Ogre Pitfighters

Ogre Pitfighters

Of all the different sports that ogres have developed over the centuries, ranging from Gnoblar Hurling to Rhinox races, the sport of Pitfighting is the most common and the most traditional. In addition to providing an excellent judicial system and light entertainment, the sport trains deadly fighters.
In battle, accomplished Pitfighters will fight with their weapon of choice that they use in the arena. While some of these weapons may seem impractical, each is more than capable of killing in a particularly gruesome fashion and each Pitfighter is a master of his art.

Special Choice

Pitfighter.......M: 6 WS: 4 BS: 3 S: 4 T: 4 W: 3 I: 2 A: 4 Ld: 7
Pit Champion M: 6 WS: 4 BS: 3 S: 4 T: 4 W: 3 I: 2 A: 5 Ld: 7

Unit Type: Monstrous Infantry
Points per model: 40 pts
Unit Size: 3-12
Equipment: Hand Weapon, Light Armor

Options:
1 Pitfighter may be upgraded to a Pit Champion for 10 points.

Any Pitfighter may be armed with one of the following
Ironfist-----------------3 points
Pair of Ironfists*-----8 points
Flail---------------------5 points
Great Weapon-------8 points
Throwing Axes-------5 points

*Pair of Ironfists: Ironfists provide superb protection at almost no cost in killing power. a block can easily become a death blow in the blink of an eye. An ogre with a pair of Ironfists is armed with a Shield adds +2 to his armor save instead of the usual 1. In addition, for every successful Parry save that is made with a Pair of Ironfists, the attacking model suffers a single str4 hit.

Special Rules: Fear, Ogre Charge,
Supreme Arrogance: Pitfighters are utterly confidant in their abilities against their fellow ogres, what chance does a Thinling have? They will not hesitate to attack when even the most foolhardy Maneater would run to fight another day.
Pitfighters have the Unbreakable special rule. However, if they are eligible to do so, they must declare a charge during the Charge sub-phase unless they pass a Ld test to restrain.

Awesome unit you got here Templar, but I'm not so sure on the throwing axes, you have to remember the pit fight is a hand-to-hand sport.

I really like what you did there with the 2 iron-fists.

I think you've undercosted the unit. It's Unbreakable, and it's cheaper than Maneaters, and you can take up to three such units. I think you either need to bump the cost, change that rule to something else (Stubborn or Cold-blooded, for example), or limit the numbers an army can take a bit more.

The pair of Ironfists rule is interesting; you're taking a lot of hits to get enough saves to use them offensively (typically losing five wounds per strike back), which balances the idea out a bit.

Great idea and I'm sure we've all modelled Ogres with two Ironfists, and an Irongut helmet lets face it it look supercool

I have to agree with the idea of the throwing axes not really being appropriate, however it is also a fun idea and would be a really nasty suprise for opponents. I can imagine the axes being great axes to thinlings though, yet an Ogre being able to lob two at a time would be pretty devastating

Mind you, I'd have thought an Ogre hurling a spear would skewer a few ranks making a nice thinling shish for a hungry Ogre...bit like hunters harpoon....I'd considered this as a potential fun totally non official option for afew games with mate but it never saw the light of day.

Ah well, may be one day some Celtic Spearmen style Ogre's will emerge...may be

I think ogres are too short minded to ever learn to throw spears when they can simply buy hand guns from the empire (or strap looted canons to their hands  ).

*Pair of Ironfists: 5+ parry save

I think ogres are too short minded to ever learn to throw spears when they can simply buy hand guns from the empire (or strap looted canons to their hands  ).

True! Boom! Hur Hur Hur.....

love the idea of this but they are underpriced for their rules also the pair of iron fists should just be a 5+ parry and i dont think a pit fighter would soil his pride with a spear

Honestly, I'd bump these guys to Rares.  The ogre book is already pretty bloated with great specials.  A non-chariot or non-monster rare would be welcome, and it would limit these guys a bit more without increasing their cost to the point of being undesirable.

Pair of iron fists: personally, I'd say that just giving them +2 armor, and a 5+ parry would be awesome enough, especially with WS4.

Get rid of the spears (an weapon meant for formation fighting) and the throwing axes (doesn't fit the unit).  If you want another weapon option, how about give the unit the option to buy "Gladiator Nets."  Similar to night goblin nets, but you roll a dice at the start of every round of combat, and on a 2+ the enemy unit is at -1 Init or -1 WS, ogre player's choice.  Of course, on a 1, the opposing play can choose which of those effects the pit fighters.

these are good ideas.