How to use Bard's Windlance

legion · **Joined:** Fri Dec 27, 2013 6:58 pm **Posts:** 205

I have used Bard's Windlance twice in a game now and I can honestly say that I really with it was not a Seige weapon. The fact that I cant target anything that is 6" of my troops is really frustrating (this weapon really should have the accurate special rule). I spend most of the game firing at pointless targets that happen to fulfill this requirement. The worst part is that when a Trebuchet does this, multiple targets die, but when the Windlance fires, one person dies....at best...

Does anyone know how to use this weapon effectively, or does everyone else just wish it fired like a crossbow without the scatter.

SouthernDunedain · **Posted:** Tue Dec 16, 2014 5:29 pm

shoot it at a dragon?

legion · **Joined:** Fri Dec 27, 2013 6:58 pm **Posts:** 205

Well although I dont have smaug, based on my past two games, I can easily say that Smaug (or any flying model) can very easily get within 6" of one of my models since it moves 12" and goes over terrain. Especially since it can deploy halfway up anyway. Then I cant fire it at all...

This problem even extends to slower models since they just Heroic March toward me. I have managed to get one shot off before they were within 6" of my men

SouthernDunedain · **Posted:** Tue Dec 16, 2014 5:52 pm

Try and keep your models behind the windlance? I think honestly it has been designed more with scenario's in mind rather than for points matches.
Also it doesnt have a minimum range so if you do get stuck near the middle, you can still shoot it.

Galanur · **Joined:** Fri Feb 24, 2012 11:28 am **Posts:** 1389

personnal experience on boltthrowers? Dwarf ballista win at everyturn just for a simple and effective rule: piercing shot(short).
The good thing on windlance its the ability to kill characters of any defence easily with S10 hits, but other than that is a very innacurace(on killing power) kind of machine.
( any target than dont have S10 or 10 wounds dies instantly, those that do have both or either suffer half his wound damage, dunno where theD D3 is relevant or not unless other seige engines eventually)

There aint no FAQ for it so for now you can use bard on horse with it I suppose as we neither faced with a character on horse that can interact with a seige engine as most models are character purchase for the engine itself (captains).

Worst still, being a bolt thrower there is alot in the way shoots, so unless you get clear sight on the target, the enemy will likely hide behind rank after rank in order to avoid dying to the weapon itself. Windlance should had the rule piercing shot(long) right from the start (long means 2D6 running through rather than 1D6) as the dwarf ballista shoot small compacted stone/metal balls, this 1 shoot a huge piercing iron arrow.

And SD is right, you can still shoot something "in the face" of the weapon lol

legion · **Joined:** Fri Dec 27, 2013 6:58 pm **Posts:** 205

Galanur wrote:

personnal experience on boltthrowers? Dwarf ballista win at everyturn just for a simple and effective rule: piercing shot(short).
The good thing on windlance its the ability to kill characters of any defence easily with S10 hits, but other than that is a very innacurace(on killing power) kind of machine.
(but I dunno why cause D3 wounds, any target than dont have S10 or 10 wounds dies instantly, those that do have both or either suffer half his wound damage, dunno where theD D3 is relevant or not unless other seige engines eventually)

There aint no FAQ for it so for now you can use bard on horse with it I suppose as we neither faced with a character on horse that can interact with a seige engine as most models are character purchase for the engine itself (captains).

Worst still, being a bolt thrower there is alot in the way shoots, so unless you get clear sight on the target, the enemy will likely hide behind rank after rank in order to avoid dying to the weapon itself. Windlance should had the rule piercing shot(long) right from the start (long means 2D6 running through rather than 1D6) as the dwarf ballista shoot small compacted stone/metal balls, this 1 shoot a huge piercing iron arrow.

And SD is right, you can still shoot something "in the face" of the weapon lol

I'm not sure what you are referring to with D3 wounds, but the Windlance just deals one wound, not D3. Also, you cannot shoot something in the face of the weapon if it is 6" away since the Good rule is it must not be able to scatter onto a Good model. This is the fundamental problem with the weapons since as you mentioned, it does not have piercing shot like the stone thrower or multiple shots like the bolt thrower. I personally feel they should have just made it fire like a crossbow and take away the siege engine instant death. A str 10 crossbow would have been awesome even if it was immovable!

LordElrond · **Posted:** Wed Dec 17, 2014 11:27 pm

The easiest way to use it would be to get bard the windlance and a horse and fire at the enemy leader/ high calibre targets with it. Then, when these are taken out, or the enemy are close, charge bard in and wreck some foot soldiers.

Galanur · **Joined:** Fri Feb 24, 2012 11:28 am **Posts:** 1389

legion wrote:

Galanur wrote:

personnal experience on boltthrowers? Dwarf ballista win at everyturn just for a simple and effective rule: piercing shot(short).
The good thing on windlance its the ability to kill characters of any defence easily with S10 hits, but other than that is a very innacurace(on killing power) kind of machine.
(but I dunno why cause D3 wounds, any target than dont have S10 or 10 wounds dies instantly, those that do have both or either suffer half his wound damage, dunno where theD D3 is relevant or not unless other seige engines eventually)

There aint no FAQ for it so for now you can use bard on horse with it I suppose as we neither faced with a character on horse that can interact with a seige engine as most models are character purchase for the engine itself (captains).

Worst still, being a bolt thrower there is alot in the way shoots, so unless you get clear sight on the target, the enemy will likely hide behind rank after rank in order to avoid dying to the weapon itself. Windlance should had the rule piercing shot(long) right from the start (long means 2D6 running through rather than 1D6) as the dwarf ballista shoot small compacted stone/metal balls, this 1 shoot a huge piercing iron arrow.

And SD is right, you can still shoot something "in the face" of the weapon lol

I'm not sure what you are referring to with D3 wounds, but the Windlance just deals one wound, not D3. Also, you cannot shoot something in the face of the weapon if it is 6" away since the Good rule is it must not be able to scatter onto a Good model. This is the fundamental problem with the weapons since as you mentioned, it does not have piercing shot like the stone thrower or multiple shots like the bolt thrower. I personally feel they should have just made it fire like a crossbow and take away the siege engine instant death. A str 10 crossbow would have been awesome even if it was immovable!

I mean got 3 wounds, my bad :P

How to use Bard's Windlance

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