Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Legion of Azgorh

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Why Legion of Azgorh?

also: Why play a Forgeworld army and get all the neckbeards to claim cheese while they are deploying layer after layer of cheddar?

If you are a new player, Chaos Dwarves were supported until 5th edition and then got into Squat territory. In July 2011 Forgeworld released Tamurkhan: The Throne of Chaos, which contained a WHFB army list for a faction of Chaos Dwarves. Which is awesome, but loses part of the Babylonian look the older army had.

What does the Legion of Azgorh offer and what are its main weaknesses?

Pros:

• They are Dwarves with possessed war machines, a Babylonian look (not anymore in the troops, but you still have great centrepieces as the Taurus or the Lammasu)
• The LoA warmachines are often called overpowered, and it's true, but this is compensated by the rest of the army.
• You can field a small, elite army composed of Chaos Dwarves and their war machines or go into battle with a huge Hobgoblin horde.
• K'daai Destroyer. This beast deserves a point of its own. It can wreck completely an army, but is easily countered by a lot of stuff or a 5 point enchanted item. However, if used properly, accompany with a cup to drink your opponent's tears with.
• Their own magic lore, Hashut is a solid choice and goes very well with the rest of the army.
• Their Sorcerers double as Engineers and can use magic while doing so.

Cons:

• Elite army, all the CD units are very expensive save for the Hobgoblins and war machines, so it gets evened out with the war machines.
• The equipment is expensive. Blunderbuss specially.
• If you go Hobgoblin-heavy you only have 3 options and they are cannon fodder at best.

They also have the regular Dwarf rules, they don't test to march if they have an enemy within 8", get -1" to pursuing and fleeing, and all Chaos Dwarf units ignore panic tests caused by their Hobgoblin slaves. So use them as the shields they are, and don't mind them dying in droves. All in all, the Legion of Azgorh ends as a middle-tier army, that will get an opponent caught off-guard the first times. What do you mean 24" reach flamethrowers?

Unit Analysis and Summary

Lords and Heroes

Named Characters

Drazhoath the Ashen, Prophet of Hashut: The only named character of this army, he is a Level 4 Sorcerer and Engineer, and rides a Bale Taurus. He can fly to position himself and his mount has a special S5 Flaming Breath attack. Despite that, at 3+/5++ he does not cut it because his setup is suboptimal, as we need at least 2+/4++ on our obvious general. His +1 to combat resolution to all units within 12" is also nice but not that good.

Regular Characters

• All Sorcerers have the Immune to Psychology USR, can LoS if within 3" of a war machine and have to test Toughness when they Miscast (their first failure will add 1 to their T permanently). They can also wear magic armour and by default come with a 4+/5++ versus flaming attacks armor.

Sorcerer-Prophet: The only regular Lord choice for the army. He is a Level 3 Sorcerer with L4 upgrade. Has all the regular Chaos Dwarf stuff, and also a special weapon that has his own table of minor special abilities (as Daemons do now). They have access to the Lore of Hashut (Heroes don't), Metal, Fire or Death. Hashut is the recommended Lore as it combines well with your Flaming weaponry, or can get Hatred in your own units. They also get access to 3 different mounts. It is recommended to buy them 2+/4++ saves.

• Great/Bale Taurus: These guys differ in an extra point of T and 1 extra Wound, and 50 points. Flaming breath weapon, Flying, and gets healed if hit with Lore of Fire. They also hit everyone in close combat with them automatically with S4 (save the rider), and get a -1 to be wounded (for the GT, with T5) or re-roll successful wounds done to it (Bale Taurus, T6).

• Lammasu: This little guy is taken from the Storm of Magic book, and has a nasty CC aura (all magic weapons aside from the rider's in base contact do not function). It can purchase caster levels and has access to Lore of Shadow, so you can get a sorcerer mount for your sorcerer. However, as he will only get level 2 don't count on Mindrazor, but you can get access to some Hexes. The army's only access to lore of shadow.

Daemonsmith Sorcerer: Wizard-Engineer too. Has access to Fire, Metal and Death. May upgrade to Level 2 Wizard and comes with a S5 magic weapon by default. Give him the Lore of Fire, keep him at the back next to your war machines to give them rerolls and use him to throw Fireballs at the enemy.

Infernal Castellan: The only BSB choice, so you will need one. He has access to 75 points of magic items and can get a shield even when BSB, so you can protect him easily. Magic banners aren't expensive enough to put on him so you can give him magic equipment and give the magic banner to a unit. This hero is tough, with a 2+/4++ save, T5 and 3 attacks, so make the most of it.

Hobgoblin Khan: This is the cheapest Hero choice in the army. You can mount him in a Wolf, give him a few upgrades (light armor, shield, and spear) and send him to hunt war machines for little more than 50 points. It can also be used to redirect charges, as HE eagles, or put inside a Hobgoblin unit to benefit from his Ld7, unnecessary as you will spend most of your time within your General's inspiring presence area.

Bull Centaur Taur'ruk: A Centaur hero, he is considered a Monstrous Beast, and his profile is appalling appealing for a Hero choice, with 4 Wounds, Strength and Toughness 5 among other things. For 20 points you can get him to 1+ without magic items. The only catch is that to get this guy in your army you have to get a unit of Bull Centaurs too.

Core Units

Infernal Guard: This unit is the core of your army, they have a good profile and come with 4+ armour and shield. Their weapon options include Great Weapons (a straightforward option when you already have an Initiative of 2), Fireglaives (Halberds and Handguns in one weapon, 24" S4 Armour piercing) or Blunderbusses. Blunderbusses are short-range shooting weapons, and make your IG 18 points per model. This weapon has some special rules that make it interesting: Multiple Shots d3 (one roll for unit, so it's either awesome or terrible), S3 Armour piercing, no multiple shots penalty, and the more models the unit has, the better. At 10+ models it loses the long range and stand and shoot penalties, and at 20+ models they re-roll to Wound. you can also give this unit a Magic Banner up to 50 points. They're somewhat overpriced, which only gets worse with Blunderbusses, so only take as many as you must.

Hobgoblin Cutthroats: These guys are small, sneaky, and can be spammed for a relative low cost. They come with Throwing Knives and Light Armour by default. You can give them shields at 0.5 points a piece, so it's recommended as it makes them much harder to kill in combat. You can buy them bows for 1 point, or an additional hand weapon for 0.5, so you have many options available with them. They benefit from your General's Inspiring Presence so they can be used as a tarpit.

Special Units

Infernal Ironsworn: Think of these guys as the Chosen Infernal Guard. You can't give them any different gear, but they come by default with Ensorcelled Hand Weapons (S5, magical attacks), they all have WS5 and 3+ armour. They are rather expensive, and share the special allowance with many of your best units and war machines. Still only 1 attack; don't take them.

Bull Centaur Renders: M7 Monstrous Infantry that can combine Heavy Armour with their Scaly Skin and get 3+ base armour. They have a low number of Attacks (2), but they make that up with T5 and their heavy armours. You can give them Spears (as cavalry, +1S when charging derp. they are not cav, they are beasts, so only extra ranks get to fight. woo), Great Weapons, additional HtH weapons and Shields. They make for great flank protection or, in bigger units, flank crushing.

K'daai Fireborn: Monstrous Infantry unit. They share Unbreakable and Unstable with Vampires and Tomb Kings. Their rules make it so that they end up killing themselves a lot of times, and the longer the game, the weaker they will get. Each game turn, from the second onwards, they take a Toughness test (at their T4) that, when failed, leads to losing D3 wounds, and each model has only 2. They cause Fear, inflict automatic S4 Flaming hits to every model in BtB with them without that rule, and have a 4+ Ward save, S5 and can dish out a fair number of attacks and wounds. Keep in mind they are Flaming, so any of the 2+ Ward against Flaming attacks will keep them locked forever.

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Now, a common space for War Machines:

• All LoA War Machines can purchase the following upgrades: Hellbound, and Steam Carriage. Hellbound gives the WM +1T, +1W and magical attacks, but on a Misfire the WM suffers 1D3 Wounds with no save. Steam Carriage makes the WM count as behind Hard Cover and behind an obstacle, plus allowing it to be towed by the Iron Daemon.
• Towing: a War Machine being towed may be untowed during the Movement Phase, but cannot be towed again for the remainder of the game.

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Iron Daemon War Engine: This expensive unit has 2 setups and uses, depending on what upgrades you get it. It has a whopping S8, T7, and 7 Wounds (always Hellbind for S8, T8, W8), and a base movement of 6. It can move normally (6") or roll 2D6 and add them to the movement. Obstacles lower than the ID don't slow it. If a double 1 is rolled it doesn't move that turn. You can also "tow" other war machines that have purchased the Steam Carriage upgrade with it. One won't slow it, if it tows 2, its movement is reduced to 3". It is an unique unit, so it doesn't benefit from our Daemonsmith re-rolling abilities. Note that as per the FAQ, Iron Daemons cannot wheel. When the Iron Daemon charges, it moves directly forward, no wheels to maximize, and when it shoots, only shoots directly ahead, no forward arc. Can make usage tricky.

• The first version is the default one. It comes with a Steam Cannonade. This weapon is the bane of Monsters, War Machines and lone characters up till 18" range, because you roll 2 artillery dice, and choose the best result (if double problems are rolled, then roll in the table). Roll To Hit and To Wound with S6 and D3 Multiple Wounds. This version deals 1D6+2 Impact Hits + 1D6 Thunderstomp at S8.

• The second version is the Skullcracker upgrade and it substitutes the Steam Cannonade. It deals 2D6+2 Impact Hits, then 2D6 Thunderstomp, and gains +1 To Wound against fortifications and buildings.

Deathshrieker Rocket Launcher: This machine comes cheap at 100 points. It works as a Stone Thrower with a Large Blast, without double Strength or multiple wounds, at a base Strength 3. If the center of the Large Blast misses the unit (note, the center), roll an artillery dice, change the template for the small one and move it towards the centre of the closest unit friend or foe by that amount of inches. If a Misfire is rolled in this die, then the shoot explodes in the air inoffensively. It also has an alternative firing mode at S8 D6 Multiple wounds without Blast, doubling very well as a Monster hunter, specially when we take into account the Daemonsmiths.

Magma Cannon: This cannon makes the Dwarf Flamethrower pale, as it works exactly like one, but better in every aspect. At 145 points, we are looking at the ability to drop Flaming S5 Templates with D3 Multiple wounds at 24" range. Nasty. Take at least one in every game for deathstar-rapey goodness.

Rare Units

Hobgoblin Wolf Riders: Mediocre. They've got Animosity and low leadership, and their speed means that they won't be within range of the General or BSB. Pass.

Dreadquake Mortar: This piece of artillery has both the longest reach in the game and access to a special upgrade, the Slave Ogre. Without it, it is subject to Slow Reload (firing every 2 turns unless a 3+ roll is made). If both the Ogre and the Hellbound upgrade are purchased, the Mortar has T8 and 7 Wounds, making it into a very tough and hard to remove unit (as per FAQ). It fires like a Stone Thrower, with S5 (10 under the hole), armour piercing with range 12"-72". Any unit who takes a casualty from it has to test for Dangerous Terrain if they wish to move (charging, reforming, everything counts) or try to shoot Move or Fire weapons. War Machines count as Chariots for this, so a failed roll will make them lose D6 Wounds. On the other hand, it's very expensive, so think carefully before taking one (particularly since your Rare slot also includes the K'daai Destroyer).

Hellcannon: It fires as a Stone Thrower with S5, and forces Panic tests on units suffering casualties from it. It is considered a Monster, and has its own Misfire table, that goes from eating its crew to mindraping nearby Wizards. It has to test Leadership every turn, and if failed it gets a free turn and a 3D6 automatic move that will eat any Light Cavalry unit nearby trying to kill it. Even better than the Warriors of Chaos version due to Daemonsmith re-rolls. A solid choice.

K'daai Destroyer: Remember how we said that this thing deserved a point to its own? We meant it. Don't get it into combat with: poison, characters with the dragon helm or dragonbane gem, dragon princes, or stubborn/unbreakable blocks, and don't let it overrun off the board. Otherwise, this thing will quite happily kill half an army for you.

Building Your Army

You have three options:

Option 1: You are a rich lunatic and you want to play WHFB's version of the Death Korps of Krieg. Buy all the stuff direct from Forge World. Weep (or laugh) as your basic core units cost £80 for twenty guys with full command. Yes, the models are super awesome (especially the war machines) but a 2000pts army of these guys will set you back by literally jillions of money.

Option 2: You are a sensible chap who is a dab hand at converting. Use GW's regular plastic dwarfs and use your modelling skills to turn them into Chaos Dwarfs. Just put spikes everywhere. You might need to get more inventive to make their war machines from scratch however.

Option 3: You are a sensible chap who doesn't play Warhammer at GW stores. Get an army of Abyssal Dwarfs from Mantic Games. They're all plastic and it costs £50 for about 60 models. Their infantry models are nicely detailed and look suitably Chaotic to use, though their options are still stuck in the "metal add on" phase. The war machines leave much to be desired however. As these are not GW's models, you'll probably be lynched by GW staff if you try to use them at one of their stores.