Golgfag maneater, mercenary captain

Here's my take on a list that includes golgfag maneater, first of the maneaters.

Golgfag maneater : 500 pts
statline: M6  WS6  BS4  S5  T6  W5  I5  A5  Ld9

golgfag maneater takes up a lord and a special choice
equipment;
Sword of Ind, Golgfag's Gromril armor, Ceremonial gutplate, Paymaster's coffers, Brace of handguns

special rules;
Ogre paymaster, Mercenary captain, Not a tribe, What are those doing here? Eat them!, Immune to psychology, Stubborn

Sword of Ind
Granted to Golgfag after a succesful bodyguard career for the emperor of Ind, this sword has been crafted by the best craftsmen in Ind and glows with an unnatural glow able to shred true evil apart in the blink of an eye.
The Sword of Ind is a great weapon, causes D3 wounds for each unsaved wound, and gives Golgfag the always strikes first rule. Grants an additional +1 Combat resolution as if a standard bearer in each close combat phase against daemons.

Golgfag's Gromril armor
After being employed by a dwarven thane to aid his ironbreakers in combat against night goblins in his tunnels, This exceptionally big suit of gromril armor was made for Golgfag by a master runesmith who inscribed it with a powerful rune of resistance
This gromril armor grants Golgfag a 4+ armor save. May reroll failed armor saves

Ceremonial gutplate
Blessed by multiple generations of butchers, this gutplate not only protects Golgfag, but is used for collecting rare body parts, afterwards donated to butchers, after battle as well.
The gutplate grants a 5+ armor save, for a combined armor save of 2+. Due to its ceremonial nature, it also grants a 5+ ward save.

Paymaster's coffers
The coffers which earned Golgfag his title. The riches of the paymaster are still inside these coffers, but are now used by Golgfag to finance his own mercenaries. Although ogres aren't too known for intelligence, Golgfag is smarter than most, and gains quite a lot of profit from his ventures, making sure the coffers stay full. Beautifully adorned with jewels, they make greed a powerful weapon.
During each combat phase, roll a D6 for each enemy model in base contact with Golgfag. On the roll of a 6+, that model is paid off and makes an attack against his own unit with their own WS, S and A. This has no effect on models that are immune to psychology.


special rules;
Ogre Paymaster
Having gathered his own band of ogres to fight for him, he is seen by them more as their paymaster than their ruler. Nobody in his band wants to double-cross him like an unnamed ogre once tried. Golgfag ordered some of his mercenaries to strip him apart limb by limb by his side, starting with legs and arms, and making sure he lived long enough to see Golgfag eat him piece by piece.
Golgfag can never be the army general. He allows failed break tests within 12" of him to be rerolled as if he were a battle standard bearer.

mercenary captain
Being the first maneater brings a lot of respect with it, giving Golgfag the ability to easily find ogres-for-hire and paying them enough to join his growing following. He knows what it means to be a mercenary, and thus lets his fellow maneaters keep all the armor and weapons they find and earn.
Maneaters count as a single special choice. In addition, their armor and weapon upgrades are free. They are also a 1+ choice. Golgfag may only join units of maneaters.
Rhinox riders may be added as a rare choice.

Not a tribe
Golgfag will never admit his growing possee of ogres is a tribe; anybody making that comment can be found in Golgfag's stomach minutes later.
Ogre bulls lose the 1+ unit count.

What are those doing here? Eat them!
Gnoblars are not Golgfag's favourite creatures. In fact, that's why he left his tribe in the first place. He can't stand the sight of greenskins - that's why he was so eager to help the dwarves -, and will never allow any of them to be in his vicinity. He has been known to tolerate pet gnoblars of other maneaters though; he knows just how fun it is to hurl one at an unexpecting enemy, or just use it for target practice.
Golgfag's army may not include gnoblar fighters. One unit of gnoblar trappers is allowed (they sneak ahead without him knowing), but when within 8" of Golgfag, must take a panic test.


Thoughts and comments are appreciated 

Edit; reworked the suggested changes

I don't know.. I always sort of imaginged Golfgag would have a "cannot be the General" rather than a "Must be general" rule. He's a mercenary company commander, not an army general... he works for a general and the general pays him. Actually being a general in his own right means making tactical decisions and logistical decisions that would just bore him to tears.


On the other hand, the rules themselves look cool.

I had thought about that, but that would mean you would never be able to field him until 3K (which is actually about right for his abilities/points cost, but isn't something available to everybody).
My idea was that this army is him leading his mercenaries into battle for improving his wealth, as well as gaining a reputation when there's low demand for mercenaries. That's where the "Not a tribe" rule came from.
I could mod some rules though;

Ogre Paymaster
Having gathered his own band of ogres to fight for him, he is seen by them more as their paymaster than their ruler. Nobody in his band wants to double-cross him like an unnamed ogre once tried. Golgfag ordered some of his mercenaries to strip him apart limb by limb by his side, starting with legs and arms, and making sure he lived long enough to see Golgfag eat him piece by piece.
Sometimes, ogre tyrants bent on domination seek mercenaries so they can conquer two points that are vital to victory at the same time. Some tyrants only go for the best, and hire Golgfag since he's proven the worth of his pricetag time and time again. Tyrants almost always protect this investment though, and will send a bruiser with his own tribe while he makes sure no loot is kept from him by the mercenaries.
If there is no tyrant in the army, Golgfag is always the army general.
He allows failed break tests within 12" of him to be rerolled as if he were a battle standard bearer. This effect stays even if the army has a tyrant.


Not a tribe
Golgfag will never admit his growing possee of ogres is a tribe; anybody making that comment can be found in Golgfag's stomach minutes later.
When the army is led by Golgfag, ogre bulls lose the 1+ unit count.


I hope you like this better 

I don't know about that... Golgfag would have no problem "working for" a bruiser who can meat his price ("Meat" his price... Get it? I came up with that myself.)

In fact, I can see Golgfag being hired by a treacherous bruiser to wipe out an incumbent tyrant so the bruiser can take charge. Golgfag gets to select certain choice ironguts to join his group of Maneaters & the former bruiser gets stuck trying to keep the useless and weaker tribe-ogres from being completely consumed by a larger tribe.

so at 2k points...

Golgfag 500
bruiser (general) w/ tenderizer 180
butcher 2x scrolls 180
butcher scroll + Bangstick 180
characters: 1040
3x3 ironguts 432
8 trappers 48
3x2 maneaters 480
troops: 960

mmmm meat  - bad punchline, but still, it gave me a laugh 

I can see the reasoning behind your ideas, and would probably fit the army as well. Golgfag's reroll effect on Ld 8 (stubborn even for the ME) should cover any Ld problems. I'll rework my first post 

ok i'm going to reply about the rules you posted! not the what he should be like...because everyone interprets the scraps of info differently.

I do love the rules and think you have been very clever - however I do have some pointers.

-Firstly, not only did you give him 4 incredibly good magic weapons/items you've also given him 4 incredibly good special rules.
-Always strikes first, +1 to CR vs daemons, and wounds to D3 all in one weapon? that's shocking compared to every other ogre characters weapons! greasus is just double strength!
-ALSO I know he's got armour, but a 2+ re-rollable armour save and a 5+ Ward save, that's nearing Grimgor Ironhide armour here, and is just shocking.
he also counts as a standard bearer :0??
-The most shocking is the attack their unit rule. A variation on the overtyrant's everyone has their price rule, except ridiculously more powerful! The opponents Lord not only is struck first by a multiplying to D3 wounds weapon at strength 5, he also has a 1 in 6 chance of killing all his buddies! Even greasus just has a small effect!

Don't get me wrong i really like the feel of him and the ideas...you just had waaaaay too many for one special character. Also you worried about the point cost being too high. Well how much is Greasus, golgfag is a million times better here than greasus, and skrag. Skrag is 400 himself!

Consturctive criticism only. only my opinion i'm trying to be helpful! i look forward to your next creations!

I agree with you, but you have to admit: greasus just plain sucks  .
I would need to playtest him, but 500pts is a hefy points investment. If 500 pts turns out to be too cheap though, I'll increase his points cost  .
Also remember that if you use him at 2K you're losing a butcher slot to a bruiser (thanks to Sterling for adjusting the rule), so less gut magic as well as less troops.
It'd be funny to use both Golgfag and Skrag in 3K as well as 3 fully equipped butchers - almost 1500 pts in characters alone  .
As an ogre that has worked for just about everybody for years on end, he's bound to have received a lot of things normal ogres couldn't dream of getting in their lifetime. Most items are spin-offs from others ; like the dwarf one - a dwarf character can be equipped with a rune of resistance inscribed on their gromril armor, and the inspiration for the sword of Ind comes from our own brahmir statue and tenderizer.
That's the reasoning behind all the special rules and magic items  - Imagine him as a celebrity in the ogre kingdoms

I personally do love the rules you have created, and think they are almost perfectly balanced... But I do agree with Belchfist Beastkiller; he does seem ever so slightly over powered. I would love to have a go at using these rules myself though, if you don't mind?!?!

Regards,

J

Sure, have a go at it and let me know how things work out