Lots of armies have a berserker unit that are similar to their baseline unit with extra attacks, fearless and wild charge. Sometimes they have an extra rule: CS, vengeance etc. The downside is a point lower defence and a higher price tag.
I haven’t fielded (or built) any of these units but could take spirit walkers or fanatics.
What are your experiences with/opinions on berserker units?
Thanks!
i’m planning on taking two regiments of them in KoM (fanatics). they’re fragile but i find their boosted attacks and wild charge makes them a little better than polearms, which are the other comparable option.
when using the borrowed Ogre army awhile back, the Ogre beserkers and the beserker bully were some of the more effective beatsticks, but they were still pretty fragile for Ogres, and if i wasn’t the one able to get the charge in first, they often got wiped out fast.
Are you planning to field any troops? Would you consider making them fanatics?
In Trident Realms we have Thuul, they have Me 3+ with 15 attacks on a troop. Defensively they have both ensnare and stealthy.
I find them very good units. I don’t use them every game, but they are invaluable against certain opponents. TR sometimes struggle with High nerve armies/units like goblins etc, and these guys usually work a treat for me. Especially if you have a bane chant somewhere as backup (in case it is needed)
They tend to be glass hammers, so need support.
That support comes from the rest of your army, so how good they are depends on that.
I think they would do well as a second line, in an army with units to screen them. I would definitely consider fanatics in KoM.
When I ran Varangur (in 2nd) I didn’t get much from Reaver’s though. My other units were expensive and had better things to do than look after reavers. My chaff was also on the expensive side and had other hammers to support. So reaver always became an easy target
i ran troops of them at Indystorm as part of a pike horde/polearm rgmt/rifle troop/cannon mix. the troops of fanatics worked ok, one troop of fanatics hits as hard as a regiment of polearm, with a bit better melee skill, and the small size let them get a few flank charges in. but their low relative rout value meant that they couldn’t really take many hits (though the fearless was nice.)
plus troop size units don’t unlock, so if your army build needs extra hero, monster, or war engine slots, they don;t give you much help there.
As well as polearms, footguard troops seem worth considering. A troop of footguard with CS, - 1 def are 5 points cheaper than a troop of fanatics. Offensively they’re only down 2 attacks but have higher def and nerve (but not fearless).
However the fanatics have wild charge - if it gets you a charge they’re probably worth it. Makes me think they’d be less good against other fast infantry, elves etc.
They do look like they’d need some protection. I’ve not seen many people play with a second line, it nearly all ends up at the front. A possible downside - as a second line unit you might not get the full benefit from wild charge.
I wasn’t aware of them but Thuul seem great. Stealthy and ensnare are just what berserker units need! No wild charge but speed 6.