Slitherine

Played Brian and his super-Indians tonight, with a Successor army, the upshot being that Indians arent quite so super when faced with 24 pike, 8 Hoplites and 16 Ax (S), sorry, Heavy Weapon armed Thracians.

The game flowed well, the ususal couple of "erm....ouch - how did THAT happen??" counter-intuitive results with what looked like mismatched troops "one base on one base" at impact (which I now know you avoid by hitting with lots of bases and keeping a solid line, don't you - "Bad Tim, Bad Tim"!!) - but we still had niggles with a number of occasions when a unit breaks through / pursues out of overlap and (potentially as it was tonight) into a really bad situation -- or ended up in a potentially great spot to turn and wreak havoc on the enemy rear/flanks, but stands becalmed for a few turns as it fails the CMT and this refuses t do the bleedin' obvious. I know CMTs were introduced for stopping pursuits, but it seems to be that initial pursuit is still always compulsary. Have I missed something - or is this just the way life is to be?

Or is the solution to fight with more than 800 points - as then we might have enough points for a 2nd line that coudl actually exploit breakthroughs more naturally without having to pass CMTs?

The other niggle was with units of LH that chargd the flank of infantry blocks. With only one dice per base for the LH at all times, its clearly a mugs game - and I probably wouldn't try it again.

tim
www.madaxeman.com

madaxeman wrote:
Or is the solution to fight with more than 800 points - as then we might have enough points for a 2nd line that coudl actually exploit breakthroughs more naturally without having to pass CMTs?

The other niggle was with units of LH that chargd the flank of infantry blocks. With only one dice per base for the LH at all times, its clearly a mugs game - and I probably wouldn't try it again.

tim
www.madaxeman.com

If you played with more points and had second lines to exploit breakthroughs the enemy is likely to have second lines to counter this

With drilled foot, stopping pursuit after the initial pursuit and then turning and moving to attack the flank of the next enemy BG in line is pretty easy. (As my War Cry opponents wil testify - a couple of them complained that it was too easy).

LH flank attacks are as effective as we intend them to be.

With drilled foot, stopping pursuit after the initial pursuit and then turning and moving to attack the flank of the next enemy BG in line is pretty easy. (As my War Cry opponents wil testify - a couple of them complained that it was too easy).

I agree with Richard here. It certainly gives more value to having Drilled troops. They aren't any more likely to win the combats than undrilled equivalents, but have a much greater chance of exploiting a breakthrough.

madaxeman wrote: but we still had niggles with a number of occasions when a unit breaks through / pursues out of overlap and (potentially as it was tonight) into a really bad situation -- or ended up in a potentially great spot to turn and wreak havoc on the enemy rear/flanks, but stands becalmed for a few turns as it fails the CMT and this refuses t do the bleedin' obvious. I

Note the undrilled can still begin a slow wheel even with failed CMT I think. If they pass the CMT next turn they are still in position to do the 90 degree turn. So it isn't a total zero. Just frustratingly slow.

madaxeman wrote:
The other niggle was with units of LH that chargd the flank of infantry blocks. With only one dice per base for the LH at all times, its clearly a mugs game - and I probably wouldn't try it again.

It is cumulative in its effect. First the guys hit the flank suffer a - POA versus the guys to their front. So think of this as a DBM -1 for being outflanked. Helpful but not decisive. Then the LH after the charge start getting the extra for overlaps and 2nd rank is when it will start doing well with many dice to 1 and that increases the odds of forcing the enemy to take a cohesion check. It "should" be safe in the impact phase starting with a double ++ POA.

The way I look at LH in FoG are a much more diffuse group than they are in in say DBM. Therefore less umph.

hazelbark wrote:

madaxeman wrote: but we still had niggles with a number of occasions when a unit breaks through / pursues out of overlap and (potentially as it was tonight) into a really bad situation -- or ended up in a potentially great spot to turn and wreak havoc on the enemy rear/flanks, but stands becalmed for a few turns as it fails the CMT and this refuses t do the bleedin' obvious. I

Note the undrilled can still begin a slow wheel even with failed CMT I think. If they pass the CMT next turn they are still in position to do the 90 degree turn. So it isn't a total zero. Just frustratingly slow.

Alas undrilled troops can't wheel unless they have a general with them. Drilled troops can turn 90 automatically and turn and move if they pass a CMT.

hazelbark wrote:

madaxeman wrote:
The other niggle was with units of LH that chargd the flank of infantry blocks. With only one dice per base for the LH at all times, its clearly a mugs game - and I probably wouldn't try it again.

It is cumulative in its effect. First the guys hit the flank suffer a - POA versus the guys to their front. So think of this as a DBM -1 for being outflanked. Helpful but not decisive. Then the LH after the charge start getting the extra for overlaps and 2nd rank is when it will start doing well with many dice to 1 and that increases the odds of forcing the enemy to take a cohesion check. It "should" be safe in the impact phase starting with a double ++ POA.

The way I look at LH in FoG are a much more diffuse group than they are in in say DBM. Therefore less umph.

LH are fine if they charge the flank of an enemy BG that is fighting frontally against something that is not too outmatched. The extra POA for fighting in two directions is not a nice thing to be up against.