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For ranged pressure, build a Brigand; for a dedicated close-combat role, choose a Karnivore; for a mix of shooting and melee, consider a Stalker. None is automatically the best War Dog: the right choice depends on the job you need it to do, whether it can reach suitable targets, and the rules and detachment you are using.

What distinguishes the three War Dog builds?

War Dogs are Chaos Knights units in Warhammer 40,000. Players sometimes describe them as vehicles, but for loadout decisions the useful distinction is between their battlefield roles: the Brigand leans into shooting, the Karnivore into melee, and the Stalker trades some melee equipment for a ranged weapon option. The official datasheet PDF consulted for these profiles is labelled December 2024; exact rules may change, so check the current datasheet and errata before building a list around a profile.

Build Intended role What its documented equipment supports Key decision
Brigand Ranged pressure Avenger chaincannon and daemonbreath spear, plus a diabolus heavy stubber and armoured feet Do you want a War Dog whose weapon mix and ability are oriented toward shooting?
Karnivore Close-combat threat Reaper chaintalon and slaughterclaw, with strike and sweep profiles for the chaintalon Can it move into a worthwhile charge and engage a suitable target?
Stalker Mixed capability Can trade one melee weapon for an avenger chaincannon or daemonbreath spear Which capability are you willing to give up to add shooting?

This is a role comparison, not a competitive ranking. The available sources establish the broad jobs and equipment options, but do not establish win rates or a universally strongest build.

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When should you choose a Brigand?

Its weapons point toward ranged work

The December 2024 datasheet lists the Brigand’s avenger chaincannon at 24-inch range with 12 attacks, and its daemonbreath spear at 24-inch range with two attacks and Melta 4. It also lists a diabolus heavy stubber and armoured feet. Those profiles make the Brigand the clearest pick of the three when the role you want is ranged pressure.

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The weapon profiles do not by themselves guarantee a particular damage result. Range, target choice, line of sight, the live rules, and the situation on the table all matter. In particular, do not choose a Brigand on the assumption that its listed weapons will always reach or perform well against every target.

Its ability makes target selection matter

The datasheet ability improves the AP characteristic of the Brigand’s ranged attacks against the closest eligible enemy unit. That gives you a reason to consider which enemy is closest when choosing what to shoot. It does not mean you must always target the closest enemy: the rule concerns an eligible unit, and the best target for the army’s plan may not be the closest one.

Choose a Brigand when you want its ranged weapons and this target-dependent benefit to do useful work. If your list instead needs a model whose main contribution is reaching combat, the Karnivore is the more direct fit; if you want a ranged weapon on a model that retains a melee option, examine the Stalker trade-off.

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When should you choose a Karnivore?

It is the dedicated melee choice

Warhammer Community describes the Karnivore as a “dedicated melee monster.” Its listed weapons are a reaper chaintalon, with strike and sweep profiles, and a slaughterclaw. The official description frames the chaintalon as suited to clearing lesser targets and the slaughterclaw as an option for harder targets. The datasheet also gives the Karnivore a charge-roll re-roll ability.

Together, those features support choosing it when you want a War Dog focused on close combat rather than a model selected primarily for ranged output. The charge re-roll is relevant to attempting a charge; it is not a guarantee that the Karnivore will make contact or that a charge will be worthwhile.

Plan around reaching the fight

A melee weapon only contributes when the model can get into a position to use it. Before selecting a Karnivore, consider what targets it can plausibly reach, whether the route and timing suit your plan, and whether committing it to that fight helps your mission objectives. A melee-focused build can be a poor fit for a job that requires sustained ranged pressure or for a plan that cannot give it useful charge opportunities.

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The documented information here does not include numerical weapon characteristics for the chaintalon or slaughterclaw, or movement and charge distances. Do not infer those values from a role description; use the current datasheet for the exact profiles and rules.

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When is a Stalker the better fit?

The Stalker is the flexible option, not a proven best-of-both-worlds solution. Warhammer Community describes it as finding a middle ground by trading one melee weapon for either an avenger chaincannon or a daemonbreath spear. Its exact options should be checked against the current codex and datasheet before you settle on a build.

Think of the Stalker as a choice about what to exchange. You retain a melee element while adding one of the documented ranged weapons, but giving up a melee weapon changes what the model can do in combat. This can suit a list that wants a mixed threat, but it is not the same as getting the full shooting role of a Brigand and the full melee focus of a Karnivore on one model.

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  • Choose the chaincannon option if its documented profile and intended targets suit the shooting role you have in mind.
  • Choose the daemonbreath spear option if that weapon’s current profile and target role better fit your plan.
  • Keep the melee-heavy configuration if replacing a melee weapon would undermine the Stalker’s intended job.

The official Warhammer Community description says the Stalker can trade one of its melee weapons for the chaincannon or spear. Consult the live rules for the precise legal combinations; do not assume that every weapon can be paired with every other option.

How to choose by battlefield job

  1. Write down the job first. Decide whether this model is meant to apply ranged pressure, threaten close combat, or cover both roles. Starting with a model name and trying to justify it afterward can leave a list with a role it does not need.
  2. Check target access. For a shooting role, consider whether the weapon’s range and your expected positions will give it targets. For melee, consider whether it can reach useful opponents and whether you can afford to commit it to combat.
  3. Match the weapon trade-off to that job. The Brigand is the clearest ranged-oriented option in the documented profiles. The Karnivore is the melee-focused option. The Stalker exchanges one melee weapon for a chaincannon or spear to create a mixed build.
  4. Look at the rest of the army and detachment. A War Dog’s value is contextual: consider what your other units already do and whether the detachment rules encourage a particular plan.
  5. Verify the current rules and points. Check the current codex, datasheet, FAQ or errata, and points document before finalizing a list. Historical values and older profile documents are not proof of today’s costs or legality.
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What does Houndpack Lance change?

Houndpack Lance is an all-War-Dog-oriented detachment described in a 2025 Warhammer Community announcement. Its published outline requires three or more War Dog units, makes War Dog units Battleline, and allows three units to gain Character. Its Marked Prey rule selects an enemy unit at the start of the Command phase; War Dog attacks against that selected unit gain Sustained Hits 1 when the target is visible to the attacking model.

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This creates a detachment context in which selecting targets and coordinating War Dog attacks matters. It does not, by itself, make one of Brigand, Karnivore, or Stalker universally superior. Match the specific model’s role to the target access and army plan you expect, and confirm the current printed or digital codex and errata before relying on the rule wording. The announcement is from 2025, so it should not be treated as a substitute for a current rules check.

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Points and rules currency

The March 2025 Munitorum Field Manual listed the Brigand at 165 points and the Karnivore and Stalker at 140 points each. These are historical values from that manual, not current point recommendations. Points are subject to updates, so check the latest official points document for the relevant game format before comparing list costs.

The official Warhammer Community downloads hub identifies its FAQs as the place for up-to-date errata and answers. Consult it alongside the current codex, datasheet, and points document when a decision depends on exact weapon options, ability wording, detachment rules, or points. The source materials discussed here do not establish current competitive win rates or present-day optimal builds.

Building the model and choosing parts

The official preview for the Houndpack Lance battleforce says it contains seven plastic War Dogs with parts to build them as Stalkers, Karnivores, or Brigands. This confirms that the documented variants are available as build options in that product; it does not establish current stock, price, or the contents of every separate retail listing.

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If you are buying a Chaos Knights War Dog kit, inspect the specific listing or box contents and confirm that it includes the weapon parts for the variant you want. A product description naming War Dogs does not, on its own, establish that every desired component is included. If you are assembling a model before committing to a rules option, keep the role decision in mind and check the current datasheet first.

Quick decision guide

  • Pick a Brigand when the job is ranged pressure and you want the chaincannon-and-spear weapon mix with its closest-eligible-target AP benefit.
  • Pick a Karnivore when the job is close combat and your plan gives it a plausible path to useful charges.
  • Pick a Stalker when you want a blend and accept the trade of one melee weapon for a chaincannon or daemonbreath spear.
  • In Houndpack Lance, consider how your War Dogs coordinate around Marked Prey, while checking the current detachment text and army-building requirements.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.