Goblins

Goblins concept drawings

Goblins and Orcs are known as "Greenskins". Goblins are smaller than humans and appear to be weaker. Instead of brute force they usually ambush their enemies. (Hit-and-run attacks). They use poisoned arrows and weapons.

Political and Social Structure

Goblins live in the lands beyond the reach of human civilization, in small states of their own, often encompassing only a single but heavily populated city. Although distant relatives to the Orcs, they don’t have much in common apart from their color of skin.

Goblins have a complex social structure of different castes, the two most important of which are the lower caste and the political caste. The lower caste is the most populated by far, and members are born into servitude to their state or city, with very little rights other than to work for the benefit of the great Goblin state. They can be drafted into service at any time or otherwise assigned tasks with no say of their own. Although they make up the backbone of any Goblin state, they’re considered somewhat expendable, and their individual lives don’t matter all that much in the pursuit of power for members of the political caste.

Unlike most humans, Goblins are not ruled by a single individual, but a council drawn from the political caste. The council decides on any action the Goblin state should or should not take and may mandate the drafting of Goblins from the lower caste led by a Goblin Overseer to perform any task, such as to attack rival Goblin states. Members of the council often change as individuals bribe, scheme or even assassinate to get rid of their rivals and attempt to secure more power for themselves. Although the council will proclaim that any action is for the betterment of the state, in reality, many decisions are the result political backstabbing, such as sending a rival council member to oversee an attack knowing full well that he’ll get killed along with all the other Goblins sent there. A political victory, sure, but also an example of Goblin states repeatedly weakening themselves.

Goblins do not share a language with Orcs and otherwise have little in common, but they are nevertheless able to communicate with them on some level. To avoid roaming Orc tribes raiding their city states they often pay tribute until they’ve passed, and sometimes fight them if they seem weak enough in numbers. Orcs have also been used in political machinations and sent against rival Goblin states – which backfired more than once. Goblins consider roaming tribes of Orcs almost a force of nature outside of their other rivalries. They’re considered primitive, stupid even. They can be avoided at times, used at other times. But there is no stopping nature in the long run.

Military Tactics

Goblins are physically weaker than humans and about the size of a large child. Due to their small size they’re unable to wear heavy armor or wield heavy weaponry, and they can’t take a lot of physical punishment before going down. They don’t have the most stamina and they’re also not the bravest, though the latter may be in part due to being essentially forced into arms.

On the other hand, Goblins are dexterous little creatures. They use their small weapons with astounding accuracy to go for weak spots in their opponent’s armor, and because of their size and general skittishness are harder to hit reliably than many other opponents. Goblins are also quite cunning and intelligent, and to make up for their lack in physical strength rely on their wits, on ambushes and dirty tricks, on poison and superior numbers, to wear their opponents down. Because they’re at an inherent disadvantage in open battle, a lot of their tactics revolve around the use of ranged weapons, holding their opponents in place, and flanking them using their Wolfriders.

Because Goblins are quite crafty and intelligent creatures, they have a whole arsenal of deadly tools available to them. Neither their armor nor weapons are particularly heavy, given the Goblins’ physical limitations, but they’re well made and balanced. Their equipment emphasizes their preference of mobility and ranged combat to wear down their opponents from afar. Their armor is made of leather as well as metal, and they wear mail and a variety of scale armor. All of their weapons and tools can be looted and used by the player, although they aren’t the most damaging ones. Their armor can’t be looted as it would fit only children.

A popular weapon with Goblin infantry is the ‘Spiked Bola’ – small iron balls with metal spikes bound together with rope, to be hurled at a target from a distance. Another specialized tool is the ‘Throwing Net’ – thrown at an opponent, it leaves them unable to move and lowers their ability to defend themselves, until they manage to cut it down. The ‘Jagged Pike’ can keep opponents at bay with its long range and tear terrible bleeding wounds.

Goblin Troops

Stat values given below for hp are unofficial estimates derived from analyzing battle log figures in Build 0.6.0.21. Durability of enemy armor should be exact as there is no damage overkill in the battle log when armor is destroyed. Melee and Ranged Defense stats are inferred from comparing known Melee/Ranged Skill for brothers with the to-hit % displayed on mouseover.

Melee Skill for mobs inferred from Melee Defense of brothers (after taking into account diminishing returns) and hit threshold displayed in battlelog of full release version 1.1

Goblin Skirmisher

Goblin Skirmishers are the various types of melee infantry that Goblins employ. They are armed with a melee weapon of Goblin design – pikes, spears, falchions, long knives -, may carry a shield or throwing net, and often have spiked bolas as a secondary weapon to use from range should the opportunity present itself. They’re relatively poor at charging the enemy but quite competent in delaying an enemy charge and holding the line for Goblin Ambushers to pick the enemy off one by one.

Goblin Skirmisher
Strengths Stay in strong formation. Use a variety of goblin weapons, which makes them one of the most versatile enemy in the game (Notched Blade, Cruel Falchion, Goblin Skewer and Jagged Pike). Mostly have and tend to use throwing weapons (Bolas and Throwing Net). Throwing Nets automatically hit and prevent 1 targeted unit from moving, lowering Melee Defense, Ranged Defense and Initiative by 45%. Affected units can try to free themselves of the net. Each attempt costs 4AP, 15 Fatigue and requires rolling under (Melee Skill-10). With each failure, subsequent attempts get an additional 10 (which stack) to the above roll. Very high base melee defense (about +25). High base ranged defense (about +15) and Anticipation perk. High melee skill (about 75), which combined with weapons with hit bonuses, makes taking hits from them very likely Has Quick Hands perk, allowing fast weapon switching.
Perks Anticipation, Quick Hands, Footwork
Weaknesses Low HP (about 40) Low morale Typical armor (durability in brackets) include: light helm (40), light armor (40), medium armor (55), heavy armor (90)
Tactics Keep your brothers in close support of each other when advancing; a combination of flies, nets, vines and notched blades will quickly kill any isolated man.

Goblin Ambusher

Goblin Ambushers are dedicated ranged troops armed with bows of goblin design and wear light camouflage armor that offers little protection but makes them hard to spot from a distance. Presumably because of their experience in fighting heavily armored Orcs, they’re trained to target weak spots in their opponent’s armor for increased direct damage. Their arrow tips are coated in poison which makes vision get blurry and moving in a coordinated fashion take a monumental effort. The effect of poison slowly diminishes with each turn after getting hit.

Goblin Ambusher
Strengths Poisoning attacks to HP both in melee and range (lost of AP, recovers after a few turns) Always wear dagger (Notched Blade) as secondary weapon and mostly uses armor ignoring attacks in melee (Puncture) Decent base melee defense (about +10) High base ranged defense (about +20) and Anticipation perk, which makes outshooting them very difficult. Very high base ranged skill (about 75) Has Quick Hands perk, allowing fast weapon switching Uses Footwork to move away from meleers
Perks Anticipation, Quick Hands, Footwork, Pathfinder
Weaknesses Low HP (about 40) Low morale Very light armor. Typical armor include: helm (25), skirmisher armor (35)
Tactics Get kite shield Try to fight at night to reduce range weaponry effectiveness Catch them with dogs but be careful ambushers can kill dogs pretty easily

Goblin Wolfrider

Goblins breed large wolves for war to use as mounts for their feared Wolfrider regiments. Wolfriders are faster than any infantry on the battlefield and can also move quickly through difficult terrain. This makes them them ideal to circle around a static battle line and attack archers and other lightly armed troops with from the rear, with the wolf supporting its rider by snapping its jaws at the enemy. Thanks to their swift mounts the Wolfriders are hard to pin in close combat and may break off attacks when the odds turn against them or a better target presents itself.

Goblin Wolfrider
Strengths Fast movement (Able to move 6 tiles/turn on the flat) and will easily close the gap in turn 1. High initiative Can perform 3 attacks if stationary. Can make up to 2 attacks after movement Wolf makes attack even when rider is still alive (3rd attack) Has Duelist perk (+25% ignore armor damage) Can easily outflank ranged combatants in a few turns due to its high mobility and initiative Leaves wolf or skirmisher after first "death" (Hits to the ‘head’ hit the rider, hits to the ‘body’ hit the wolf). If it bleeds out, either the lower armored body part dies, or the wolf dies. Has Footwork perk, enabling them to disengage easily from melee and reposition to strike vulnerable targets High base melee defense (about +15) Decent base ranged defense (about +10) and Anticipation perk High melee skill (about 75), which combined with weapons with hit bonuses, makes taking hits from them very likely. In a round, 2 strikes will use the weapon bonus (ie +20 from a Goblin Skewer Thrust), and the 3rd strike will come from the wolf (Bite with no additional bonuses)
Perks Anticipation, Duelist(?), Footwork
Weaknesses Low HP (about 55) Low morale Typical armor include: light helm (40), light armor (40), medium armor (55), heavy armor (90)
Tactics Don't let them outflank your rear rows and then deal with them as any other goblin

Goblin Wolf

On hitting a Wolfrider unit, either the rider or the wolf may be hit, and they may be killed independently from each other. Killing just the wolf may leave a Goblin Skirmisher to continue fighting on foot, while killing the rider will have you face a frenzied wolf no longer kept in check by its rider.

Goblin Wolf
Strengths Very Fast (movement and initiative) High base melee defense (+15) Respectable base ranged defense (+10), but no Anticipation perk
Weaknesses Comes with less than half health (roughly 20hps or so) when spawned after a wolfrider kill, and one more hit should easily kill it Cannot equip shields or armor Low damage
Tactics

Goblin Shaman

Goblin Shamans are members of a small and secretive caste whose members seemingly possess otherworldly powers. Those powers are no less mysterious and inexplicable to the average Goblin than they are to a human witnessing them, and the nature of their power is a jealously guarded secret. In Goblin society, Shamans are often consulted as oracles, healers and experts on poison, and although not part of the political caste, hold tremendous power of influence.

In battle, Goblin Shamans support their troops by commanding nature itself. They have been witnessed to make vile roots grow from the ground in an instant to hold people in place, and to send a swarm of a thousand black flies onto their opponents. Up personal, however, they are but frail old Goblins with no real weapon.

Goblin Shaman
Strengths Can root up to 7 targets with "Grasping Vines". Grasping Vines prevents affected units from moving and lowers Melee Defense, Ranged Defense and Initiative by 35%. Affected units can try to free themselves of vines. Each attempt costs 4AP, 15 Fatigue and requires rolling under (Melee Skill-10). With each failure, subsequent attempts get an additional 10 (which stack) to the above roll. Inflicts debuff "Insect Swarm" lowering Melee Skill, Ranged Skill, Melee Defense, Ranged Defense, Initiative by 50%. Targets 1 unit a turn. Able to cast spells even when engaged in melee Surprisingly decent hp (about 70). Decent base melee defense (+10). Very High base ranged defense (+20) and Anticipation perk (easily doubling ranged defense over 7 tiles), which makes killing them from range pretty difficult.
Weaknesses Low melee damage, while always uses Gnarly Staff as a melee weapon. Low armor. Typical armor include: ritual headpiece (35), ritual armor (45)
Tactics Kill as fast as you can with high range skilled bowmen if you cannot reach him in melee If you have chance to reach him in melee, do that as soon as possible If you plan to have your brothers stay put and fight at range, remember to have your melee brothers cut their vines once per turn. This prevents the shaman from casting insect swarm as long as there are unrooted brothers, without incurring any net fatigue per turn.

Goblin Overseer

Goblin Overseers are veterans and members of a higher caste mandated by a Goblin council to lead and oversee a regiment of Goblins in performing a task. They’re clearly recognizable as being in charge due to their ornate armor and helmet, and they carry long whips with which they can whip the common Goblin to perform better, and to get fleeing Goblins back into line.

Because Goblins are drafted into service, the Overseer plays an important part in keeping everything together. Should he fall, Goblins are much more likely to fall into disarray, rout and flee the battlefield instead of soldiering on.

Goblin Overseer
Strengths Uses Spiked Impaler knocking back targets Buffs his allies with Lash Skill for high morale High base melee defense (+15) Very High base ranged defense (+20) and Anticipation perk (easily doubling ranged defense over 7 tiles), which makes killing them from range pretty difficult. High melee skill (about 75), which combined with weapons with hit bonuses, makes taking hits from them very likely Higher HP than regular goblins (about 70) Better armored than regular goblins: helmet (120), body armor (180)
Weaknesses Always stays in the third line if possible, behind skirmishers and ambushers.
Tactics Catch with dogs Kill as fast as you can with high range skilled bowmen/crossbowmen or in melee with heavy armored high melee skilled brothers.