Gnoblar Eagle Rider

Just a unit I've created for fun, since I had the models sitting around. Came up with some simple rules for it, so any thoughts are welcome!

Gnoblar Trappers catch many things in their bid to emulate the hunters. The once proude Great Eagles just happen to be one of those things they catch. Those that aren't eaten right away are subjected to months of torment and abuse, a gnoblar specialty. Eventually the will of these great birds erodes away much like the slave giants Tyrants capture, and are sent into battle with a gnoblar handler riding its back to help direct it. It's an uneasy relationship at best, and more than one bird has found a way to kill its handler while in a battle.


Slave Great Eagle    Points/model:40
            M WS BS S T W I A  LD
Eagle    2  5   0   4 4 3 4 2   7
Gnoblar 4  2  3   2 -  -  3 1   5 
Unit Size:1
Weapons & Armour: Talons (hand weapon), Sharp stuff

Special Rules:
Fly: As per the rules for flight in the rulebook.
Squabble: The Great eagle, even with its spirit broken, has a mind of its own when it comes to what needs to be done and will occasionaly fight the gnoblar handler riding it. And a roll of a 1 the eagle will hover and refuse to move as it fights with the handler.  (edit added) Additionaly, if a 1 is rolled roll the D6 again. If another 1 is rolled, the eagle has thrown or killed the gnoblar handler, and is then removed from the battle as it flees the battlefield and regains its freedom. (added as suggestion that makes wonderful sense)

I love the model and the rules! Can't wait to see it painted.

Looks good, the only thing I'd say is I'm not sure the eagle's Ld should be so high as it's being controlled by a gnobler.

Looks good, the only thing I'd say is I'm not sure the eagle's Ld should be so high as it's being controlled by a gnobler.

I mostly just copy/pasted the statline from the Great Eagle out of the book.  A drop in leadership would probably bring about an equal drop in price.  I'm not really sure how to balance that out. As it is I dropped the points by 5 to make up for the chance it'll squabble for a turn.

i would make it so that a roll of 1 requires an additional roll. if that roll is also a 1 the Eagle kills the Gnoblar and is now under the controll of the opposing player as the eagle takes revenge for its captivity. it is subject to the Rage and Frenzy special rules and can never lose them.

i would make it so that a roll of 1 requires an additional roll. if that roll is also a 1 the Eagle kills the Gnoblar and is now under the controll of the opposing player as the eagle takes revenge for its captivity. it is subject to the Rage and Frenzy special rules and can never lose them.

Hmm, I like the first part. Roll a second dice, and if it comes up a 1, the gnoblar is killed, letting The eagle free to flee the battle to regain its freedom once more. (I don't know of any units that allow the opponent to gain control of them, and seems a bit powerful with all those extra rules.)

If it were to stick around after killing the gnoblar I'd have it something like a fanatic, on neither side. It could be the case that it simply attacks the nearest unit no matter which side that unit is on.

Make it a turkey buzzard and I'll believe it.

Make it a turkey buzzard and I'll believe it.

Oh, you can believe it, if I had the model to portray that, I certainly would!

Updates! It's painted!  See my painting skill and marvel at its lousyness!








I think it came out pretty well, especially if you stand off a foot and look at it.

It's better painted then anything I've done.

I love it.  I for one think they can do alot with gnoblars, but a gnoblar on an eagle.  Now that's wild and you kept it flowing with the fluff.  I would feild one, have you thrown the idea passed GW?  Don't know if they would do anything about it but you can always try, it's something I'd like to see in the next ogre book, should they get off their butts and make us 1 lol.

Yeah, it'd be awesome if GW used it, but I doubt they'd keep it as an eagle - it'd way too hard for a gnoblar to catch. But maybe if it was a smaller bird.

while i like it a lot and i like the rules a lot... i would not use it, especially solo; if it were in a unit of 3, i might make an exception.  it doesn't bring anything tot the fight.

i do love the concept and love the painting you've done.  maybe we'll get something like Looted Mounts in the new book, and we can have eagles, carnasaurs, boars, clockwork horses and the like.  if it happens always remember you were the trend setter!

I love the whole concept. Two fun things may be smaller hatchlings ridden by gnoblars as a flying unit - a great eagle is quite a catch for a lowly gnobbo but they're not opposed to raiding nests for eggs!

Or keeping the great bird, incorporate a 'test of wills' between the rider and model - a misfire chart on a failed bicker roll. Eating is one outcome. Another is automatically charge the nearest unit, friend or foe, as the eagle goes into a rage at the indignity of being ridden... Or movement in a random direction abom style as the eagle ignores the commands of its puny rider!

I think counting the eagle as technically being 'unmounted' would be quite funny to watch, but two things I would like to add- buff up the rider to a manbiter(see gnoblar army list, gw 310). Secondly, add an option for further models; in an army spontaneously created by bribery, any gnoblar with some form of ingenuity will pretend to be able to fly an eagle.

very cool! out standiing idea!

i think maybe the gnoblar could do with a fur coat to represent its a trapper

Gnoblars for the WIN!!

Sharp stuff I think doesn't exist any more. Add a throwing weapon on the gnoblar rider, maybe with increased range probably...