Battle tactics:
How to deal with Scaven:
The problem with Scaven is that they are very anti
dwarf army. Just think about it- they have more mobility than dwarf
could ever imagine, weapons which ignore toughness and armor when causing
wounds (poison wind globes, warpfire throwers...) and of course the dreaded
Dwarfgauger!
Army selection: When fighting with scaven you have
to remember your dwarfs will be outnumbered 5-1 or more. In such cases
quantity is sometimes better than quality... Try to field big regiments
to minimize the ratmen combat result bonuses from many ranks. Scaven are
week but when they have +4 combat result (more than three
ranks and standard) there is possibility that smaller unit will lose with
them. Also large regiments help your troops survive the warpfire throwers
shooting, and poison wind effect( they can survive
2-3 shots and get in hth combat). Missile troops and altilery is also useful.
Scaven missile weapons have very short ranges so they have to move closer
to use them. Dwarf army however can hit them with altilery and crossbows
practically from turn 1. That gives dwarf player some advantage.
Don't take Gromil rune for your general! Your opponent surely will have
dwarf gauger and will try to challenge your general as soon as he can.
spend the additional points on unmodified saves (rune of sprite, black
amulet and so on) and runes of luck to rerol failed saves and pray to dwarfen
gods to survive the first round of combat.
Dealing with:
When scaven are away you can play offensive and try to
shoot them up using the altillery. Sadly when they came close you have
to start moving to avoid being burn or choked to death.
-
Warpfire throwers: If scaven player fields warpfire
thrower unit he is an idiot. You just won the battle with this guy! If
one of those machines misfire (very possible) the whole unit will probably
be killed or explode. Sadly most of scaven generals use them as detachments
to clanrat and stormvermin units. And there is no way you can shoot at
them because they count as part of the unit...However if you manage to
break, of scare ratmen regiment the WT will voluntary stay in place- and
be no longer part of unit. Is such situation they are just punching bags
and moving targets for the dwarfs! Alternatively you can wait. They will
explode anyway- its just a matter of time.
-
Poisoned Wind Globbardiers: all what I said above
also applies for wind globbardiers. Only differences are that they are
less dangerous and can run. They are probably even more irritating than
warpfire throwers because hey don't explode so often.
-
Doomwhele: It's big, draws much attention and can
be dangerous. Sadly (for scaven player) one accurate cannon shoot
can easily kill some rats immobilizing it, crush the wheel construction,
or hit the warlock engenires (in this case ratmen will probably have to
destroy the machine themselves as it will rampage completely out of control
). In most of my games with scaven my first cannon shoot in turn 1 was
hitting warlock engenires on Domwhele.
-
Dwarf Gauger: As I said before
dwarfen general have to put his armor with rune or gromill away and. I
know that Gromil rune and combination I will present here are little beardy,
but how to play without tuning up your characters when oponet has Dwarf
Gauger?! Probably most effective rune combo against scaven for your general
is: 3 Runes of Resistance on armor and Master Rune of Spiteand 2 Runes
of Luck . This gives you 4 unmodified saves on 4+ with 2 possible rerols
so there is a chance you will survive the scaven general's attack. Also
pick some deadly weapon to kill him as fast as you can- remember you cannot
aford to not kill him in one turn. If he survives your attack, you'll probably
not have next chance.
-
Skirmishers: Use Gyrocopters and independent
moving characters, try to shoot to them from dangered war machines( maybe
it will work...)
-
Clanrats: Do not uderestimate them. It's possible
that they are feed with the Scavenbrow, and if they are you can expect
20" charge and 4 attacks from each ratmen (not mentionig the characters
in the unit). If however they act normally, they are your least problem.
You shouuld soften them up though, because in large numbers they can be
quite hard to brake. Basicly large numbers of them just protect the Warpfirethrowers,
and rarely involve in serious combat (with units not "softened" by warpfire).
-
Stormvermins: Better scaven - they are realy no match
for Dwarf elite troops, still there's more of them. Watch for flank atacks
from clanrats, and you should be all right.
-
Plague Monks: Watch for the Clenser Bearers! Monks
are frenzied, and that makes them alost equal in power to your troops.
Attack with elite troops.
-
Rat Swarms/Scaven Slaves: Those regimenrts are misslefire
shields, and attention catchers. Of course it may seem easy to charge 30
rats or 40 scaven slaves and beat them in one turn- but keep in mind hat's
what they are for. Yes they are fully expendable, and when you loose time
(and men possibly) kiling them for few VP, the real units outmanouver you
and prepare for charge! As long as they are far away from your War Machines,
leave them alone.
-
Rat Ogres: they're though, and hard to kill. If you
however can place one accurate shoot (Flame Cannon!) which will take out
the packmasters you can stop worry- Scaven's overgrown pets will go stupid
most of the time. Charge from behind, also is an good option, but with
M3 you have to be lucky to have such opportunity.
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