For Primarch and Primogenitor: Part 4

The Primarch Challenge

This week we finish our Rogal Dorn primarch challenge and look at the final results for Dorn vs the last of his brothers. The rules of the challenge are as follows.

1. Dorn will fight each of his brother primarchs one on one throughout 10 different combats, as if they were participating in a challenge.
2. In 5 of those combats Dorn will get the charge bonus. In the other 5 combats, Dorn’s opponent will get the charge bonus.
3. Each combat will last until one primarch is defeated or until 12 rounds of combat have passed.
4. To ensure consistency between combats, Dorn wont use his situational abilities like Rampage and Reaping Blow.

This post examines how Dorn measured up against his last set of challenges: Alpharius, Horus Lupercal, Lorgar Aurealian, and Vulkan.

Rogal Dorn vs Alpharius

Like Dorn, many of Alpharius’s virtues extend outside a challenge, leaving him overpowered by his older brothers. Of all the challenges, I assumed Dorn had the best change of defeating The Hydra.

• In five combats in which Alpharius charges, Dorn wins 3/5. The average combat lasts for six rounds. The fights Alpharius wins, he walks away typically taking two wounds.
• In five combats in which Dorn charges, Dorn wins 3/5. The average combat lasts for five rounds. The fights Alpharius wins, he walks away typically taking three wounds.

Takeaway: Dorn is more than a match for at least one of his brothers (sigh of relief), though it isn’t a shut out. Regards, the odds are in Dorn’s favor and he should engage Alpharius wherever possible, especially if he is able to charge.

Rogal Dorn vs Horus Luperical

If there is one primarch who rises above all others, in fiction and on the tabletop, it’s Horus. While his stat line may be comparable to the rest of his brothers, The Warmaster’s wargear and special abilities give him an incredible edge against any foe. Against Horus, it’s not a matter of whether Dorn can win, but how long can he keep The Warmaster engaged.

• In five combats in which Horus charges, Dorn wins 0/5. The average combat lasts for four rounds. Horus walks away from each fight unscathed.
• In five combats in which Dorn charges, Dorn wins 0/5. The average combat lasts for five rounds. Horus walks away from each fight typically taking one wound.

Takeaway: If Dorn can get the charge, he has a good chance of slowing down Horus for a few turns, but it’s really a Hail Mary sacrifice. The Warmaster is an enemy best left busied killing tactical marines and Dorn should avoid him wherever possible.

Rogal Dorn vs Lorgar Aurelian

Considered the whelp of the litter in the fiction, Lorgar can be surprisingly deadly on the tabletop. In this challenge Dorn faced Lorgar transfigured as it’s unlikely Lorgar will be used any other way. To account for variation in psychic powers, Dorn fought Lorgar in two separate challenges. The first challenge, Lorgar gained the benefits of the Prescience psychic power throughout the entire combat. During the second challenge, Lorgar was enhanced by the Precognition psychic power.

• In five combats in which Lorgar charges and is enhanced by Prescience, Dorn wins 4/5. The average combat lasts for four rounds. The fight Lorgar wins, he walks away taking three wounds.
• In five combats in which Dorn charges and Lorgar is enhanced by Prescience, Dorn wins 3/5. The average combat lasts for four rounds. The fights Lorgar wins, he walks away typically taking one wound.

• In five combats in which Lorgar charges and is enhanced by Precognition, Dorn wins 0/5. The average combat lasts for four rounds. Lorgar walks away from each fight typically taking one wound.
• In five combats in which Dorn charges and Lorgar is enhanced by Precognition, Dorn wins 0/5. The average combat lasts for four rounds. Lorgar walks away from each fight typically taking one wound.

Takeaway: You can see that the results vary drastically depending on Lorgar’s psychic abilities. Should The Master of the Word enhance himself with Precognition, he will crush Dorn quickly, and should be avoided at all cots. However, without the aid of Precognition, the odds are strongly in Dorn’s favor, and Lorgar should be engaged and dealt with swiftly.

Rogal Dorn vs Vulkan

With Vulkan resides a resilience few primarchs can match. He is tough with a 3+ invulnerable save and enhanced regenerative capabilities. I assumed it unlikely Vulkan would fall to Dorn and expected a drawn out losing combat, like with Peturabo or Manus.

• In five combats in which Vulkan charges, Dorn wins 3/5. The average combat lasts for 10 rounds. The fights Vulkan wins, he walks away typically taking two wounds.
• In five combats in which Dorn charges, Dorn wins 3/5. The average combat lasts for eight rounds. The fights Vulkan wins, he walks away typically taking two wounds.

Takeaway: I was surprised to see Dorn consistently do well against Vulkan. Despite Vulkan being more durable, his lower weapon skill played a significant role in Dorn being able to outlast him. Win or lose, should the two primarch go head to head they will be battling each other most of the game. Dorn can probably do more damage than Vulkan overall if he’s free to roam. For that reason I’d avoid Vulkan where possible. However, should they engage, I expect them to cancel one another out.

Conclusion

Thanks for reading. I hope this series of posts was fun and insightful. I still intend to field Rogal Dorn as often as permitted. While he may not be a combat monster like Angron or Fulgrim or an unstoppable tank like Horus or Vulkan, Dorn provides some unique advantages. He bolsters the morale of his force, he can mow down lesser troops at ease when outnumbered, and he can quickly fell monstrous mechanicum constructs and daemons in a single blow. When used effectively, Dorn can be just as destructive as other any other primarch.

To see how Dorn measured up to Fulgrim, Peturabo, Konrad Curze, and Ferrus Manus, check out Part 2.

For a look at how Dorn compares to Angron, Roboute Guiliman, Mortarion, and Corvus Corax, check out Part 3.