Golfag

Why dont we see our favorite maneater character Golgfag Maneater more often. He seem like a decent character for tournament as you can tailor what items he has depending on opponent.
Is it just his points cost or the randomness of his item selection?. Or both?

Cheers
Drunken Aussie

I'd say it's down to a combination of: Cost, randomness and slot competition. Though his stats are borderline Tyrant levels, he's priced pretty optimistically and seemingly assumes you're always going to get a solid roll. Furthermore, the hero slot is the one in which you're going to be paying for your BSB, Firebellies and Butcher tax - blowing half of it on a guy who may rock up with 20pts of items isn't the soundest of moves. Still, he can wreck a goodly amount of face, packs two nice special rules when with his Maneaters and is probably the second best SC we have (though that's not saying a vast amount).

Both, I'd say.  Most people would be willing to put up with the randomness if he cost about 30% less.  Instead he costs almost as much as a bruiser + the 120 maximum you MIGHT role.  AND his particular BTDT rules aren't exactly the best combination.

For his points, you could take 2 bruisers. When would you ever want to take 1 golfag vs. 2 bruisers???

Plus, whilst I thought tailoring would be cool at first, I realised that you can't really tailor with most magic items against most armies. You might debate whether to use Swift Slaying sword, Gold Sigil or Striking perhaps, but outside of that it's hard to really figure out what you want from the guy.

Plus, as others have said, your 'free' items you're already paying the points for...

It's just his points. He's just more than I can stomach paying. There are some cool things he can do, but at the price of 5 maneater: just no.

If he were permanently stubborn I might consider it but it seems he picks up the rules of maneaters he joins.

Or if golfags maneaters, instead of having a fixed" been there, done that" of crap, they had a "really been there, done that", where golfags maneaters choose three abilities. Then he would be fairly priced in my mind.

But gutlord really puts it into perspective well. You can take 5 Maneaters + golfag, or 10 maneaters.... the choice is not even close right now...

Golgfag has been my General since the 8th book came out and i stop using Tyrants... he gives me complete versatility for my army and a 95%+ change of free Crown of Command so my Maneaters don't have to use Stubborn as one of their rules.

That's what i pay for, the ability to pick RRR when i face wood elves, siegebreaker if i end up playing watch tower scenario, obsidian blade if i'm fighting bretonians or warriors of chaos, the other trickster's shard if i'm facing deamons, thiefstone if i see he has a lot of the common items, sword of bloodshed if i'm outnumbered by goblins and skaven, flying carpet if i see they only have a few big units, loadstone if they are magic heavy, giant blade if there's a lot of dragons or other big monsters on the table, etc....

i do a lot of tournaments so once i see who i'm facing and we swap lists i can adjust my tactics and my tools to taste.

@Slaughterman: I feel like a bit of a numpty  , i have never actually thought of using Golfag like this. What you have said here is really interesting to me. I have never thought of tailoring him like this and using him as the main character.
Now you have said this i am going to give it a try and see how this pans out. I have always gone with a Slaughtermaster or Tyrant and bruiser BSB combo.

Very interesting, don't know why i have never considered this before...just as dumb as an ogre i guess! 

G_H

Golgfag has been my General since the 8th book came out and i stop using Tyrants... he gives me complete versatility for my army and a 95%+ change of free Crown of Command so my Maneaters don't have to use Stubborn as one of their rules.

That's what i pay for, the ability to pick RRR when i face wood elves, siegebreaker if i end up playing watch tower scenario, obsidian blade if i'm fighting bretonians or warriors of chaos, the other trickster's shard if i'm facing deamons, thiefstone if i see he has a lot of the common items, sword of bloodshed if i'm outnumbered by goblins and skaven, flying carpet if i see they only have a few big units, loadstone if they are magic heavy, giant blade if there's a lot of dragons or other big monsters on the table, etc....

i do a lot of tournaments so once i see who i'm facing and we swap lists i can adjust my tactics and my tools to taste.

Doesn't Golgfag come with stubborn as a rule and you cannot pick other BTDT rules? Also, if he isn't with maneaters, it's unclear if he still benefits from BTDT, it only clear he gets them with a maneaters unit

Doesn't Golgfag come with stubborn as a rule and you cannot pick other BTDT rules?

all he comes with is Fear, Ogre Charge, Easy Come Easy Go & Golgfag's Maneaters rules; no stubborn or anything else built in & the Golgfag's Maneaters rule is optional.

Also, if he isn't with maneaters, it's unclear if he still benefits from BTDT, it only clear he gets them with a maneaters unit

the unit of maneaters generates the BTDT effect; since Golgfag does not have that rule in his profile, he does not generate the BTDT effect when not in the unit.  the FAQ states he counts as a "maneater" so in the unit of Maneaters Golgfag has has joined he will get the effects of BTDT.... but the moment he leaves he's just a guy with a pile of magic items.

If I do take Golgfag with a unit of maneaters do they have to have vanguard and stubborn. Or can I pick with BTDT rules

If I do take Golgfag with a unit of maneaters do they have to have vanguard and stubborn. Or can I pick with BTDT rules

BTDT is optional, the benefit of using it only works in Alliance games: Golgfag and Golgfag's Maneaters are considered Trusted Allies, which is minor considering no other characters can join the unit anyway and can't use the Battle Standard Bearer if they are not Ogre allies anyway, but still always counting as friendly even with Skaven and Dark Elves after their fragile alliances break down is mildly helpful. 

It's not a game breaking ability, i've used it ONCE in 3 years (mind you I was playing a 5 on 5 Siege game so the options for it's use were everywhere), but it's a multiplayer rule in the regular book to show us how we ally with everyone well and deserve to be in the unaligned section because we get along with everyone (unlike Tomb Kings because they trust no one and no one trusts/likes them).

but, if you want to take Vanguard and Stubborn but NOT make the Maneaters "Golgfag's Maneaters" you still can.  you can use any traits you want and have Golgfag as part of the unit or not, just don't say they are "Golgfag's Maneaters".

DO NOT USE Golgfag's Maneaters unless you are using Allies... and maybe not even then.  it's that easy.

Slaughterman... how often have you rolled double ones? Not too much room for customization there... especially for a 260 point character...

To me, the only customization really needed is whether to take fire protection and OTS against demons. Other than that, most things you'd want to take with him are good against most armies... ward save, higher strength, more attacks, etc.

Slaughterman... how often have you rolled double ones? Not too much room for customization there... especially for a 260 point character...

To me, the only customization really needed is whether to take fire protection and OTS against demons. Other than that, most things you'd want to take with him are good against most armies... ward save, higher strength, more attacks, etc.

Lowest I've ever rolled was 4, which still got me Crown of Command and Warrior Bane (vs. Vampire Counts... needed a magic weapon); also never rolled 12 in the 20 something games with him.  When that time comes, it will balance it all out as dice tend to do.

My favorite Golgfag anecdote was using him against WoC, rolled a 9, took the Gnoblar Thiefstone (and Crown of Command and Dragonhelm), and proceeded to steal my opponent's Talisman of Preservation from his 3++/rerolling 1's general on a disc.

It was very satisfying when he failed the subsequent 6++/rerolling 1's vs my ironblaster shot...

-Snark

My favorite Golgfag anecdote was using him against WoC, rolled a 9, took the Gnoblar Thiefstone (and Crown of Command and Dragonhelm), and proceeded to steal my opponent's Talisman of Preservation from his 3++/rerolling 1's general on a disc.

It was very satisfying when he failed the subsequent 6++/rerolling 1's vs my ironblaster shot...

-Snark

awesome!!!

if my opponent has three of the items on the thiefstone list i'll grab it, and all but one time took something.  seeing as there are no bad items on that list.... but i need an 8 for that and the Crown of Command, so it's not an often thing; maybe 4 times total.

My favorite Golgfag anecdote was using him against WoC, rolled a 9, took the Gnoblar Thiefstone (and Crown of Command and Dragonhelm), and proceeded to steal my opponent's Talisman of Preservation from his 3++/rerolling 1's general on a disc.

It was very satisfying when he failed the subsequent 6++/rerolling 1's vs my ironblaster shot...

-Snark

This anecdote has given me a worrying amount of satisfaction.

I love the model so i use it as one of my two butchers. Just like i use Bragg as my butcher. Awesome model, shite rules!

just as a follow up over last week's tourney

game 1 rolled a 8 vs dwarves, took the crown of command and 4++ talisman.
game 2 rolled a 5 vs warriors of chaos, took crown of command, enchanted shield and biting blade.
game 3 rolled a 9 vs bretonians, took crown of command, enchanted shield and obsidian blade.

just as a follow up over last week's tourney

game 1 rolled a 8 vs dwarves, took the crown of command and 4++ talisman.
game 2 rolled a 5 vs warriors of chaos, took crown of command, enchanted shield and biting blade.
game 3 rolled a 9 vs bretonians, took crown of command, enchanted shield and obsidian blade.

What were the results of these games?  Were the items helpful?

I was also wondering, since you assume Golgfag can provide the stubborn crown, what special rules do you take on your ME's?  What about equipment for them?

-Snark

What were the results of these games?  Were the items helpful?

I was also wondering, since you assume Golgfag can provide the stubborn crown, what special rules do you take on your ME's?  What about equipment for them?

-Snark

i always run Sniper & ITP on my maneaters with heavy armor and single pistol backed by the banner of eternal flame for added punch.

game 1 was a tabled route against me by a questionable tactic; however i was playing against the event holder who's explanation of legality was less than convincing.  was also first turn against the new dwarf book so i had no clue what was what coming at me.  nothing helped.

game 2 was a win for me as i used Golgfag to just eat the rank and file chaos armor while the maneater captain took all the challenges; netted an extra 300 points of character killing challenges.

game 3 was weird, never fought an all flying brettonian army before; i was expecting a hammer of ranks and i got a flurry of small units.  they out maneuvered me, but they lacked the ability to kill me, but i just couldn't mount an offensive because i kept getting charged, then he'd flee from combat and i couldn't catch him, only to be charged in the flank again.  kept Golgfag away from challenges as he had that heroic killing blow guy on the table, but he took out a good number of knights.  minor lose to me.