Murderfang any good?

[Watcher]

Saw some mentions online about Murderfang being a fairly viable unit in a lot of lists. Does anyone know how he does in competitive play?

 

   My meta is fairly ITC competitive and if there is anyway I could make the best use of this fluff-tacular unit, I NEED TO FIND IT. Any excuse to field this murder machine strategically is heartily welcome!

[PeteySödes]

I still need to build mine but I think their would be a case for him in a dreadpod. The character rule is also damn strong on dreads and with the CA or reduction (unless I’m mistaken) I’m certainly pushing him up in my to-do list.

[Watcher]

I still need to build mine but I think their would be a case for him in a dreadpod. The character rule is also damn strong on dreads and with the CA or reduction (unless I’m mistaken) I’m certainly pushing him up in my to-do list.

Last I checked he and the wulfen did get a flattering point drop, which kind of made me consider him more and makes him far more encouraging to take. I love the results i get with Bjorn so it would be amazing to get something similar with him. 

A Dreadclaw would be a great idea, and a great delivery system. Good thing Christmas is so close! 

 

From what i understand his strats are identical to the Wulfen (?). Just vault him across the board and let him go ham. However, I'm hoping there's more to tactically using him than that?

[dice4thedicegod]

I’ve used him a couple of times and he has been great. He will delete whatever you aim him at (except for a knight... where he’ll just do 15 or 18 wounds or so)

 

The thing I’ve done is make use of his character status to hide him as I advance up the board (playing wolves and Custodes, I use sword & board custodians for this). Not sure what I’d have him behind if I was using mono wolves... aggressors maybe?

[Watcher]

I’ve used him a couple of times and he has been great. He will delete whatever you aim him at (except for a knight... where he’ll just do 15 or 18 wounds or so)

 

The thing I’ve done is make use of his character status to hide him as I advance up the board (playing wolves and Custodes, I use sword & board custodians for this). Not sure what I’d have him behind if I was using mono wolves... aggressors maybe?

 

Still pretty dang good. I think aggressors or perhaps even behind a few Grey Hunter Squads w/GHPL w/SS's? Ive seen a lot of them run behind a flock of fenrisian wolves, seeing as they are dirt cheap, it seems a pretty viable strat. 

Edited December 6, 2019 by Watcher

[TiguriusX]

hahaha....the path you are on lead me to chaplain venerable dreads and bjorn as my unhittable HQs

 

it is a combo that laughs at knights and parking lot fire base lists...i was actually hoping to run into the meta iron hands list at my last tournament but only got one in the final round

[Watcher]

It is a path that is...most exciting... Starting to think it should begin with a warning like "Have you you heard the tale of (Darth) TiguriusX..."

 

I've been trying to experiment with character combos and Murderfang has become kind of a sweet spot for me (truth be told, all dreads are a sweetspot). I would love to be able to take a list with him to a tourney and do somewhat decent. Hopefully new rules will also help with that (Oh sweet January, you cant come soon enough).

 

On a sidenote, how nice would it be to get the Iron Hands strat to make Dreads into characters? Golly.

[TSkouboe]

I have had touble keeping Murderfang alive.

I can screen him as he moves up the board, and he will do great against whatever he charges. After that, he is exposed. He has no invulnerable save and not enough wounds to survive most real anti-tank weaponry.

 

So be careful how you charge. Keep your screen in mind in both charging, piling in, and consolidating.

Rarely charge alone, or he'll die.

[Karhedron]

I popular tactic is to run Murderfang and Bjorn with a cheap Axe/Shield Dread or two. Then accompany this party with an Iron Priest with Armour of Russ. The Iron Priest can help repair the Dreads and can also heroically intervene to make a dangerous opponent strike last.

 

The Shield Dread tanks for the characters with his 4++. Whether to take the Wulfen Dread or a Ven Dread with Axe/Shield is tricky. The Wulfen Dread is cheaper and faster (both important for keeping at the front and tanking) but the Ven Dread has a 6+++ and can pop smoke launchers on Turn 1 to keep him alive that bit longer.

 

This should become even better when we get our PA book (March-ish) because we will hopefully get access to the "Duty Eternal" stratagem which halves damage against a Dread for the rest of the phase. That will mean your enemy will need an awful lot of firepower to shift the shield Dread to get at the Characters behind him.

[Rune Priest Jbickb]

My preferred screen for character dreads is 2 or 3 rhino or Razorbacks will grey hunters inside. Then when the transport dies your screen stays intact because the dudes hop out acting as more screen. I usually do this with Bjorn but it should work well with any character dread.

[Watcher]

All good suggestions, I'm looking to add more dreadnoughts to my lists so running more as a screen isnt a problem.

 

I also really like the usage of the razorbacks and GH's. Barebones w/chainswords and Razorbacks with Assault Cannons would work cost wise.

I like it. Is there any benefit to including more Wulfen Dreadnoughts or are the pretty outpaced by the others? 

[Karhedron]

It depends what you like. Wulfen Dreads are cheaper and faster. Ven Dreads are tougher and more accurate. Both are viable and I would say they are quite well balanced against each other.

 

If you are looking primarily for a Dread to screen the Characters Dreads behind it then I would probably lean in favour of the Wulfen Dread as it is mainly there to be an ablative shield for the stuff behind.

 

The good thing is that Wulfen and Ven Dreads can take the same loadout so you can simply build it the way you like and decide which type of Dread it is for each battle.