Slayers is a Dwarfs melee infantry unit in Total War: Warhammer. Slayers are elite units with a thirst for death, fighting hard in melee until the enemy dies, or they do.
Description[]
Slayers are the strangest and most deadly of all Dwarfs. They are outlandish doom-seekers, individuals who have wholly dedicated the entire fibre of their being to the hardest and most destructive life of battle that they can find. They take the solemn and binding vow of the Slayer Cult, oaths which oblige them to forevermore seek death in battle at the hands of the most deadly enemy they can find. Next, Slayers shave their heads save for a solitary crest - a fearsome plume which they dye bright and stiffen so that it sticks out at alarming angles. Then they begin their quest for a glorious death, deliberately seeking out mighty targets to destroy such as Trolls, Ogres, or even Giants. In times of battle, Slayers arrive from the wilderness to join a throng, lending their considerable combat skills to the Dwarf cause. Many desperate wars have been won by the ferocity and sheer determination of the Slayers. Although they prefer to hew down towering monsters, at need, they will turn their axes to scything down any enemy. Even when bloodied and battered after a battle's end, they will pause only long enough to slake their thirst before beginning their deathquest anew.
Abilities[]
- ▲ Anti-Large: Anti-Large: Anti-large units have an advantage against targets that are at least as large as a horse. This advantage can be a
damage bonus against large targets or an attack that focuses on a very small area. However, some units are simply better against large targets because their attacks are slow and easy to dodge by skilled melee combatants. - ▲ Deathblow: Slayers are unbreakable and always fight to the bitter end � sometimes even beyond that! Imminent death only makes them fight harder. When killed in melee, Slayers launch a final attack with their dying breaths.
- ▲ Fast (for a Dwarf): While Dwarfs are generally not the most nimble inhabitants of the Old World, they can move surprisingly fast when not slowed by heavy armour.
- ▲ Whirling Axes: Slayers are armed with two axes, deftly whirling them at high speed to deflect incoming missile fire.
Strategy[]
Slayers provide the invaluable role of a hard counter to monsters and enemy cavalry to the Dwarfs with their bonus vs large units, high speed (comparatively) and unbreakable leadership. However due to their death wish they reject armor and are very exposed to any incoming damage. When using them as a guard to prevent flanking maneuvers, it is best to let a unit of Dwarf Warriors or Longbeards take the enemy charge and then charge in with the Slayers. Make sure they do not get focused by ranged fire as well. Although they will not break no matter how many losses they take and always fight to the last dwarf, letting your Slayers die unnecessarily should be avoided.
If you have a single unit of slayers to protect your artillery, you should keep around 1 full units space behind them, to avoid collateral fire from enemy artillery, if you have two or more, putting on on either side of the artillery flanks, this time half a unit width away, will be effective at defending them from cavalry charges, but to the slayers lack of Armour unit of dwarf warriors or longbeard great axes should absorb the charge, while then charging the slayers in for a simple but effective defence.
If you also intend to have missile units and a good amount of artillery, having at least two slayers, one for the artillery units, and the second to defend the missile units. The one defending the missile units should also be backed up by at least one unit of dwarf warriors, preferably two if you can afford it, the single dwarf warrior to absorb charges and the second, optional one to cover the other side of the missile line when the slayer is absent.
If they are not needed to deal with large units and doing so won't expose them, their speed makes them the best unit the Dawi have for running down and killing routing units. All too often an enemy army will shatter itself against a Dawi battle line but far too many end up escaping unless some Slayers or Rangers run them down.
