Tactical discussion of 'slow' formations

Xelee · **Posted:** Fri Mar 18, 2011 9:10 am

Sorry, 'multiple small units': a general approach arising in a number of game systems where you can get benifits from flanking, pinning, etc.

I feel Rohan Rider shooting is so marginal (foot bow is bad enough) that I tend to not take it into account. HRM posted up some ideas in response to my bagging the riders, and a mate gave them a try. They weren't racing around the field, but once they were amongst my units I couldn't avoid showing some flanks and even when I got priority, other units could get the charge on me. Being in multiples also made it much harder to avoid being shot in the flank of shields. I don't think it makes them 'awesome' but seemed a good way to play a bad hand?

jscottbowman · **Posted:** Fri Mar 18, 2011 9:57 am

Thanks
Yeah that tactic makes sense for RoR - light cavalry that kind of mix it up, as I said a kind of harassment, whether by shooting at flanks or indeed charging them.
I wonder if I could get a similar thing going warg riders; annoy and harass the flanks of the enemy, whilst the trolls and other slower formation grind up through the centre...

Beowulf03809 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 18, 2011 3:34 pm

I've actually found Warg Riders to be very effective in WotR. If you can get them to hit the flank or rear for an enemy formation they can do some serious damage. I agree that multiple smaller formations of such fast moving skirmish forces seem to be a very effective way to play them. A large formation is easier to block (limit it's mobility advantage) and harder to get a large number of models engaged in the fight (especially on a flank attack which is always a "smaller" target). Plus having several smaller formations forces an enemy to split its efforts to wipe them out, helping keep an otherwise fragile set of models in the game a little longer.

We try to avoid house rules in our local game mostly just because when you have out of area players come by or else you try to participate in a tournament you may find that you've built your skills around the house rules.

But some things you've mentioned have been discussed by us. Allowing a Nazgul to join a Stand Alone "Spirit" formation is one (but it makes the formation FAR too deadly I think). Allowing Spirits to ATD if within a distance of the Necromancer or a Nazgul on FB that ATD is another and is more balanced I think. Likewise, allowing Trolls to ATD if within 6" of a Troll Chief that does it, or Ents if within 6" of one of the Ent Heroes is another. It's not a game-changing or power-trashing modification but it would let these models have more flexibility in engagement.

Celebdriel · **Posted:** Fri Mar 18, 2011 7:47 pm

You could always reduce the ATD rate to ad 2 inches to the move instead of doubling it. This way slower formations would "keep up". So Orcs for eg. would be 6" +2" and possibly another +1 for a drum. It would affect the shoot phase, but that might not be so bad given how poor shooting is.

House rule though obviously

jscottbowman · **Posted:** Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:24 am

Celebdriel wrote:

You could always reduce the ATD rate to ad 2 inches to the move instead of doubling it. This way slower formations would "keep up". So Orcs for eg. would be 6" +2" and possibly another +1 for a drum. It would affect the shoot phase, but that might not be so bad given how poor shooting is.

House rule though obviously

Whilst this would keep all units moving at roughly the same rate, it does drastically slow down many formations, rather than speed up the slow ones. That might suit a stand and fire shooty army like the elves, but those that want movement and maneuver will not appreciate it!

Tactical discussion of 'slow' formations

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