Re: [Epic] Tactic Critique

From: Eugene E.W. <eug_at_...>
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 12:49:27 -0400

The tactic William offers is a good one on the whole, and well thought out.
I have mostly indicated possible counters to the tactic, but have offered a
few suggestions on improving it.

----------
> From: William Rood <wrood_at_...>
> To: space-marine_at_...
>
> Detachment 1: (approx. 265 points)
> 10 stands of Guardians mounted in 5 Wave Serpents,
>
> 2 warlocks, and nominate one of the warlocks as
> HQ.
>
> Detachment 2: (approx. 195 points)
> 10 Swooping Hawks, 10 Exarchs, 2 warlocks, and
> nominate one of warlocks as HQ.

Seem like good detachments. I usually mount my aspects in Wave Serpents
too, because I find it difficult to enter CC with just jump packs -too much
ground to cover.

> 1. Setup with Guardians in Wave Serpents, and
> placed 15 cm ahead of the hawks.
> 2. Set Assault orders on both detachments.
> 3. Movement phase
> Wave Serpents move 25 cm ahead. If there is
> cover, they move the extra 5 cm to maxout their
> movement. If there is no cover, disembark the
> guardians into a protective screen around the wave
> serpents, leaving the stands with the warlocks in
> the back.
>
> The hawks move 30 cm ahead, now with 10 cm
> separating the guardians from the hawks.

Infiltrators could screw this up, forcing you to halt too far away from
the enemy to engage.


> 4. Shooting Phase
> For shooting, you have 3 disrupt shots (5 Disrupts
>
> / 2 due to assault orders = 2.5 actual disrupts),
> and a FP of 10 from the guardians (20 FP / 2 due
> to assault orders). This setup will cause 2-4
> BM's just from the Disrupt shots (1-3 Super Heavy
> Weapons will cause 1 BM if they hit, and the
> disrupts cause an additional BM on a 4+), and 1
> more BM from the guardians! For extra effect,
> dump some artillery into the target unit.

Disrupt weapons are very nice indeed, and web spinners would make ideal
support for this assault. However, the shooting phase is where tactics like
this can fall apart.

My first question is: how did you get so close to the enemy? You obviously
expect to be within 15 cm, so the gaurdians can add their fp. Unless you
started 45 cm away, or have taken a few turns to get there, this would
indicate that the enemy is also trying to close with you. Obviously you are
about to teach him the error of his ways...

I personally find it difficult to employ tactics such as you have described
successfully. The reason is overwatch. I do not generally attempt to
destroy the enemy in cc, instead I try to blow him up. A competent opponent
can generally arrange to be on overwatch the turn of the big assault. The
casualties that will result when he fires at you may cause the assault to
fail, or, worse yet, may prevent you from launching the assault at all,
because of a failed leadership test.

I do not mean to imply that your tactic is a bad one; on the contrary, it
is one of the better thought out close-combat rushes I have seen. However,
in my experience at least, the way to deal with close-combat rushes is
firepower.

My advice to improve the tactic would be to support it with artillery, as
you recommend yourself.

> 5. Assault Phase
> In the assault phase, hawks move 45cm(or less)
> into a close combat with your target detachment.
> If the guardians are already disembarked, they
> fork onto either of the target detachments flanks,
>
> staying out of close combat, but giving supporting
>
> fire by being within 15 cm - while the wave
> serpents move straight up the middle to give
> supporting fire to the hawks. If the guardians
> are not disembarked, the wave serpents move
> forward 25 cm (or less) and disgorge the
> guardians. They can then move 10-25cm forking
> onto either flank of the target detachment (but
> staying within 30 cm of detachment hq), providing
> supporting fire, but not going into close combat.
> This is the desired route, as they can move upto
> 25 cm, and possibly out flank the detachment, and
> limit their capability to respond with a retreat
> move.
>
> In the assault phase, the hawks "should" win with
> a +2 or greater (they will have more psykers, the
> other unit should have more BM's, possibly the
> other unit will have 5 or more BM's, the hawks
> will have a greater assault rating, etc.). The
> target detachment is broken, and if you positioned
>
> your guardians correctly, they should limit the
> enemies capability to retreat, thus destroying
> them.
>
> The critical task here is attempt to get your
> guardians into a position to limit the retreat
> move / still provide supporting fire / and stay
> within 30 cm of the detachment hq.

Eldar have the substantial advantage of easy access to Psykers. This makes
their close assaults particularily fearsome.

The 'nid's do too, though, and trying to out-cc them is often futile. You
can pounce on the flanks, sometimes...

>Also, this tactic just plain
> "looks" cool on the table top.

Always an advantage, I must admit.
Received on Wed Jul 23 1997 - 16:49:27 UTC