Fighting In Extra Ranks vs Stepping Forth

[Murphy'sLawyer]

21 minutes ago, Brother Glacius said:

Yes, spears should be bought as well as wide frontages. I was reading the rules last night, and if I read them correctly, ALL models in the fighting rank get to attack. So if you have a 10 wide frontage, and a 5 wide unit hits you, you get all 10 guys up front fighting. Now, here's the best part. Models that have supporting attack just have to be behind a model in the fighting rank. They don't have to be behind a model in base contact with the enemy. So that means with a spear unit, you get 20 guys who are able to fight. I think I can see cheap infantry going that route a lot. Go 30 troops, 8-10 models wide, spears. Tough nut to crack.

I hear you but Gobbos also need deep ranks for horde and warband rules. So it’s got to be a balance with some lists. Also with as many units I’ll be taking 10 wide would be blocking my other units and having two units making a charge is better than one 10 wide unit. 
 

I hear you but there are reasons why you wouldn’t want to take that wide of a unit. My Orc Weirdnob gets bonuses to his magic for deep ranks. 

[Brother Glacius]

Even with Horde, you max out at +3 combat result from ranks. Also, if you want to benefit from is it combat order or close order...I think its combat order, you have to be wider than deep. Lots of stuff to consider now when deciding on how to form your unit and what role its going to play. 

I have to say, the new rule of an entire fighting rank getting to attack is a much more elegant way of handling the old wrapping around rule. It makes sense that warriors up front are going to get into the fray even without someone in front of them, and it makes the table cleaner.

[Murphy'sLawyer]

Well Warband gives bonuses to leadership and Gobbos lose combat often, but that’s an issue for one faction and I’m focusing on one for now. But ten wide Chaos Warriors would be an issue. Hello Chaff! 

[Murphy'sLawyer]

My thought is this. I have a small unit of regular Gobbos to screen my main units. It will be five wide. Your 10 man front rank will have to maximize its attack meaning both ends will be hanging out for counter charges. The gobbos will lose badly but you won’t be able to kill all of them off a charge. They will lose their leadership test but with the General near by they will most likely fall back in good order. You will follow up. Then on my turn my black orc unit and unit of four trolls will charge your exposed sides and I will have three units in combat with your unit and most of your attacks will still have to go into the Gobbos because they are in base contact while I get all of my front ranks hammering on your unit without issue. 
 

Nom Nom! 
 

More units may be better than wide ones. 
 

 

[Brother Glacius]

To be clear, my thought of having a wide unit like that is because its a poor troop and needs all the help it can get. Kings of War taught me you don't put a unit like that in the center so that it can get multi-charged. You put it out on the flank. Imagine that unit getting in a clip charge, or just sharing the frontage vs a small unit. And of course, this is all situational, based on your opponent's army and what they are bringing. I simply see uses for a large frontage spear unit.

[Murphy'sLawyer]

7 minutes ago, Brother Glacius said:

To be clear, my thought of having a wide unit like that is because its a poor troop and needs all the help it can get. Kings of War taught me you don't but a unit like that in the center so that it can get multi-charged. You put it out on the flank. Imagine that unit getting in a clip charge, or just sharing the frontage vs a small unit. And of course, this is all situational, based on your opponent's army and what they are bringing. I simply see uses for a large frontage spear unit.

Got it. Thanks for the clarification. As the game gets play tested by the community and time goes on we will get a better idea which formations and where to place them and it will become more interesting with experience. Looking forward to testing my ideas.