Kings of War 3rd Edition: Halfling Army review

Tier Rankings: 

Trying to rank units in Kings of War is not a perfect science. By pure design, many units are meant to work in combination with other choices in the army and can be hard to judge on their own. For this exercise, it’s assumed the unit is being used to its utmost potential within the army. This is not just a math problem to determine the most cost-effective unit but to also see how they compare in scope, role, and impact across not just a single army but all Kings of War armies. For the most part, units will be treated as one entry; however, if an option or size drastically improves a unit it will be separately mentioned.

S Tier: Reserved for units that are widely acknowledged as either being significantly undercosted or having a combination of rules that perform well above units in similar roles. These units are often called “auto includes” as any list stands to be made better with their inclusion. Expect these units to be addressed in future CoK book updates.

A Tier: These units are some of the best the army has to offer. They excel in their specific roles and commonly help form the core of most competitive lists. While not auto include, they are great in almost any army they are taken in and will be seen frequently.

B Tier: These units have a mix of strengths and weaknesses that make them very playable but balanced. These units work great with specific roles in mind; however, their weaknesses mean they do not help every list. In a perfect world, all units would fit into this category.

C Tier: C tier units may still shine in niche lists and roles; however, they will feel underpowered when compared to similar units in other armies. Decidedly suboptimal, you could make them work but frequently will see other things that are just better. You will rarely see many lists take these units.

D Tier: Units that need some considerable love and attention. You will struggle to find any role for this unit that another unit couldn’t do better. Very often you will see these units labeled as “unplayable”.

E Tier: Wait, E tier? Do we even have an E tier? This just seems mean.

I feel it’s worth taking a moment to talk about the tier system we use to rank units and the implications for the Halfling Army. More than anything else I have to stress that a unit’s placement doesn’t reflect raw power or effectiveness. If you were to make an army entirely of Halfling Braves you would not have an S-tier army, they inhabit S-tier because their low cost allows you to open lots of irregular, hero and war machine slots with as many points left over to populate those slots as possible. Likewise, including a Halfling Howitzer in your army won’t be less effective than including a Feastmaster but you will gain more flexibility from the latter than the former.

The key to playing Halflings is to look at how each unit supports the whole and covers for the weaknesses of others. A Sauceror can make up for the low nerve of your units but you’ll still need a source of Inspiring. Aeronauts can overcome armoured opponents more reliably than Wild Lancers but lack the manoeuvrability of their Aralez mounted friends. No one aspect can be relied upon to deliver in isolation the way more elite armies might expect of a unit.

As an example army list I’ve included my own Halfling Army. It works by the Iron Beast sitting between and Inspiring the Hordes of Spearspikes. Then the Muster Captain and Mounted Sauceror lead an almighty cavalry charge into the face of the enemy. The Feastmaster either leads the Ej Grenadiers like Lord Vultan leading his Hawkmen or lets them hang around another source of Inspiring whilst he goes hunting spellcasters. I’m still refining it and playing with options so don’t rush to copy me but rather use it as a reference for one of the many, many ways one can construct a Halfling army.

Formation: Wild Saucery

Designed to make your Ambush box even more exciting, this formation is pretty great. A regiment of Spearspikes gains the Gastromancy keyword. Two accompanying troops of Wild Runners then gain the Good Cooking special rule which conveys Elite (Ranged) and makes them Fearless when within 6” of a friendly core unit with Gastromancy. 

That’s pretty amazing. You can leave the Spearspikes in your line then advance the Wild Runners up alongside a mounted Sauceror to act as Fearless chaff for your Juggers. Alternatively hold them back with the Spearspikes to keep shooting away at approaching enemy units then hurtling forward to act as speed bumps and break up the advance.

Everyone loves a fearless unit that can charge 16”.

S Tier

Aeronauts 

The Goose that laid the Golden egg, the star pupil, the unit to end all units, the… you get the picture. 

Aeronauts are a devastating unit thanks to their unmodified 4+ to hit, Crushing Strength (2) and Blast (D3). A high armour value grants resilience and their ability to fly gets them where they need to be. Few units can make others vaporise in quite the same way Aeronauts can. Be warned that their nerve makes them highly susceptible to being lightning bolted off the table and their height 5 gives them few places to hide. 

When looked after and delivered safely they’ll do you proud. Just be prepared to lose friends because of them.

Braves 

One of (if not the) cheapest infantry options in the game. Ideal for unlocking list options (such as Ej Grenadiers and War Machines), putting disposable boots on the ground or providing a blank slate to boost with auras. They aren’t anything to write home about in isolation but offer excellent utility for list building. You won’t go wrong with Braves as the stock for the delicious stew of an army.

There are those who declare Braves the best infantry unit in the game precisely for their low cost. Whether you choose Regiment, Horde or Legion their nerve is enough to hold their own in a fight even before you look at Rallying from a Sauceror. If you wanted to sit a Legion next to an Engineer with the full suite of upgrades and make them the target of ‘Gadgets and Gizmos’ your Braves can quickly become a scary prospect. 

A tier

Juggers 

A winner from Clash of Kings 2024. Nimble cavalry with Thunderous Charge (2), heavy armour and the ability to deploy in a Horde? I’ve had three regiments waiting at the bottom of my paint queue that just got upgraded to priority status. 

Whilst excellent on paper as a cheap unit for what it provides, the real joy of the Jugger comes in combination with a mounted Muster Captain kicking out an Aura of Strider. Suddenly a great unit becomes a deadly unit as the enemy can’t hide behind walls or trees to protect themselves.

Forest Troll Gunners 

Thanks to a much needed boost in Clash of Kings 2024 this unit is looking rather healthy right now. They don’t hit as hard as the Forest Trolls but make up for this with an accurate ranged attack that now boasts piercing. Combined with the Tinker keyword that allows them to benefit from an Engineer’s Wild Charge Aura the Forest Troll Gunners are in a really nice place right now. It would be well worth considering a Brew of Sharpness or Brew of Strength on a unit for extra punch if you can spare the points. 

If you need to deploy deep rather than wide or want to protect them with some infantry chaff the extra height provided by the Trolls means they can still shoot over the top of your Halflings. A handy bit of flexibility that may come in useful.

Harvester 

Benefiting from a 6+ save in the front arc and kicking out loads of attacks from a small frontage. This is the ultimate melee support unit that can sit alongside your infantry and join in a multi-charge. It can also hurtle forwards and pin a unit in a grinding melee whilst you get other units in position. 

The true beauty of the Harvester comes in sharing both the Tinker and Ravenous keywords so it benefits from Engineer and Sauceror auras. I’ve even seen people put a ‘Shroud of the Saint’ on a character to heal it as Harvesters lack Spellward. 

If I had a penny for everytime I’ve heard someone praise the Harvester as a quality unit I’d have a lot of pennies. Naturally I don’t use them myself because I’m intentionally difficult.

Iron Beast 

Generals gathered in their masses

Just like witches at black masses

Evil minds that plot destruction

Sorcerer of death’s construction

In the fields, the bodies burning

As the war machine keeps turning

Death and hatred to mankind

Poisoning their brainwashed minds

Engineer 

75pts for a source of Inspiring that kicks out 4 attacks, hitting on 4+ with Piercing (1) is a steal. Where you choose to go from there requires a bit of thought. Pile on every upgrade and you have a 120pt multi-tool of auras holding a Sniper rifle who isn’t any more resilient than the base version but has a bigger target on their chest.

Gadgets and Gizmos is almost always worth the points if you want to park the Engineer next to infantry, even if the Tinker keyword doesn’t prove useful it’s Iron Resolve for 5pts which is a steal.

Aura (Wild Charge(+1) for units with the Tinker keyword is pretty cool and can give your Forest Troll Gunners, Harvester or Iron Beasts a real edge on the table. A unit of Troll Gunners with the Brew of Haste sat within this aura is suddenly boasting a 15” threat range which will make anything short of cavalry pause for thought.

Radiance of Life (Tinker only) is expensive but potentially worthwhile. I would caution buying this upgrade simply because it’s cool and easy to see the pay off. Those points can be spent on many other lovely things like a Chalice of Wrath for your Stalwarts.

Halfling Long Rifle is another one to be certain of before you shell out the points. If your meta is full of horde armies or stealthy armies then it’s not going to be worth taking. If you anticipate seeing a lot of armour and don’t intend to send your Engineer on cross country sprints then go for it.

Muster Captain on Winged Aralez 

A pocket dragon that hits hard on the charge. I’ve seen lists that make good use of two of these folks for hunting chaff and war machines then causing maximum disruption to the enemy advance. A combination of Nimble and flying on a monster base lets them position where you want them and project a huge threat range. Once committed their high nerve and Iron Resolve make them a tenacious problem the enemy will need to devote resources to shift. A reliable and solid choice for the discerning general. Consider Hann’s Sanguinary Scripture or Pipes of Terror if you have 10pts spare and want to make them extra nasty.

Gunnery Sergeant on Troll 

If you want to send your trolls off with a source of Inspiring that will keep pace but don’t want to shell out on a Muster Captain on Winged Aralez then you won’t go wrong with a Gunnery Sergeant on Troll. Bonus points for a scoring unit that holds their own in ranged and melee. I’m not personally sold on them but Tom says they are the perfect KoW unit and I’d be churlish to argue with the master.

B Tier

Poachers 

Great accuracy, pathfinder, scout and stealthy. Everything you can hope for in a scouting unit that the enemy will need to drive off in melee rather than shooting. Sit them in a wood and laugh. If you want to give them Relentless they’ll even hold their own in close quarters on the charge.

Stalwarts 

A useful source of armour or piercing in melee. I have seen these put to good use and there is now the ‘Heroes of Hoddenburg’ option for those that want a Horde acting to anchor a line with an additional source of Inspiring. If you’re used to more reliable infantry then Stalwarts will provide that in the Halfling list. Alternatively they can provide some armoured chaff with their Troop option that might cause headaches for swarms or faster units that rely on Thunderous Charge to power through the enemy. 

Some folks swear by them as the best infantry option, other folks swear at them as too many points for what they offer. Mostly I just swear so  I think Stalwarts inhabit that sweet spot of being the right tool for some folks but not being so good they are an automatic choice.

Ej Grenadiers 

Fast moving and nimble. They won’t win a stand up combat on their own but a flank charge and their Brutal D3 means any combat they support is likely to go your way. In a pinch they’ll chase off weaker chaff but you’ll be throwing away an irregular unit you’ve paid a premium for. Be warned that whilst a flying unit they are only height 2 so won’t be able to hide behind other units and still charge like Aeronauts. 

Muster Captain 

A respectable number of attacks, good armour and accomplished blade. What you’re really going to want this character for is sticking on an Aralez, upgrading with Aura (Strider – Ravenous only) and sending her out alongside your Juggers. If you want an Inspiring character on foot go for an Engineer, Sergeant or Aeron Cadwallader.

Feast Master 

A 90pt character hunter. The Feastmaster has two main ways of getting forward, be that Scout or mounting an Aralez. Once close they can throw cleavers before barreling into an enemy character with Duelist.

The Feastmaster can act as a source of Inspiring to your Poachers and provide enough of a threat to fighty individuals who might otherwise shut your scouts down with a cheeky charge. Whilst not the same as the old Formation with Ally McSween a Feastmaster alongside Poachers is a reasonable simulacrum.

Personally I like to slap the Wings of Honeymaze on a Feastmaster and barrel headfirst into any unsuspecting Mage who pokes their head over the parapet.

Greedyguts 

Having a Fearless model that can snuggle in between units and move like an individual is quite the unpleasant surprise for the enemy. Whilst they struggle against high armour opponents the Greedyguts is great for chewing through hordes in support of a multi-charge. They can also leap out of your main line to act as a speed bump and hold an enemy unit to break up the advance. A potential 13” charge means most infantry regiments will need to weigh up their options before closing in with a Greedyguts around.

The only downside to the Greedyguts would be the need to sacrifice a Hero slot when they are at a premium in a list that offers lots of tasty aura’s.

Forest Trolls 

A unit that hits hard and has Pathfinder is nothing to be sniffed at. Be warned their regeneration isn’t good enough to be reliable and their nerve isn’t high enough to guarantee they’ll resist a charge. In the right situation they’ll deliver the goods with a well timed charge out of the woods into an unfortunate enemy unit.

C Tier

Spearspikes 

My personal favourite thanks to Phalanx. When you add Relentless the points add up without making them particularly more dangerous so you’ll still rely on other units to bypass enemy armour. As a defensive unit they can happily hold your line against cavalry and flyers if you protect their flanks. If you just need to unlock list options then stick with Braves.

Halfling Rifles 

A decent source of ranged piercing attacks that won’t break the bank and can serve to unlock other units. Their Tinker keyword allows them to benefit from the Engineer’s Aura’s. If you want to run a gunline then a Horde or two will have you covered and unlock those tasty, tasty war machines. Just don’t expect them to hold up in melee.

Sergeant 

Not the mightiest of characters but one who offers some customisation to suit your needs. If you want a mounted character I’d suggest looking at the Muster Captain. Otherwise the option to give the Sergeant a ranged attack in the form of a bow and/or scout can offer your Poachers a source of Inspiring when you don’t have the points for a Feastmaster.

Perhaps the most interesting option is the Standard of Hodenburg which grants infantry Elite (melee). Definitely worth considering if you choose Stalwarts as your main infantry. Probably worth considering if you have Spearspikes or Braves. If you just have infantry to unlock the tastier units I’d leave the flag at home.

Wild Lancers 

Diet Juggers. The cheaper points cost makes them ideal for rounding out an army with a mobile unit, acting as chaff or countering lightly armoured chaff units with a charge. Offering support to heavier units they could easily swing the course of a battle. 

Wild Runners 

Not a unit I’ve personally managed to gel with. The ability to redeploy a ranged unit or sneak around to hunt warmachines is pretty cool but there are plenty of other units that do movement or shooting just as well for fewer points. 

If you’re going to take them then go straight to the Wild Saucery Formation where for a few extra points they’ll gain a very welcome boost.

Howitzer 

A decent war machine that has a respectable damage output. It won’t win you games but it’ll make heavily armoured foes think twice about stepping out in the open. A pair of them together can seriously mess up someone’s day.

Volley Gun

A lot of firepower with a small frontage. If you play defensively then this is a good choice for area denial and a threat to heavily armoured units. A solid choice for anyone wanting to play a gunline.

Sauceror 

Sauceror’s should be what makes the Halflings special and unique. Something that really embodies the character of the army and elevates them from fun to functional. Except they really don’t.

Please understand I’m not saying they aren’t worth the points or are badly designed. Far from it. It’s just the army as a whole lends itself to relying on the more elite units for the heavy lifting. In that regard an unreliable source of Aura’s that boost the least reliable sections of your army isn’t all that impressive. Especially given the new Twilight Kin Navigators with their guaranteed Aura’s that make good units better.

By all means take Saucerors, don’t be surprised if you find them underwhelming. I usually catch myself wondering if it’s better to give them an Inspiring Talisman or replace them entirely.

D Tier

Aeron Cadwallader 

A Muster Captain with extra nerve and Aura (Nimble – Infantry only). There are going to be amazing things you can do with this guy and a few infantry regiments. I’m not good enough at this game to tell you what those are. I’ve not seen anyone else do it either.

E Tier

Ally McSween 

Previously the lynchpin for the Halfling formation. Now kind of floating in a position where her lack of Inspiring makes her less useful in combination with Poachers but the ability to self-inspire keeps her viable. If you’re taking Ally it’s to shut down enemy magic items and potentially turn them around on the previous owner thanks to her Master Thief ability.

If you have an opponent who regularly packs the Crystal Pendent of Retribution then throw in Ally to really mess up their day. Otherwise I’d probably leave her at home in favour of a Feastmaster or Scouting Sergeant.