With 9 BGs of LH, 3 of LF and 4 larger BGs of Cavalry, keeping the Qapukulu (Qapu khalqi) from being shot to death isn't exactly hard.madcam2us wrote:I've been toying with them but don't think they work in smaller groups at 800 points. Curious how you used them.. Support? Threaten flanks? Screening the middle...
the latter is perhaps the safest bet... Two BGs deployed in the middle third with a TC and watch them slow any enemy advance to a crawl. Only benefical if not facing any missile troops and one better do something on the wings...
Care to share your experiences with them RBS>
Madcam.
The plan with this (version of the) army is to force the enemy to break their formation with the multitudes of LH then to catch them at a disadvantage with the heavy cavalry. This entails a depth of defence, with the Cavalry kept well back until the conditions are right. A BG of 4 Timariots and a BG of 2 Qapukulu make an excellent team for catching an isolated enemy Knight BG from two directions.
Having said that, with 18 BGs in the army, the loss of 1 BG of Qapukulu would not exactly be the end of the world, and we did feel able to use them fairly aggressively on the wings on occasion. (Screened by LF handgunners if the enemy had shooty troops nearby). As Cavalry, the enemy could not afford to ignore them, but they were a good antidote to enemy lancer LH (who can't shoot them). In one battle, being too powerful to ignore, they were able to keep a BG of 6 knights occupied for the whole game. (But only cost 40 points to the Knights 138).
Two elite shooting dice are not to be sneezed at either in conjunction with the shooting of other BGs. (i.e. any other BG from the army).
We lost no qapukulu over the weekend. (In fact we suffered no attrition points at all on the Sunday).
