Topic: How to squeeze in Witch Hunters?

[rothgar13]

Hey all,

I've recently developed a bit of a man-crush on the Witch Hunter after re-reading his rules (he really is a fantastic deal for 55 points, and 2 of them together have the attacks volume to take down Wizards fairly reliably), but when I look around for anything to put on the chopping block for him, I end up drawing a blank - there's not a whole lot of room in a Demigryphs + Steam Tanks + War Altar sort of list. I've thought of trimming one DGK from each unit for them, but that's a bit of a tough choice. What say you? Should I look to incorporate them? What should I cut? Thoughts welcome.

[The Peacemaker]

They aren't that great for a competitive list. If they could be mounted then perhaps they would be.
....flying carpet? lol, march block and snipe at close range!

What else is in your list and where do you want to place the witch hunter? Whats your core?

[jaggedjimmyj]

I struggle as well. Bought the AoW witch  hound, but my heroes section is too crowded. Since, apart from wizards, our lords are rather useless I usually roll with the hero equivalece. And suddenly  there is no room for him

[BBorN]

Rothgar -

I would say don't go for 2 of them, the likelihood of getting into rang to snipe and then actually sniping is pretty small. I take one in my lists for the MR2 - that alone makes him a fantastic deal. His other rules are just gravy. If he manages to snipe off a wound from that vamp lord or wizard or whatever, all the better. Heres a question for you, can you sniper a character on a stand and shoot reaction?

[Krokz]

You can snipe as Stand and Shoot reaction.

Do not forget he can be a 60 points cheap sacrificial unit in late game. To save some other unit.
I too struggle. Can't get any room in list for him. And my state troops aren't any good Magic Missile attraction to get some benefit from that MR2. It helps a friendly wizard from getting magic sniped dough. Their best trait is fun, not competitive.

[BBorN]

You can snipe as Stand and Shoot reaction.

Do not forget he can be a 60 points cheap sacrificial unit in late game. To save some other unit.
I too struggle. Can't get any room in list for him. And my state troops aren't any good Magic Missile attraction to get some benefit from that MR2. It helps a friendly wizard from getting magic sniped dough. Their best trait is fun, not competitive.

He's extremely competitive. Get your general/wizard death sniped a few times and you will see why. MR2 brings your 4+ ward down to a 2+. Death snipe my characters all you want I say!

As for his points cost, figure it takes up a talisman slot (which you would want a ward save from!) AND costs 30 points compared to getting a character who can potentially snipe enemy wizards, adds a few extra attacks and has 2 wounds for 25 points more makes hima GREAT deal

[Thirsty Beaver]

I agree that I have a hard time fitting him in due to an overcrowded hero slot.

Warrior Priests, BSB, and a wizard or two are just so important in my opinion. The only times I have been able to fit him in are when I cut the BSB. This is because I don't usually play infantry lists, so I don't have to worry about breaking so much (or MSU).

The one time I used him he never saw combat, but the MR2 deflected every spell at his unit with the WP general in it, and he hid his plague monk general from the unit the whole game. AWESOME redirector

[The Peacemaker]

He's extremely competitive. Get your general/wizard death sniped a few times and you will see why. MR2 brings your 4+ ward down to a 2+. Death snipe my characters all you want I say!

As for his points cost, figure it takes up a talisman slot (which you would want a ward save from!) AND costs 30 points compared to getting a character who can potentially snipe enemy wizards, adds a few extra attacks and has 2 wounds for 25 points more makes hima GREAT deal

He is a great deal but the problem is how to fit him in. You've pretty much explained THE best way to use a witchhunter.
Like I said before, if he could be mounted then he would be even better. Who wouldn't want MR(2) on their 1+ save knights or demigryphs?

The sniping isn't actually that great for stand and shoot. Long range, multishot, snipe, stand and shoot = minus 4 to hit.

[Mathi Alfblut]

I struggle even in my friendly lists! They are so awesome and yet one cannot find room... But I must find a way.

[Minsc]

+1.

Having the same problems with the Witch Hunter here.
I really love both the model and the fluff, and the rules aren't half-bad, but I usually end up either not having the points to spare, or simply don't have a good place to put him

[Thirsty Beaver]

I think  I'll just do it for the fun of it next game. Unfortunately they really do shine in larger point games where they can be ignored and I can still get the hero support I need (bsb's, WP's, and mages).

Thinking in my low point games it would be a pairing of Wizard and Witch Hunter. I like using a bsb with my WP's, and I don't want an engineer or WH as general, so that pairing will never happen.

After my last game where bowmen shone like gold, I'm imagining MSU knights, Greatswords, with lots of bowmen running around with my Witch Hunter and Mage being nuisances. Probably a cannon or Outrider blob depending on my opponent just so I have some support

[MarkoV]

WH on flying carpet? Amasing! Brace of pistols, fly 20 and 10 to shoot, and voila!

[rothgar13]

I've actually managed to sneak one into my list as a Wizard Lord bodyguard and emergency redirector, so I'm looking forward to seeing how that goes, and to seeing Death snipes against my mage plink off harmlessly thanks to a 2+ Ward against them (4+ Ward and the Witch Hunter's MR2).

[sebster]

I agree that I have a hard time fitting him in due to an overcrowded hero slot.

Yeah, I love the model and try to take whenever I've got a spare 55 points in my hero slot.  Which so far has been in two games.  BSB, captain on pegasus, warrior priests for every combat unit will more than chew up the hero allowance by itself.

In one game he did basically nothing as I deployed him poorly and then got cut down before he even got to attack.  In the other game he did little, but forced the enemy to change his whole plan to avoid getting Killing Blowed, which proved a pretty significant factor in my win (though that opponent is unlikely to make the same mistake again, nor would an experienced opponent).

I mean, he's hardly a powerhouse that will regularly swing games my way, but nothing should be for 55 points.  He's a lottery ticket, throw away some disposable points, have some fun with him and just sometimes you hit the jackpot.  And sometimes it might force a very risk adverse opponent into making a mistake.

[csjarrat]

i know it sounds daft, but put him in the list first. that way, you write your list around him and you dont end up dropping stuff to put him in.

[Lord Solar Plexus]

Hehe, with all the Witchhunters and BSB in my hero allowance I have trouble making place for Engineers... 

csjarrat hit it on the button. Decide what exactly you want to do and don't be afraid to do things a little differently. When I still played IG back in the days, I sometimes even let the dice decide which special and heavy weapon a squad had.