Thundertusk Tactics

In an effort to fill out my 8th Edition Tactica index thread that's been stickied above, I've spent a considerable amount of time searching through old threads searching for discussions about the Thundertusk and Stonehorn. Most topics talk about their pros and cons a bit but usually just boil down to one vs the other, and on that everyone seems rather divided due to personal preference. There are very few posts that I could find that specifically talk about how to USE them.

So I'm taking matters into my own hand! Please share your stories of success and failure, discuss synergy with other units in the army, when to charge and anything else you can think of.

Please limit this thread to the THUNDERTUSK only. The Stonehorn will be discussed in another thread.

Keen to see how other people are using the Thundertusk, as I'm sure I'll learn some way the frosty brute could be more devastating. 

I've been largely focusing on the Numbing Chill aura and ranged attacks on mine, walking it up close to at least 1 unit of 6 Ironguts and trying to keep it as close to as many combatants as possible, charging in when he can get in on a flank.

I'm a big fan of thundertusks and have taken 2 of them to a couple of tournaments now.

From a tournament perspective I feel the Thundertusks are not very good, unless you take 2. One dies to a cannon ball or concetrated shooting too easily while two presents a major threat your opponent either focusses on, leaving the rest of the army unscathed, or they leave them alone and they tip the balance in the major combat and win you the game.

Initially i used these guys to sit beside my units of bulls, taking as many stonethrower shots as my army's movement allowed, but basically played to use the ASL aura. Overall I don't think this tactic was the best investment of 500 points and often I found myself losing them in the last turns to hand a close game over to my opponent.

I now run them as a flanking monster that can handle any chaff and often medium sized units (even elites that will struggle to put 6 wounds on in the 1st round of combat).
The main tactic for them is to be a threat to the flank early while aiming to support the main combats in the later turns when a flank charge plus ASL aura, 10 attacks (Ogres + Tusk) and Thunderstomp really made a difference. Using them like this I rarely shot at the enemy unless they were being the agressor.

I believe the best place for a Thundertusk to be is in combat safe from any shooting and swinging at the enemy before they retaliate. I'd send them into combat alone a surprising amount of times.

Though I think I will field them again as pairs, the biggest constraint they put on the army is lack of other options....you will find that they take a large chunk of points and it is often hard to fill out the rest of the army as the points are very tight.

In short, Thundertusks are great, but expensive in pairs. i probably won't use 1 on its own very often.

Interesting point on using two! If you are planning to do something, you gotta make sure you bring enough pain. But then you will have to live without the canon. oh well : )

BUT with the OK FAQ stating that the Numbing Chill aura only affects models (NOT units) within 6" I have been in heavily doubt about how to use the beast.

Best tactic so far was been to walk it up with a bulls/guts character heavy unit to ensure the characters will strike before the enemy (please assume no GW ; )... The characters would be armed with sword of antiheroes, fancers blades and so. Againt eg. WoC which rely on striking first and hard this tactic could tip the combat by for once striking first. But again, this could maybe be done using the dragon hide banner too for one crucial combat.

I would use it as a shooting support unit, run it alongside a gutstar or character heavy unit - when the character and unit charge then march the thundertusk up alongside the enemy unit so the tusk is not in combat but it's chill effects the majority of the unit - then continue to shoot as normal - can also be used as a good flaking monster as it has enough attacks to bring the pain

Disclaimer~~ This is only theory as I haven't tried either of these methods

TLK

I would use it as a shooting support unit, run it alongside a gutstar or character heavy unit - when the character and unit charge then march the thundertusk up alongside the enemy unit so the tusk is not in combat but it's chill effects the majority of the unit - then continue to shoot as normal - can also be used as a good flaking monster as it has enough attacks to bring the pain

For me the issue with using it as a shooting support nit is that it cost 250 points...an Ironblaster is a much more effective shooting support unit.
The key is remembering that it is a big monster with 4 S6 and 6 S4 attacks plus a S6 thunderstomp, all of which happen before or at the same time that the opponent swings.
I feel we get distracted by the shooting attacks and range of the aura and as such don't make the most out of the model. There will be times that it is correct to sit back and shoot with the TT, but to me the key is knowing the model is flexible in its use.
Any time I put it in a tournament list I plan to charge with it more often than not.

I've only got marginal experience with mine, but he's done all right. He's a bit of a swiss army knife, so I used him as such. He walked behind my line, between a couple big units and tossed his missiles around. Then, once the ogres joined combat he weighed in on the flank, helping with a few more attacks, the aura, etc.

I've also had great effect with him against High Elves. Swordsmasters aren't half so scary without their re-roll and he solo'd a unit of them. Until they got buffed with something.

I've run one a coupla times, but to not much effect.

I like to run it in the center between two bull/IG blocks (mix-and-match as you please), 1/2" behind their front line. So, the enemy get stuck with this:

A) Charge one of the core blocks and feel the numbness and a possible flank charge from the brute
B) Charge the brute, and take 1-2 core block flank charges in response (usually not a good thing lol)
C) Take the charge(s) of the mainline and feel the PAIN

Plus, if you keep the TTusk nestled between the units, it'll not only be most likely within the LeaderBubble to hold out, but it will make enemy artillery have a harder time of picking it out, since it has to blow through multiple ranks of monstrous infantry to try to get at it (unless it's a frontline shot, but, hey, that's how it goes, y'know? lol).

The only time this didn't work was when I failed charges in option (C) that I presented above lol... The TTusk's flank was exposed, and some ghost knights flankcharged and dominated it lol

I've added mine to a shooty list I've drawn up for an upcoming game. It'll be working alongside an Ironblaster, 7 Maneaters each with a brace of pistols, and six Leadbelchers, all supported by a Heavens Slaughtermaster with Grut's Sickle.

I think that this'll be a big ol' pile of ranged firepower, plus with a medium unit of Bulls and Ironguts they won't be pushovers in combat either. The idea with the Thundertusk is that anything that can't be effectively shot up by what else I've got there will benefit from a bombardment from the stone-thrower like ice blast or whatever its called. After things have gotten close, the Thundertusk can weigh into a combat with one of my smaller infantry units or support the Leadbelchers.

I think they are solid in a gunline list, especially when facing either opposing monsterous cav in support of ironguts or enemy hordes in the shooting phase.  Park them behind some Ironguts or Bulls and ensure you get swings in before they do, all the while knocking off chunks of infantry blocks on the way in.  I think their value is suspect in conventional combat armies, since you can just buy more guys to offset casualties.  Really, they work best if you play them as a psuedo chariot and bring them in late to swing combats against stompable units.  I do feel the unit to be somewhat overpriced, but there are ways to make it valuable, provided your army is designed around a slow advance, as opposed to a bum rush the enemy setup.

I've run one quite a bit and I think it's a solid, usable unit. Like any force multiplier, the more force you can bring to bear around the multiplier the better it gets!

I will agree, it really is a fragile unit. Any cannons, poisoned shooting or the like on the other side will kill it dead very quickly. You'll find that either the enemy kills it very early on and it does nothing or it ends up being a real pain. It works well especially with deathstar builds with 3 characters in the front rank, because this unit has a small frontage and can snuggle up with the thundertusk. You also need to be careful that it doesn't get solo-charged by something tough ... without hiding too far from your main line that the aura is out of range.

It's a unit with a bit of schizophrenia. The aura works best if you march to keep up with your main line, but you're wasting the shooting if you march. One of its weapons has a minimum range of 12" and another has a maximum range of 12"!

However, it offers you a great deal of flexibility. The unit can operate as a stone thrower and thin out hordes. It can make a mess of lone characters or monsters especially things like pegasus heroes skulking around your flanks. And at the end of the day it's pretty tough in combat, especially against anything it can thunderstomp. Tacked onto the corner of a combat where few enemies can attack back, it can really add to your combat damage and spread it's aura over the enemy unit. If you can use it optimally, it can add a lot every turn, in combat and out.

I consider it something of a risk/reward type unit. They can pay off quite well, having a considerable impact on the game for their points cost - but they are a fair few points to risk too.

I consider them a great choice if ironblasters are comped.

Running the tusk along (or even directly behind) a medium sized unit of maneaters with AHW will really cure one of the maneaters biggest weaknesses which is their low defence. Most hardhitting flankers will now hesitate to charge them. I think that's a quite good combination.

I used both in a 3500 point list vs. Warriors of Chaos tonight and came away with another victory.  I used the Thundertusk to support a dual horde of warriors and ironguts and the Stonehorn to act as support/ flank charger.  The only reason I use the Thundertusk is for the ASL aura to help with the low initiative of my ogres.  I actually went all out and mounted a hunter on the SH for this last match.  The character wasn't much of a factor but that was the only way I could include both in my list along with 3 Ironblasters.  The TT didn't survive the whole match but he kept a daemon prince tied up for a few turns and therefore did some good.  If including just one in my list I would still likely stick with the TT.  The ASL aura is slightly more useful than the marginally increased combat ability of the SH in my opinion.

So having gotten some news about the new High Elf book, I'm terribly bitter. Their frost pheonix has an ASL aura just like the Thundertusk, but it affects all units in range, not just all models.

Pointy eared pricks.

But "in range" is only in base contact for the phoenix. I'd say the thundertusk aura is better ... except for the part where the phoenix's aura confers -1S as well, which is pretty sweet on a T6 monster.

Ah, I hadn't heard that. I guess that's not so terrible. Hrm.

Bit of thread necromancy but my 2c.

In 2500 points I've focused on target saturation and getting the +1 for first turn.

I've ran Hunter on Stonehorn & two thundertusks, two big units of bulls (not a fan of the cookiecutter gut star)
lvl 4 Slaughtermaster w/ sickle and a few other things. scouting man eaters.

I've had good success as unless they're packing twin cannons they just cant take them down before my Man eaters get the cannons or everyones in combat.

I generally 'try' and run both T-tusks either side of my bulls using the frost aura combine that with +1 strength and or +1 toughness (assuming troll guts didn't go off) these units are very hard to move and cop a punch while the opponent just looks on. as they lose models.

As i said requires more play testing but its worked for me so far.

I think the reason it's seen limited use in its ability is the specification in its ability that every MODEL within 6'' has ASL.

This isn't a terrible thing though seeing as it's a monster and can handle being in combat (which is where it's ability takes full effect)

As a whole it's not that successful of a fire base by itself seeing as it's harpoon gun doesn't pierce ranks either,  but an effective combination of support/combat monster/ shooty platform will allow it to be a very well rounded key to any army

I once went to a tournament with a Ttusk and an Ironblaster as my rare choices, and I found the 'tusk to be incredibly effective in countering Monstrous cavalry when backed up by Ironguts. I found the worst situation to be in as GW wielding Ironguts is to be charged by Skullcrushers, or Demigryph Knights, or even opponent's Mournfangs.

I found that if you keep your Ttusk back next to an irongut unit you can increase the 'guts effectiveness tenfold as they won't take any casualties before getting to swing (not counting potential impact hits) which can make all the difference in a combat.

Thats just a thought though, I don't generally find I can fit my thundertusk into my armies until I hit around 2.5k points.

I once went to a tournament with a Ttusk and an Ironblaster as my rare choices

I'm doing the same thing next weekend, IB and Ttusk, I like the combo quite a bit. I prefer to use it when I run bulls, getting to strike beforehand, or stripping re-rolls from helfs and delfs is key. Having guts strike simultaneously isn't bad but against other elite armies being able to strip some of their attacks is better.

Won thing that I have found to work is to have an ironblaster travel with bulls and shoot the really tough stuff and let the bulls kill the small things, and on the opposite side of the table have your thundertusk run with ironguts and make the enemy ASL.  The two rares work well with those core.

For me the key is Tusk + Maneaters. Think about it.

With Guts,you get to strike at the same time, but with maneaters you hit 1st which makes them a lot more survivable and makes the unit a pain in the ass for your opponent.

I have no interest in playing in the etc but I'm thinking building an army using their comp and I think having a thundertusk in the right army can really made up for a second ironblaster. While no where near as good as the ironblaster in ranged abilities I think it can make more of a difference in games against warriors of chaos.

I would consider keeping it directly behind the maneaters so it can't be charged by any of their nasty flying stuff and you will have a combo that can fend off skullcrushers.

The list I'm looking at is something like

Heavens slaughtermaster with crown
bsb
butcher with hellheart

7 ironguts
7 ironguts
7 maneaters 5 with BoP, fc, razor standard, 2 havegreat weapons
3 sabretusks
thunder tusk
ironblaster

so it can't be charged by any of their nasty flying stuff and you will have a combo that can fend off skullcrushers.

I mentioned I was taking a thundertusk to a tourney earlier in the thread, I had a practice game vs warriors the other evening, 7 guts + firebelly with the mammoth parked behind them obliterated 3 skullcrushers but lost their back rank in the process. I highly recommend from now on. What's better is the tusk charged his lvl 4 unkillable tzeentch mage with familiar on the bottom of turn 3 and the pillow fight lasted until top of turn 6, when I broke after he finally got a wound on me