Break down skaven range units

[happyscrub]

What's the quick breakdown of their range units (not artillery)? I know slings and runners, but the rest is so bloated, I don't know where to start trying to tell them apart.

[Bluegills]

Warpfire Throwers: Basically close range flamethrowers, really good at melting down infantry (fire and magic damage)
Ratling Guns: Higher range than Warpfire, they walk around with miniguns and can have unlimited ammo with clan skyre. They lower the troops' speeds when shot by 36% and deal alot of damage, good at preventing specific units from getting near your other troops.
Warplock Jezzails: Your sniper teams, exceedingly high range and are good against shielded units.
Bombadiers/Globadiers: They throw magic bombs onto units that deal damage overtime and have good damage spread over groups of units (think close range artillery)

[Xaphnir]

Ratling Guns are basically warpstone-fueled Gatling guns and put out a very high amount of damage, but are gunners and so can't fire in an arc. They also slow the movement of the target they're firing at. Focus 2-3 units on 1 target and it will go down in seconds. They have a high rate of fire with a high percentage of armor-piercing, so they're effective against virtually anything they can shoot at.

Warplock Jezzails are snipers, out-ranging all other missile troops in the game and some artillery pieces. You can actually think of them somewhat like artillery, except with a more consistent damage output, as well as greater accuracy. They have a slight arc to their shots, so they can fire over small bumps at long range, but for most intents and purposes fire in a line.

Warpfire Throwers work like Irondrakes: short range flamethrower units that deliver bursts of aoe damage that reduce leadership.

Poisoned-Wind Globadiers and Death Globe Bombardiers can throw in a high arc, allowing them to easily attack from behind your infantry line, which you should do because they have short range despite what the globadiers in Vermintide might make you think. Globadiers have a large anti-large bonus, while bombardiers have explosive damage making them very effective against infantry.

[happyscrub]

Who does more damage in the most ideal situation, the warpfire vs the ratling guns?

[Replicant Six]

Originally posted by happyscrub:

Who does more damage in the most ideal situation, the warpfire vs the ratling guns?

Rattling guns have longer damage sustain while warpfire is quick burst fire. I always bring rattling guns because they have a suppression mechanic where they lower the movement speed of whoever they shoot at. It really depends on what your army looks for, if you're very heavy on ranged units rattling gunners is nice because it buys more time for your slingers to wittle down strong units.

If you're heavy on melee warpfire is best to do quick damage to soften your foes for your units to close in.

You can't go wrong with either choice tbh it's usually just preference.

[Xaphnir]

Depends on the target they're firing at, though I'd say Ratlings are going to do more damage in most less than optimal situations.

[KellyR]

Note that Jezzails aren't really great at melting high figure count units. They're meant for focusing heroes, lords, and any large, scary, single units, more than anything.

They're excellent at that job though.

[Xaphnir]

Originally posted by KellyR:

Note that Jezzails aren't really great at melting high figure count units. They're meant for focusing heroes, lords, and any large, scary, single units, more than anything.

They're excellent at that job though.

They're also great at taking out artillery crews or high priority infantry targets Their very long range also allows you to focus their fire on one target very easily. But yeah, don't waste Jezzails time firing at the enemy rank and file unless their army is comprised of nothing but rank and file, or you're trying to punch a hole through a point in the enemy's line.

One other thing to note when using them: the AI can be very effective at dancing a unit around to avoid Jezzail fire. If you see this is happening, shift their fire, as your Jezzails are just wasting their time and ammo.

[Ben Argo]

The poison wind mortar is like a cross between artillery and the globadiers.

The warp grinders aren't ranged BUT they have a ability that can hold surrounding enemies in place which could help your ranged units have time to fire.