Firebelly Builds

I searched but couldn't find build ideas for the Firebelly.

I just started playing a few 1500 point games with him lately, naked and he was amazing.

I was wondering if there are certain builds (magic items, gear) that work for him?

Thanks.

Sometimes people will give him a ruby ring of ruin and dispel scroll. Maybe give him a great weapon. These days, I usually make him a level 1 & give him a dispel scroll and call it a day. Or actually, I might give him a cheap magic weapon for the off-chance I need him to kill something ethereal.

I used to give him a potion of speed, but I always, always 100% of the time forget to use it at the beginning of the turn, so I stopped bringing it.

You could try dragon style! Give him the Arabyan Carpet and fly him around on a flank of the enemy and breath attack them. Strength 4 and flaming could do a number on most infantry units!

A lvl 1 Firebelly with fireball and ruby ring (maybe a 5 point sword) is really fun to run with, especially in smaller point games.

With the fear of coming up against a Destroyer I'd give him a dragonbane gem as well. If you're going with a Tyrant general, always level 2.

Otherwise though, thoughts on upgrading to lvl 2?

Against magic armies (TK's, VCs, Daemons etc) who rely heavily on magic users the Hellheart can be a nice little addition to a Firebelly. It's so funny when a 500+ points vampire gets sucked into the realm of chaos hehe.

Solo Belly should nearly always sport a scroll and a Ruby Ring.  That lets him cover the basics of magic defense and he will have a use for all the power dice you might roll in a game.  Paired with Slaughter Master, he should probably be your Hellheart delivery system.  The two FB setup (my favorite) is very variable, depending on how your army is built, but scroll or Stubborn Crown + Scepter of Stability are both good ways to field the second guy.  Always make them level twos (with two you have a good shot at getting Flaming Sword and/or Flame Cage) and always give them great weapons.  If you are like me, then they will be tucked into the second rank of your irongut units until you need the breath weapon.

With the fear of coming up against a Destroyer I'd give him a dragonbane gem as well. If you're going with a Tyrant general, always level 2.

Otherwise though, thoughts on upgrading to lvl 2?

Why give him the dragonbane when he's got a natural fire ward? Better off giving the dragonbane to your slaughtermaster and dragonhelm to your BSB.

Personally I run them very light on equipment. I've been trying to spam firebellies and running three but not been super-impressed. I find they're good to carry all those handy arcane items you never seem to have enough magic users to wield. Dispel scroll, forbidden rod, power stone, channelling staff, hellheart let the slaughtermaster take an earthing rod.

Solo Belly should nearly always sport a scroll and a Ruby Ring.  That lets him cover the basics of magic defense and he will have a use for all the power dice you might roll in a game.  Paired with Slaughter Master, he should probably be your Hellheart delivery system.  The two FB setup (my favorite) is very variable, depending on how your army is built, but scroll or Stubborn Crown + Scepter of Stability are both good ways to field the second guy.  Always make them level twos (with two you have a good shot at getting Flaming Sword and/or Flame Cage) and always give them great weapons.  If you are like me, then they will be tucked into the second rank of your irongut units until you need the breath weapon.

+1 to this.

If you're gonna send a Firebelly toe-to-toe with a Destroyer (this should be an achivement btw!) then I'd prefer a 2+ ward over a 4+ ward, but I suppose the Slaughtermaster or BSB could do this too. Would be nice with the BSB, make those saves and you auto-win combat by 1  I'm hard pressed to leave the Dragon Maw at home though, oh well, can't have it all.


Flim Flam, thanks for those tips. They look good and are duely noted

I was thinking more putting the firebelly, BSB and SM at the front rank with three ranks behind them, they should be able to take on the destroyer by fielding his attacks and beating him on static res. The belly will be the weak point, sure but if he can absorb enough attacks to prevent that bastard wracking up combat res. unfortunately that trick only really works once.

I have gone with something alittle different but yet to try it out. hopefully will get a practice game with it soon. but anyways its 4 iron guts with mus and std. when placed 2 by 2 on the field compared to the rest of the army they are small (i also have an 11 ogre unit,  mourngfang,  man eaters, etc) and so sometimes they dont get some much of a hard unit on them. then i plonk me firbelly in there with the dispell scroll and terror mask. Still doesnt appear that scary, but if i charge you may just run away without any fight as i put them on the flank and hope to keep away from generals all together. if we fight you may strike first but hopefully fail fear and hardly hit me, then i get lots of high strength attacks back, and if need be as a last resort before stomps got that handy breath weapon to use. Quiet alot of dishing out power for a little unit really