What is the point of Cairn Wraiths?

[Eldrin]

Hexwraiths are my fav VC unit so i am trying to find a use for them but everything they do hexwraiths just do better with their superior mobility.

They have like 1-2 better melee atk/def but hexwraiths just have a superior +14 charge bonus.

[kekkuli]

I don't really know either. Hexwraiths have always felt superior. One could argue that cairn wraiths could be more useful in siege battles since they are infantry and can climb walls But i feel like they just melt away pretty fast in prolonged melee especially if you climb the walls. Thing with hexwraiths is you don't have to stay in melee for long because they are fast bois.

[Len's]

those Cairn and Hexwraith should pass the wall in a siege , that would be great

[Xaphnir]

they're infantry and they're cheaper

Not saying that makes them better, but that is the point of them. There are times when infantry can be more useful.

[Enelith]

I'd say Hexwraiths are cavs units, and suffer from the same kind of flaws ? (being large units, losing their charge bonus after a while, more micro-intensive, etc), whereas Cairn Wraiths, being smaller units, fit better in melee ?

That being said, both have their uses.

[Eldrin]

Originally posted by Enelith:

I'd say Hexwraiths are cavs units, and suffer from the same kind of flaws ? (being large units, losing their charge bonus after a while, more micro-intensive, etc), whereas Cairn Wraiths, being smaller units, fit better in melee ?

That being said, both have their uses.

That does not really answer the question when i literally ask what IS their use?

[Elitewrecker PT]

Their use is armor piercing damage against infantry, especially anti-large infantry (where hexwraiths would be at a disadvantage), that doesn't have magic attacks.
And they can fight on walls if you want to.

[Eldrin]

Originally posted by Elitewrecker PT:

Their use is armor piercing damage against infantry, especially anti-large infantry where hexwraiths would be at a disadvantage, that doesn't have magic attacks.
And they can fight on walls if you want to.

Hexwraiths have both magic attacks and armor piercing.

[Elitewrecker PT]

I think you misunderstood me. Since both hexwraiths and cairn wraiths are ethereal they are vulnerable against units with magic attacks so you should use grave guards or vargheists, varghulf, black knights, etc., against those.

Against enemy units WITHOUT magic attacks you can use either hexwraiths or cairn wraiths BUT - if that enemy unit has anti-large you should use cairn wraiths, because the enemy would hit hexwraiths a lot easier than cairn wraiths.
If the enemy doesn't have anti-large then ye, hexwraiths cycle charging will be better, especially if the enemy would be anti-infantry instead.

[Mezore]

They hit harder than grave guard with greatsword so you can use them in their place (taking wall, getting rid of spear infantry that threathen your monster and inflicting terror). Hexwraith do less damage and don't have much of a charge bonus while being more vulnerable due to their size. So i largely prefer cairn to hex against infantry (and cairn are smaller target so they are better at taking most projectile. Including guns)

[Sn3z]

They exist so you can dispense of using slower GG, Vcounts armies need to utilize speed in the late game to close faster to take less missile damage. You cn also use them on halberd/spears otherwise a problem for Vcounts.

[Fendelphi]

Hexwraiths are large targets, so anything with Bonus vs Large will punish them more than Cairn Wraiths. Similarly, units with Charge defense vs Large will negate a lot of the damage from a frontal charge from Hexwraiths, but will still be messed up by Cairn Wraiths.

Being large also means that they are easier to target and hit with ranged weapons. If a unit of Cairn Wraiths are engaged with the enemy frontline, it is much harder for the enemy to shoot them, as they have the same size as the infantry they are fighting(so very limited line of sight to them).
Meanwhile, a unit of Hexwraiths are still fairly easy to hit with ranged attacks while they are in melee.

Cairn Wraiths also have better "grinding"/frontline damage output(having better MA and WS values), while Hexwraiths relies more on their mobility and Charge.

Finally, there is the price. Hexwraiths cost about 60% more.

[Logi]

Good for killing Dwarfs (except Hammerers).

[Imposter]

I think they are inherently good for flanking, just like HexWraiths.. Send in a horde of zombies, tie up enemy lines with them and use Cairn and Hex wraiths to flank the sides. I'd say Cairn wraiths aren't subjected to anti-large attacks, and would probably fair a bit better in prolonged melee attacks against enemy cavalry that do not have anti-infantry and magic attacks, when flanked. One could also use Cairn wraiths as infantry support for zombies, and skeletons too all fighting in the same line. I'd use Hex Wraiths specifically for hiding and flanking.

Though I would avoid using HexWraiths or Cairn wraiths against Brettonia, and demonic units.

[chronobomb]

Cairn Wraith took a major hit going from game 2 to 3. When healing went to % based, the low hp Cairn Wraith became a lot less useful than the higher HP units.

Their main roll is dealing with physical resist units which are plenty. Unfortunately most of the physical resist units ended up getting magic attacks which means their main target now demolishes them.

There's only a handful of units that they are good against which means fielding them tends to be a waste. Hopefully they will get update whenever VC gets another expansion.

[playing tf2 whilst driving]

cairn wraiths integrate with infantry lines way better. it's a niche use especially with kemmler - quasi-monstrous infantry that can push through skellies/gguard, are way harder to shoot and don't take anti-large dmg