You are on page 1of 4

TACTICA The Empire

® ®

The Machines of War Deploying War Machines


Deploying war machines for a game of Warhammer used
to be so easy when I first started playing. My thought
process would go something like this:
• Find the nearest hill.
• Deploy all of my war machines atop it.
• Start shooting.

And this ‘tactic’ works well in many situations. A hill


allows you to see over all of your own troops and makes it
very difficult for your opponent to hide from your guns.
However, a canny player will deploy his army to counter
this (see later), all of which means that your precious
artillery will find itself hamstrung before the battle has
even begun. Although bunching your war machines
together on a hill does make it easy to them from the
enemy it also mean that if he does manage to get at one of
your prize war machines, chances are that he’ll get all the
rest of them too. As artillery crew are not the best in close
combat, a domino effect is likely to ensue with one war
machine after another getting nobbled, until your backline In this set-up the three Cannons
have countered the possibilities of
Top Tip
resembles a great war machine graveyard.
hiding behind the terrain. No
So how do you deploy effectively? The first thing to do, matter where the opponent
as any great military commander will tell you, is to deploys his unit, at least one of the It’s always important to
consider the terrain. Hills can be great places to set up cannons will be able to draw a agree what effect terrain
Pete Foley has been knocking around the Warhammer tournament circuit for a your shooting units, unless there are plenty of line-of-sight- bead to it. Spreading artillery out
in this method is also good for
has on line of sight
before the game starts
blocking terrain pieces between your opponent’s
while now and has helped to develop several of the Warhammer army books. In deployment zone and your battery of artillery. If so then
dealing with cavalry units, as they
will find it difficult not to expose
when using an army that
relies on shooting. Better
the following article he turns his thoughts to getting the best out of those deploying all of your artillery on the hill may leave you in their flanks to one of the artillery
to do it before your
a precarious situation as your opponent can use the terrain pieces, allowing you to get off an
menacing technological wonders: war machines. to approach them in safety.
all-important enfilading shot which Shooting phase is
wrecked because you
could wipe out the whole unit! It
Most important of all, consider where your opponent is also avoids the chances of the assumed your artillery
Selecting your Arsenal chance you will come up against Vampire likely to deploy his army and make sure you counter it in domino effect, where a unit which could see over that
All the Rage The first tactical decision that any general Counts, Dark Elves or Daemons of Chaos, your plan in some way. I find it useful to try and work out gets into contact with one of your
war machines then overruns into
building that your
opponent’s Dragon is
Tournament seasons, like
needs to make concerning war machines, so selecting war machines that will do well where my opponent is likely to deploy his troops, which another one and so on through
is which ones he needs to include in his against these races is a good start. terrain he’s likely to use, and which paths are his units hiding behind.
fashion seasons, shift as your entire battery.
players get to grips with army. Choosing the right war machine for The Vampire Counts and Dark Elves likely to manoeuvre through, to get to my army. I counter
the tricks offered by new the job at hand is very important when have a couple of things in common, in that this by placing my own units in places that have
releases and new tactics. selecting your army list – if you are already the bulk of their armies are made up of dominating arcs or fire or are well defended against enemy
This year Dark Elves, aware of which army you will be facing relatively low Toughness warriors (Dark Elf units trying to get to them. I then plug these gaps with
Daemons, and Vampire you can choose the war machine best Warriors, Skeletons and Zombies), who are sturdy defensive units of my own.
Counts are ‘in’. Last suited to deal with the units your opponent unlikely to flee (due to being Unbreakable One disadvantage to fielding a significant number of
season the Steam Tank-
is likely to field. That’s all well and good if or having a high Leadership) and who have war machines is that they all have to be deployed at the
toting Empire army was
the choice for the trend- you’re playing in a casual game against a potent characters. To this end, consider same time – something a canny foe will know, and be
setting tournament player. well-known opponent, but if you are weapons that will smash apart formations more than happy to take advantage of. This usually limits
The season before it was heading to a tournament or your local of infantry or can snipe at exposed the number of deployment drops that you have (That’s the
the Wood Elves’ turn in gaming club and you’re not sure what characters. Daemon armies feature number of units you have to deploy on the table, for those
the spotlight and so on army you’re likely to face, then selecting monstrous brutes such as Daemon Princes of you who don’t speak ‘tournament’ – Ed) and may allow
and so on. Check what’s the right tool can be a little more difficult. and Greater Daemons, who need killing as your opponent to deploy his precious elite units after you
going on in the After all, at a tournament there’s a huge fast as possible; and several very have already deployed your artillery, allowing him to
tournament scene by variety of armies you could face. threatening and swift units. Weapons such respond to their positions and seek to minimise the
logging on to the
So, when playing a tournament game, as Mortars and Stone Throwers can deal damage your war machines will cause. As a rule, I try to
Warhammer World blog
and checking the results of you need to take certain steps to equip with regiments of warriors, especially put my war machines down as late as I can. Doing this lets
the most recent your army to face the most likely larger formations, while Great Cannons, me see where my opponent is deploying most of his
tournaments to see what’s opponents, and this is by considering what Skaven Warp-lightning Cannons and Bolt troops, and enables me to respond as much as possible.
hot and what’s not in the opponents are most common – you can do Throwers can deal with multi-wound A word from the wise on this philosophy though: don’t
gaming scene this year! this by considering the armies ‘of the characters, monsters and the like. forget to leave space for your war machines when you’re
moment’ (see sidebar) and by taking Variety is the key here though – if you placing your own units. The last thing you want to do is
http://warhammerworld. Deploying on a hill gives your war machines unequalled line of sight across
choices that can deal with a variety of opt for an army that is a one-trick pony, block of their fields of fire and lines of site with clumsy the battlefield – just make sure to stick a reliable defensive unit between you
typepad.com/ threats. If you attend tournaments at the you’ll only have yourself to blame if your deployment. Whenever you place something, consider the and the enemy. Also, beware nearby terrain that could easily give enemy
moment, for example, there is a good one trick doesn’t work! effect it’s location will have on your artillery. units cover as they advance on your redoubt.

50 WHITE DWARF THE MACHINES OF WAR www.games-workshop.com 51


The Empire
®

Target in Sight The Art of Hitting Things


Getting the best out of your Shooting phase Anti-Personnel Choosing the right war machines is really
Weapons of
is all about selecting appropriate targets for The second type of war machine is one only half of the battle – the other half is
your war machines and letting them do that causes horrendous damage to large, making sure that your shots hit, and do
Choice what they are best at. Firing a Cannon at a ranked-up units. Mortars and Organ Guns maximum damage. Let’s look at how to
Of course, not all of unit of skirmishers will likely kill only one are good examples of these. These wreak havoc with your beloved artillery.
these types of war or two of the blighters (barely worth the weapons work by either putting out a high
machines are found in risk of a misfire), while ranked up volume of shots or by using a template. Troke-o-nometry
the arsenals of every regiments and monsters are ideal targets for Large blocks of troops have learned to fear Last month Adam Troke regaled White
army. Dwarfs, Orcs & its attentions. Most war machines can be these beasts, and often a single accurate Dwarf readers with several pages of
Goblins and the Empire grouped according to what they are good round of firing from one can turn a devious Empire tactics. Most useful to us,
have a formidable at killing. By making sure that you use menacing formation into little more than looking at war machines, was the section
collection of war these deadly machines on appropriate an afterthought. where he addressed how best to hit with
machines at their targets, you’ll find yourself in good stead Consider: Empire Volleyguns, Mortars your artillery. Guessing range successfully 24" (+2")
disposal, allowing them
to pick one to suit their
in any game you play. There are three and Dwarf Organ Guns, is a skill learned through years of
needs. Other armies only different types of common war machines wargaming (and the sinister application of
have one type available as follows: Jack-of-all-Trades Pythagoras Theory) and while I’d never
to them, making it The Jack-of-all-Trades is a slim category of stoop to recommending anyone used
harder to deal with all Anti-Armour war machines that can do it all! These tactics espoused by the despicable Mister
eventualities. And then Many of the war machines in the death-dealing weapons can pummel Troke, if you’re struggling to guess ranges,
there are other races that Warhammer world are the bane of heavily heavily armoured units, slaughter the it’s worth digging out last month’s White
have war machines that armoured troops: the Bolt Thrower and massed ranks and deal with multi-wound Dwarf and taking a refresher.
can deal with any
Cannon are the most prominent examples models all at once. The most obvious
situation. High Elf
Repeater Bolt Throwers of these, although they aren’t the only ones example of one of these is the Stone Side to Side
and Dark Elf Reaper Bolt by any means. Anti-armour war machines Thrower, a weapon that can hit several War machines with templates don’t really
Throwers can deal with are simply defined as those that allow their models at once, allows no armour saves require enfilading fire, but those that
pretty much any type of targets no saves. Many can also penetrate and inflicts D6 wounds on its victims. benefit from piercing shot really come into
enemy by being able to multiple ranks. An added bonus of such With these war machines the trick is to their own when they can travel through This Orc & Goblin Rock Lobba is about to pulp a unit of Empire Greatswords.
switch the way they fire. weapons is that they also tend to cause prioritise your targets; since they can kill several ranks. I strongly recommend Remember when you’re guessing range with a war machine that uses a template that
They can either fire a multiple wounds, which means that they everything your enemy has, it’s a matter of placing units like Bolt Throwers and you want your shot to land ‘inside’ your target. I know it sounds patronising, but the
single bolt, like a normal are also good at taking out monsters, getting the order right. Generally speaking, Cannons on the flanks of your force to number of times I’ve watched people laboriously work out the distance to the front
Bolt Thrower, or fire six of the target, and fail to do maximum damage are beyond counting!
characters or units of creatures with more it makes sense to hammer the units in the ensure enfilading fire – as your enemy’s
weaker shots, which
allows them to deal with than one Wound (such as Ogres), if you enemy army that threaten you most, fast- battleline advances he’ll be unable to
infantry blocks as well as can get one in your sights. moving cavalry, large formations of elite prevent some of his units exposing their
armoured troops. Consider: Dwarf Cannons, Bolt infantry and so on first. flanks, and that’s when you hammer them
Throwers, Empire Great Cannons and Consider: Repeater Bolt Throwers, with a cannonball or two! This is a
Goblin Doom Divers Stone Throwers, Bretonnian Trebuchet. particularly effective tactic against cavalry
units – they don’t normally have more than
a single rank, but if you can catch them
with a shot in the flank you might just slay
the whole unit!

Old Grudges Die Hard Area Denial


There are a few weapons which are
Dwarfs and greenskins have spent so long killing lovingly (or loathingly) referred to as ‘area
each other that they have become really quite denial’ weapons – the Helblaster
proficient at it – just look at their array of war Volleygun and the Dwarf Organ Gun are
machines. There’s a strong case for arguing that the primary examples. These don’t require
the greenskins and the stunties have the best any guesswork, they aren’t interested in 48" 48"
selection of war machines of all the races, each flanks or ranks or anything like that. All an
boasting anti-armour, anti-infantry and jack-of-all- area denial weapon needs is a dominating
trades artillery. Only the Empire comes close. fire position and a little luck. If you have a 24"
choice of targets, weigh up the best
likelihood of hitting (are they skirmishers,
are they in cover, and so on) against the
damage they will do if they’re left alone.

Practice Makes Perfect


I can’t say this enough – try, try and try
again. The more times you have a go at
guessing the range of a cannonball, the These two Dwarf Bolt Throwers are placed at opposite ends of the deployment area.
better you will get at it. The same is true With a range of 48" they can cover most of the battlefield between them, and will
when it comes to working out the facings force the opponent to advance cautiously for fear of exposing his flanks. The Organ
of targets and assessing threats. Gun – acting as an area denial weapon – deters the enemy from approaching too
close to the deployment area, keeping the Bolt Throwers safe for as long as possible.

52 WHITE DWARF THE MACHINES OF WAR www.games-workshop.com 53


The Empire
®

External
Forces
Special War Machines Screaming Skull Catapult
The Tomb Kings possess one of the most
deadly war machines in the game – the
Chaos Hellcannon
The Hellcannon sits in a similar place to
the Screaming Skull Catapult, in terms of
Twin-Linked!
Why have one when you
There are a number of Of course, there are plenty of war A Steam Tank is versatile, but without Screaming Skull Catapult. Screaming Skull its firepower. Not only does it fire like a can have two? Many of
external forces that can machines in the Warhammer world that focusing its efforts you can easily waste its Catapults are utterly lethal on the tabletop. Stone Thrower (with an even higher the war machines listed
be brought to bear to don’t quite fit into the categories already abilities by doing a little of this or a little of Primarily, these bony trebuchets are Stone Strength of 5, or Strength 10 under the throughout this article
enhance the power and
discussed. Here are just a few of the that and never truly concentrating it on any Throwers, and work in the same way. They hole), but it also causes Panic tests (with a work even better in
effectiveness of your war
weirder and wackier engines of destruction one thing. If you want it to fight then make cause D6 wounds, they allow no armour -1 penalty) on any units wounded by it. tandem – some armies
machines. Dwarf and
and how to get the best out of them. sure to get it stuck in – it can take on most saves and they use a template, ensuring And, misfire results that it suffers are often get two for the price of
Empire players can field
units, so do that. If you want it to shoot, plenty of damage. Worse still, however, is beneficial to the Warriors of Chaos player – one as well. Pair ups
engineers who enable
The Empire Steam Tank then move it into a great vantage point and such as a couple of
artillery to re-roll the ‘Screaming Skull’ aspect of the war or at least equally destructive to the foe!
Steam Tanks or two
misfires and the like (and The Steam Tank is a mighty engine of war. start shooting its Cannon! machine. Any unit that suffers even a The primary weakness of most war Screaming Skull
Dwarf Master Engineers It is great in close combat, almost single wound from a Screaming Skull machines is their fragility in close combat, Catapults are absolutely
can even be used to impossible to kill and drives around with a Skaven Warp-Lightning Cannon Catapult must take a Panic test! Oh, the something the Hellcannon is not terrifying for an
entrench your war Cannon poking out the front, which it can The Skaven are an ingenious race and have number of times this has sent my soldiers concerned by – a Hellcannon is a deadly opponent to have to play
machines). Portent of fire even if it moves! It really is one of the come up with some cracking weapons to into a rout. close combat monster (literally – it counts against. Even if they have
Far, from the Lore of
best units in the whole game and being a deal with their foes, such as the dreaded Worse (or better, depending whose side as a monster, not a war machine) in its considered how to deal
Heavens enables the
war machine means that it doesn’t give Warp-Lightning Cannon. This wonder- you’re on) is the fact that Liche Priests can own right, and controlling players will with one of these terrors,
effected unit to re-roll
away any victory points until it is weapon doesn’t require line of sight to fire mutter incantations that can make the need to spend more time worrying about it is unlikely that they
rolls of 1 to wound – a will be prepared to deal
sure-fire way to get your completely destroyed – a feat which is at a target and, although it is incredibly Screaming Skull Catapult fire twice each whether it’s going to charge nearby
with two. Also it means
cannonball smashing easier said than done. unreliable, you can never ignore it as it has Shooting phase, and that for a modest 20 enemies than whether somebody might that if one of your war
through enemy. Best of At a tournament a couple of years ago the potential to destroy any (and every) points you can upgrade the shot to inflict a actually do it harm in a fight. Oh, and it’s machines doesn’t do
all, in my opinion, is the I played against a very tough opponent and model in its path. -1 penalty on the Panic tests! got a 5+ ward save. quite what it was
Incantation of Righteous the luck of the dice went with me that day. Use your Warp-Lightning Cannon to Feel free to target both heavily Use your Hellcannon to pound your supposed to over the
Smiting, which enables a I wiped out every model in his Empire snipe at characters wandering about on armoured troops and lightly armoured enemy into submission while the rest of course of a turn, you get
Screaming Skull catapult to have another go with
to fire twice in one turn!
army except his Steam Tank, which their own, blast multi-wound models and formations with your Screaming Skull your army advances. Warriors of Chaos
took at least two turns of magic, shooting kill off targets in hard to reach places, Catapult – it can deal with absolutely any armies normally struggle for fire support, the other one! Double
Awesome stuff. the fun, in other words.
and combat from most of my army and it thanks to its uncanny ability to fire through unit, and makes a mockery of any foes but in the Hellcannon, they get the best
still survived. terrain (and intervening models). with a Leadership score. there is!

54 WHITE DWARF THE MACHINES OF WAR www.games-workshop.com 55


The Empire
®

Defending your War Machines The Art of Getting Shot At!


Target Selection So I’ve spent the last seven pages telling
Keeping your war machines alive can be a
Dig In!
you how to wreak havoc on your enemies
difficult challenge. With marauding cavalry Make sure that you target the units that are
with your artillery. To redress the balance
Dwarf war machines have
and skirmishing archers taking pot-shots, likely to be able to get at your war
somewhat, here are some tips as to how to
an extra edge when it the life of a war machine crewman is an machines as soon as possible. Units of
survive the attentions of a master gunner!
comes to staying alive. uncertain one. So, how do you ensure that flyers, fast cavalry or fast-moving
Not only are the crew of these weapons of destruction are still skirmishers will be the usual suspects and Opposing Deployment
the machines Dwarfs, causing your opponent problems right to should be wiped out in short order. Slower
meaning WS4 T4 warriors
Using the terrain and your deployment
the bitter end? infantry units will take time to get to your
who are Stubborn as long effectively can mean the difference
lines and are more susceptible to being
as their machine is intact, Use the Terrain between getting blown off the board in two
march blocked by your own units.
but for each Master turns or getting into combat with his
Where you can, set up your war machines
Engineer you include you
Interception Tactics squishy war machine crew in short order.
can entrench one of your
behind difficult terrain that does not block
Try to delay deploying units in your
war machines. An line of sight, such as setting up in rocky Use your own fast cavalry, skirmishers and
army that excel at hunting war machines
entrenched war machine ground or behind low walls and hedges. flyers to engage and disrupt any forays
until as late as possible. Because your
is a difficult prospect to This could give you a vital extra turn of against your war machines – keep an eye
opponent has to deploy all of his war
deal with, as it counts as shooting before your opponent can declare out for enemy units moving around your
being in cover. This
machines at once, it means that he will
a charge against your war machines. flanks or darting from cover to cover, and
means that it is much probably have had to deploy all of these
At the same time make sure that there then move in with your own units to
harder to hit with dangerous units before you have to put
are no direct paths to your war machines intercept them. By doing this you can keep
shooting, and in combat down all of yours. Once they are deployed
behind interposing terrain. Take a moment these enemy units distracted long enough –
enemies lose all charging you can take your time to plan a route for
bonuses. If there’s a to think how you would try to get at the or kill them to properly end the threat they
your elite units through the terrain, using it
Master Engineer tooled war machine if you were the opponent. If pose to your artillery battery – for you to
to block line of sight as you approach his
up with runic weapons, you can see a route that allows you to get get a few extra rounds of shooting out of
war machines. You can also heavily weight
they’ll prove particularly within charge distance without drawing a each of your valuable war machines. If it
one side of your battleline so that you can
troublesome to deal with. significant amount of firepower then means sacrificing some of your cheaper
easily overpower the units on that side
maybe this isn’t the best spot to deploy in. troops to do so, then so be it.
without the rest of your opponent’s guns
drawing a bead on your troops.

Killing War Machines Scour the vaults of your army book for Above. Use intervening terrain
If you suspect that you are likely to be any magic items to help keep your units to safely approach enemy war
facing war machines then make sure you alive, especially those expensive ones that machines. Move from cover to
cover until you are close
have the tools to deal with them. Examples all the enemy shooting will be aimed at. enough to charge, having
include units of flyers, fast cavalry units or Ward saves vs shooting, extra -1 modifiers minimised any incoming fire.
fast-moving skirmishers. If you have access to hit – anything to help keep your warriors
to these troops in your army then seriously alive on the way across the board.
consider them . Finally, you can use your own war
Many army books have their own machines! There is nothing quite as good
special war machine-hunting unit types. at taking out an Empire Great Cannon in Below. When using tunnelling
These units can turn up behind the enemy the first turn of a game as another Great troops to attack war machines,
consider which angle you
and these are well worth investing in if you Cannon. With a Strength of 10 and each attack them from. Place the
can. Examples of these include Skaven wound causing D6 wounds, it can easily tunnel counter in such a way
Gutter Runners or the dreaded Tomb destroy it. Many other war machines are as to be able to overrun into
Scorpions of the Tomb Kings. great at taking out their counterparts too. an adjacent war machine.

56 WHITE DWARF THE MACHINES OF WAR www.games-workshop.com 57

You might also like