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I have a few questions to ask about the giant, mainly because i'm thinking of buying it (the model also looks so cool!)

1. Can Empire use a giant and if so, are they a rare choice?

2. Is the giant actually any good for his points cost.

3. Lastly, what is the best way to use the giant, to hold a flank, charge into the sides or just plough straight into the enemy.

Any answers would be great.

G'Day - I have an Empire army and regularly use a giant in my games so I thought I'd share my experiences.

1. Empire can use a Giant - he counts as a single 'Dogs of War' (rare) choice. Rules for him are on the GW website.

2. The giant isn't bad for his points cost, but he is temperamental! One thing that an opponent cannot afford to do is ignore a giant, even if it falls over a million times while crossing some rough terrain to get to the enemy, or when he gets there only manages to kill one or two things a turn (this happens quite a lot). A few things to bear in mind though:

a. The giant is Ld 10 - this seems a lot but don't use him against an enemy that will win the combat every turn by a lot. He doesn't kill a lot so won't rack up the combat resolution bonuses and despite being a large target, doesn't have a large unit strength. He is stubborn though, which is a bonus.

b. The giant causes terror. Obviously this is useful, depending on which armies you usually play against.

3. Linked to point 2 - Use the giant to intimidate, but don't rely on him for success unless he is either (1) supported (2) protected. Use the giant as part of a bigger plan - he's not reliable on his own to hold a flank. He's superb for flank charges. Its immensely fun to throw caution to the wind and charge head long into the enemy!

Keep in mind though, whatever you do, he will be shot at a lot and he will attract lots of magic. Some games you won't get a chance to use him!

My advice is: get the giant because it is just plain fun!

One thought about the giant being a missle/magic sink is that there may be ways to use that aspect of it to your advantage. I play WoC, and plan to use a giant. They are pricey, but so are all the other units that may be getting the shaft from cannons, handguns, crossbows... ect. I don't know the rules that well about things like cannons, so they may be too effective at killing things like giants for my idea to really work. I suppose it all comes down to dice.

Cannons are S10, ignore armour and do D6 wounds. My giant always jams out and only takes one wound though. Or sometimes they roll a one .

The way I look at giants for O&G is that if you are taking 1, then take 2 as invariably the single giant will suck all the firing from your enemy and die before combat.

Once in combat they are a great tarpit, but very very random. The'll smash a unit one turn, then be lucky to kill anything for a couple more.

I use them because they are so random and fun.

I keep waiting for my giant to jump up and down and not fall over. It's the most devastating thing he can do.

He's yet to do it.

I did do 10 wounds to a hippogriff once though. That was fun!

xenite wrote:One thought about the giant being a missle/magic sink is that there may be ways to use that aspect of it to your advantage. I play WoC, and plan to use a giant. They are pricey, but so are all the other units that may be getting the shaft from cannons, handguns, crossbows...

I've run a slavegiant in my ogres for a dozen or so games, and the number of games he's done anything is pretty small. He's had a few games where he was able to survive and flail support units and war machines apart, one game where he stuffed an anvil rune lord down his pants (!!), one game where he flanked a black guard unit and jumped them into pulp over two turns, one game where he hid behind a hill instead of giving his points away, and many many games where I boosted him up in the same turn as my ogre kill units, and the big man died in one round, allowing his little buddies to get into cuddle range. I hate that he's a missile sponge most the time (and a poor one at that, T5 with no save bites, against DE especially), but ah well.

Now a real giant - and I think WoC have the best one, with the wonderful CHOMP in there - I look forward to using, with mark o' tizz for a little survivability. No doubt still dying a lot, but the randomness is a beautiful thing. Also, stubborn 10 + BSB? Yes please.

- Salvage

i used my giant against 35 of my dwarf warriors (FC and shields) the giant won.

On the Giant being fielded in an Empire army: There aren't a lot of people that still use the Dogs of War rules. In friendly games they will probably let you use him as a Rare choice, but in a Tournament environment, you will probably not be able to field the Giant in an Empire army. Not that it really matters, the Steam Tank is probably better anyway. The Giant is just fun to use in friendly games.

i used my giant in my last game, and he kicked @$$. he managed to wipe out an opposing ogre slave giant, (with help from his knight buddies), then procedded to chase down and kill a unit of lead belchers, finally taking on the ogre troll thing...forgot what its called, but he ended up eating it....literally. (all of its wounds were done via CHOMP) at the end of the game, he had taken 3 wounds, but healed them up back to full. so all in all he killed a decent amount of stuff and managed to hold my flank very well, despite taking a stone thrower to the face, and a few rounds of lead belcher shots. giants ftw!

watch out for skinks though, especially the blowpipe ones, i have seen many a giant fall to those little buggers. With two rounds of shooting, most giants will not survive and if they do they are seriously wounded.

Giants are worth having for fun. They may not kill as much as you think, but they are still good, i use them to hold flans, and get round the side for that +1 combat resoloution since they may not kill much. I prefer not to take two giants as, even though two is effective, in an O&G army its a bit too expensive.

I will have to agree with some of the other posters, A giant is fun and can be effective the problem is of course that as Empire you should always be fielding a steam tank. . .

Now I have to break my fingers for telling someone to bring one of those damn tanks. . .

As said once allready, if you do take a giant, avoid skinks.
They have the great ability to kill any and all monsters very quickly with little effort.

Also as said, take 2 if your going with giants.
They will attract alot of hate on the table, and more often than not take a round of shooting and magic in the 1st turn, simply to try and get rid of it.

smiply take 2.
Keep one either side of your army and move them up.
Either use them to tarpit units (avoid multi-attack monsters such as ogres and dragon ogres)
Or, you can use them to flank charge along with another unit.
This will add some serious impact and rob them of a rank bonus.
Meaning you should win the combat with little effort.

Giant in a Empire Army