Halfling Army list

[andys]

Hopefully the attachment works!

Something I've been dabbling with.

Halfling units based on what's available from Pendraken - needs a Hotpot model sourcing!

The "high" number of Ogre units is based on Ogres being attracted to Halfings for the food. It also gets the point count up, otherwise you need to make a lot of Halfling units and your basic fluff on Halfings says aren't that large a race.

The Empire units represent the units the Empire would send to aid the Halflings in time of war. They also to help players pad the army out with Empire figures they probably already own, making the army easier to build!

Comments?

[Edmund2011]

Sounds fun!

It is strange that town watch and rangers have halb and crossbowmn stats (that's perfect for me) but they have a VERY good special bonus and cost the same as halbierds and crossbowmen  that is not balanced

The field kitchen is a good idea

[jchaos79]

Hey Andy I like the list and the concept. As a flaw in my opinion too many entries, maybe I will drop knights or ogres... do not know.

Being fortified is a serious thing in the game. Did you playtest the list?

 I see it very defensive for halflings and maybe a little frustrating for attackers when they found a lot of little halflings fortified through the table awaiting for them. Just a thought.

Maybe I increase some point cost to halflings or drop 1 Attack in militia or rangers but leave Twon watch with 3 attack. Then modify the special being fortified only against shooting. I like the fluff thing of the cover, but thinking in fluff when a group of ork warriors, chaos warriors, or skelleton enter in melee I do not see how a group of halflings can only be hit 6+.    maybe if they were Ewoks and fight in the moon of Endor I could see the fortified thing

I like Hot pot. I see it in general interesting list.

[jchaos79]

Eureka has a hot pot I guess

[Edmund2011]

Poor Imperial Stormtrooper legions.... they never knew what hit them... 

.    maybe if they were Ewoks and fight in the moon of Endor I could see the fortified thing

[Lex]

I will put a chip in the hotpot......

the list suffers from the same issues that became the focus on discussion for the Woodelf list(s)

There is NO set figure-ratio in Warmaster. That 3 stand unit of Halfling archers could as accurately portray them as the 30-40-ish halflings actually depicted as models, as it could presume to represent a much larger unit at a 1:20 or 1:50 ratio.

Then there is the fluff.

For both the Woodelves and the Halflings their habitat is geographically restricted and neither people are numerous enough to go on a rampage all over the known world. In essence both armies would be most likely found defending their homes, and both armies SHOULD be considered VERY good at doing that job, as both locations have seen their fair share of invaders AND still manage to exist.

Army selectors for Woodelves or Halflings should take that into consideration. Buffs for "knowing the lay of the land" are the most logical way of handling that, but as all things WM, each bonus should have a malus and vice versa.

In case of he Halfling list, a bonus for "merging with the land" when being shot at, or even when being charged (as in negating charge bonus) should have an offset. Going for regular H2H values is not the malus you are looking for, but (IMHO) the restriction in the selector should allow for limited allies. Do not try to "compensate" what would be a good and fluff-based list with elements that are just there for compensation.

[andys]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Playtested? No, I've no opponents 

As Lex says, the Halflings are limited both in numbers and territory. I don't really see them ever being more than a 1000 point army. 1500 tops?

Given the low numbers, the Empire troops and Ogres are a device for being able to field a 1000 point force without having massive numbers of low point value Halfling units, as I don't think the fluff points to there being lots of the little folk around. Similarly, the Scouts (AKA an Empire skirmisher stand equivalent) are another device to field a force without having an unrealistically, "non-fluff" number of Halfling units.

The Empire troops are, as stated in the list, also what would be sent to reinforce the Halflings. A bit of fluff within the army list if you will.

Potentially you could field an all Halfling force, or reduce the number of Empire/Ogre units. That's a LOT of Halflings, maybe nearly the whole male population mobilised?! 

I see what is meant by the "too well defended" statement, I've amended the fortified/defended bit and toned down the shooting bonus to just the Scouts. Amended list attached.

[jchaos79]

Just thinking in the special 1, suming up

Militia and Rangers count as fortified in defence ground against shooting (6+ to hit, 2 dice less for draw back)
Town watch count as "something" in defence ground against shooting (5+ to hit, 2 dice less for draw back)

Is it?

And a question for special 1: What happens with artillery shooting? I assume that apply the same way, is it?



I just get realize that Halfling general has 9 in command like humans. They are civilizated, but are they a war keen or strategos to have 9 in cmd?

[empireaddict]

I’m really intrigued by this list, having already done a unit of Eureka Halflings
http://www.forum.specialist-arms.com/index.php?topic=5055.msg39728#msg39728
So I hope you won’t mind if I throw in some comments.

The first thing that strikes me is that the basic infantry are very similar to Empire and so the danger is that the wider response will be “hey, why not just have an Empire army?”  Also, in comparison to Halberdiers etc., shouldn’t their stats be slightly less than humans?  Perhaps not as low as Goblins, but on the way there?

Second, I think ‘difficult to see and masters of their local terrain’ is something to try and replicate, but I don’t think an extra defensive terrain bonus is the solution.  Why not make some units able to infiltrate like Skaven Gutter Runners?  Instead of doing something new, just copy an existing WM template and this gives them a ‘guerrilla’ style of defence against invaders.  Also, do you need Scouts and Rangers?  And if you call them Rangers doesn’t that imply that they should have the same pursuit abilities as Dwarf Rangers?

Third, I think the allies are a good idea.  But perhaps tweak it so that they only get to choose one type from Ogres, Empire and Dwarves?  No more than 2 units per 1,000 points and must have its own hero with it?  And wouldn’t Pistoliers be a more likely immediate reinforcement of the Moot than Knights?

Fourth, I see the point already made about the general’s command value.  Why not keep it at 9 but give him a minus 1 when ordering non-Halfling units?

I realise all this might come across as a bit critical, but if this list gets ironed out and gains general acceptance, I’ll be one of the first to be ordering more little models from Eureka.  Hence what I hope are constructive criticisms.

[andys]

I just get realize that Halfling general has 9 in command like humans. They are civilizated, but are they a war keen or strategos to have 9 in cmd?

I'm assuming they are fighting on their home territory, so are more likely not to blunder as they know the lie of the land, the 9 reflects that. If they were a campaigning army, fighting away from the Moot, then 8 might be more appropriate.

The Wood Elf general in the Trial Armies book had a Ld of 10, not something a Halfling could ever aspire to I think.

If any one would play test this, I'd be interested in the result!

[andys]

empireaddict,

The list is deliberately a bit "Empirey", as the Halflings would be reliant on the Empire for aid in war and thus adopt Empire-style organisation. Hence the Human troop choices as well. Plus as I said upthread, it should make it easier to field an army, as Empire style figures are readily available from several manufacturers.

The Militia is low value, to represent civilians called to arms. The equivalent of Bretonian peasants but without the command penalty - perhaps they need that "fault" adding to them?

Rangers? Just a name, no reason why they can't simply be called Archers.

I like the idea of adding Dwarves into the mix of choices, but it all needs a good bit of caution, otherwise it might end up as an army with some Halflings in it, rather than a Halfling army. Maybe simply allow a percentage (20 or 25%?) of the army to be picked from the Empire or Dwarf lists, to always include a single hero, 1 infantry and 1 cavalry unit as a minimum? Although "cavalry" wouldn't apply to the Dwarves  !!

No matter how good they are at defence, when all is said and done they are Halflings - not natural warriors by any stretch of the imagination. So when an enemy gets to grips with them, they're going to suffer. They need a few advantages but still should die relatively easily in close combat.

Edit: Nice units on your link - wish I could paint that well!!

[empireaddict]

Andys,
Understood.  And thanks for the comment about the army.  The Halflings were quite fun to paint.

Regarding the list, my advice would be that if you want it to gain traction with the WM community it would be wise to use stat lines and points costs from other armies where there is an equivalency.  So, yes, make them just like Bretonnian peasants with their associated penalties.  And that's also why I suggested using Gutter Runners - it's an established troop type/cost and sort of fits with what you're trying to achieve.

I'll also see if I can playtest your list at some point soon.

[andys]

empireaddict,

Eminently sensible comments duly noted  .

Army list tweaked and attached.

I've got 7 units of Brettonian Knights to paint, then I can get on with the Halfing Army pack I bought the other week. A busy couple of weeks coming up...

Edit: As far as allies/supporting troops goes, (Empire or Dwarf lists), how about 30% for a 1000 point army and 25% for anything over 1000 points. So, for example, 300 points for a 1000 point army, 375 for a 1500 point army and 500 for a 2000 point army. In every case, the allies can only have a single hero character.

That really nails down the supporting troops, a maximum of 4 infantry units if you went with Empire allies and only 2 with Dwarves for a 1000 point army.

For extra variety, how about "no restrictions" on what the allies can have. So a 300 point Dwarf force could have 2 Gyrocopters and a Flame cannon, or even 4 Flame cannons?!

[Geep]

If I was making this list I'd give the Halflings the stats of skinks/goblins. Halflings in Warhammer are pretty terrible- WS2, S2 and/or T2 from memory. They have BS4 shooting, but no longbows. 2/1, 3, -, 15cm range Represents that very well to me.

This is just personal opinion obviously- so long as you and your opponents are happy with the list it really doesn't matter.

[andys]

Finished. Well, nearly. I just painted the last unit of archers this evening. Now all I've got to do is flock 68 bases (!!) and it's done. Photos next weekend, with a fair wind. Amended army list attached.

2 units of Town Watch
9 units of Militia
5 units of Archers
16 bases of Scouts
1 General
3 Heroes

I might, one day, do a couple of units of Poachers but, for now, I've had enough of painting Halflings and have a pile of Dogs of War and Araby (all from Pendraken) to do that the kids bought me for Xmas.