Horgle Ironstrike

Template:Trollbox This model is playable only in an Unlimited format.

A talented blacksmith, Horgle Ironstrike has always been skilled with the manipulation of fire to bend metal to his will. His gifts awakened, he has mastered fire itself and wields it with brutal effect in defense of the kriels. Ironstrike has a special affinity for pyre trolls and slag trolls, taking their fiery innate abilities and stoking them to create a blazing inferno.

Basic Info

Abilities

• Template:Fire Immunity
• Template:Tough
• Template:Burnt Meat
• Template:Lesser Warlock

Weapons

Flaming Sword
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		1				4				11
Template:Continuous Fire Template:Magical Damage
Smith's Hammer
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		1				4				11
Template:Magical Damage Template:Critical Ram

Spells

{{Category: Template:Hot-ShotTemplate:Ember Spark }}[[Category: Template:Hot-ShotTemplate:Ember Spark ]]

Theme Forces

• Template:Band of Heroes. He gains "Optional Take Down" in this theme.
• Template:Power of Dhunia. In this theme he can start the game with friendly upkeeps in play.

Thoughts on Horgle1

Horgle1 in a nutshell

Horgle is a lesser warlock, taking some of the load off your warlocks by bringing a ranged beast to put Hot Shot on. In short, he's a fury management tool for non battlegroup focused warlocks, with an attached gun platform. He also has a good late game melee potential and a Troll Defensive profile that makes him harder to remove than most similarly costed models.

One minor issue Horgle1 has is that the themes he can play in do not really have that many ways for him to utilise Burnt Meat, as they do not have models to spread fire with, other than the Pyre Troll and himself, which puts him at risk as Ember Spark is a low ranged spell.

In Band of Heroes he can cast animi on infantry that actually like being in melee: Skaldi Bonehammer can actually hurt heavies with a nice +2 to damage rolls. He also gains optional take down which will only really come into play if you take some big risks.

Beast to Run

• Slag Troll or Pyre Troll - Their respective animi give Horgle a damage buff he can hand out to himself or other models, while he can put Hot Shot onto them for some mean fire power. The Pyre Troll is especially recommended as it works very well with Hot Shot due to ROF 2 on it's gun and its cheaper. But a spray with boosted damage rolls coming from a Slag Troll can also be very powerful and it's animus lets Horgle double stack continuous effects on his melee weapons, which is cute.
• Dire Troll Bomber - Expensive, but there is hardly a better taget for Hot Shot.
• Glacier King - Even more expensive, but three shots under Hot Shot speak for themselves. Its huge base and Snowfall can keep Horgle very safe, so if you have a way to keep your king safe (Such as Gunnbjorn1's Rock Wall and feat) this combination can be very effective.

Combos & Synergies

Any warlock who lacks a native damage buff / wants another, is not battlegroup focused, but wants to play in Band of Heroes or Power of Dhunia (likely the former) will like Horgle1. This isn’t a long list of models but Madrak1, Madrak3, Ragnor1, Jarl Skuld, Grissel1, Grissel2 and Borka1 all qualify.

• Krielstone - Anything Trollblood and with multiple wounds wants the Stone.
• Horthol, Boomhowler3 and similar combat solos love the Pyre or Slag animus on the charge.
• Hermit - Telemety means you can land Ember Spark even on high DEF models reliably. Mad Visions can also men the difference between him surviving or his beast going wild.
• A Road Hog run by Rorsh & Brine can spread fire for Burnt Meat.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• If Horgle dies, his troll(s) become near pointless.
• Only part of a limited number of themes, which effectively limits the casters that would realistically run them (Gunnbjorn2 would love a Hot Shot Bomber, but will never run PoD or BoH).
  • This also means he is usually the only model who can trigger Burnt Meat for his beasts, as Northkin Raiders, Fire Eaters or the Hooch Hauler are not in the same themes he is in, and Rorsh & a Road Hog is not a realistic combo.
• Madrak0 may not have hot shot but he is in every theme and reduces warbeast strain.

Tricks & Tips

• Remember that he can boost and, if he has a Pyre Troll, he can cast Flaming Fists on himself. This means he does more melee damage than the Pyre Troll. If you were going to take a Pyre Troll he's very possibly worth it just for that.
• When it is time to go in, this is the most efficient way to attack:
  • First, Horgle casts the Pyre Troll's Flaming Fists on himself.
  • Then he charges his target, boosting to hit with his hammer if needed. The target should now be knocked down.
  • Then he swings with his sword to light the target on fire.
  • Now it's on fire, his beast charges the knocked down target for free. The beast buys up to three attacks.

Other

Trivia

Released in Hordes: Exigence (2014)