Using Warhounds and Mastiffs in HC

[Deadmanwade]

Hi all,

I'm quite taken with the Warhounds and Mastiffs sets for the Warlord Celt and Britons ranges and was thinking about getting some for the Celtic army I am slowly putting together.

However, after a look through the HC army list book, I cant find any entry for them. Am I just being blind (it has happened before)? I find it strange that Warlord's army book won't allow you to field all of the models they sell.

Any ideas about rules, unit size etc?

Cheers,

[A Lot of Gaul]

I can't think of any historical battles in which warhounds or mastiffs played a significant role. OTOH, they might look great on a general's command stand, or adding colour to warband unit. You might even use them to distinguish fanatic or bodyguard warbands from 'standard' ones.

Cheers,
Scott

[Cubster]

I'd just include them in the front rank of a warband for aesthetic purposes. There's no need for special rules, just accept them as part of the whole.

[zedeyejoe]

Rules writers and figure sellers two different groups of lads. Now how do you think war dogs should be handled, as fighting skirmishers perhaps?

[Deadmanwade]

Hmm, I was hoping to use them as a disruptive skirmishing unit. Have you any of you played Rome: Total War? The war dog units in that are kind of what I would like to see. You have a bunch of handlers and a unit full of dogs. When you get within range, the dogs are unleashed and charge at the target unit causing panic and injuries. However, they are a one shot deal. Win or lose the unit is reduced to just the handlers as the dogs are either wiped out or relentlessly pursuing stragglers.

I'm sure it isn't historically accurate to use them in big battles, but at the same time it is nice to break up the hordes of identical warbands with a bit of variation. And since the nice folk at WG have seen fit to sculpt, cast and sell them I think it would be a shame not to use them.

[A Lot of Gaul]

It sounds like you are well on your way toward creating some imaginative house rules for warhounds. You could always develop and playtest them further, and share the results here.

Cheers,
Scott

[rick priestley]

I'm sure it isn't historically accurate to use them in big battles, but at the same time it is nice to break up the hordes of identical warbands with a bit of variation. And since the nice folk at WG have seen fit to sculpt, cast and sell them I think it would be a shame not to use them.

Blimey - I'm just working thorugh the army lists for WW2 Germans... better make sure I get the werewolves and zombies in!

But seriously... I just mix them into the ranks because they look good - the same with any number of character pieces - but please free free to improvise rules if you like - that's kinda what HC is about.

Rick

[Deadmanwade]

I'm sure it isn't historically accurate to use them in big battles, but at the same time it is nice to break up the hordes of identical warbands with a bit of variation. And since the nice folk at WG have seen fit to sculpt, cast and sell them I think it would be a shame not to use them.

Blimey - I'm just working thorugh the army lists for WW2 Germans... better make sure I get the werewolves and zombies in!

But seriously... I just mix them into the ranks because they look good - the same with any number of character pieces - but please free free to improvise rules if you like - that's kinda what HC is about.

Rick

Ha ha ha, point taken. Does that mean no Vampires either? .

No offence intended, HC is an awesome looking game. I am still putting models together for it so I haven't played it yet, but I am looking forward to doing so immensely. What I meant was that all the lists are fairly generic, rather than being for a specific historical force (e.g. the XIVth legion Vs. Boudicca), so I wasn't too concerned that hunting dogs may or may not have been present at any given battle. I may still pick some up to mix in with my warbands as you suggested, or to use as a separate unit in demo games because the models do look cool and it may help 'sell' the game.

Thanks for the response and good luck with the Germans, with or without the zombies I'm sure it will be awesome.

[zedeyejoe]

From Strabo

Most of the island is flat and overgrown with forests, although many of its districts are hilly. It bears grain, cattle, gold, silver, and iron. These things, accordingly, are exported from the island, as also hides, and slaves, and dogs that are by nature suited to the purposes of the chase; the Celti, however, use both these and the native dogs for the purposes of war too. The men of Britain are taller than the Celti, and not so yellow-haired, although their bodies are of looser build.

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/R ... tml#ref143

[grant]

Blimey - I'm just working thorugh the army lists for WW2 Germans... better make sure I get the werewolves and zombies in!

Rick

It's ok; I'm working on a BA WW2 supplement called "Achtung! Braaains..." due out for 1 April 2012. It's ghostwritten by my favourite undead author, Heinz Zomberian