Vanguard Goblins: New Units
1st May 2019
Rob Burman
What do we want? GOBLINS! What else do we want? MORE DETAILS! When do we want those details? IMMEDIATELY OR WHEN WE HAVE CHANCE TO SIT DOWN AND READ THEM, POSSIBLY WITH A CUP OF TEA. Fair enough!
Anyway, after already covering key units and warband abilities, today we’re focusing on some of the brand-new goblin units that are being introduced this month. Alongside the existing units, you’ve now got the option to add powerful new commanders, war machines and lots more goblin goodies. We won’t spoil all the surprises but here are a few of the highlights.
WINGGIT
Well, were we going to start anywhere else? The Winggit is the stand out entry in the goblin warband. Flying (or falling gracefully, if you like) above the battlefield, safely away from the thick of the action, the Winggit acts as a spotter and can rain bombs on your foes. The Eye in the Sky ability has the power to give your ranged units a clear shot against key targets. Of course, the downside is, you’re going to have to get within 9” of the enemy, which will almost certainly put you in Charge range. Thankfully the Winggit does have Implacable (to represent the fact it’s mostly in flight), so at least it can avoid being Knocked Down.
MAWPUP LAUNCHER
A great partner to the Winggit is the Mawpup Launcher, which gains the Marksman ability when targeting enemies within 9” of the Winggit. The Mawpup Launcher is useful for defending objectives, like the portal, as it can sit out of charge range and lob Mawpups at your opponent. Even better, get a few Mawbeasts in your warband and they can then Walk towards the target too. Follow this up with an extra activation and your Mawbeasts can quickly get stuck and start snacking on limbs.
MAGWA & JO’OS
Talking of Mawbeasts, the goblin warband release also brings the return of Magwa and Jo’os! Making the move from Kings of War into Vanguard, Magwa and his giant Mawbeast are an alternate commander option for the goblins. The main benefit of Magwa is that he gives you the opportunity to take additional Mawbeasts, without having to add additional Grunts or Warriors. So, if you would normally only be able to take one Mawbeast, with Magwa you can add three(!) to your gang. Again, you can combine this with something like the Mawpup Launcher and the Howl! ability to really start causing the opponent problems early in the game.
SNAGGIT
Our final new unit choice is the wonderfully named Snaggit. These little gobbos are expert trappers that can be used to lock down areas of the table. You can place the traps near objectives to potentially stop your opponent’s unit getting too close. With a couple of Snaggits in your warband, there’s a great opportunity for area denial – although remember you can only have four trap markers on the table at once. Oh, and if you’re wondering what to use as trap markers, the TerrainCrate traps are 25mm square (hint, hint).