Ice Troll

Ice trolls use their innate connection to the elemental power of cold to create frozen javelins from thin air. They hurl these projectiles great distances to impale hapless warriors and pierce the flesh of warbeasts. Any who survive the impact die slower as icy javelins freeze their body from within.

Basic Info

Abilities

• Template:Immunity Cold
• Template:Pathfinder
• Template:Regeneration

Weapons

• Thrown Ice Spear - 10" range, POW 13 gun
  • Template:Cold Damage
  • Template:Critical Freeze
  • Template:Thrown
• Ice Spear - 2" reach, P+S 13 melee weapon.
  • Critical Freeze - As above

Animus

{{Category: Template:Recoil }}[[Category: Template:Recoil ]]

Theme Forces

• Trollblood
  • Template:Band of Heroes
  • Template:Kriel Company
  • Template:Power of Dhunia. In this theme, when this warbeast casts its own animus the COST is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 0).
  • Template:Storm of the North
  • Template:Vengeance of Dhunia

• Other Factions
  • Minion players can also use this warbeast in the Vengeance of Dhunia theme.

Thoughts on Ice Troll

Ice Troll in a nutshell

The Ice Troll is the basic line ranged option of the Northkin. It has a strong ranged presence relative to its points, and synergizes well with the different options inside the Northkin theme force.

It’s difficult to talk about the Ice Troll without looking at the Troll Impaler for the same cost, older guides will tell you to always pick the Ice Troll but since the Vengeance of Dhunia CID this has changed considerably. The difference between the 2 is...

1)The Ice Troll has a worse ranged attack due to its typed damage, lower threat range and lower RAT.

2) The Ice Troll isn't as tough as the Impaler due to -1 armour but it does have immunity cold, pathfinder and the Northkin Keyword making it more resistant to terrain and control effects and especially worthwhile if you are already taking the Northkin support models or playing in the Storm of the North theme.

3) Although the Ice Troll is, on the surface, better in melee than the Impaler due to the crit effect and +1 Mat; assault skews this slightly in the Impaler’s favour when charging, if you can’t charge or survive a charge that is when the Ice Troll begins to show its proficiency a bit more.

4) Recoil is a good animus, but Far Strike is a better animus.

All in all It's just a medium cost, effective ranged utility warbeast, who can trade in melee if needed. You get the most from it when stacking passive Northkin buffs.

Combos & Synergies

The Ice Troll is a nice self-sufficient warbeast although the warbeast synergy needs mentioning first.

• Krielstone and especially the Northkin Elder help it survive longer and hit harder.
• Dire Troll Mauler (or for that matter Mountain King) can give it Rage - which because it's a thrown weapon adds to the ranged damage of the ice troll.
• Borka, Vengeance of the Rimeshaws gives counter-charge - and on a mat 6 model with Reach this is very nice.
• Captain Gunnbjorn provides both Kill Shot and boosted ranged attack rolls.
• Hunters Grim are of course good with shooters.
• Grissel Bloodsong, Marshal of the Kriels: Swift Hunter on her is nice!
• Hearthgut Hooch Hauler - veteran leader and stumbling drunk is good on anyone.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Warlocks with ranged attacks prefer the far strike animus from the Troll Impaler or Dire Troll Bomber
• P+S 13 is a weird position - overkill on infantry and not hard enough hitting to break heavies.

Tricks & Tips

Remember that when push comes to shove the Ice Troll is better in melee than at range - higher MAT than RAT, hits just as hard, and can buy extra attacks. Range is to soften up targets and kill solos before you go into melee.

The Northkin elder can add +2 damage to his ranged attack.

Critical fishing with the Dhunian Knot can be fun, especially on battle engines and structures.

Other

Trivia

Originally released in the Northkin CID (2017.07)