Looking to start with Irish

kingma15 · Post by **kingma15** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 10:38 am

Hi everyone,

I have been wargaming for about 6 years. Mostly GW stuff, with some Privateer Press and Flames of War stuff thrown in.

I have always had an interest in historical wargaming, but there has never been a group at my FLGS that played. Just recently, a group of guys have started up playing Field of Glory and they love it!

So I am keen to start playing. I would be interested in playing with an Irish army.

It fits in that I have an interest in this historical era. So I am going to buy the Storm of Arrows book, but I am the type of guy that needs to play with a force on the battlefield to get a feel for the army. I can't just read a book and work out a great list.

Quite often when I have started playing new wargames, I have brought heaps of the wrong stuff and wasted a fair bit of money before I learned how to play the game. So, to avoid doing this with FOG, what I would like to ask is:

- Are the Irish a viable force to use?

- Can you have just an Irish force, or would you use allies too?

- What sort of tactics/units typify an Irish force?

- I was looking at Essex Miniatures website, they have a couple of starter Irish forces. What would be a better force to start with: Medieval Irish, or later Anglo-Irish

Thanks for taking the time to read my post and (hopefully) provide me with some help:)

hammy · Post by **hammy** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 12:14 pm

Are you looking at Medival Irish or Anglo Irish?

Both armies are viable but IMO the Anglo Irish would be an easier army for a beginner. Medieval Irish has less variety and as a result you would IMO have to work harder to do well with it.

nikgaukroger · Post by **nikgaukroger** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:27 pm

I have some Anglo-Irish lists here - http://www.endoftime.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... arrows.htm - which may be of some use if you go down that route.

I've found it a good fun army to use, although I've not managed to turn it into a world beater yet

vsolfronk · Post by **vsolfronk** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:43 pm

I would agree with Nik as well. The Anglo Irish was my last 7th ed army, my last DBM army, and my first FoG army. They are a lot of fun but not a super winning army.

kingma15 · Post by **kingma15** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:53 pm

Thanks for the help guys. And thanks for the army lists nikgaukroger. Which of the three Anglo Irish lists would you say was the best?

So basically, am I correct in saying Anglo Irish are a fun army to use, but not an awesomly competetive army.

Would you say they are good enough to play as a starter army? I like having fun as much as the next man, but want to be able to win occassionally.

nikgaukroger · Post by **nikgaukroger** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 8:44 pm

v3 - although I may run all the Anglo-Irish Cv as Light Spear and not have any of them as Lancers.

vercingetorix · Post by **vercingetorix** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 6:41 pm

I am working on a straight up Irish Army, and it seems that it can be competitive. I would bass all my strategy on using LF Kerns and LH to slow down enemy movements and get my GG to where I need them, 32 stands of superior armoured Hvy Weapon are as good as any other strike force in FoG.

simone · Post by **simone** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 7:07 pm

vercingetorix wrote:I am working on a straight up Irish Army, and it seems that it can be competitive. I would bass all my strategy on using LF Kerns and LH to slow down enemy movements and get my GG to where I need them, 32 stands of superior armoured Hvy Weapon are as good as any other strike force in FoG.

Unfortunately they are protected not armoured

vercingetorix · Post by **vercingetorix** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 12:36 am

oh yeah, my bad, but that is even better because they are cheaper. remember that their hvy weapon cancels out enemy armour advantages.

rbodleyscott · Post by **rbodleyscott** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 10:46 am

vercingetorix wrote:oh yeah, my bad, but that is even better because they are cheaper. remember that their hvy weapon cancels out enemy armour advantages.

But leaves them less effective vs pikes, against which armoured HW men have armour advantage.

Nevertheless, a very cost effective troop type. I have used them in an Anglo-Irish army for several games.

They lose against pikes, but tend to fight on until they autobreak, buying time to win the battle elsewhere. The impact phase vs knights is a bit squirty, but having survived that they should defeat the the knights by weight of numbers (on equal POA).

SirGarnet · Post by **SirGarnet** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 10:58 am

The Irish are intriguing. I suggest you search this forum for "Irish" to turn up past discussions on Irish armies as well.