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Warriors of Chaos builds · Huscarls
Best Huscarl build: a Mark of Chaos or a sixth model?
The best Huscarl build keeps the sixth model. At around 140 points, six Undivided flail Huscarls beat five Khorne ones overall in my simulations.
Quick answer: the best Huscarls build depends on the job
- Around 140 points
- 6 Undivided + flails
- Around 152 points
- 6 Khorne + flails (80.8% charging)
- Avoid
- Dropping to 5 models to afford a Mark
Huscarls are a charging unit whatever you build. The build choice is about how hard they hit, not whether they can hold.
How many simulations I ran
I ran 6,000 complete combats for each Huscarls build on this page: 500 against each of six benchmark opponents, charging and receiving. The whole Warriors of Chaos lab ran 478,800, and these were the Huscarls results.
Treat my Huscarls 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. My Huscarl results rest on one rules reading: I let Furious Charge boost the horses’ attacks as well as the riders’. Read the Huscarls results as a guide to roles and matchups rather than a forecast.
Flail Huscarl builds, averaged across six opponents. n = 500 combats per matchup
| Build | Charging | Receiving | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Khorne, 152 pts | 80.8% | 25.8% | 53.3% |
| 6 Nurgle, 152 pts | 68.8% | 26.2% | 47.5% |
| 6 Undivided, 140 pts | 67.6% | 21.2% | 44.4% |
| 5 Khorne, 130 pts | 69.1% | 14.2% | 41.6% |
Why I think this happens
Marks cost +2 points per Huscarl. The sixth model keeps its attacks, horse attacks, wounds and Unit Strength, so I think dropping to five just to afford a Mark is usually the worse trade.
If you can spend 152 points, six Khorne flail Huscarls are a vicious hammer: 80.8% of charges won.
Huscarls are a charging unit however you build them. No build won more than about a quarter of its fights when receiving.
Unit-by-unit Battle March results
I also ran smaller, narrated Huscarls batches against each opponent:
- Huscarls with flails120 pts · Cheap shock hammer
More Warriors of Chaos builds
- Best Mark for Chaos Warriors, and the weapon to pair it with
- Best Mark for Chaos Knights: is Khorne worth it?
- Best Chaotic Cult for Marauders, and are they good?
- Best weapon for Berserkers: flails or additional hand weapons?
My conclusion
Based on these results, I would use six flail Huscarls (Undivided at 140 points, Khorne at 152) for charging ordinary infantry. I would not use them to hold a line, whatever Mark they carry.
FAQs
Are Huscarls good?
On the charge, very. Five flail Huscarls won 9 of 10 charges into Clanrats in my narrated tests, and six Khorne Huscarls won 80.8% of charges across 3,000 simulated combats. Receiving charges, they are poor.
Is the Mark of Khorne worth it on Huscarls?
Only if you keep six models. Six Khorne Huscarls (152 pts) were the best build, but five Khorne Huscarls did worse overall than six Undivided ones.