What are Reiters good for?

[hammy]

I suspect a number of my problems in my last comp were caused by me not knowing how to get the best out of my troops.

Because of the figures I own I had two BGs of 6 armoured average Reiters. OK, they can move quite fast but shooting wise they are no better than 4 bases of arquebus and they don't seem to be much good in close combat either.

What are they good against and how can you actually get value from a 66 point BG of them?

[hazelbark]

Well in 6s I have wanted to try but have not. The only advantage of 6s is they take a lot more punishment.

consider two Pike and shot lines approaching one another. You well up 4 Reiters. They throw 3 dice on 5 against foot. Can usually soak off 2 dice needing 5s from the foot. The enemy far is split and you adding a lot of fire power.

Then they do well to prevent enemy foot from charging and can do quite a bit of damage if the enemy disrupts.

Also look at 2 reiters in 4s and 3 commanded shot. That is a dangerous task force. It puts out a lot of firepower and is not easy to storm with the very best troops. Its downside when it goes its a LOT of units.

reiters and commanded shot are a royal pain for quality enemy mounted, because they are not easy to beat and you can get hurt with some mild bad luck from shooting.

They are not uber troops, but they are more valuable than I first thougth. Althought unarmoured 4s are only 28.

[hammy]

Well in 6s I have wanted to try but have not. The only advantage of 6s is they take a lot more punishment.

Well in a 6 they get to shoot 4 dice on a 2 base frontage. That was my thought. As a 6 on a 3 base frontage they are fairly poo.

They are not uber troops, but they are more valuable than I first thougth. Althought unarmoured 4s are only 28.

Not sure how unarmoured are only 7 each unless they only have shooty pistol and that would make them not that good IMO.

Might try 4s and commanded shot though.

[madaxeman]

Might try 4s and commanded shot though.

I've done that for you ...

http://www.madaxeman.com/reports/Wallenstein_2011_4.php

[hammy]

Having looked again at the shooting POAs I am a little surprised that shooty pistol is only at a single - against fully armoured foot. I thought the whole point of a lot of renaissance armour was to be pistol proof..

OK, fully armoured foot are probably very rare (I have never seen anyone use them) and the armour may be olde fashioned so not pistol proof, it just struck me as odd. Whatever armour you have pistols are at a - ...

[hazelbark]

You are right they are 9 points for carbine reiter.

Carbine horse get 1 per front rank a 1/2 per 2nd rank.

Pistol cavarly get 1 per front rank a 1/2 per 2nd rank AND 1/2 per 3rd rank.

They hit on 5s because that ends up being very effective as pistols.
The infantry can be out shot my the the mounted. If they infantry disrupt the mounted can charge. If the infantry charge that is risky and the mounted can break off and resume.

It actually balances out well.

[Sarmaticus]

I've done that for you ...

http://www.madaxeman.com/reports/Wallenstein_2011_4.php

A bit of a digression but re that excellent report and just to stop a, "the Russians have no word for freedom" type urban myth getting about, the Germans have several words for fluffy:
flaumig: fluffy, downy, fuzzy
locker: loose, relaxed, slack, lax, fluffy, cool
flockig: flaky, fluffy, fleecy
kuschelig: cuddly, cozy, snug, fluffy
duftig: gossamery, fluffy, frothy
fusselig: fluffy

[rbodleyscott]

I've done that for you ...

http://www.madaxeman.com/reports/Wallenstein_2011_4.php

A bit of a digression but re that excellent report and just to stop a, "the Russians have no word for freedom" type urban myth getting about, the Germans have several words for fluffy:
flaumig: fluffy, downy, fuzzy
locker: loose, relaxed, slack, lax, fluffy, cool
flockig: flaky, fluffy, fleecy
kuschelig: cuddly, cozy, snug, fluffy
duftig: gossamery, fluffy, frothy
fusselig: fluffy

Clearly, with our cold English reserve and stiff upper lips, we have less words for fluffy than the Germans.