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Artillery · 24 inches
Old World war machines: which one hits hardest?
Old World war machines swing wildly from shot to shot, so I fired each one ten times at every target from 24 inches to see which ones hit hardest.
My short answer: at 24 inches the Empire Helblaster and Dwarf Organ Gun did the most damage. The Helblaster was the only machine to average over 3 wounds against Rat Ogres, and the Organ Gun led against State Troops. Neither reaches the 36 and 48-inch targets that the trebuchet, bolt thrower, cannon and rockets can hit.
How many simulations I ran
I ran 320 shots for this table: ten at each of four targets from each of eight war machines, all at 24 inches. I also fired them at 12, 36 and 48 inches. These were the results.
War machines are the least predictable thing I test: a single bounce, blast or misfire can swing a ten-shot average a long way. Use the war machine table to compare roles, not to crown a winner.
Mean wounds per shot at 24 inches. Blast placement, cannon bounce, misfires and multiple wounds make artillery especially variable. n = 10 shots per cell
| War machine | Pts | Knights | State Troops | Dregs | Rat Ogres |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cathay Grand Cannon † | 130 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 0.6 |
| Cathay Fire Rain Rocket Battery (bastion rocket) | 130 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 0.2 |
| Cathay Fire Rain Rocket Battery (rocket barrage) | 130 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 3.1 | 0.1 |
| Empire Helblaster Volley Gun | 120 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 3.1 |
| Dwarf Organ Gun | 120 | 0.7 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 2.1 |
| Bretonnian Field Trebuchet | 100 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 1.1 |
| High Elf Eagle-claw Bolt Thrower | 80 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 0.8 |
| Skaven Warp Lightning Cannon | 110 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.9 |
† My Cathay scan lacked the Grand Cannon entry page, so I reconstructed its 130-point profile provisionally from the core cannon rules and roster information. Check it against a complete current journal before relying on the exact figures.
Cathay: rocket battery or Grand Cannon?
With one Cathay artillery kit, I would build the Fire Rain Rocket Battery. You choose between its two rocket profiles when it fires, so the same model can drop a large barrage on infantry (3.1 wounds against Dregs) or concentrate a stronger central hit. With two kits, I would add a Grand Cannon as the dedicated hard-target option, with its own bounce mechanic. I would not judge either from a single ten-shot cell.
Empire and Dwarf mid-range fire
The Helblaster and Organ Gun both hit hard at 24 inches, and I think they deserve a look if you collect those armies. The trebuchet and bolt throwers trade some of that damage for reach.
Compare them with my Old World shooting units at 140–150 points.
My conclusion
Based on these results, I would use a Helblaster or Organ Gun for hard-hitting fire at 24 inches, and a Fire Rain Rocket Battery as Cathay’s first artillery kit. I would not use the Helblaster or Organ Gun when I need reach beyond 24 inches.
FAQs
What is the best war machine in The Old World?
At 24 inches, the Empire Helblaster and Dwarf Organ Gun did the most damage in my tests. Neither reaches 36 or 48 inches, where the trebuchet, bolt thrower, cannon and rockets still work.
Which war machine is best against monsters and Rat Ogres?
The Empire Helblaster: 3.1 wounds per shot into Rat Ogres, the only machine I tested that averaged over 3.
Should Cathay take a rocket battery or a Grand Cannon?
With one kit, I would build the Fire Rain Rocket Battery, because you choose its profile when it fires. With two, add a Grand Cannon for hard targets.