Know your ABC, an extensive writeup on the War Hog

[PG_Dmark]

After the relative success of my writeup on Carver, I want to take the time to tell you guys about my favorite 'beast, the War Hog (Also called Angry Bacon Cyborgs). Slow, dumb, and durable, the War Hog carries with it the potential to be among the A-class warbeasts out there, such as the Dire Troll Mauler and the Warpwolf Stalker. It can in some aspects even be compared to some of the character 'beasts out there, but for this it needs the help of one of our 'locks. Let's have a look at him, shall we?

Statline:
Low SPD, high STR, average MAT, average DEF and average ARM makes the War Hogs stats, you guessed it, pretty average. This is not a problem at all, though, since multiple of our 'locks have buffs that fit these monsters perfectly.

Skills and abilities:
Aggression Dial: This is one of the things that makes the War Hog superior to so many other warbeasts. Being able to force it, give it some damage and thereby increase its strength to a level most 'beasts dream about is epic. With the majority of our 'locks, this guy now sits at two P+S 18 and one P+S 17 attacks, with Arkadius this becomes even greater with Forced Evolution, making the War Hog hit with a two whopping P+S 20 and one P+S 19 attacks.

Animus [Massacre]:
For two FURY you can give the War Hog a one-shot overtake on his charge attack, making him able to do a 2" move on Carver's feat turn, which is quite nasty. Furthermore, any model under the effects of Massacre charges for free.

Weapons:
War Cleaver x2: This weapon is pretty standard. A POW 5 axe with no special abilities. P+S ranges from 16 through 20 with various buffs.

Gore: A standard gore attack with POW 4. Has critical knockdown. P+S ranges from 15 through 19 with various buffs. A pretty well-known and commonly used tactic with the War Hog is to make its charge attack with this weapon, boost to hit and hope for a critical, since the War Hog doesn't have the highest of MATs in the game. Knocking down big targets is a really good thing to do. If you want to be sure to knock them down, however, a more surefire way to do this is to force for a boosted headbutt and make sure they are knocked down, then force for the last two or three War Cleaver attacks, depending on the 'lock.

Warlocks:
Lord Carver, BMMD, Esq. III: Lord Carver is probably the guy that gets the most juice out of our War Hogs. Batten Down the Hatches and Mobility, two spells you almost always cast with Carver, the War Hog becomes faster, more durable, immune to knock down and gets Pathfincer. However, it loses 2 DEF on it, but that does not matter, since DEF 12 is easy enough to hit from the start. It's better to take them down to DEF 10 and make them way more durable. His feat is also almost constructed solely for the War Hogs. He virtually gives them Weapon Master on their attacks and Overtake, so you can now hit with 4 dice of P+S 18, which is extremely hard. I once one-shot killed two light 'beasts and two-shot killed one Dire Troll Mauler the same turn with just a single War Hog under Carver's feat and with Aggression Dial on. Generally, Carver makes everything better, but the efficiency of a War Hog almost triples with Carver.

Dr. Arkadius: Forced Evolution makes one single War Hog as hard to hit as a Legion 'beast, and makes it hit harder than said Legion 'beast. Furthermore, Arkadius' feat doubles the threat range of every War Hog in his battlegroup. They don't even need to be in his control area, just in his battlegroup. The War Hog is, and will always be, a solid choice for any Arkadius list. Especially since they come cheaper in his Theme Force. Crippling Grasp also makes it easier for the War Hog to completely wipe its target from the face of Western Immoren.

Sturm and Drang:
Sturm: When Sturm is the active mind, like himself, the War Hog enters a defensive mode, so to speak. Vision protects the War Hog from one attack and Watcher allows it to protect its 'lock. Telekinesis also increases the War Hogs threat range, so that's pretty good. We love ourselves some movement shenanigans.
Drang: Drang only has one spell that helps out the War Hog, but he has two abilities that do the same thing, so he's the offensive guy in the duo. His War Hogs also switches to killing mode when he does. Killing Ground allows the War Hogs to charge or slam for free, freeing up another fury for boosting or extra attacks. They also gain Pathfinder from this, so they become much more dangerous Pack Hunters make the War Hogs able to hit things on a scale they can't with our other 'locks, and Goad gives them a pseudo-sidestep, that requires us to force for the 2", increasing the threat range of the War Hog.

Supporting models:
Targ: I shouldn't have to mention why Targ is on the top of the list of support models for this 'beast, but I'll do it anyways. First off, he can grant it another attack out of its activation, making it able to do 8 attacks if you somehow manage to get it a free charge, either through Killing Grounds or its animus being cast from a unit of Bone Grinders. Next he can heal the War Hog D3 damage points without our 'lock spending FURY on it, so he's pretty awesome.

Rorsh: If you're insane enough, you CAN take the War Hog in Rorsh's battlegroup. This is way more FURY than the little guy will ever be able to handle, but it can yield some pretty extreme effects in scenario play. Being able to literally split your army up in two for a scenario with multiple scoring zones should never be underestimated. Often you're better off with a Gun Boar in his battlegroup, though.

Bone Grinders: Let's face it. You're never going to be take just one War Hog. You will always have two, or three. When one of them dies, you can actually have these guys cast Massacre on the remaining one and let it charge for free! This is amazing with any of our 'locks, though S&D does that for it to begin with.

[Hjelmen0]

Slight correction to your entry on Saxon Orrik: Reconnaissance only works on warrior models/units.

[PG_Dmark]

Corrected. Thanks!

[Azahul]

Also, the POW of Primal Shock isn't increased by Strength buffs It's base strength only, as far as I'm aware.

[Hjelmen0]

Good point, Azahul. You're right

It's a good writeup, Dmark!

[PG_Dmark]

Also, the POW of Primal Shock isn't increased by Strength buffs It's base strength only, as far as I'm aware.

Yeah, I misread the card. It has been corrected now, thanks! Would have been super sweet, thouhg!

Good point, Azahul. You're right

It's a good writeup, Dmark!

Thanks so much! It's always nice to know your work is appreciated

[TheLoki]

added to the index. Keep up the good work Dmark

[watchgeorgerock]

Gore - It makes way more sense to boost the first attack and if you succeed get your 2 initials with your axes to auto hit. just sayin

[Hjelmen0]

Oh, I just noticed something. You say that you should use a headbutt after using the War Hogs initial attacks. That is illegal, as you cannot use a power attack once you have committed to using your initial attacks.

[PG_Dmark]

Oh, I just noticed something. You say that you should use a headbutt after using the War Hogs initial attacks. That is illegal, as you cannot use a power attack once you have committed to using your initial attacks.

You can't use headbutt after resolving all initial attacks?

[Nuriochi_sol]

Nope. Power Attacks replace ALL your initials and can only be done then (before any other attacks). Head Butt is a Power Attack.

[PG_Dmark]

Nope. Power Attacks replace ALL your initials and can only be done then (before any other attacks). Head Butt is a Power Attack.

Okay, cool. Fixed, and thanks for the heads up!

[Rotfell]

Another one... Victor Pendrake's ability also target only warrior models. ^^'

[TheLoki]

While you cant headbutt after initials, Nothing stops you from boosting your gore for the crit knockdown and then swinging with reckless abandon. Less reliable but accomplishes the same thing.

[PG_Dmark]

Another one... Victor Pendrake's ability also target only warrior models. ^^'

Corrected. Must have misread the card again :P

While you cant headbutt after initials, Nothing stops you from boosting your gore for the crit knockdown and then swinging with reckless abandon. Less reliable but accomplishes the same thing.

That is exactly what I have written, but thank you for sharing!

[ajay29]

Good write up!

Excuse my ignorance but how is it 9 attacks with Drang when using Targs extra attack?

Also worth mentioning maybe is the Bonegrinders as supporting models. When one of your Hogs is dead, these guys shine at making sure you charge for free by throwing Massacre around. Hogs 'aint the most fury efficient if they have to pay for charging (1 to charge, 1 for aggresion dial and 1 to boost for crit knockdown), so the free charge really helps.

[PG_Dmark]

Good write up!

Excuse my ignorance but how is it 9 attacks with Drang when using Targs extra attack?

Also worth mentioning maybe is the Bonegrinders as supporting models. When one of your Hogs is dead, these guys shine at making sure you charge for free by throwing Massacre around. Hogs 'aint the most fury efficient if they have to pay for charging (1 to charge, 1 for aggresion dial and 1 to boost for crit knockdown), so the free charge really helps.

Incorporated in the writeup. Thanks for the heads up! I hadn't even noticed that myself. Now I might actually begin using Bone Grinders with Carver.

[TheLoki]

Despite popular belief bonegrinders are blood incredible with Carver. Perfect throwaway Quagmire annoyances. Also dont forget that they are half point weaponmasters on the feat turn. With quagmire up their mat gets to decent enough levels to boot.

On topic... good writeup

[ajay29]

Incorporated in the writeup. Thanks for the heads up! I hadn't even noticed that myself. Now I might actually begin using Bone Grinders with Carver.

This is why I always have Bone Grinders in every list. Magical shot, +2 spell range and mid-late game free charges for Hogs, all for 2 points? Nice!

Also, still want to know how you came to 9 attacks on a hog with Targ and Drang

[PG_Dmark]

This is why I always have Bone Grinders in every list. Magical shot, +2 spell range and mid-late game free charges for Hogs, all for 2 points? Nice!

Also, still want to know how you came to 9 attacks on a hog with Targ and Drang

Free charge, 4 fury left, 3 initial attacks, buy 4 attacks, get one from Targ. Sorry, that's only 8 xD My miscalculation!

[TheLoki]

Well if drang hits him with massacre first and you kill your charge target you get 9. So its not all a wash ^_^

[ajay29]

Well if drang hits him with massacre first and you kill your charge target you get 9. So its not all a wash ^_^

True, but any warlock of ours could do that ^_^
Still, just good to know I wasn't missing out on anything.