the extra points for a "real" Giant.
The Pros
Technically a Slave Giant still causes terror, has a unit strength of six, and has all those crazy and zany Giant attacks, but with a few exceptions....
The Cons
Slave Giants aren't stubborn ! That means one bad round of combat against a ranked-up opponent and he could be done. So, he's not that great againts the little guys. Wait, there's more. Because a Slave GIant has "throttle with chain" instead of "thump with club", large opponents must make a toughness test instead of an initiative test. Quick, name a large creature with low toughness ? So, he's not good against large opponents either, which is usually the Giant's strength.
Uses and Tactics
Slave Giants can still be used against the usual suspects. Those armies that are vunerable to Terror, such as Skaven, and Orks & Goblins. They're not as bad when used in a supporting role but this is much different from the "normal" Giant and new players should be aware of this. If for whatever reason, you still plan on using a Slave Giant, you should almost always take the Giant Breaker Big Name.
Maneaters
Introduction
Maneaters are the best of the best for ogres. They are mercenaries that have traveled the world and killed many things along the way. And now they're back and for a price, they'll fight for you.
Maneaters are stat-wise, the best unit ogres have, BUT at a price. At a hefty 80 points a piece bare, and 90 points fully equiped. A unit of 3 can bend, if not break, most general's budgets. Luckily you don't have to field them in groups of three. In fact, Maneaters have a minimum unit size of one, which as we will see, can make them very handy and versitile.
The Pros
The two things about Maneaters that new players notice is their improved strength and number of attacks. While strength 5, and 4 attacks is a definite improvement, where Maneaters really shine is in Psychology. Maneaters are both Immune to Psychology and Stubborn, which means almost as much as the other improvements. Also, as any veteran player can tell you, weapon skill 4 is a BIG improvement over weapon skill 3. Maneaters are also the only Rare choice that you can cast gut magic on.
Maneaters are allowed to mix weaponry, and they have three good options to choose from: Brace of Handguns, Great Weapon, and Cathayan Longsword. There are advantages to each, and how you arm your Maneaters will determine how you use them.
Brace of Handguns gives you 2 shots that ignore range and movement penalties, as well as 5 attacks in close combat. While arming an entire unit with Handguns might seem tempting, Leadbelchers can cover this roll at a much cheaper price. The Brace is great for those annoying troops like Goblin fanatics, and Skaven Assassins, that can be dealt with in a single volley without having to get to close. It's also great for killing that single infantrymen in a block of troops, to remove a rank bonus. In close combat, Maneaters will wound toughness 3 opponents on 2+, so the more attacks the better.
Great Weapons are a real favourite. Who doesn't like 4 strength 7 attacks? That can quickly deal with a chariot, put the beat-down on some knights, or wound even a Giant on 2+. Probably the most popular choice.
The real wildcard is the Cathayan longsword. It increases the users weapon skill and initiative, and is armour piercing as well. Great for sustained combats where you might actually win initiative order, a single Maneater with a longsword could hold up a much larger and deadlier unit. This is probably the least popular option. If you want to kill many little things, go with the Brace. If you want big hitting power, take the great weapon.
The Cons
Maneaters are, all things considered, toughness 4 with 3 wounds, which means they are not any more survivable than an Irongut and they cost almost twice as much. Many players think that they are a great unit but are simply overpriced. In an army that's elite to begin with, it's hard to justify spending so many points on one unit.
How to use them, recommendations and tactics
There are basically three different commonly used ways to use Maneaters : alone, small unit, and body guard. Some players have made "death star" units of 20 but this is in no way a recommendation.
Alone. Simple enough. Equipe your Maneater with a weapon of choice and run around the battlefield being an annoying pest. With the Maneaters stubborn rule and high number of attacks, they can "tar pit" a lot of units in the Warhammer world. Lone Maneaters can also deal with small skirmishing units, war machine crews and some fast cavalry units. This is a role more suited for a Gorger as we will see.
Maneaters formed into small units create a formidable hammer unit (and a huge point target for your opponent). Keep them close to your Butchers and have Trollguts cast on them as much as possible. And remember, they're not invinceable.
Body guard. This is a personal favourite and the reason many players use Maneaters in the first place. Place your Tyrant and a butcher in a "unit" of Maneaters. Because even ONE Maneater is considered a unit, you've just made two of your characters Stubborn and Immune to Psychology for 80 points as long as the Maneater is alive. Two Maneaters in your body guard is a good idea, as smart players may try to target them. This solves the problem that most players have with ogres, that is, your Tyrant is more likely to get run down than actually getting killed by wounds. The extra attacks that your Maneater provides is a nice bonus.
"So, this is it, the best of the best. Been there, killed that. These lads will chew you up, spit you out and ask for seconds. Most of them anyway."
Welcome future Tyrant. If your looking to fill out your army with some elite brothers-in-arms, a blood-ravaging land shark, or just a plain old giant, you've come to the right place. Ogre players have three rare choices, not including Dogs of War. I'll discuss the pros and cons of each, as well as some advice on how to use them.
Gorgers
Skinny ogres, discarded as infants, can sometimes grow up to be a perfect killing machine.
Introduction
Gorgers are one of the very few things that Ogre players can agree on. They are a fantastic value. You'll be hard pressed to find an experienced Ogre player that doesn't field Gorgers if they have the points available.
The Pros
Gorgers are a perfect war machine hunter. Being able to enter the game on any table edge, means that every cannon crewman needs to be scared. Gorgers are also toughness 5 with 4 wounds, which means that even if that cannon turns around and shoots him square in the chest, he has a 50% chance of surviving ! Did I mention that Gorgers have 4 attacks, and killing blow ? Oh, and they're Unbreakable too ! They're great at "tar pitting" that pesky unit and holding them up for the rest of the game. But the best part may be that they are only 75 points !
The Cons
Gorgers enter the game randomly, so there can be games where your Gorger won't show up until turn 5, which is bad. They also can't charge on the turn they enter, which can get him shot to death before he even gets a charge off. Remember though, shots fired at the Gorger aren't being shot at the rest of your army! Gorgers are not considered "Ogres" (probably because they're skinny) so Gut magic does not affect them.
Uses and Tactics
As mentioned earlier, Gorgers are great warmachine hunters and they're perfect for this role but they can be used to slow down big blocks as well. About the only units that they don't do well against are ones that can dish out a good number of high strength attacks. Against strength 3 opponents, Gorgers can hold up entire units for quite some time. If your not taking Maneaters in games of 2000+ points, it's a good idea to take 2 Gorgers to limit the possibility of them not showing up unitl it's too late.
Slave Giants
Ogres often beat down and enslave Giants. Why ? Because they can.
Sometimes people save the best for last. Well not Ogres ! Slave Giants are generally regarded as the worst Rare choice available. While they are cheaper than normal giants, I think that most players would gladly fork over the extra points for a "real" Giant.
The Pros
Technically a Slave Giant still causes terror, has a unit strength of six, and has all those crazy and zany Giant attacks, but with a few exceptions....
The Cons
Slave Giants aren't stubborn ! That means one bad round of combat against a ranked-up opponent and he could be done. So, he's not that great againts the little guys. Wait, there's more. Because a Slave GIant has "throttle with chain" instead of "thump with club", large opponents must make a toughness test instead of an initiative test. Quick, name a large creature with low toughness ? So, he's not good against large opponents either, which is usually the Giant's strength.
Uses and Tactics
Slave Giants can still be used against the usual suspects. Those armies that are vunerable to Terror, such as Skaven, and Orks & Goblins. They're not as bad when used in a supporting role but this is much different from the "normal" Giant and new players should be aware of this. If for whatever reason, you still plan on using a Slave Giant, you should almost always take the Giant Breaker Big Name.
Maneaters
Introduction
Maneaters are the best of the best for ogres. They are mercenaries that have traveled the world and killed many things along the way. And now they're back and for a price, they'll fight for you.
Maneaters are stat-wise, the best unit ogres have, BUT at a price. At a hefty 80 points a piece bare, and 90 points fully equiped. A unit of 3 can bend, if not break, most general's budgets. Luckily you don't have to field them in groups of three. In fact, Maneaters have a minimum unit size of one, which as we will see, can make them very handy and versitile.
The Pros
The two things about Maneaters that new players notice is their improved strength and number of attacks. While strength 5, and 4 attacks is a definite improvement, where Maneaters really shine is in Psychology. Maneaters are both Immune to Psychology and Stubborn, which means almost as much as the other improvements. Also, as any veteran player can tell you, weapon skill 4 is a BIG improvement over weapon skill 3. Maneaters are also the only Rare choice that you can cast gut magic on.
Maneaters are allowed to mix weaponry, and they have three good options to choose from: Brace of Handguns, Great Weapon, and Cathayan Longsword. There are advantages to each, and how you arm your Maneaters will determine how you use them.
Brace of Handguns gives you 2 shots that ignore range and movement penalties, as well as 5 attacks in close combat. While arming an entire unit with Handguns might seem tempting, Leadbelchers can cover this roll at a much cheaper price. The Brace is great for those annoying troops like Goblin fanatics, and Skaven Assassins, that can be dealt with in a single volley without having to get to close. It's also great for killing that single infantrymen in a block of troops, to remove a rank bonus. In close combat, Maneaters will wound toughness 3 opponents on 2+, so the more attacks the better.
Great Weapons are a real favourite. Who doesn't like 4 strength 7 attacks? That can quickly deal with a chariot, put the beat-down on some knights, or wound even a Giant on 2+. Probably the most popular choice.
The real wildcard is the Cathayan longsword. It increases the users weapon skill and initiative, and is armour piercing as well. Great for sustained combats where you might actually win initiative order, a single Maneater with a longsword could hold up a much larger and deadlier unit. This is probably the least popular option. If you want to kill many little things, go with the Brace. If you want big hitting power, take the great weapon.
The Cons
Maneaters are, all things considered, toughness 4 with 3 wounds, which means they are not any more survivable than an Irongut and they cost almost twice as much. Many players think that they are a great unit but are simply overpriced. In an army that's elite to begin with, it's hard to justify spending so many points on one unit.
How to use them, recommendations and tactics
There are basically three different commonly used ways to use Maneaters : alone, small unit, and body guard. Some players have made "death star" units of 20 but this is in no way a recommendation.
Alone. Simple enough. Equipe your Maneater with a weapon of choice and run around the battlefield being an annoying pest. With the Maneaters stubborn rule and high number of attacks, they can "tar pit" a lot of units in the Warhammer world. Lone Maneaters can also deal with small skirmishing units, war machine crews and some fast cavalry units. This is a role more suited for a Gorger as we will see.
Maneaters formed into small units create a formidable hammer unit (and a huge point target for your opponent). Keep them close to your Butchers and have Trollguts cast on them as much as possible. And remember, they're not invinceable.
Body guard. This is a personal favourite and the reason many players use Maneaters in the first place. Place your Tyrant and a butcher in a "unit" of Maneaters. Because even ONE Maneater is considered a unit, you've just made two of your characters Stubborn and Immune to Psychology for 80 points as long as the Maneater is alive. Two Maneaters in your body guard is a good idea, as smart players may try to target them. This solves the problem that most players have with ogres, that is, your Tyrant is more likely to get run down than actually getting killed by wounds. The extra attacks that your Maneater provides is a nice bonus.