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Warriors of Chaos · 143 points
Are Chaos throwing axes good?
Chaos throwing axes are not good as a shooting unit, and my tests show it clearly. They finished 25th of 29 at both short and long range.
Quick answer: it depends what you point Chaos throwing axes at
- Role
- Softening up a target before the charge
- Good against
- Knights of the Realm (1.4, 14th): best ranking
- Struggles against
- Knights of the Realm (1.4, 14th), Ironbreakers (0.5, 18th), Empire State Troops (1.6, 27th), Skaven Dregs (3.2, 21st), Rat Ogres (1.0, 28th), Skirmishing Empire Archers (2.4, 20th)
- Range
- Loses some damage at range (68% kept)
Softening up a target before the charge is the job Chaos throwing axes did best in my testing, and it is the yardstick I would judge them by, rather than their 25th-of-29 overall average.
How many simulations I ran
I ran 120 volleys with Chaos throwing axes: ten fresh volleys at each of six targets, at both long and short range. I then fired 1,800 more Chaos throwing axes volleys at fixed distances, after moving and into cover. Those main volleys were part of the 4,080 I ran across 29 shooting units, and these were the Chaos throwing axes results.
Treat my Chaos throwing axes results as evidence rather than gospel: I strip out terrain, magic, characters and an opponent’s choices so the unit’s own performance shows through. With ten volleys per result, Chaos throwing axes (1.7) and Centigors with throwing axes (1.7) finished level at short range, so I would not read anything into their order. They tell you what to point Chaos throwing axes at, not what will happen every time.
My verdict
I think of throwing axes as a bonus on the way into combat, not a reason to pick the unit. Their best target was unarmoured Dregs, at 3.2 wounds.
Best and worst targets for Chaos throwing axes
Chaos throwing axes by target. Ranks out of 29. n = 10 volleys per cell
| Target | Long | Rank | Short | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knights of the Realm | 0.6 | 24th | 1.4 | 14th |
| Ironbreakers | 0.1 | 28th | 0.5 | 18th |
| Empire State Troops | 1.5 | 22nd | 1.6 | 27th |
| Skaven Dregs | 3.2 | 13th | 3.2 | 21st |
| Rat Ogres | 0.6 | 28th | 1.0 | 28th |
| Skirmishing Empire Archers | 0.9 | 29th | 2.4 | 20th |
Range and armour
At long range Chaos throwing axes kept 68% of their short-range damage. Their best long-range target was Skaven Dregs (3.2).
Against my two heavily armoured targets, Knights of the Realm and Ironbreakers, Chaos throwing axes averaged 1.0 wounds at short range. That puts them 18th of 29 for cracking armour.
Rules that shaped these numbers
- Throwing axes reach 9 inches. They add damage on the approach but cannot act as long-range support.
Chaos throwing axes after moving and in cover
My main table is a clean volley in the open, so I also fired Chaos throwing axes at fixed distances, after moving and at targets in partial cover. Chaos throwing axes could not reach a target 22 inches away, so the short distances are the ones that matter here. At 10 inches Chaos throwing axes could not reach the target at all, so only the 6-inch column shows their damage.
Chaos throwing axes after moving into partial cover, by distance. n = 60 volleys per cell
| 6in | 10in | 16in | 22in | 28in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.58 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
How I set up the test
11 models could shoot in every matchup. My method page has the full setup.
How do they compare?
Other Warriors of Chaos shooters
- Chaos javelins143 pts · 1.8 avg short, 1.2 avg long
- Wolves of the Sea Berserkers144 pts · 2.5 avg short, 1.3 avg long
Similar overall damage
- Centigors with throwing axesBeastmen Brayherds · 1.7 avg short
- Goblin Wolf RidersOrc & Goblin Tribes · 1.7 avg short
- Bretonnian Mounted YeomenKingdom of Bretonnia · 1.5 avg short
My conclusion
Based on these results, I would use Chaos throwing axes for softening up light infantry just before the charge, and not for any real ranged job or anything armoured, to get the most out of them on the battlefield.
FAQs
What are Chaos throwing axes best at shooting?
Skaven Dregs: Chaos throwing axes did 3.2 wounds per short-range volley against them in my tests. Their lowest number was against Ironbreakers, at 0.5.
Are Chaos throwing axes better at long or short range?
Short range. Chaos throwing axes kept 68% of their short-range damage at long range, 17th of 29 for holding up at range. Chaos throwing axes averaged 1.2 wounds at long range against 1.7 at short range.
Are Chaos throwing axes good against armour?
Against Knights of the Realm and Ironbreakers, Chaos throwing axes averaged 1.0 wounds per short-range volley, 18th of the 29 units I tested.