Slingers - W'adrhŭn Guide (english)

The W’adrhŭn Slingers, alongside the Stryx, are among the most challenging units to assemble with four models on a stand, nespecially with their impressive feather adornments. However, in-game, they are fearsome slingers and a vital component of the army.

Cost:

At 150 points, with additional stands costing 50 points each, Slingers are considered extremely cost-efficient. Many opponents might see them as underpriced, given their damage potential and versatility.

Strengths:

• Best Ranged Unit in the Game: Barrage 3, Volley 3, and the Torrential Fire ability grant them devastating firepower.
• Torrential Fire: This ability grants additional hits based on successful rolls (rounded up), significantly boosting their output at 9".
• Standard Bearer: Comes free of charge and provides +1 Movement on the second movement action per turn, as well as a reroll for charge rolls.
• Chants: Generates a chant marker, supporting the W’adrhŭn mechanics and providing access to many useful abilities.
• Singing Bullets: When a Battlecry is used, the optimal range of the Slingers extends to 18". This may seem minor, but it’s a huge advantage.
• Battlefield Role - The Tribes: The Tribes keyword allows synergy with the Chieftain, including access to the powerful Vanguard ability.

Weaknesses:

• Low Durability: With 5 wounds and Defense 1, they can barely survive attacks before being wiped out. Even Resolve 3 doesn’t help much.
• Reliant on Chants: Slingers depend heavily on a chant to operate at peak efficiency. However, since many W’adrhŭn regiments no longer require a Battlecry, this becomes a planning issue. In the late game, this reliance can be problematic when fewer cards and markers are available.

General Tactics:

Many W’adrhŭn players were upset about the Slinger changes after the update. The loss of Flint Knappers, one Barrage, and the third action option were seen by some as too much of a nerf. However, the new Slingers are an absurdly strong unit that no longer requires heavy character investment and, thanks to their Battlefield Role - The Tribes, have easy access to Vanguard. The fact that they can also be taken as a restricted choice under the Chieftain is just the cherry on top. But let’s start with Singing Bullets.

At first glance, Singing Bullets seems minor, but when you do the math, it’s incredibly strong. Normally, units get one extra shot at half range, but Slingers can already use this bonus and Torrential Fire at 18". This means that an MSU (3 stands) without aiming gets 13 shots at Volley 3, averaging 9-11 hits. That’s a lot for 150 points! But it gets even better. If the opponent has Cover or Loose Formation, the number of shots is halved, but due to rounding rules, each stand reduces Barrage to 2 and then still gets +1 from the short-range bonus. This means 9 shots against these targets, still resulting in 6-8 hits without aiming.

Slingers can aim fairly often because they can be placed in the Chieftain’s warband, declared as a Warlord, or benefit from Drive. These rules allow them to gain Vanguard, meaning they can deploy up to 19" onto the board. From turn 2 onward, they can aim and shoot at anything that moves within 12". This is devastating, considering most zones are 15" away.

But there’s more. Singing Bullets also inherit the effect chosen with W’adrhŭn markers. In Conquest, for example, this means +2 Movement. In short, from turn 2 onward, they can land a massive number of hits wherever they want, as long as Singing Bullets is active.

Currently, two main builds are common:

1. One or two MSUs, potentially led by a Predator to boost firepower or simply placed in a Chieftain’s warband.
2. A 4-stand unit + Predator, maximizing firepower. This setup reliably kills two knights per round but requires good protection, few opponents will willingly step into their fire zone.

Personally, I have also experimented with three MSU Slinger regiments, but this carries the risk of not always activating Singing Bullets, making them significantly less effective. As always, the number of Slingers played depends on personal preference, but one large or two smaller regiments are always a solid choice.