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Draemock

Grave Guard
Im just wondering if anyone has actually used this? And what against...

with a possibility of 9 wounds in a single round, this can lay waist to a hell of a lot....and then there is the turns following with a guarenteed wound unless a successful ward save is taken.

this holds great potentional...
 

chris_havoc

Vampire Count
True Blood
Mar 5, 2008
1,108
JHB
Yeah but I think the D3 wounds only apply in a challenge. It is still great though... especially coupled with the helm of commandment and banner of the barrows. Hit on 2's/3's + wound on 2's/3's = AWESOME!
 

darebear

Ghoul
Oct 24, 2008
146
It is really only useful against things which have multiple wounds. So it is good against: monsters, ogres, chariots, during challenges and characters in units who are not in challenges. Actually I like it myself, especially when combined with the banner of the barrows, helm of command and corpse cart or two. Combine a WK with the axe and Konrad and you have a two man wrecking crew which can take on even the strongest foes. With these guys I laugh at chariots which charge the unit they are in. Charge, kill a few undead; poof those undead come back while at the same time my WK and Konrad kill your chariots for sport.
 

chris_havoc

Vampire Count
True Blood
Mar 5, 2008
1,108
JHB
If it doesn't say anything about ignoring saves I wouldn't imagine they do ignore saves. Just an added chance of wounding I guess.
 

JoshoW

Zombie
Jan 17, 2009
25
(Ethereal)
As much as the though of a D3- wounding great weapon appeals to me, the 50 points takes up your whole points limit for a wight king. This invaribly ends up with my precious wight king left without protectives, which ends up with him horribly cut to pieces the next turn. Thanks, but no thanks...
 

TMS

Moderator
Staff member
True Blood
Nov 26, 2008
4,662
Sweden
I've got to agree with JoshoW here, I'd rather make sure that my wight king gets to strike at all before adding to his offensive potential. The night shroud is a favourite item, along with the sword of kings. This is an ideal set up for whacking that annoying pendant of Kaeleth(sp?) of the dark elves, heheh. :)
 

count kill alot

Vargheist
May 16, 2010
610
Hey all i was pondering on this as a char slayer, the axe combined with night shroud, red fury, infinite hatred, beguile, talisman of lycni for the lord, striking first as per NS re-role attacks and wounds, extra attacks for wounds so that's a potential of 16 attacks in total, poof goes the blood thirster:konrad:.

Count kill alot:suck:
 

Lord Fear

Master Vampire
True Blood
Aug 15, 2007
4,834
I've tried to use this well, I really have, but it just doesn't work. Had very minor success with it in a unit with Hellfire Banner vs Nurgle Daemons, but every other time, useless. I get like 1 hit, which doesn't wound, or gets saved. Or even worse, I'll roll a 6 to wound vs a big nasty character like a Black Orc Warboss, and then it's saved (whereas otherwise it would be KB). So paying 50 points to make the King even worse? Ugh, no thanks.
 
Nov 6, 2009
143
The Black Axe is not as "good" as the "Sword of Kings" plus favorite armor items combination, but the axe can be very lethal against multi-wound enemies. Combo the the wight king's 3 attacks with a "Staff of Damnation" attack and you could end up dealing 12 wounds before they could strike back while using the black axe. The d3 wounds ability is a rarity amongst all the army lists, so be thankful that we have this option and are not just stuck using the Killing Blow sword for every list.
 

Spencer

Skeleton
May 27, 2010
77
Bottom of a well
to be fair i like the idea of it but its a waste to fork out all those points and have him stepped on by his opponent. i watched a game the other day and it was quite useful

as some how the wight king managed to take down 2 giants and a chaos champ. before be killed by a hell cannon... i think maybe all the chaos gods were being read a story by grandfarther nurgel that day lol. that chaos player had the worst rolls ever, his sorcerer was sucked into the warp on the first turn lol.
 

Lord Fear

Master Vampire
True Blood
Aug 15, 2007
4,834
StirogiPerogi said:
The Black Axe is not as "good" as the "Sword of Kings" plus favorite armor items combination

Well the real issue is that it's not as good as a regular great weapon fullstop (GW has KB and allows you to take a 3+ defensive armour save if you're worried), and pretty much forces him to go on foot...

but the axe can be very lethal against multi-wound enemies.

Yep, it's certainly top-notch vs, say, Ogres, with their common WS of 3 and T4. It's also handy for when enemy champions issue challenges, potential CR of 9 rather than 3! Mind you it's not really like any of us is ever likely to be too worried about fighting Ogres- I had a game the other week where I was so disillusioned with the Black Axe that I removed it from my army list and replaced it with Flayed Hauberk, Gem of Blood (and regular GW)- of course, this was vs an Ogre player as it turned out! That was certainly the one time I wished for the Black Axe, typical...
 

marshal torrick

Grave Guard
Mar 5, 2008
280
Rumor says that mounted GWs are going back to +2 str, so you could mount the WK on a barded steed and have a 3+AS. Just watch out for cannonballs.
 

Yanda

Black Knight
Mar 7, 2010
376
Calgary, AB
I find whenever I take the black axe I screwed and he ends up being matched-up against things with 1 wound all game. I think for the points the Sword of Kings is a more affordable addition to the WK. The black axe has the potential to be pretty badass but for the points and usefulness I think it becomes more situational.
 

Ophidicus

Vampire Count
True Blood
May 27, 2009
1,038
Lincoln, England
marshal torrick said:
Rumor says that mounted GWs are going back to +2 str, so you could mount the WK on a barded steed and have a 3+AS. Just watch out for cannonballs.

I think one of the reasons for dropping mounted GWs to +1S was the fact that they effectively made Lances obsolete, who'd take a Lance when you got the same effect in the second round as on the charge with a GW? I have no idea if they'll revert to the pre-7th way but I wouldn't put money on it.

Yanda said:
I find whenever I take the black axe I screwed and he ends up being matched-up against things with 1 wound all game. I think for the points the Sword of Kings is a more affordable addition to the WK. The black axe has the potential to be pretty badass but for the points and usefulness I think it becomes more situational.

As Lord Fearpula mentions, the biggest cross-army benefit of the Black Axe is the fact that it can achieve Overkill far beyond the possibilities of the WK's normal attacks, which can result in combats being won by a significant margin, I daresay a mundane GW is fine for winning fights but the Black Axe is great for winning combats.
 

Lord Fear

Master Vampire
True Blood
Aug 15, 2007
4,834
Well, combats where he gets matched up against a Champion, it might generate +2CR than usual, worth 40-50 points, probably not really. Still, GW going back up to +2S on horseback will do good for this. I think that GW have managed to avoid the GW issue quite well over the army books being released this last edition. Wonder if Vampire + Avatar of Death (GW/HA) + Nightmare will be a popular little choice in 8th edition :) Black Coach will get a good little boost as well, as will White Lion Chariots and White Wolf cavalry :)
 

Ravenfeld

Skeleton
May 7, 2010
85
California
I really like the Black Axe concept wise, I mean I picture this obsidian blade (and in case you haven't gathered, I love Obsidian...) that, when it cuts flesh, releases little flecks of obsidian into the bloodstream, and naturally these little shards are semi-sentient and remind me of little razor-sharp insects in your blood to deliver pain in future rounds. I was disheartened when I saw the price tag, I figure I would only take it if I was to field a second wight king (and since I really do love Wights, I would consider it) but then I lose some magic because of it... drat this army! I would even love to field two Wight Kings and two Necromancers just for fun some time, not a very competitive list and I know I need a vampire, but hey! A man can dream.

Back to the topic, I have always been weary of multi-wound weapons because of how situational they are. Take, for example, the Chaos Hellfire sword, D6 flaming wounds is amazing vs characters, trolls, treemen, giants, hellpit abominations, etc etc, but if you get stuck in with rank n' file troops all day you have a 100pt flaming sword, something we can get for 10pts that has flaming attacks! I think that a 5+ killing blow is the opposite, as there is few situations where killing blow is NOT useful, such as heroes with armor or abilities that negate it... if the axe was, say, 30 points, I would be down... even with the prospect of GW's providing a +2 while mounted I wouldn't be thrilled by the Black Axe.

Just my thoughts,

-- Ravenfeld
 

Disciple of Nagash

Oldblood
Staff member
Feb 12, 2008
27,732
Probably not really tactical, but if obsidian flecks kept on breaking off, wouldn't the axe have got rather small by now......o.o
 

Kalandros

Necromancer
True Blood
Nov 27, 2008
835
Near Montréal, Québec
on the +2S while mounted with Great Weapons: Since combat will fully be by Initiative, you're going to strike last with that Great Weapon, Lances will strike before.
 

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