# Chaos Warriors



## NagashKhemmler (Apr 28, 2009)

I'm trying to decide if I should equip my Khornate chaos warriors with Halberds or Great Weapons?

The Great Weapons are best in the first round of any combat, because I'm either going first or last anyways (charging or being charged) but in second rounds or further I think I'm better off with Halberds.

I'm wondering what's best in light of units based around 12 man units (6x2).


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## maddermax (May 12, 2008)

I'd go great weapons. In any normal combat you would have to choose to use your special weapon (GW/halberd) or just a normal hand weapon/shield. In any combat you're not sure you're going to win in a single round, you usually want HW/shield anyway for survivability anyway, and the great weapon becomes the best choice for the rest of the time. With the great weapon, you know if you get the charge that things are going to die, and die badly, while against really tough enemies, that isn't so certain with the halberd.

If you're going against any elves, the halberd is striking last anyway, so the GW is better, same against hero's and a lot of other high I stuff. Against anyone else with Great weapons, you're going first anyway. So altogether, the GW is probably the best option of the two.


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## NagashKhemmler (Apr 28, 2009)

I think you could be right, most combats are decided in the first round of combat anyway and with a 12 man unit, they're likely to either win a combat hugely or lose it, after that they'll lose their frenzy and thus their edge.

If they're charged, even by lance equivalents at S5 with 9 attacks, I'm looking at 'only' 4.5 hits and 3 wounds/casualties. On the strikeback I can look at getting 10 attacks back, 6 hits, 5 wounds and 2 kills, which means I can almost break even. If I fight hoard units I'm better of with HWS to guarantee minimal casualties and still 3 S4 attacks per model. The halberd is only really useful in protracted combats and fluff wise, the great weapons definately seem more agressive and khornate.


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## The Sullen One (Nov 9, 2008)

Don't use great weapons, they're awful to stick in the arms. I'd go with either halberds and shields, or two hand weapons.


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## Critta (Aug 6, 2008)

These ones are?


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## keytag33 (Apr 20, 2008)

I've had better luck with the hand weapon shield combo, than anything else. The number of attacks make it for me. Also I run 5x3 unit sizes so I useually get at least one rank bonus too. 

But take that with a grain of salt as I've never played against any really high toughness or heavy cav armies.


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## NagashKhemmler (Apr 28, 2009)

Yeah I play against an even mix of most armies, so the S6 will really help that first turn break of a unit, for example if you're fighting lizardmen, it knocks their 3+/4+ to either a 6+/Nothing, compared to 4+/5+, which is a huge difference imo. Also S5/S6 is so much more reliable in terms of wounding opponents.

I think that the S5/6 decision is made more in light of the MoK on all of my warriors, a higher strength makes better utilisation of the MoK. As it stands, if I get the charge off I'm looking at 19 S6 attacks, usually hitting on 3 and almost always wounding on a 2. That's around 10 wounds in a single round against T4 with a 4+ save or worse, same against T3.

Compare that to extra hand weapon which is 8.25 wounds, with around 4.125 of those wounds making it past armour. Given the small size of my warriors unit, I find it likely that they will win/lose combats often in the first round, because they're Khornate, a lot rests on winning the first round and maintaining frenzy to keep up the volume of attacks, naturally I can always switch to HWS for combats that I feel it's prudent or against T3 armour-less opponents for example.


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## Stella Cadente (Dec 25, 2006)

why not just take a unit armed with each type?, working together they would slaughter anything that comes close, and add variation to your lists, or allow you to swap and change every now and then


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## The Son of Horus (Dec 30, 2006)

The thing about the halberds and the great weapons is that they add points to an already pricey unit. In my experience, the Frenzy has been enough to tip the scale even against other heavy infantry. My army of Khorne features three units of 15 Warriors armed with hand weapons and shields, and they very rarely lose. The front rank throws 16 attacks at WS5 and S4, and there's honestly not that much in the game that can stand up to that. Even heavy cavalry start taking losses to weight of attacks at that point, and most armies' cavalry don't have enough attacks or high enough strength to wipe out the front rank on the charge since you're working with a 2+ save yourself. 

I suppose if you absolutely have to take one or the other, though, I'd go with the halberds. They make you S5, which is good enough, and they're a point cheaper than the great weapons.


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## Wiccus (Jun 2, 2008)

I personally prefer halberds over great weapons. As much as warriors rely and excel at breaking in the first round sometimes you get locked in protracted combats and if you are equiped with great weapons then you are wasting the warriors high initiative. 

str 5 is plenty in my opinion for most of what warriors will be taking on.


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## itsonlyme (Aug 22, 2008)

I actually like great weapons on my Khorne warriors, 6x2 with a champion, thats 19 strength 6 attacks, that should tear through most units (even cav if they get the charge). Halberds are great and all in prolomged combats but really do you want a 300pts unit stuck in the same postion all game.

With my army i usually use two units, one with HW+SH (i sometimes swap this for additional hand weapons) and one with great weapons, works a charm.


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## NagashKhemmler (Apr 28, 2009)

I went with great weapons in the end, whilst they cost a little more, they enabled me to run my warriors in units of 11-12 with a 6 wide frontage, this let me keep the unit costs down and optimised my warriors, also helped to stop me from getting flanked overly much from the wider frontage and the additional units. On top of that, if I fight a weak and crappy unit, I switch back to HWS and beat them down, sides, great weapons feel so khornate!

My plan is to anchor both of my flanks with a hellcannon, this will stop march blockers and other units trying to flank me up on the sides, as well as giving 'covering fire' to the lord on the dragon.


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## itsonlyme (Aug 22, 2008)

Yeah thats a great way to use your chaos warriors, thats exactly how i use mine actually, i dont know if i agree that it helps stop you getting flanks, i will say however that 15 warriors 5x3 does have a few advantages, dont have to wheel as far, take up less space on the board and if you do get flanked atleast you still get 3 guys in combat (so a increased chance of getting attacks depending on how you look at it).


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## CoNnZ (Mar 28, 2009)

Both are good options although most cahos players go for halberds these days as it means you get to keep the good initiative they have. Also most armies only have T3 so they wound on 2's anyway. The main advantage with great weapons is the armour modifiers. With great weapons they should be your anti armour unit, going after whatever has the best save on your opponents team.


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## itsonlyme (Aug 22, 2008)

I found from experience that alot of armies have good T4 units as well and wound on a 2+ rather than a 3+ can make a huge difference, Tomb Guard, Wights, dwarfs, Saurus. In alot of cases you will be taking a charge from faster more heavily armed units so I5 isnt going to help all that much annd if you cant inflict any wounds your going to get run down anyways.

They are certainly you anti armour unit however this is only the case if you send them against infantry, the other guy is going to have to make some serious mistakes to let a M4 unit charge a M7/8 unit.

If your looking for things to deal with them really your looking at using Dragon ogres, possiblu ogres or a shaggoth (and a shaggoth will rip apart most small units of cav).

Chaos warriors with great weapons however are great at ripping through things such as dwarf infantry and i think i would even rosk them against saurus with spears


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## NagashKhemmler (Apr 28, 2009)

itsonlyme said:


> I found from experience that alot of armies have good T4 units as well and wound on a 2+ rather than a 3+ can make a huge difference, Tomb Guard, Wights, dwarfs, Saurus. In alot of cases you will be taking a charge from faster more heavily armed units so I5 isnt going to help all that much annd if you cant inflict any wounds your going to get run down anyways.
> 
> They are certainly you anti armour unit however this is only the case if you send them against infantry, the other guy is going to have to make some serious mistakes to let a M4 unit charge a M7/8 unit.
> 
> ...


I have found that with WS5, against most units I tend to be getting hit on 4's at best, so even when charged by S6 cavalry, I have half of my guys striking back, which is enough to usually win the combat, when I charge it's usually a done deal in which I win the combat.


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