D.R.A.I.C.H. Movement Phase

How to beat those cowardly High Elves?

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D.R.A.I.C.H. Movement Phase

Post by Darluith »

D.R.A.I.C.H Movement Phase
The Breakdown


In this segment, I will be breaking down the movement phase. It has been said that we are top tier in that phase, so let's figure out why we are just that.

Agility, or having more movement is a key to this success. With a movement of 5 on foot, we can easily catch and kill most light to heavy infantry with an average 4. Let's leave out the Ogres as they are in a league of their own. Our cavalry is lacking in movement (with exception of fast cav). CoK's and CoC's are quite slow in comparison to other cavalry of their type (i.e. Lion chariots, Bretonnian Heavy cav, ect.), but we musn't let this phase us. I happen to know that the only cav in the special range that hits as hard as we do are Chaos Knights (pending the new upgrade for lances). But thats side tracking. Let's focus on breaking this down.

There are only 5 armies that can match us on foot. Here's trhe rundown of those armies (bulk speaking here people). High Elves, Wood Elves, Skaven, Lizardmen, and Ogre Kingdoms. Those armies move at least 5 on foot. All the others have a base move of 4, so it's easier to out manouver the other armies. I'm not saying its real easy now, as it takes some finessing to get the tactics just right. A crafty general can always find ways to exploit you in every phase, not just movement.


Now in the movement phase, how many armies truly compare to us? In your true Druchii tone you should be yelling NONE!!!! But in actuality, there are some armies out there that can put us in the hurt locker we don't want to be in. I'll list those armies as I have played in 6th, as 7th is still quite new to me.

High Elves with their ASF and the same movement value can very well make you think about what you should be doing. This second guess can lead to folly, so try to punch back. Even with ASF, frail elves can't take too much pummeling. Stay on target and don't lose sight of what you want to do in the movement phase where they are concerned.

Wood Elves have a nasty habit of being able to horde against you at the oddest times. MSU was created by the Wood Elves as a way to make up for their lack of real punch on the table. When they get ahold of you, it's usually one unit that doesn't have the support to beat them. To prevent this, keep large units as support to your hard hitting knights and chariots. Don't do the "leave your chariot at home" against them. they can be useful if the general overextends.

Skaven are one of the hardest armies to beat by sheer volume. They can outnumber you no matter what you do. The best way I know to prevent this is not falling fo rtheir bait tactics. You see that slave unit he has.... Don't charge it, its screening something of worth usually. they can hold against us, especially now. It would really hamper the Skaven players day when you out manouver him as you have some advantages. The biggest advantage we have over them in the movement phase is cavalry. They don't have any, and for any Skaven player reading this, Jezzails don't count....

Lizardmen are only an outmanouver threat when they have a skink army. True they have some other things to outmanouver us with, but nothing too numerous. Teradons, carnasaurs, and such. But we move the same with Cold Ones (they have them too you know).

Finally, last but certainly not least is the Ogre Kingdoms. An entire army that moves at base 6 (except Gnoblars with base 4). This army is a tactical nightmare when you're facing them. The best part though is they are fewer in number and less likely to survive a war of attrition. Movement wise though, they are the only army with the capability to really hurt our flanks.

The aforementioned armies are the top 5 that can put us away. In the movement phase, its all about positioning. If you have gained ground, try not to backslide as it will cost you. Well, this is the breakdown of basics. in the next few segments we will dive into specifics.

A Word on Hatred:
Hatred can be a bane in the movement phase, pulling your troops out of careful positioning. There is some discussion that hatred forces you to charge the nearest enemy. Be aware that hatred only invloves the pusuit phase in regards to troop movement and does not in any way affect charges. There is an advantage to this and its called multi-charging!!! More on that in another post.
Last edited by Darluith on Sat Jan 10, 2009 5:19 am, edited 6 times in total.
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Post by Darluith »

D.R.A.I.C.H. Movement Phase
Flying High or Low


Ok, I figured it out now. After studying the threads and BRB/AB I have decided that this portion is dedicated to explaining flyers and how they work in the movement phase.

Ok, let's start with the flying units and descriptions.

Harpies
They're a great hindrance unit. They can be useful in march block tactics (discussed in detail later in this tactica). 2 attacks at S3 with no armour save. Cheap cheap CHEAP!!!!!

Dark Pegasus
it's an awesome flying creature. No large target means less of a bull’s eye, but also a hindrance to the sorceress as there is no altered height advantage. But a 2 wound, 2 attack, S5 on a charge could do some damage. Again reference CHEAP above.

Manticore
IMO 2nd strongest in the range. Almost guaranteed to get a frenzied, hate filled beast with S5, 4 attacks. Bad news, no armour, good news, T5.

Black Dragon
Great save, great toughness, great strength, decent attacks. But concentrated fire from heavy war machines and magic will take it down. Large target is both a blessing and a curse so be careful.

Descriptive and tactics:

Harpies
They tend to be more of a hold up unit than anything. Since the 7th Edition points drop, you can definitely enjoy them more (or in more numbers should I say), and using the generals leadership now is also a plus. Not to mention they don't cause panic in DE units. A steal at their cost.

A good movement phase tactic with them is flank baiting. What happens when you put heavy units in the center of your army? And then what happens when you put something of (what your opponent usually thinks of as) little value on the flanks. My answer to this is center focus. To elaborate on that, it when you take the Harpies and devote them to harrasing the flanks of heavy units, baiting them to take the charge as a distraction to the main lines advance. This means having more than one unit will help you preform this tactic, but its not needed. If you need them for something else (i.e. war machine hunting, missile troop harrasment), think twice before you send them to their death.

They also are great troop screens. Enemy foot missile troops (hills not withstanding) will have to shoot through them before anything else behind. This means that you can screen anything that is not a large target and get it there without worrying about foot troops on the ground. Watch out for hill troops and large targets with breath weapons (and the monster rider with a bow of some type too!). And to top it all off you can field lots of them in a 2000 point or less army. It makes screening more available to your units.

Dark Pegasus
DP as we all know and love is great for the sorceress with a focus familiar. But with its S5 on a charge it can also benefit a Master on it with a hefty weapon. It could be used as a ghost hunter, or to take out annoying mages. To use the Ghost hunting tactic with your DP, simply place a lvl 2 sorceress or a master with a mulit-wound magic weapon (Hydra Blade) on it. Then stalk the field and lock up ethereal troop types or daemons/Asrai with those annoying Daemonic/Forest spirit saves.

Using this beast with a character is at great advantage as you get to your target quickly (granted if you don't get it killed). Positioning tips vary, but the best I've seen is a flank placement, using it to tear up lightly armoured heavy troops. With a sorceress on top you can use the range to pick off enemy war machines or annoying characters. With a Master you can go after heftier flanks in conjunction with harder hitting troops.

Manticores
Manticores are the type of beast that is the definition of a one trick pony. It will eventually die, but it sure can take a lot with it. make sure that you use this to charge into a unit with something you need taken out. It usually will do that for you with minimal fuss. Flank postioning is great for this beast, but keep it near something that can support its charge. I like a unit of spearmen for this as the Manticore can lend its terror to ward off fear causers not immune to psychology. I wouldn't suggest using this beast with a sorceress as it is too unpredicatble and is meant for combat.

Black Dragons
Black Dragons are my personal favorite. having a good all around feel to them and many uses, they can perform a multitude of tasks in game. Character hunting, MSU slaying, large unit (with some support) hold up.

Mind you it’s not invulnerable. Bolt throwers, Rock Lobbas, Great cannons, you get my meaning. Spells and war machines with no armour save will kill your precious BD, so be aware of what your opponent has up his/her sleeve. Tactical advantages for positioning vary on your style of play. One of my favorite things is to center it, and give it support, just like the manticore. However, instead of supporting it with your spears, support it with heavier troop types like BG's or CoK/CoC's for maximum effect.

Addition to this:
Elfik posted this summary on his thread Using the DP and other flying stuff. This summary holds all the key points in the thread that were made throughout its discussion.
Summarizing the info so far:

Okay so basic strategy is
-plan your route
-use terrain or harpies as cover on turns 1-2
-come out to a relatively safe spot turn 2-3
-if you're charging cannons move up close
-if you're charging missile troops land out of their charge arc
so they must wheel to shoot you
-if you're charging missile troops don't let them get a S&S reaction edit: unless they are taking so many -1 to hit penalties that they are unlikely to hit you(i.e. skirmisher, long range, moved)
-if you're charging missile troops try to kill some with shooting to minimize return fire
-good items are the Ring of Darkness, Pendant of Khaeleth, Lifetaker, Caledor's Bane, Hydra's Teeth, Ring of Hotek, Dragon Egg, Deathmask, a magic armour or weapon, possibly others
-good equipmeant includes mundane armour, lance, rxb, rhbs

for sorceresses:
-the focus familiar is great
-having multiple sorceresses on pegasi is good, but don't let the enemy pick them off, bring them out all at once on turn 3
-a good build is a points denial list


There is my flying beast tactica. I don't know if it’s what you all wanted or needed, but these are in game and study experience. If there is something you must add PM me with it so I can add it (and your name for credit lol).
Last edited by Darluith on Sat Jan 10, 2009 5:26 am, edited 7 times in total.
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Post by Darluith »

D.R.A.I.C.H. Movement Phase
Arc of Vision (360° or 90° - giant's view)


Distance, Arc, and LoS
Ah, well here's my slice on this. Know your distance, arc, and know the mobility of your army. Shades and Harpies have absolutely no problem with the 360° line/arc of sight while DR's have no problem with 360° Line of Sight for shooting purposes. However while equipped with shields they lose the fast cav rule and are subject to normal LoS for shooting.

Infantry/cavalry models have a bit more limited mobility, so work with it. Make sure that during your movement phases you're getting ready to position your troops for immediate assault. Charge screens are wonderful as well. A unit of harpies or a throw back unit (i.e. cheap core) will do this efficiently aswell. If you know how to use your units to the advantage of the arc of sight, you can totally ruin any hope he/she had of charging in to save the day. A simple screen will save your unit that you wanted to devastate his line. Remember that roughly man sized models are an acceptable screen for cavalry.

Giants View
Giants view is a simple term we use to describe the view from a large target. On the back of a Manticore or Black Dragon we see all on the battlefield. It’s great for those that know how to use missile fire/spells effectively. A sorceress can cast some spells at a longer range and over tougher targets or while in melee on the back of these nasties. Use this knowledge wisley. It also can win you a charge or two over the enemy. In regards to the Hydra, yes it is a large target, but you must take care not to overextend and fail your charge. The Hydra can also be used as a moving shield if placed on its flank for the Manticore. Its about the same size.

If your enemy is close together and you can wheel into a unit that was not expecting a charge, great. It’s an advantage, but with advantage comes the balance of disadvantage. For you may be able to see everyone, but they can also see you. Take great care in protecting your large monsters if you have them intricately woven into your plot. Remember this, only scenery, or a monster with large target in its special rules can screen a large target. Do not try to screen it with your Harpies, CoK’s or any infantry. It will not work. If you want to protect it, do one of two things, Screen it with scenery/large monsters, or kill whatever it is that’s wearing it down.

In regards to the DP, it is NOT a large target and can be screened by infantry. Think of it in this outline by Calisson:

Targeting through (i.e. above) a unit:
Mount is Large Target ? => it can be targeted through a normal-size unit (including cavalry).
Mount is not a Large Target=> it cannot be targeted through a normal-size unit (even snotlings)

Targeting inside a unit.
Mount is flying ? => it cannot join a unit.
Non-flyingmount has 4 wounds or more? => it can be targeted inside the unit.
Non-flying mount has less than 4 wounds and the unit has less than 5 ordinary models ? => it can be hit (EDIT thanks to Ant): the hits are distributed evenly between each model and randomise all the odd hits.
Non-flying mount has less than 4 wounds and the unit has more than 4 ordinary models ? => it cannot be targeted.
This is a prime example of research at its finest. Great info here fo ryou to remember.

The War Hydra and 360° Los/Charge Arch
The War Hydra had a request from the creator for an explainantion of charging across a regular sized unit but it has to go around that unit. For example:

Said War Hydra is a large target and sees a unit it wants to charge over one of your units, but the said unit is not exactly in front of the hydra. Your enemy would say that it cannot charge, as it would have to wheel and go through that unit it is looking over to get to it. This is not the case, as the War hydra, regardless of its skirmisher’s move, charges like any monster, which is also like a chariot: she can wheel once, but at any time during the charge. So, instead of taking an orientation towards its target, the hydra can proceed straight forward, pass your other unit, then orient towards the target and end its charge. Note that the total distance (with the angle) must be within charge capability.
Here's a diagram depicting what we've discussed: [A]=Allied unit, [H]=Hydra, [E]=enemy unit, / is the direction the Hydra is facing. [....] is empty space.
[E]
....
[A]/
[H]
In the first part of this, the Hydra sees its target over allied units. It wishes to charge. Now you must check distance to see if it can, with an angle around your allied unit.
[E]
....[H]
[A]/

Added information on Hydra charges. The Hydra as we all know moves as a skirmishing unit. During charges, however it loses the ability to skirmish and is moved as a monster. This also applies to difficult/very difficult terrain. Make sure that the Hydra is on open ground before making the charge, especially in the scenario above.

War Machines and Archers
In regards to war machines and archers on hills. These baddies are the bane of large targets. If the hill in question is taller than the scenery that your larger monster is behind it has LoS and can fire. Ensure that you are aware of this frequent oversite. Many of us have fallen pray to a war machine that ate up our dragon simply because we thought it was behind ample cover. True though, it will still get the soft/hard cover modifiers, but a good player is willing to take a gamble at shooting. Watch your opponent and care for your large targets as they need to move to the enemy.

Ok, I have fixed these as best I can.
Last edited by Darluith on Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:07 am, edited 14 times in total.
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Post by Darluith »

D.R.A.I.C.H. Movement Phase
Hampering opponent’s movement


There are a few things you can do to hinder the enemy's movement. The first thing you need to know (as with all in the movement phase) is positioning. Where your troops are is a big factor in whether or not you can get the vantage for hinderance.

For example, march blocking. If you position your DR's/Harpies just right, you can march block half an army (depending on your numbers of course). If your running 3-4 units of DR's and 1-2 units of Harpies, this should be no problem.

5 things you have to watch for. Enemy skirmishers can ruin your day, as our fast movers are lightly armoured. Enemy archery of any form, as it tends to damage us heavily in mass. Enemy war machines, as with archery, it can ruin your line. Spells aswell as the lore of life with its terrain based attacks, the Waagh! spell list (have no working knowledge of the newer spells), and the dwarven rune of speed. And finally, unwanted charges.

let's look at this tactically and statistically. First, tactically speaking you have to look at your enemy's deployment and movement. Deployment can tell you a lot about your enemy's plan of attack. It's kinda like poker, each player has a tell on the table. Some move frequently and in sections, meaning moving at on point on the table and then the other multiple times. This should tell you that he's planning to outmanuvre/outflank you. If he puts all his/her ducks in a row, its generally cause he/she has the capability to shut you down in HtH. If he/she holds back, it tells you they have range. But you should be able to see this and counter in your deployment. All this has a point relevent to the topic I assure you. Looking at this tactically, you can tell where to put your hindering units.

Best unit descriptions:
Harpies are great at it with their flying move and their ability to get behind those troublesome units that would destroy your light troops (i.e. cavalry).

DR's have great movement and can play hit and run (best used against lighter troops), and can march block. they also can get that much needed hold flank charge to stop an impending charge on your light troops. The common usage of them are as Fast cav, however; GW has given us a new option to equip them with shields. This can be a useful tool when march-blocking and harrassing impending chargers.

Shades have some added bonuses with GW's and RxB's. This means they can hunt the war machines that threaten the delicate balance of hindering units. They deploy so close too and have a -1 modifier for those weaker crew. All you have to worry about is hitting and placement, but with BS5/6 who's really worried about hitting right?

Now I had some requests from the creator of the D.R.A.I.C.H. for a few additions and without further ado, here they are.

On the Dwarves:
This was taken from the Magicless Dark Elves thread and is credited too Hali:
I beg to differ, but it's best to use fast cavalry to do it. Park a unit of Dark Riders about 3.5" infront of the unit. The dwarves cannot move within 1" of the unit, and if they declare a charge, even on the lowest roll possible, your Dark Riders will get away and the dwarves stumble forward thier 3". It's the perfect march block for the dwarves and can isolate units extremely fast, just make sure you deal with any Gyrocopters first, you tend to be out of line of site to any shooting when you're that close.
Definitely some good advice there. Now about this Dwarven castle (war machine impenetrable defensive strategy). Swooping the war machines is the best method. Lots of harpies, DR's, Shades, pretty much any fast mover you have to throw out there. Hydras work wonderfully I'm told. You can always use that magical 48" RBT to suppress them or distract while you get your positioning right. We will delve into positioning soon I promise you all. Just be sure that you have a few "nasty" heavy troops to deal with Dwarven offensive units (i.e. Iron Breakers).

In addition to this, the Dwarves are capable of moving swiftly in the first turn. Calisson gives a great example here of this:

Dwarves may surprise you with their units (besides gyros) moving amazingly fast:
Rune of Strollaz (for the Battle Standard).
After deploying, but before determining who plays first, ALL dwarves units except gyro, at 12” around the banner, may move once (including double-move).
After that, the normal movement phase happens.
Then comes the anvil: 1 (or 1D3) unit(s) may move normally – or charge.
Consequence: at the end of turn 1, they have moved /charged at 18”.

To add insult to injury, the dwarf lord in the über-unit may have a runic talisman with the major rune of challenge: before his opponent declares any charge, the dwarf player designates an opposing unit that could be able to charge the dwarf unit. That opposing unit must either declare a charge on the dwarf unit, or flee.
Too bad if the dwarf unit was in the charging arc of your level 4 on a Peggy.
Be aware of this.

On to the Wood elves...
With Asrai it is so. to ourmanuver them, you must be able to lure them out into the open. Baiting works well with a cocky general. Give him a distraction, something like a small unit thats worth decent points (shades do the trick on this). You can't outmanuver a static army, as they are not moving. So to out manuver them you must manipulate the situation to your advantage. Getting close works too, as it forces the Asrai player to deal with you head on. Trust me, Wood Elves don't deal well in battles of attrition. Corner them and take away their assets (i.e. Wild riders, wardancers, waywatchers, treemen/ancients) and these foes will melt. How you take them out is a different matter and in different phases (explained later in this thread).
EDIT: if you're annoyed by a moving wood getting too close for your taste, just march-block the wood! it stops as soon as it touches any opponent's unit. A couple of harpies are enough...

Hold Back and Hold Them Back methodology:
Another interesting fact is avoiding charges in turn 2. Well there are 2 ways I know of to do this. the first and most commonly used in the hold back method. it works for a few armies but if you are a fistey general and love the smell of fear, then this way isn't for you. To perform the Hold Back method, simply hold back your offensive units until your enemy comes into charge range. You run a risk of getting shot up by long range fire, but it is effective against armies with no working rate of fire (i.e. no more than 16" at max). Examples to use this method are on armies like the VC's and Lizardmen. They tend to have little in the works during the shooting phase. Beware of their magic phase as it will hurt you if you are not prepared for it. this tactic is set at a 35-50% sucess rate.

The second and my most commonly used is the hold them back method. 4 RBT's plus 2 RxB's with 10 in each will do this efficiently. Add in 2-4 units of DR's and 1-2 units of shades and you have a shooting wall from hell that no lightly armoured troop will penatrate (you skill and tactics permitting). Here's how you use this tactic.

Example:4 RBT's in the center of your deployment space at the back on a hill (if its possible, if not, whereever a hill is in your deployment zone), grounded RxBs in front of them (used for 2 reasons. 1) gives a suppresion fire rate, and 2) used to block units from the hill, giving time for your swooping units to get there and ward them off). Shades deployed near the enemies line (for early access with the RBT's) and your DR's for march blocking/rate of fire. Keep them out of combat at all costs as this will only work if they are free to fire. If you lose momentum in this, ensure you have some heafties to deal with your light work. Always have a back up plan with this tactic as it has a 83% sucess rate. The percentage represents the success I've had with it over the years of playing. It is not set in stone but it gives you a basis as to how often it could/could not work.

Magical Movement:
The lore of life (detailed descriptions in theMagic Phase Tactica thread) is the bane of stationary and moving units. Its able to unleash hell fin the form of terrain associated objects. You thought that tower was harmless, think again!

Avoidance
Ways to avoid this is trying to incorperate some dispelling artifacts against armies capable of using this. Also keeping your units outside of the max reach of the spell. Be aware of units you place on hills, as the Master of Stone will make the day worse for you. As an alternative to this you could try ground deployment for your war machines/RxB's.

Honestly I haven't played O&G recently and I am not informed of any movement modifiers they can cause. If your opponent agrees, scan his/her book and look over the spells to determine which could hamper your movement.

And of course the Dwarven Rune of Speed. I believe this is the one that gives them ASF, but I'm not sure of it as I regularly played engineer forces that didn't need it. Dwarves are tarpits and live for attrition, just as undead and their raise spells. Don't stay in one place too long as its a key to success. Be aware of this.

I believe this post in my thread will definitely evolve into a greater masterpiece in the near future. With add ons and alittle effort we can make this section of the D.R.A.I.C.H better and more informative for players new and old.
Last edited by Darluith on Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:48 am, edited 9 times in total.
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Post by Darluith »

D.R.A.I.C.H. Movement Phase
Using movement to achieve objectives


In this segment of this tactica, I will delve into using your movement to achive objectives or "goals" if you will.

We are quick, being elves and all. So quick, that we on the battlefield can outmanuver most opponents. With this in mind, think on how exactly and what exactly you want to achive on the board. Is there a specific unit you want gone??? Or maybe you just want to hamper your enemy so much that he spins around in his mind with confusion. Well my friends, this portion will be for you. It's all about timing and positioning. Knowing your troops (as i wrote in the Magic Phase Tactica) will help you achive this.

Take harpies for example. They can acomplish specific "goals" like war machine hunting, or march blocking. Use your manuverablility to lay waste to the flanks and exploit your (more than likely) slower opponents. Take your flyers and use their abilities to the fullest by flying over units to get to your goal. Careful however, as this tactic most often exposes your flanks. try to keep everything "goal" oriented together and give them the proper "support". Dark Riders with Harpies make a wonderful combo for war machine hunting. CoK's and foot troops make and excellent combo as the CoK's pack punch and the infantry lend the additional combat res. Now as always it is important to be able to transit the work we do in one phase to another. I will now tell you how to accomplish this here.

Movement in the culminator of every phase, as it gives you the range to use spells, charge opponents, and shoot the ever loving hell out of them. What we fail to realize is that we don't always combine for maximum effectivness on the board. I gave a couple of examples of units to combine above, but now I will give you position read outs and unit combos for maximum phase transition sucess.

Combine your troops in 4 categories as this will help you sort them together in a way during deployment that is in accordance with your strategy (i.e. support, hammers, ranged, magic). In those 4 sections, put together a list of troops that you believe will do well together. CoK's with spears, Witch Elves with Corsairs with the Sea Serpent Standard, Chariots with Executioners, the list is endless. But you as the general are capable of doing this. Don't do this on the field though. Do it when you have a moment to sit and look at your army. It gives you perspective and allows full view of the forces you have available. The questions I ask myself in this self analysis are:
1) Should I put my sorceress here
2) should I put that unit wit this one in deployment
3) should I put my ranged units here, here, and here
4) should I put my beasts here

In doing this you are covering all of your sectors. It also covers two key points, combining phases (which is done as a transition between phases), and playing like chess (which I'm getting too).

If you cover your sectors well your phases will flow with one another. It will be comittied to your brains muscle memory and become a routine before each battle. It's important to remember that in order to play the game in a flowing phase manner your units must work together well.

Now on to playing like a game of chess. In my experience, warhammer and chess are linked, though I am not very good at chess, its abouot reading your opponent and knowing the mannerisms behind his every move. As i stated in another post, its like poker in terms of tells on the battlefield. If you know your opponent is going left, you can map out his next 2-3 moves. It takes time to perfect this however, and is not for those new to the Druchii. We are a finess army in that we need cohesion to achive maximum effecivness.

Also, an oversight was made on my part about a basic tactic that has been used frequently (but never written). Set 1 expendable unit about a fourth from the table edge to keep/contest you table quarters. if you have it to spare use 2 units, 1 on each side to keep your quarters "yours".

Take this with a grain of salt. Its all about how you move as to whether or not your troops are able to accomplish the tasks you set for them. Keep you eye on your opponent and watch him for any sudden changes in movement (i.e. was moving forward, now moving to the right ect.). Keeping an open mind on the field will give you a broad veiw of the possibilities for this tactica.

As always this is subject to additions. If you have something to add to this, PM me so we can add it.
Last edited by Darluith on Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:10 am, edited 4 times in total.
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Post by Darluith »

D.R.A.I.C.H. Movement Phase
Enhancing Movement


In this segment I will discuss spells and magic items that can enhance your movement. It's important to remember that when using these tactics, there are always risks involved. I will discuss those as well here. I will be touching on defensive and offensive move enhancement in this post.

Spell Enhancement: The Lore of Shadow

In this lore there are two spells that will make your movement phase similar to the Vampire Counts. Though we can't use it as they do so freely (due to our inability to multi-cast spells with 1 sorceress), we may still be able to use it in a multi-caster scenario. In this portion I will discuss the two spells, Steed of Shadows and Unseen Lurker, and the tactics that associated with these spells.

The Steed of Shadows
This spell is used to move unmounted characters (i.e. assassins, tooled Masters/Dreadlords) 20". There is some debate of being able to move an assassin about 68" in one magic phase (more on that in the Magic Items portion below) in a thread called Sorceress' at Two Places at Once. It also mentions the ability to use this to move a sorceress (but not the familiar) to another location giving you two different angles and locations of casting spells.

The point is that using this spell in the right situation can yield great results. A tooled Master can survive long and give you some much needed space to get that charge you wanted. Or you can use the same master to move into a position to march-block ect. Just a few examples of this being used proactively in the movement phase.

Unseen Lurker:
This spell allows for a free march (and in some cases charge) move. Using this can make your units very similar to VC's Vanhel's Dance Macabre. If you are able to get this spell on multiple sorceresses then you may very well be able to make your army move like the undead. The only difference would be the extra 2" you would have in comparison to them which in my opinion is an advantage. Remember that like Vanhel's they may only hold as a reaction on a charge from this.

Risked Involved:
There are associated risks when using these spells. I will use the line of questioning I ask myself before casting spells like this.
A) Does the target fit WYSISYG? This means you should analyze your opponent's unit. It may look weak, but that unit may be able to eat your 200+ point character or 300+ point units and gain those VP's.
B) Is the character/unit expendable? Meaning, are you willing to send this character/unit to their death.
C) Is it a trap? Meaning is your opponent ready for your move and does he/she have stand-by units waiting for the character/unit to drop by?
D) Has he/she exhausted all dispelling efforts? Meaning has your opponent used all his/her dispel scrolls, dice, and other anti-magic devices?

These questions will give you a basis to judge when and where you should use these spells to enhance movement and get that charge!

Magic Item Movement Enhancement:
There are some well known movement enhancement items in this game. The newest addition to these is the Cloak of Twilight. Below is a description of it and some tactics for enhancing the movement phase.

The Cloak of Twilight
This item contains the bound spell Steed of Shadows. As promised from above I will now explain the comment in the beginning of this post. An assassin with this backed by two sorceresses with the steed spell and unseen lurker can get your assassin a total of 68". How you ask, well cast steed on the assassin, and then cast it on him again (40" so far), then use the Cloak, and finally (and this takes perfect placement IMO) use unseen lurker on him for a grand total of 70" in one magic phase!!! It’s mentioned for posterity, but it can be useful for a war machine hunter, so keep this in mind.

Defensive Movement Enhancing Items:
In this portion I will go over items that I feel are great for moving cover. The items discussed here will be the Crystal of Midnight, the Cloak of Hag Graef, and the Ring of Darkness. So in the following order:

The Crystal of Midnight
This item can be a bane to those that magically can hinder your movement or get those extra moves that could end in charges. Take the VC's for example. they base their movements around two phases (magic and movement). If you were to use this item and happened to randomly hit his Vanhel's, that would cripple his plan for double phase moves. This item is best used during turn 2. By then you should know where the spells are you would liek taken out.

Risks Involved:
This item is based around a 3D6 leadership test and as such, high leadership wizards should be taken into account. Be aware of spells that affect dice rolls (i.e. the Second Sign of Amul, and there is one in High Magic also but can't remember the name). These spells can turn that 14 or 15 on 3D6 to a 9 or 10 depending on the change to the dice. These are mentioned due to the fact they affect the following phases. to counter these spells, use it only after you know he/she isn't using any dice affect spells.

The Cloak of Hag Graef
This item cuts the strength of the attacker in half (always rounding up). consider this along with the Steed of Shadows in relation to movement. A character with this, flung into combat by the Steed should be able to withstand several attacks before either his demise, or thier demise. Moving him is less of a risk with it equipped.

Risks Involved:
In the parenthesis, it states that the strength is rounded up. So a hero with S5 would have a S3 still against you. Be aware that this is still a 4+ to wound. it goes also with higher strengths (i.e. Ogre Kingdoms, Lizarmen Krokzigors (spelling permitting) ect). these you will want to be aware of as they pack a punch and can still harm your hindering Dreadlord/Master.

The Ring of Darkness
Probably one of the better choices for movement protection IMO as it cuts BS/WS by half for not only the character, but the unit he's/she's with. This is especially true with low BS armies like Tomb Kings or Skaven. Try to use this unit as a cover unit for a hammer unit like CoK's or CoC's. Maybe even use it to cover that sorceress on the DP you wanted to keep safe during the movement phase.

Risks Involved:
Only a Master or a Dreadlord cancarry this item as it is 40pts. Its limited to only 1 unit, but if you take that one unit (i.e. Spearmen) and widen it, you have a lot of coverage to work with. Bu that is also limited as it gives your opponent a BIG target to follow. But overall nothing to serious as far as risks go.

And last but certainly not least is Terrain!

Terrain and Enhancing Movement
Terrain can be both a blessing and a curse. It can surely hinder your movement of regular troops, but it can also be used to enhance the movement capabilities of your skirmishing troops. Good terrain placement depends on two things. 1) Where you're playing at, and 2) who you're playing with. If your opponent like to mix it up and places terrain randomly on his/her table, go with it and place some terrain to enhance/protect your movement phase.

Risks Involved:
In regards to tournament play, you will get 1 impassable, 1 very difficult and 1 difficult. At Games day this will be in predetermined positions, so take a look at you board before playing and sort of scout out where your units would get a boost from the terrain placed (i.e. you see a building on th eright that would be perfect for defense and in your shooting phase). Just be aware that tounament play is mostly predetermined terrain placement and you should be fine.

As with all my posts, this is the veiw of the author and may or may not work for you depending on your playing style. The risks involved portions are from my experiences and may or may not happen.
Last edited by Darluith on Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:56 am, edited 10 times in total.
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Post by Darluith »

D.R.A.I.C.H. Movement Phase
Speed

Ok, in this segment of the Movement phase I will delve into the speed of the Druchii. Granted we have slow heavy cavalry, but we also have foot troops and cavalry that are faster than the average army (excluding other elven armies and the Skaven and Ogre Kingdoms). With a base move of 5/10 for your light troops and 9/18 for your fast cav, not to mention your War Hydras at 6/12 and your harpies at 20 flight, you have a great force that can get to the fight quickly. Let's look at your base infantry first to get a feel of how we move around in warhammer.

Infantry
Lightly armoured foot troops with good movement. manuvering capabilities are above average as they have more room to wheel and turn. This means that you can wheel more quickly than human troops. This gives you more opportunity to strike the flanks or rear over the average 4" movement in warhammer. It helps when you culminate the manuver with some form of fast attack unit. So without further ado...

Fast Cavalry
Our DR's are quick, and against human cavalry they are 10 times more likely to reach the lines to hamper than a human fast cavalry unit. A movement of 18" pretty much says I'm moving around you and you can't catch me, add in the free reform and you have that hole your opponent didn't cover at the tabel edge on the right/left. Now they're on the other side shooting you. Great bonus when you think in terms of march blocking or shoot and move techniques.

Flyers
Harpies.... Wait?! They flew over my unit and now they can't march is the usual response. With 20" to move around they are in the same catagory as the DR's. Mind them well however, for they are weak to everything. Unlike the DR's, they have no protection vs. anything. Best to keep at the rear of heavy units to march block. But their manuverability is astoundingly good.

Heavy Cavalry
Yes we're slower than most. Yes, we're stupid. But yes, we bite at S6/S4 on the charge. Slow does not mean useless. I can say this, the CoK is getting some bad light shed in its general direction. Yes you have to take a test at the start of the turn, every turn. But why does that alone make these brutes useless. CoK's, pound for pound have great mobility, a sound strike, and a great save. A few additions to them and they can even rival the Blood Knights. Not by strength, but by save modifiers and attacks. But i'm side tracking from the movement issue here. They are more paced speed, faster than infanrty, slower than fast cav, but oh so deadly on the charge. 14" isn't bad at all and it gives you a lot of room to wheel and turn. They don't have a free reform, but they have virtue in manuvering. You just have to find the right position for them to be placed. Once you find it, they will work well for you. Also on basis of testing in the Start of the Turn, they have a Ld 9 so why complain.

On charges against the CoK's
in order to avoid the heavy cav charge against the CoK's use terrain, movement, and even other units to screen the assult. It lessens th eface time they have until they are ready to have it. Charging or getting charged is inevitable, so prepare for it. Tool up the Dread Knights for maximum protection, or just add a master. It lessens your losses in HtH.

Chariots
Slow, unable to march, but can turn on a dime and move as a monster would. this means they have a 90° charge arc and the crew is restricted to this arc aswell. They are here as they are a very mobile unit with all the capabilities to be on the speed list and good leadership now too at 9. But you ask, if another chariot is plotting to charge, how can we take care of that. It depends, but as far as chariots go, ours have a better save, and a better toughness than the most feared chariots out there. S5/T5/AS3+, I say you can't beat it. Look out for the wondering S7 hits bound for them.

On charges and the CoC's
If you're looking for a solution to stop their chariots from charging yours, just manuver them away from theirs and use their shooting abilities until that moment comes to strike. If however, someone decides to charge your chariot with a chariot while yours is in HtH then there is only one solution. Using a support unit, try to our flank, outnumber, and outrank them. This will hopefully (depending on the number of enemy units involved) break the chariot (beware the Tomb Kings chariots).

More to come on this one as reserch must be done to clarify and evolve this tactica.
Last edited by Darluith on Sun Dec 28, 2008 7:09 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Post by Darluith »

D.R.A.I.C.H. Movement Phase
Agility
We are an fast, agile force which means we have versatile troops types available to us to do well with those two aspects of eh movement phase. But where (after mentioning this in several of my posts in this thread) does this fit in with the tactica? I will answer this in this segment about our agility and how it can be used to make our movement phase work in our favor.

This portion was taken from Calisson's post in Dark Rider tactics and is good info. It shows our agilie units both stength and weakness wise. Good info.

DR are fagile and expensive.
Endurance 3, little armor (shielded DR don't have the same use) means easy to kill with shooting or magic, and they will quickly die in prolunged melee. Problem is that they cost quite a lot: 5 riders cost as much as 10 or even 15 infantry.

DR are not that good as a mobile gunline.
5x2 shots after moving, if you can get at short distance, you get 1 or 2 kills, not enough to ruin the enemy's plans.

Harpies

Harpies are a lot cheaper.
They don't shoot but no big loss.
They fly 20" above terrain and foe. They take much less room on the ground and are easier to hide from enemy's LOS. So they can better march-block than DR.
They can charge 20" 360° and get after a single character hidden in a unit (except ASF HE) or a warmachine (well, not a dwarven one).
Their biggest drawback is if they bait and flee, their leadership is low and they have no musician.

Shades
For the same price as DR, you can get Shades.
Same endurance. No armor, but -1 to be shot at, and they hide easily in woods or buildings.
They shoot much better.
They run faster through woods, although in open terrain they are in trouble.
They charge at 360° and, with Great Weapons, they can deal with heavy cavalry, contrary to DR.
However, you march-block only troops in vicinity of their woods, and you don't bait with these troops.
Another drawback is that they take a special slot, but with all the excellent core slots we have, who else than Khainites need all special slots anyway?

Monsters
Dragons, Manticores, Pegasus and Hydraes can fulfill a similar purpose.
They fly 20" above the enemy where they can march-block and irritate the enemy - the hydra can instead move at full speed through woods.
They can effectively breathe - the Pegasus-mounted Master can shoot 4 shots of handbow.
They can destroy warmachines and mages hidden in units.
However, you would hesitate to bait the enemy with them.
Indeed, their drawback is their price.
Also, they take 1 or 2 hero slots - except the hydra. But who uses all his slots anyway except the heaviest magic list?

The essence of the DE
DR, Harpies, Shades and Monsters have in common what I call agility .
All of them are good for moving quickly across the battlefield where they can harass/threaten best the enemy.
This ability is shared by most DE armies. I believe it is the essence of the druchii.
Now it's my turn to elaborate. Agility in the movement phase is all about versatility or useage. Who can conduct a move here better than who. why would you use DR's if shades do it better. Why would you waste points on Corsairs if warriors are agile enough to accomplish the task. Its all about your preference when it all boils down to it. You as the competent general, make the destinction to choose the unit that best fits your veiw of the situation. Whos more agile than who is a reletive, as its real thin. DR's are fast in the open, but can they run through the forest like wildmen as the shades do. So in essence, shades are more adept than DR's at manuvering. I just wanted this up so that you can see the differences of the chosen "agile" units. These are prime examples of our agile units, but agility in an Elven army is all around other than heavy cav and chariots. So choose and let loose.[/u]
Last edited by Darluith on Sun Dec 28, 2008 10:15 am, edited 5 times in total.
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Post by Darluith »

D.R.A.I.C.H. Movment Phase
Positioning

In this segment I will discuss positioning in respect to the movement/deployment phase. Picture this if you will. Your opponent is deploying, he/she begins to place heavy units on the right. What do you do? Do you place your heavy units on the right to counter? Or do you exploit the big hole he/she left in the middle of his/her deployment zone. This is what this section will teach you, where to place what, how to position what, and how to make it work together.
Ok, first order of business, positioning two units together in support. Ok take a look at this diagram and then I will explain it. Mind all the lines as the ones nearest to the letters are the most important.
A=Support
B=Hammer
C=Enemy
[-]=inch/distance
------------------------- A----B
------------------------ - ---- -
------------------------ - ----- -
------------------------ - -----C
You see in this diagram, unit A is on the left as a support to unit B. It moves out to the left but stays on line with unit B until the charge. This way both of your units hit at the same time. Positioning them 1-2 inches away from each other makes this maneuver easier to pull off. Unit C has two options, 1) they can flee, or they can stand and shoot if they are a missile troop/hold if not. But the beauty of this is they can’t shoot both units, so one is hitting home (can we say flank!). Units best combined for this are CoK’s and Spearmen, but are not limited to them rightly. You can look at your AB to see what units do what best, and then decide where they should go.

The next portion deals with three units in the same scenario. See the diagram below…
----------------------- A -- B -- C
---------------------- - ----- - --- -
--------------------- - ----- - ----- -
-------------------- - ------ - ------- -
------------------- - ------ D ----- -
You see unit D was added for posterity. Unit D is in a rough spot as he is threatened on both sides and the front. Think about x2 chariots and a unit of spears as the bulk support here. Spearmen lend the CR and the Chariots punch it home. As above, its not limited to this combination, just an example.

Now for the next part in the tactica, charge arcs and the lone hunters. Ok this one’s a bit tougher to map out, but with some practice you’ll get there. Think of it in terms of protecting your sensitive points behind the lines. If your opponent has something that moves fast and bypasses your main line defenses, have something waiting in the wings for him/her. I like to call this the swooping unit. It’s something quick like CoK’s or a static unit (leaving behind 1-2 units to contest table quarters can do this job nicely too). I do this often with my Bretonnians. Pegasus Knights make excellent trebuchet protectors. The same could be said about any heavy unit a single monster rider wasn’t paying attention to or underestimated. Take this for example, I set up my RBT’s with x2 units of 10 RxB’s in front of them to ward off any light intruders. Then I usually keep something like a Master on a DP to swoop in and take care of the held RxB’s and their opponents. It teaches my opponent that I am covered and he/she should find somewhere else to attack. I don’t know about any of you, but I like having a 48” range killing machine that doesn’t misfire at my back. It would look something like this on a diagram:
-----------------------A-A-A-A
------------- D ------- B --- B ---------- D (contest unit) C (Swoop Unit)

All Unit A represents is the RBT’s. Unit B represents the RxB’s, and the diagram takes care of units C & D’s description. You see how your flanks are covered on both sides. It makes your opponent think twice before attempting to steal a slide home.

Next we will cover moving through the rate of fire of enemy war machines and avenues of approach.
Given this section, I think it more appropriate to tell you about the types of units you will commonly see as war machines go. First up:

Bolt Throwers/Repeater Bolt Throwers
These nasties have the distinct pleasure of ripping you up without armour saves. The big difference 9as we Druchii players well know) is the ability to volley shots. But a quick turn in the open gives the enemy a clear shot at your flank and this could be deadly for your heavy cavalry units.

Moving to Avoid
So how do we avoid them during the movement phase? Use terrain efficiently. This tactic ensures survival rates increase. Giving your opponent an opportunity to roll gives you the less likely chance of saving. The more die you roll, the worse your chances are. Avoid this by simply keeping a low silhouette behind trees, buildings, anything that gives you cover.

Moving to Attack
Now how do we accomplish this? A simple way is to take them head on. But that’s risky considering your fighting the High Elves. Volleys hurt no matter what you have to save with. If you’re looking at 4 RBT’s, that’s 24 S4, -2 save modifier shots down your harassment units’ throat. But get the charge before he gets the shot and you’re safe. They can’t stand and shoot you, so all they have is hold or flee, and if they are on the table edge, well hope they roll high. Getting them there is a risk, but using reserve units to move quick and heavy units to distract attention can go a long way to getting rid of them.

Cannons (Imperial and Dwarven)
These baddies are indeed the bane of large units. The Dwarven brand carries S10 D3 cannonballs, while the Imperial brand is S10 D6. We are quick, but one nicely placed bounce from these can ruin our day. The only upside to these is that they are fallible, meaning they misfire. That, on a good day happens often.
Moving to Avoid
To avoid these, follow the example set above in the RBT/BT section on avoiding. It’s the same concept really.

Moving to attack
Here’s where difference kicks in. in order to get to these monstrosities, you have to be able to send single line troops up against them. Now you may think, why would I risk that? Trust me here; it’s less of a risk to send a single line unit of fast cav as opposed to a multi ranked unit of light/heavy infantry/cavalry. You see, if you keep your front to his/her cannons only one model is hit by the cannonball as opposed to anything in the back of it. So he/she is likely to only cause a couple of wounds before you get in that needed charge. With dwarves, it’s simply a matter of getting passed the gun line of crossbows and rifles. But if you, as with the RBT/BT tactica, employ a distraction for them then this can buy time for your fast movers to get to their cannons.

With the Empire, their counter charge is their downfall. Due to the fact that most of the counter charge units of choice are their riflemen. Lock them up and you have a clear shot at their cannons and Hellblasters.

Conclusion
It’s all about low silhouetting. Keep your units under the radar until it’s time to strike. If you follow the examples here then there will be fewer casualties on your side of the board. Note I used the most common war machines. This tactica however is not limited to just those. It works for most, if not all war machines in game.
Last edited by Darluith on Sun Dec 28, 2008 9:56 am, edited 8 times in total.
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Post by Darluith »

D.R.A.I.C.H. Movement Phase
Movement Tricks and Rules

Ok, here I will discuss ways to move your units tactically and efficiently across the board. There are a few things for US players (I have no idea about other countries) that I will touch on about manuvers while marching.

This was stemed from Master of Arnhiem's Ass charge post and is relavent in the US BRB. There are limitations to all manuvers except wheels. There is a limit to how much distance you have left while turning and you may not march while prefoming these manuvers. About reforming (adding, taking away). If you look in the BRB it specifically states that you may make a normal move only if you are adding, taking away 1 rank. If more that one rank is reformed you may not move that turn. I don't have the book here so I won't go into whether missle troops can shoot or anything else. Besides this is the movement phase tactica and shooting isn't a part of it. With that said we'll move on.

Unobvious charges will be covered next in this segment.
Take a look at this thread by Sliverheimdall on "Fake" Harpy Screens I've copied and pasted the diagram form the first thread but there is an overabundance of info in that thread so please do take a look at it. Its wonderful info for a begining Druchii player.

-------------[Chaos Wars][H]----------------[Chaos Wars][S]



<- M]------------------[x]------------[x]-[x]-[x]-[x]
--------------------------[x]
----------------------------[x]
------------------------------[x]
--------------------------------[x]

-----[Peg]------------------------------[Cold one Knights]

[Chaos Wars] Warriors
[H] Hero
[S] Sorcerer
<- M] Marauders on the left edge of table
[x] Harpies

So my CoK had line of sight to both units and were approx 13 inches away from the left block, I took a gamble.

Realising both harpy units were in the way, I found 2 perfect targets to get them out of the way and let me CoKnights do a diagonal charge

the middle harpies charged the marauders on the left side
the right harpies charged the chaos warriors on the right
the cold one knights and a dark peg hero charged the chaos warriors

Needless to say, he was not expecting this so fast and my Cold One Knights reached the Warriors along with my dark peg Master and broke all the Warriors + Troll King he had in there while my harpies had killed all the Marauders. (remaining 2 fled off table)


So this is something to think of when "screening" with your harpies (against the Sorcerer in this case). It can open up many surprise charges and cause a lot of trouble for any opponent. My thanks go out to Silver for this wonderful post.


Alternative "unobvious" charges
There are other alternative "unobvious charges" such as flyers over the main body into something saveless (or savefull in case of the Manticore). I do this with my Bretonnian Peg Knights. But since we have stronger monsterous flyers we can anticipate a flyover charge. There are also drawbacks to it aswell. beware that your opponent doesn't have his own "swooping" units to counter this. It will end your killing spree.

I have set the last movement related thread up on one of the previous posts in this thread so to discuss it again would be redundant. Instead I will go into detail on some of the movement based tricks I've learned over the years I have been gaming.

First off, your positioning on the field (discussed in the above post), must be condusive to accomplish your expected goals in the movement, and subsequent phases. If you want to trick your opponent you must be truly dastardly in the movement phase. Setting up for flanks/rears, getting the powerhouse unit into weak "point sinkers" ect. The overall objective of this thread is the fact that you have the decision to position them. I can't truly tell you what to do other than watch your opponent as he deploys his troops.

A Word on Strategy
Most strategies can be read out in full in the deployment phase. If your opponent isn't smart enough to realize he needs a contingency plan then he wants to lose. But if you see a sudden move change in his play style mid game after a crucial unit loss, then you know he was prepared for that loss. Thats was discussed above also. But what I'm getting at here is the ability to read his deployment to better use your manuverability.

Remember guys and gals, you have to play like "chess" and be 2-3 steps ahead for your enemy. reading him/her from jumpstreet can help you with that. If you map out his/her placement in respect to all phases then you should rightly be 2-3 steps ahead as its something rarely done in home play. Its reserved for Tourney play most of the time right? But think about yourself playing at a tourney all the time, then it changes your view of the board, of your opponent, of the entire game at home. Make every move count, even first turn moves have a purpose. Though what I'm asking you to do is actually plan out that purpose, not just move blindly towards them in first turn bloodlust.

Conclusion
Its common, and overdone right? Let's change the tempo of movement, as it is the most important phase in the game. Without tactical moves, you wouldn't be able to get where you intended. So think when you place your units and look at your opponents deployment as well. look where his/her heavy units are as opposed to light. Look at the support he places with certain units, or if hes placing support at all. Things like that that you let slip can cost you a win. Just be observant, ever aware that your opponent has a plan A and a plan B, and thanks again for reading! :twisted
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Post by Darluith »

D.R.A.I.C.H. Movement Phase
Multi-charging, Hatred, and the Movement Phase

In this portion I will explain Mulit-Troop charges with the aid of hatred in the movement phase. this tactic should be relatively familiar to all of you that are experienced DE players.

The Goal
The goal of this post is to accomplish two things, 1) dispel the myth that hatred means you have to charge, and 2) distinguish differences between movement phase action of hatred vs. CC phase action.

Hatred in General
Hatred affects us in two ways, 1) re-rolling missed hits in CC, and 2) always pursue/overrun. They aren't as big of a bane as its lead to believe in relation to the Movement Phase. Heres that rule description

BRB Pg. 53:
Hatred is a powerful emotion and instances of hatred and rivalry are commonplace in the Warhammer world. There are grudges born over centuries, racial animosity bordering on madness, and irreconcilable feuds that have left generations of dead in their wake. Some races hate other races with such bitter conviction that they will fight with astounding fury and this is specified in their troops' entry.

Troops fighting in close combat with their hated foe may re-roll any misses in the first turn of any close combat. this bonus only applies in the first turn of combat and represents the unit venting its pent-up hatred on the foe. After the initial blood-mad hacking, they lose impetus and subsequently fight as normal for the rest of the combat.

Troops that hate their enemy must always pursue them if they flee. They cannot attempt to avoid pursuit by testing against their leadership as other troops can. They even pursue if they are defending an obstacle. If they wipe out a hated enemy in the turn the have charged, they will always overrun.

This should dispel all thought of them having to charge a hated foe.

Hatred and Multi-charges
In this there is merit in charging with multiple units. there are 2 main reasons for this, 1) if you break all and pursue all, you rline isn't broken or seperated. 2) It will eventually lead to more charges and perhaps the win.

Look at it this way, you get set in the deployment phase to multi-strike your enemy. By turn 3 you charge en-mass and break several of his/her units. What does this do? Well, it limits the amount of charges he/she makes in the movement phase, giving you movement superiority. This is why it isn't really a bane to us. When we we giving this glorious make over, we were given the tools to destroy most anything we come in conatct with. If you play the way we were always meant too, then you know that Multi-charging is a path to victory for us. Add in the occasional shooting phase and mix up magic and you will realize just how dangerous an experienced Druchii general is at the helm.

Movement Phase Hatred vs. CC Hatred
In essence I'll make this section my conclusion. Movement phase actions of hatred involve pursuit, and the inability to properly defend and obstacle or specific points on the board. this doesn't mean that you can't leave two block units behind to save table quarters. It just means you have to be careful when you place them as to make sure you see less combat.

CC phase hatred implies that you must pursue, and may re-roll missed hits in the first turn. It has no bearing on the movement phase other than re-adjusting units afterwards and making a battle plan with this very thing in mind. In the end you'll find that hatred isn't a problem at all. Its designed to enable CC victory for us. Thats all I have.
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DreadLord Darluith Anaki
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Post by Darluith »

D.R.A.I.C.H. Movement Phase
The War Hydra (Defensive and Offensive)

In this segment, I will discuss the movement (and some HtH rules) of the War Hydra, and give you some dual strategies.

War Hydra in the Movement Phase
The War Hydra is a very powerful addition to the Druchii. with a 6/12" move rate it can reach tough opponents qiuckly, and is tough enought to take some punishment. You can equally use it to take out war machines or provide cover for units you want to survive. It is also a great center point to focus your attacks from. Moving the War Hydra is exactly as you would move your shades. It follows the skirmisher rules.

Moving it depends soley on your plan for it. Beware as it will be targeted by every opponent you face. I like to use it as a center of focus. Placing CoK's at its flanks to culminate a hefty charge. Using the positioning section here, you can view my 3 unit flank technique. If you do this with 2 units of 5 CoK's on both flanks of your Hydra you will 6/10 get in combat with all 3 units.

You can also use it as a flank support unit, setting it next to bulk infantry to protect the unit and lend its ranged terror to them. Its a common tactic if you use beasts often.


War Hydra Rules Clarifacation

I am going to go over the apprenctices with everyone here and the exact rules on shooting at them and trying to hit them in HtH. I will quote directly from the AB.
Pg. 58
Beastmasters: The bulk of the War Hydra makes a great shield for the Beastmasters that drive it, protecting them from arrows and other missiles. When hits would normally be randomized between the models of the unit, such as for shooting or a spell, such hits are not allocated randomly but instead are all resolved against the War Hydra. In Close Combat, the Beastmasters are adept at using the bulk of the Hydra to protect themselves, so all enemies that can choose them or the Hydra must allocate their attacks against the Hydra.

If the Beastmasters are killed, the War Hydra must take a monster reaction test just like a ridden monster that loses its rider. When calculating victory points the Beastmasters are always ignored - assume the Hydra was fighting on its own as a one model unit.

Only the Beastmasters themselves have the skill to control such a ferocious beast. Therefore, no other model may join a War Hydra unit.

Ok, so this tells us two things. 1) the beastmasters are weak to template hits. It specifies ramdomized hits. But all other shooting is always against the Hydra. This is good for low strength shooting, but bad for S5 or better. Now for 2) The Beastmasters cannot be hit in CC. Even if flanked or reared. I quote this again for those that didn't catch it from the book, or from here: In Close Combat, the Beastmasters are adept at using the bulk of the Hydra to protect themselves, so all enemies that can choose them or the Hydra must allocate their attacks against the Hydra. Nuff said I think.
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Post by Calisson »

From now on, I will not edit anymore the D.R.A.I.C.H. about movement, I'll post it here instead if needed.


I had collected a few threads, some of them containing information that is not seen above.

........................................Movements: limit on page 12
In this thread, Master of Arneim quotes me about the maximum 5 "base" move sideways, i.e. 4". Below in the same post, he quotes me again about 5-base side-move used the other way. The legality of the move is explained in the post. Its morality is still debated... but it is useful to know.
It could be inserted, at least as a hyperlink, to your chapter Movement Tricks and Rules.

........................................How to protect your Hydra handlers in HTH?
There is a dirty trick mentioned by One-S about pinning down one unit with hydra & handlers, and the pinned unit cannot charge.
That could be inserted in your chapter Hampering opponent’s movement, or the one about the hydra.

Also, Thanee explains how the Beastmasters can stay in melee avoiding attacks from a cavalry charging unit (it does not work for the infantry for which, contrary to what you write above, they CAN be hit by an opponent in base contact with them and not in base contact with the hydra.
An edition of your chapter on The War Hydra (Defensive and Offensive) could take this into account.

........................................Sorceress in two places at once?
I describe there in my 2nd post how you could move an assassin ... 68" in the first turn. I'm not sure how practical it is, but you could also use the trick to charge behind corners!
A mention & hyperlink could fit in the chapter about Movement Tricks and Rules, or Enhancing Movement (where I would have expected a list of the movement-enhancing spells).


Anyhow,
Thank you Darluith for completing this thread.
Plenty of recommendations to meditate, especially for people new to Druchii or even more new to WHB.
I'm not sure everyone agrees with everything, but you were the only one to take the big amount of time required to collect the info, create the missing information based on your own experience, put it in a nice presentation.

Great achievement!


EDIT Jan09
DH+CoB+BSB hiding in a wood... unsporting? has a good idea about hiding the COB in a large wood.

EDIT Feb09
fleeing with skirmishers: as a reminder for baiting tactics.

Tactics for Large Monsters and Flyers Good reflexion about how agressive big flyers should be.

EDIT Mar09
Fun with Harpies : warmachine LOS blocking.

EDIT Jul09
Advice on redirecting charges: how to achieve practically that result.

EDIT Aug09
How far did you just wheel?!?!?!?!? provides a tool to see how much movement does it take to complete a wheel (any angle).

EDIT Sep09
Interesting article from TWF about creative ways to Expanding and reducing frontage
Winds never stop blowing, Oceans are borderless. Get a ship and a crew, so the World will be ours! Today the World, tomorrow Nagg! {--|oBrotherhood of the Coast!o|--}
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