Hunter + Tusks...any good?

considering running 8 of them (2 on each side, 2 deep), hunter with IF and Armour of Destiny in the middle.  324 points for M6, swiftstride + vanguard, 20 attacks, 20 wounds, I4/I3 + stomps and impact hits from the hunter doesn't seem terrible for the cost.

Do people run this and is it at least not terrible?  are there any tips for this? Also, this whole set up goes in a movement tray, right?

thx fellas

its not a bad idea just how practical it is. a units of darkelf repeater cross could take in out or a unit of knight with 1+ armour. also you will be really far away from your bsb do to your vangraud and most likely your going to put them on the flank for the best affect. for that many points you can have a unit of 4 mournfangs with fullcommanf and heavey armour and iron fist and put the banner of eteral flame on them.


but i would run that unit for a silly game

its not a bad idea just how practical it is. a units of darkelf repeater cross could take in out or a unit of knight with 1+ armour. also you will be really far away from your bsb do to your vangraud and most likely your going to put them on the flank for the best affect. for that many points you can have a unit of 4 mournfangs with fullcommanf and heavey armour and iron fist and put the banner of eteral flame on them.


but i would run that unit for a silly game

True.  4 MF get 21 attacks...but only have 12 wounds and leadership 7, but I wouldn't get all of the impact hits...MF are probably the better option for sure.

debating between this squad or two scraplaunchers to fill out my 3K point list, then I'll be done buying Ogre stuff and just concentrate on painting.  If anybody has actually run a unit like this I'd be interested in hearing how it performs.

I could argue for taking a hunter with 5+ ward armour, ironfist and sword of striking and have him join one of your single sabretusks at the game start to give them both a vanguard move.

They could then split up at turn one - the sabretusk now in a better position to quickly deal with warmachines and the hunter in a good position to hunt smaller regiments and etherals.


It is not a bad idea if you are playing in a comped enviroment that favors smaller units. It could be a good deal.

Do people run this and is it at least not terrible?

Some of us do...



The problem is that there are better choices to use in the book, which is one of the reasons you won't see threads about it here and the regular WAAC comments "he and his four legged cronies is teh suck" will dominate threads like this. While it is mostly true, there are places where the cats and the hunter works and works well. Because of the Vanguard, the watch tower is a nice place to take/hold and assault. Ten cats can fight, which is 30 str4 attacks at WS4. Not too shabby.

It is also good vs S3/T3 units and a brutal flank charger (unless the unit assaulted has much armour or high toughness) - I have had good success against greenskins, Tomb Kings (though I could probably just use naked Ogres and still win), WE, Empire and even Skavens. The fun part is that no one expects it nor see the unit as a threat.

It is a fun choice, but hardly a game winner especially against nasty units and armies.

Large units of Tusks would be a decent throw away unit if it weren't for the fact that Single sabres are sooo much more useful as redirectors/charge blockers.

ya, ok...the tusks are pretty expensive $ wise..the thought of buying 4 more packs of them isn't that appealing based on what I'm hearing.  That pic of the hunter and the tusks is pretty awesome though...almost got me to order them.  lol.

I know Scraplaunchers are just 'meh...but I just ordered 2 of them.  So I'm done buying and building lists now....painting time.  Hope to be done before the summer.

BTW, this is a great forum...much more enjoyable and positive then other places, like dakka.  Glad to be a member...peace fellas.

something that just occurred to me...a tusk is half as wide as a bull. that means twice as many attacks. they are 11 points cheaper than a bull with IF. so...

6 bulls with IF cost 192 poins and throw out 18 attacks.
9 tusks cost the same points and throw out 27 attacks.

Sure we lose stomp and impact but thats a fast moving chainsaw in the right situation! If the bulls get charged or vs non infantry the stomp and impact dont work. And vs S5 just as good a save. may need a test run.

yes, they are 11 points cheaper than a bull. They also have one less wound, can't use the general or the BSB, are Ld4, are a special choice, and also have no saves. One panic test and that unit is heading for the hills. The bulls when near the general won't be going anywhere.

ya, ok...the tusks are pretty expensive $ wise..the thought of buying 4 more packs of them isn't that appealing based on what I'm hearing.  That pic of the hunter and the tusks is pretty awesome though...almost got me to order them.  lol.

You probably do not need to buy the cats as long as you get something from GW (if you go to GW tournaments or/and stores) - there are great substitutes like the naked wolves from the Space Wolves' range or the new Hobbit Wargs.

I know Scraplaunchers are just 'meh...but I just ordered 2 of them.  So I'm done buying and building lists now....painting time.  Hope to be done before the summer.

If you ordered the plastic versions, you have the option to build cannons.

I run 6 with a Hunter, they have the leadership buff of the Hunter, while the unit buffs him with Swiftstride and vanguard. Good at taking out Warmachines, and small units, or as being a flank attack to support some Bulls or Ironguts.

I used Wild Wargs on Cavalry bases for Sabertusks. 6 for £10.50, far cheaper than the Finecast ones.

ya, ok...the tusks are pretty expensive $ wise..the thought of buying 4 more packs of them isn't that appealing based on what I'm hearing.  That pic of the hunter and the tusks is pretty awesome though...almost got me to order them.  lol.

You probably do not need to buy the cats as long as you get something from GW (if you go to GW tournaments or/and stores) - there are great substitutes like the naked wolves from the Space Wolves' range or the new Hobbit Wargs.

I know Scraplaunchers are just 'meh...but I just ordered 2 of them.  So I'm done buying and building lists now....painting time.  Hope to be done before the summer.

If you ordered the plastic versions, you have the option to build cannons.

I did order the plastic versions...but I already have 2 cannons (of course).  2 Cannons + 2 Scraplaunchers = 600 points.  Exactly 25% for a 2400 battle....that math was pretty appealing to me.  It's probably just my OCD or something, but the look of 2 cannons and 2 scraplaunchers on the field is pretty appealing to me.

Really the thing that tipped me away from the hunter/tusk thing...beyond this thread..is thinking about the hunter.  50 points of magic items...so you give him armour of destiny...he's 180 points.  You give him an iron fist...so 4+ followed by a 4+.  That's pretty dope.  Except for the fact you have to accept every challenge with him or your unit is going to flee.  Also, if the opponent just focuses all of their attacks on him (which I would) and he dies, the unit will flee.   Also, he gets no look out sirs....he's just too vulnerable for something that makes that unit work.  Any serious competitor is just going to try to snuff him and boom, your unit is garbage.

the funy thing is that with tusks everyone expects them to flee due to their rubbish LD. But then bulls are held up as a shining example of good leadership when in reality if they are beaten by 1 point they are on LD6 (and out of range of general and bsb) which is a very good chance that they will more than likely flee.

As a strong harrassing flank unit that can actually clean large units up 8 tusks plus hunter is quite solid. i am trialling this tonight. stand by for my disillusionment... =)

Sounds like a fun change up unit.  I'm interested in seeing how it plays out.  It's funny because my usual opponents hate my single tusks so much that they get targeted by shooting far more than my ogres.  I'd love to see the reaction of a whole unit, even just for one game.

I played a game with a hunter and six sabertusks and they wrecked house.  I vangaurded in, took a charge from fast cav on the left flank, beat them and overran them.  I then charged his archers and thrashed them.  I reformed after combat and took out a catapult .  After that i moved them into the center behind his entire battle line.  I got a rear charge on him and a front charge with a chariot and broke his block.  It might not always perform superbly, but I liked it.

Hunter - EHW, Longstrider, Mask of EEE!.  184

6 Sabretusks - 126

For 310 points they did very well.  Equip the hunter how you want, it doesn't really matter.  It isn't the best thing ever, but it was effective and unexpected.

18 S4 attacks at WS4 and 5 S5 attacks at WS5.  Try it and see how you like it.

Every time I see this get posted I wonder if I have the wrong BRB. No where in my BRB does it say warbeast get more than one supporting attack from the second rank. Where do you get your numbers.

Every time I see this get posted I wonder if I have the wrong BRB. No where in my BRB does it say warbeast get more than one supporting attack from the second rank. Where do you get your numbers.

Don't rank them up.  Have them as 1 single rank.  It's a bit wide but not so wide that it's awkward.  Most things now are in big enough groups that you get all of your cats, maybe 1 cat or so can't fight in the odd combat.  The fast cav that charged my front on the battlefield left flank were 6 wide, so i got all my attacks.  The archers weren't quite wide enough, but the attacks I did get were sufficient to kill them.  My hunter did all the damage to the catapult and the flank on the block let all but 1 cat fight.  Have 3 cats, hunter, 3 cats, and you'll do fine.

I think people under estimate how useful the WS4 is.  In an army with such poor WS I think it is a nice advantage.  Though I have always been a hunter lover even with the last book so I am slightly biased.  Also the unit looks badass, no matter what you use for the 'tusks.