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Grand Cathay · Shooting · Three units at 96 points
Grand Cathay Shooting Units Compared: Iron Hails, Crane Guns and Peasant Archers
Grand Cathay shooting units each do a different job, and our 10,000-trial tests at 96 points made that very clear. Crane Gunners shoot furthest and hurt armour, Iron Hails win close-range volleys against light targets, and Peasant Levy warbows give you cheap bodies with honest volume.
Quick answer: it depends what you need the 96 points to do.
Crane Gunners are the reliable all-game option: 36-inch range and Strength 6 made them the best unit over five scripted turns against every enemy we tried.
Iron Hails hit hardest in a single volley at 12 inches against Clanrats, Knights and Ogres, but they have to get close to do it.
Peasant warbows trailed both guns into armour, but 24 bodies for 96 points screen, hold objectives and still put real wounds on light infantry.
How many simulations I ran
I ran 10,000 trials per matchup for all three units: 1,350,000 single volleys at fixed range against named enemies and generic targets, and 2,850,000 scripted multi-turn scenarios. These were the results.
We assumed 12 of the 24 Peasant archers could fire, which is a practical estimate rather than a rule, and every shooter got a clear line of sight. The multi-turn results follow a fixed script with no charges or return fire, so they show how often each unit gets to shoot, not who wins the game.
The three units at 96 points
| Unit | Weapon | Shots in our tests | What 96 points buys |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Iron Hail Gunners | 12", S3, AP −1, Multiple Shots (D3), Move & Shoot | 8 × D3, about 16 | A mobile skirmishing unit with 8 wounds |
| 6 Crane Gunner teams | 36", S6, AP −2, Armour Bane (2), Move or Shoot | 6 | Six 2-wound teams with tower shields |
| 24 Peasant Levy, warbows | 24", S3 | 12 (assumed firing) | 24 cheap bodies |
The Peasant number needs care. Twenty-four archers rarely all see the target, so we capped the firing models at 12 as a practical estimate. That is not a rules limit: battlefield geometry can give you more or fewer.
All three units, one volley at 12 inches
One volley at 12 inches, and over a scripted five-turn approach from 24 inches n = 10,000 trials per cell
| Enemy | Iron Hails, 12" | Crane Gunners, 12" | Peasant bows, 12" | Iron Hails, 5 turns | Crane Gunners, 5 turns | Peasant bows, 5 turns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clanrats | 3.33 | 2.52 | 1.99 | 10.05 | 10.86 | 7.96 |
| Ironbreakers | 0.92 | 1.18 | 0.38 | 3.41 | 5.13 | 1.33 |
| Knights of the Realm | 1.68 | 1.24 | 0.83 | 1.64 | 3.25 | 1.92 |
| Chaos Warriors | 1.50 | 1.45 | 0.84 | 3.93 | 6.31 | 3.30 |
| Ogre Bulls | 2.69 | 2.02 | 1.68 | 5.33 | 7.33 | 5.55 |
Over five scripted turns the Peasants beat the Iron Hails into Knights (1.92 against 1.64) and Ogres (5.55 against 5.33), simply because a 24-inch bow starts shooting earlier. Into Ironbreakers they barely scratched the paint.
How range changes the picture
This test fires one volley at a generic T3 target with a 5+ save, from 6 to 36 inches. Iron Hails lead inside 12 inches, then cannot fire at all. Peasants drop when they pass half range, and Cranes keep most of their punch all the way to 36 inches.
One volley by target type at 12 inches n = 10,000 trials per cell
| Target | Iron Hails | Crane Gunners | Peasant bows |
|---|---|---|---|
| T3, no armour | 3.99 | 2.48 | 3.02 |
| T3, 5+ save | 3.34 | 2.50 | 2.01 |
| T4, 3+ save | 1.33 | 1.49 | 0.67 |
| T5, 4+ save | 1.76 | 1.76 | 1.01 |
| T6, 3+ save | 0.68 | 1.17 | 0.33 |
The tougher the target, the further Cranes pull ahead. Against T6 with a 3+ save they did 1.17 wounds a volley, against 0.68 for Iron Hails. Against unarmoured T3, the Peasants (3.02) out-shot the Cranes.
What Peasant Levy archers bring
- Cheap bodies. 24 models cost the same as 8 Iron Hails, so losing a few archers barely dents the unit.
- Range. At 24 inches they start shooting long before Iron Hails, and against a T3, 5+ target advancing from 24 inches they managed 7.98 wounds over five scripted turns, against 10.80 for Cranes.
- Screening and objectives. A wide block of archers soaks charges and holds ground in a way six Crane teams cannot.
- Not an armour answer. Strength 3 with no AP struggles badly against Ironbreakers, Chaos Warriors and anything with a good save.
Which Grand Cathay shooting unit should you take?
- Facing armour, cavalry or monsters: Crane Gunners.
- Facing hordes of light infantry, with a plan to get close: Iron Hails.
- Need cheap bodies, a screen and steady shooting: Peasant warbows.
For the full head-to-head between the two guns, including moving, marching and the charge risk to Iron Hails, read Iron Hail Gunners vs Crane Gunners. You can also browse my Grand Cathay units and every unit in my Old World shooting units table.
My conclusion
Based on these results, I would use Crane Gunners for long-range fire into armour, Iron Hails for close-range pressure on light infantry, and Peasant warbows for cheap volume and screening… not Peasant warbows as an armour answer, and not Iron Hails as a static gunline.
FAQs
What is the best Grand Cathay shooting unit?
There is no single winner. In our tests Crane Gunners were the most reliable over a five-turn approach, Iron Hails hit hardest in one close volley against light targets, and Peasant bows gave the cheapest bodies with useful volume.
How many Peasant Levy archers can actually shoot?
It depends on the formation and the table. We assumed 12 of 24 could fire as a practical estimate, not a rule. A wide line might get more, and a deep block or awkward angle fewer.
Are Peasant Levy warbows good against armour?
Not really. Strength 3 with no AP did only 0.38 wounds a volley into Ironbreakers at 12 inches, against 1.18 for Crane Gunners.
Which Cathay shooting unit has the longest range?
Crane Gunners at 36 inches. Peasant warbows reach 24 inches and Iron Hail guns 12.