“ | By tinkering with basic mortar design, Clan Skryre have repurposed Death Globe ammunition to arm this Weapon Team with heinous cluster weaponry. | „ |
The Avalanche Mortars (Death Globe Mortars) are a Skaven Regiment of Renown missile infantry unit introduced in Total War: Warhammer II with The Shadow and the Blade.
Recruitment[ | ]
Description[ | ]
The Poisoned-Wind Mortar is a form of light-artillery that allows a small team of Bombardiers to lob a much larger payload of poisoned-wind globes at a much greater range than a lone Globadier could ever hope to achieve.
This two-Skaven team requires one of its member to strap on the mortar upon his back while a second Skaven would load the ammunition inside the mortar itself. Additionally, with some hastily squealed directions, a team of Poisoned-Wind Mortar has the ability to fire their weapon on the go or fire indirectly at the enemy. Such a situation where hurting the enemy without risking their own lives has always been an appealing idea to any Skaven.[1a]
When in combat, as the bulk of the firing apparatus can be strapped upon a crew member's back, the Weapons team can advance and catch up alongside Skaven infantry blocks, pausing momentarily to lob high-arching shots onto distant targets, before scurrying forward to keep up with the rest of the army.
Attributes[ | ]
- Weapon Team
- ▲ Death Globes: Invented by Clan Skryre, these globes release a magical gas that is more stable than the Warpstone gas used in Poison Wind Globes. Hanging in the air longer and thus spreading further, it is especially lethal against large groups of targets.
- ▲ Anti-Infantry: Anti-infantry units have an advantage against targets that are smaller than a horse. This advantage can be a damage bonus against small targets, superior weight used to smash through lighter enemies, or an explosive attack from range that effects a large area.
- ▲ Damage Dealer: This unit has a strong emphasis on dealing damage. If fighting it, make sure to take it out before it can get into firing or melee range.
- ▲ Good Range: This unit has a larger range than most other units of the same class. This allows it to take out hostile missile units before they can come into firing range.
Strategy[ | ]
The primary difference is that this unit shoots death globes similar to the Death Globe Bombardiers rather than Poison Wind Globadiers. Effectively this only removes the Poisoned Wind contact effect from their attacks. Don't let that make you think they are weaker though. Their orbs break apart in the air just before landing creating more of a scattershot effect that can devastate units in a few volleys rather than dealing damage over time like the standard variant.
Notably, their accuracy is not the best. The arcs they do are also fairly high so hitting a moving unit can be decently unreliable.
This unit also has a fairly loose spacing which makes taking them out with ranged fire quite difficult, they are better dealt with through cavalry or harass units.
Their high-arcing projectiles makes them effective in siege battles, where they can shoot over walls from a position of relative safety.