Trollkin Long Riders

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

Long riders gallop into battle as inexorably as the tide, riding thick-framed and powerfully muscled bison that pound the earth beneath thundering hooves as they charge to shatter enemy lines. The impact of these great steeds can send even titans tumbling back into the mud, all while the riders lay down deadly blows with their long-handled axes.

Basic Info

Abilities

• Template:Cavalry
• Template:Tough
• Template:Bull Rush Order
• Template:Follow Up
• Template:Reposition 3

Weapons

• Cavalry Axe - 2" reach, P+S 12 melee attack
  • Template:Brutal Charge
• Mount - 0.5" reach, POW 14 mount attack
  • Template:Critical Knockdown

Theme Forces

• Template:Band of Heroes. They gain "Optional Take Down" in this theme.
• Template:Storm of the North. They become Northkin models and gain Immunity: Cold in this theme.

Thoughts on Trollkin Long Riders

Trollkin Long Riders in a nutshell

Long Riders are the heaviest cavalry unit in the game - and are slam-machines with their Bull Rush. Do you like slams? Then these are awesomely fun - and pretty effective in the right army.

Combos & Synergies

• Themes
  • In Theme - Storm of the North they become Northkin, and can be affected by the Northkin Elder's krielstone warping buffs. The elder can boost speed or strength.
  • Theme - Band of Heroes solves the problem of tough units with no knockdown.
• Movement and Speed
  • Fell Caller Hero - One is pretty much mandatory if you want to field them. Pathfinder is crucial for their large bases, lest they get bogged down by a forest or wall these tuffalos cannot charge through normall for some reason.
  • Grissel Bloodsong, Fell Caller, and Boomhowler, the Destroyer: Hoof It lets long riders disengage a long way so they can get that second charge. Not that you can fail a Bull Rush and still move with Hoof It, but you cannot fail a charge and do the same.
• Improved Attack
  • They have a specific support solo: Horthol, Long Rider Hero who gives them Line Breaker for +d6 on impact attack rolls. When facing high defense, single wound infantry, the extra die on attack rolls can be very effective.
  • Madrak Ironhide, Thornwood Chieftain: Guided Hand gives them an extra dice on attack rolls to help fish for crits on the impact. Add in Horthol to make it 4 dice to hit.
• Improved Damage
  • Madrak Ironhide, World Ender/Madrak, Great Chieftain: Blood Fury/Battle Lust gives them an extra dice for damage rolls. Because it is an additional dice this also applies to Impact rolls.
  • Pyre Troll or Slag Troll - Flaming Fists or Acidic Touch adds to melee damage, not STR, so it affects the mounts, which means it affects the Bull Rush order slams, and impact attacks. The problem? You can only ever target one per unit and if you try to put another animus on another model in the same unit, the old animus expires, as unintuitive as that is. But if you want to get one super powered slam out there, its definetly an option.
• Staying Alive
  • Horgle, the Anvil: Inviolable Resolve combined with the Krielstone makes them Arm 22, no pushes or slams, plus Solid Ground prevents knockdown.
  • Dhunian Archon - She heals them when something else dies and negates damage rolls against them by sacrificing her own HP.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Large bases can be more difficult to position, to navigate around obstacles and rough terrain. They are also easy to draw line of sight to, which means they become a target for guns and debuff spells.
• Threatening 12 inches on the charge or 10.5 inches on the slam means they can be vulnerable to attrition before they have a tangible impact on the game. They want speed buffs to make them less vulnerable and more effective, which means the long rider package invariably requires support of some flavor.

Tricks & Tips

• When performing a "Press Forward" order, to run/charge, say you're making a "Bull Rush." That way, if you have a clear path to something within 10.5 inches of one of the long riders, that rider can slam instead of charge. This is because Bull Rush allows models to run, charge, or slam.
• The basic melee attack after resolving the slam and follow up movement can be used against any model in range, not just the slammed model.
• Remember, the slam attack doesn't benefit from the additional attack die that the long rider would get from charging. Use the slam against easy to hit models. The long riders start at MAT 7, and MAT buffs are readily available, so it should be easy to slam warjacks, warbeasts, or multi-box heavy infantry if their DEF sits around 12 or 13 and the long riders are buffed.
• Read through the rules clarifications below, especially on Cavalry, Bull Rush, and Follow Up. Practice these movements and have a default plan for who gets slammed vs who gets charged. Knowing how all this plays out will save tons of time when playing on the clock.

Other

Trivia

• Released in Hordes: Evolution (2007)
• Nickname(s): Tuffalos. Because they ride buffalos and they're tough.