So, i am planning on getting into Halflings in September/Octobre this year and i am wondering If halfling gunlines are worth a shot.
I will start with the mega Army and a battlegroup box.
Since i normaly play a lot of cav and close combat Units, i thought it might be nice to switch it up a little bit and concentrate more in a firing solution with lots of black powder weapons, cannons and artillery.
Forest Gunner Trolls are also interesting. What do the experts think about it?
3 Likes
So the lads and I have been talking lately about the list archetype of trash hordes in front with H3 shooting parked behind it.
Richard Laking’s Ratkin with 4 Nightmare hordes did well with this type at Northern Kings GT. The new Nightstalkers can do it with the Ravagers and the Halflings could do a good job of it with Forest Troll Gunners.
Halflings have a decent amount of support to help this block along plus having Aeronauts and Grenadiers to catch flanks/flankers as they come into you.
Could work pretty well imo.
2 Likes
Shirefolk [1990 / 2000 (10 Remaining)]
~ List Valid ~
Halflings [1990]
Braves (Infantry) Horde (40) [130]
Braves (Infantry) Horde (40) [130]
Braves (Infantry) Horde (40) [130]
Ej Grenadiers* (Large Infantry) Regiment (3) [105]
Ej Grenadiers* (Large Infantry) Regiment (3) [105]
Forest Troll Gunners* (Large Infantry) Regiment (3) [140]
Forest Troll Gunners* (Large Infantry) Regiment (3) [140]
Aeronauts* (Large Cavalry) Regiment (3) [175]
Aeronauts* (Large Cavalry) Regiment (3) [175]
Volley Gun (War Engine) 1 [85]
Harvester (Monster (Chariot)) 1 [140]
Iron Beast (Titan) 1 [240]
- Pride of the Shires [30]
Sauceror (Hero (Heavy Infantry)) 1 [100] - Inspiring Talisman [20]
Muster Captain on Winged Aralez (Hero (Monster)) 1 [195]
Not a gun line per se but it’s got shots and tools to play the map.
3 Likes
Halflings have lots of decent tools to run a gunline type list and the regular rifles unit is actually pretty decent given P1 and Steady Aim.
Forest troll gunners aren’t bad - lack steady aim so if moving behind a screen are likely to be -2 to hit most things, unlike the above mentioned ravagers & nightmare who do have SA, albeit with 6 inch longer range.
Similar style list to @Findol one, touch more shooting for a little less combat punch.
Halflings [2000]
~ List Valid
Braves (Infantry) Horde (40) [130]
Braves (Infantry) Horde (40) [130]
Halfling Rifles (Infantry) Horde (40) [200]
Halfling Rifles (Infantry) Horde (40) [200]
Ej Grenadiers (Large Infantry) Regiment (3) [115]
Mead of Madness [10]
Ej Grenadiers (Large Infantry) Regiment (3) [105]
Forest Troll Gunners (Large Infantry) Horde (6) [230]
Forest Troll Gunners (Large Infantry) Horde (6) [230]
Aeronauts (Large Cavalry) Regiment (3) [180]
Blade of Slashing [5]
Iron Beast (Titan) 1 [240]
Pride of the Shires [30]
Engineer (Hero (Infantry)) 1 [110]
Radiance of Life (Tinker only) [15]
Halfling Long Rifle [15]
Gadgets and Gizmos [5]
Gunnery Sergeant on Troll (Hero (Large Infantry)) 1 [130]
2 Likes
anything with Ra 5 is a waste of time with army wide stealth being a thing. I love combined arms lists but just can’t do it as the game stands.
short of having a way of at least negating stealth on a single unit each turn to allow at least 1 unit to be shot at a turn means that the points you spend on the ranged units is essentially wasted.
when you’re left hitting on 6’s it’s hard enough, but in cover you end up needing 7’s… so… forget it.
I for one really like the list @Sceleris, I think it fulfills the prompt with some solid counter-punch and objective scorers. I’d put the Mead on the Aeronauts personally but otherwise job’s a good 'un.
As for if it’s good … I’m not 100% I care either way. I think it’ll play as intended and find success in enough match-ups to be satisfying. I doubt there is a Halfling list about to set the world on fire in the current meta, which I’m fine with personally.
2 Likes
I’d be a little bit hesitant to condemn all Ra5+ shooting as rubbish (unless you always play against NS armies!) - many units are comparatively cheap or Regular, or both - which can aid army building.
Some clearly are better - Steady Aim is very helpful, piercing as well
2 Likes
There are over 40 units in KoW with Stealthy Built in.
Add to that the stealthy auras that some armies have available and the spell, and stealthy is way more widely available than just Nightstalkers.
I used the mathhammer tool in mantic companion and you are halving the value of Ra 5+ ranged units in the shooting phase (ie, double the points per wound) against a stealthy target.
Piercing doesn’t help alter the figures much - if you can’t hit, you’re not applying the piercing.
Without steady aim it’s even worse.
The game needs some sort of Unique(1) Magic Spotlight that will allow you to strip stealthy off a single target unit. Gives some counterplay to stealth, gives some counterplay for the stealther (taking out whoever has the spotlight or user terrain to block their LOS). Give it a range no longer than 24" and it will need to be positioned to be useful.
Call it Bard’s Illuminator 
I don’t think that enabling someone to engage a single unit a turn, where it usually takes the enemy 2-3 turns at most to hit your line is overpowering, and makes Ra 5+ units actually worth taking - especially if you intend to play in tournaments.
If the Nightstalker players whinge it shouldn’t be done because it would impact them, give them a slight points reduction per unit for stealthy (halve stealth’s cost when they are calculating unit value).
1 Like
Personally i barely take any unit shooting of any kind - 4+ or 5+, mainly because of play style!
Will be interesting to see how things might pan out, but from tournament lists i come across i don’t see either mass stealthy or mass shooting.
Archer hordes in KoM, for example, are more an unlock, a big chunk of nerve and some shots that might kill chaff. Am i relying on them to kill stuff - no.
As a list to do a shooting army with, halflings are one of the better ones. Rifles unlock, troll gunners can fight, the shooting heroes are decent and ok war engines
1 Like
Warmachine, for example, has/had an ability called Flare on some shooting attaks that would remove Stealthy (can’t be targeted from outside of 12") from targets hit. Which is basically what we’re talking about here.
Whatever the name, would make for a decent library spell.
1 Like