Goblin Tactics - By "Paul"

 

 

 

Your General:-

This guy cannot die, if he does then your army has worse problems than the undead do when there general dies. Consider magic items like the Parrying Blade and the Golden Helm of Atrazar. If he is in a unit, make sure there are plenty of other characters in the front rank who can take challenges on his behalf. Another option is to mount him on a Giant Spider and use the spiders ability to put him where the enemy will struggle to get him with flyers, shooters etc. A chariot is also a good mount, consider it as a 4+ special save against missile weapons.

Characters:-

In a 2000pt army you have a 1000pt character allowance, you can easily buy a general equipped with say the Parrying Blade, Golden Helm Of Atrazar and the Crown Of Command, plus a Big Boss with Heart of Woe or Black Gem on a cheap (Wyvern is good) terror causing flyer to cause a few terror tests and deny march moves, plus a couple of bosses and if the fancy really takes you get 10 lvl 1 shamans, some with dispel scrolls to dominate the magic phase.

Rank and File Goblins:-

I tend to buy one large unit (about 50 models) with the Dread Banner, adding a BSB with say the Bad Moon Banner, Banner Of Might, Banner Of Defiance is also a good plan, bulk up the front rank of this unit with cheap characters. Other units tend to be 19 strong to prevent failed WAAAGH tests, but if the big unit is lost then you can add a loose Shaman to one of these units so that you can still cast, plus the big unit does not panic if the smaller units are fleeing nearby at the start of the turn. As for equipment, I tend to give my large unit double handed weapons (usually in conjunction with the Bad Moon Banner), and flanking units get spears, bows or nothing. Three units of 19 Goblin archers stacked up on hills is a lot of shots. The threat of fanatics often outweighs the effect, but many units of Night Goblins, but do not have fanatics in them all, make your opponent play Russian Roulette with them. I personally never buy armor for my Goblins, and never put bosses or big bosses in any unit other than my single large unit.

 Mounted Goblins:-

Smallish Units of 6 to 8 Wolf Riders or Spider Riders are excellent for working wide around the flank of your opponent, then crashing into the flanks and rear of his army when your foot mobs strike in their front.

Specialist Goblins and stuff:-

Clubbers & Netters:-

A unit of about 18 Clubbers and Netters are excellent for guarding the flank of your main unit, don't worry about a boss for them. These obscure troops attract a lot more missile fire than they deserve and a good buy for that very reason.

Squig Hunters:-

As units of Goblins go these can be very effective, but considering the cost of the minimum unit size (3 squigs & 1 hunter team at 68 points) you could get 19 archers with a standard and musician for less.

Squig Hoppers:-

One of the best things about the army, excellent for denying charges to your opponent and if one does land in the center of the line expect your opponent to get pissed off when your compulsory movement phase takes about 15minutes and leaves huge gaps in his army ;-) If your enemy pins one down and kills it in HTH nobody tests because it only has one wound.

Trolls:-

Again a good solid unit of a few trolls (I tend to use between 2 and 4 to a unit) make a good flank guard to your main unit, but this can be compounded by stupidity, again for less than the cost of one Troll you could get 19 archers with a standard and musician.

Ogres:-

These almost never work, and considering that the minimum you must spend to field a unit is 200 points I would not bother, but they are quite good as an extreme flank guard and for attracting every bit of artillery your opponent has. Consider them as two S5 attacks on a 40mm frontage for 40 points, two goblins with double handed weapons on the same frontage is 7 points.

Snotlings:-

A must have, six to eight bases in one or two units covering the front of your main unit and the flank guard either side that will not break for 90 to 120 points.

Giants:-

Get one, no get two.

 War Machines:-

Doom Divers:-

Not really worth 100 points because they only use the small template, but These are excellent at counter battery fire against armies that rely upon warmachines.

Pump Wagons:-

These have to be the best value for 40 points in the game you can get, I tend to use two or three in a very similar manner to the Squig Hoppers, if one gets a strike more the better, if the enemy pins one down and kills the crew, again because it has less then 3 wounds it does not cause panic tests on the rest of your army.

Chariots:-

These are top toys (I have regularly fielded six of them), personally I do not buy scythes for them, but do tend to bulk up the crew to 3 figures, buy them bows too.

 Hope this helps

 Paul

 

 

 

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