Deployment Theory and Practice - Deeper Tactics!

[Overread]

Blame @Mayple for this one

So we spend a lot of time optimising lists, making sure that we've got the perfect synergy of models and the best damage potential and the most powerful buff and debuff and attack spells. But all that is for nothing if we don't start playing the game right once we hit tableside. A good army deployed and played poorly will lose compare to a moderate army played well. So this thread is the first in a series that I hope to start where we can share resources, theories, practice and experience in the tactical side of the game.

This is not in exclusion of army building, indeed what you choose to take is going to have a big effect on how you choose to deploy, indeed how your opponent deploys is also going to affect things. However this is all about focusing on the next step in the game after designing an army - and that is getting it on the table ready to go!

 

A few general pointers from myself to get things started. By all means in your replies go into more detail, even down to specific units and armies (whilst your tactics might work well for your army, the underlaying concepts can be applied to multiple armies and units)

1) Understand the "role" of your units. This might be from dice theory, from their abilities, from experience etc.... The key here is to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each unit you are putting on the table and to use that understanding to pick sensible locations. If you've a unit that has a strong save, lots of wounds but not much damage then its an ideal "tarpit" unit designed to lock the enemy in close combat and hold them there. Ideal to deploy in opposition to a powerful close combat unit of your opponents, its the kind of unit you want near to the bigger chunk of their army so that its got the best chance to engage and tie up their units. 

Meanwhile those archers you've got are great at range, but very fragile if they get attacked; they want to be behind another tough unit (perhaps those tarpit units from tip 1); So on the table you might deploy them to either side of the tarpit, then let that unit pull ahead of hte archers. 

2) Mirror deployment. Remember that things move around once the battle starts so putting your units down in direct opposition of what your opponent deploys might sound good in theory, but once the game starts those units are going to jump around and suddenly you might have  weak gaps in your force that open up. So be ready to adapt to a changing situation. 

This is also about encouraging you to have a plan of attack of your own, not just to counter your opponents. If all you do is react then you're stuck in a reactive position which might mean taking a brunt of a lot of attacks and wounds. React, but also be proactive and give your opponent things to worry about and concern them. 

3) Look at the terrain AND objectives. Make sure you know the terrain well, you don't want to put your really fast close combat unit down behind an area of impassable terrain which then slows them down as they have to run around and then bump into other units and limit their room to manoeuvre. Similarly look for choke points or areas where you can block enemy movement. If you can run down two corridors and block them entering a bit of terrain that holds an objective that might mean you win that objective rather than crowding around the objective itself and then getting attacked on all sides as the enemy spills into that area. 

4) Eyeball and measure distances. Know how far things are and then know the charge and move range of your units. Sometimes even if you are all about close combat you want to hold back just a little to encourage the enemy to move close enough so that you can get the charge on them.

Remember Warhammer is a game of open information (Barring a few noted exceptions where its clearly stated in the rules) so if your opponent asks a question you must answer truthfully. That said if you know your charge/move range is 15 inches and you start measuring everywhere with 15 inches of ruler then your opponent is going to twig what you're up to and will use that information. Instead measure using a random value or just measure the distances roughly. Do the maths in your head. Also measure a few distances at random that you don't intend to use (at this stage). Again this is foiling your opponents chance to guess what your approach is to be. It's not cheating, this is just part of playing the game and not tipping your hand as to what your are going to do. Experienced players can often eyeball distances reasonably well to be able to guess without measuring. 

Note don't go over the top with this - a handful of measurements to be sure and then get on with the game. You don't need to measure every line or angle and you don't want to be doing this every 5 minutes (such would be considered a delaying tactic by many). 

5) Remember winning is not always about killing. You want to counter and tackle your opponents units, but at the same time if key objectives are going to win you the game, then they are what you want to go after. Many a game has been won by the "losing" side because they held onto more objectives by the end of the game; they lot more units and might even lose the entire board in "one more turn" but holding the objectives gave them the win because they held onto them like mad at the cost of losing units. 

6) Units and wounds are a resource - spend them. A unit has attacks, but it also has saves and wounds. Whilst you should avoid wasting them, never be afraid to spend them - ergo never be afraid to take losses.

[Mayple]

Great initiative! I'll chime in more later, but for now I wanted to chip in on point 4 about how age of sigmar is a game of open information. 

As a contextual note, I have a great preference for "playing the opponent" (mindgames, deduction), which is likely to be evident in the following point

4) b)

Learn to hide your intentions/gameplan within the confines of open information. Withholding information is a big no-no, but that doesn't mean you have to tell them exactly what you're up to, nor does it stop you from making false implications. For example, if an opponent asks you how much range you have on your artillery - you tell them the exact amount, and then immediatedly follow it up with the movement value. You probably don't intend to move at all, but now your opponent knows that you can, and has to make decisions accordingly. 

Same goes for command abilities and such that allows you to extend range, like spellcasting, movement (run and charge) and such. By pointing out that you -can- do it, the opponent will often think that you -will- do it. 

In short: be open and forthcoming about what you can do, and don't be afraid to overshare. Even if you're terrible at mindgames, the more your opponent has to consider, the less they're able to deduce your actual plan. 

[Ravinsild]

I’ve begun to wonder if this game isn’t fundamentally the same as Blood Bowl. 

The core tenants in Blood Bowl is to go from lowest risk to highest risk plays. Free moves first, all the way down to blocking which requires dice. Anything that requires dice can and will ****** you over. 

I wonder if Sigmar isn’t best played when the fewest engagements and dice are rolled. 

Sure knocking players out, or killing them, is really FUN in Blood Bowl, but it’s the riskiest and worst way to win. 

When playing to the objectives in Sigmar I wonder if it’s about minimizing the amount of combats you need to weather whilst playing to the objectives. 

Better positioning, target focusing, and overall executing your formations well might lead to wins more often than not. Fighting for fighting’s sake is fun, but I’m beginning to realize how frail my skeletons are and if it shouldn’t all be down to one decisive blow. 

Typically I have been deploying my Necromancer pretty far back, well outside of dispell range, at the beginning of the game. This means my first spell off is typically uncontested, but that for the majority, or even rest of the game, my Necromancer is largely unused. I often don’t get the benefits of his Deathly Invocations to regenerate models, and I’m almost never in range to use my debuffing spells. 

In addition my Grave Guard often make little impact on the game. 

I am considering a radical change in strategy. 

I run Deathmarch with Cogs more often than not, and typically I let my opponent go first. This is because I want a first turn charge. I want to cripple my opponent hard and fast with a powerful first punch, and I am often able to do this. 

If I stick to Legion of Sacrament my Grave Guard can move up to 13” all told, with a free 6” charge no questions asked. 

That said I think I will start with them deployed as far forward as possible, as aggressively as possible. 

Typically I would spent my 2 Command points in my first hero phase and Vanhel’s Danse Macabre on my Black Knights and charge them in. 

In my next game I think I will try it on my Grave Guard. They will then be at 80 attacks and hopefully have VHD. 

Its less than my Black Knights but my Black Knights will still have 30 lance attacks and 30 horses hooves and teeth attacks as it is. At this point they seem to be more of a tarpit anyway. 

I think my real killing power is with my Grave Guard. 

The biggest changes I will make is keeping the leadership trifecta of the Necromancer, Vampire Lord and Wight King all together in a tight formation and always within 6” of my troops. Place my Grave Guard extremely aggressively and still tie up and tarpit with my Knights. I’ll have my 60 skeletons (40, 10 and 10) behind these lines. 

Another tactic is the shield wall. I will tie up my opponent with a block of Skeletons and then have my Prince Vhordrai fight from behind them. All of his weapons are 2 to 3 inches range, meaning he never needs to be in base to base and can support combat from behind the lines protecting himself somewhat whilst still contributing. 

Essentially I must begin deployment with all troops wholly within 12” of the Wight King, and keep everything within 6” or maximum benefit of abilities and effects in addition to having my spell casters in the game actually able to contribute more than once. I need to run everything extremely close and tight and preplan my strikes for maximum effect with my auras, Grave Yards and play to my strengths. 

 

[Mayple]

3 minutes ago, Ravinsild said:

I’ve begun to wonder if this game isn’t fundamentally the same as Blood Bowl. 

The core tenants in Blood Bowl is to go from lowest risk to highest risk plays. Free moves first, all the way down to blocking which requires dice. Anything that requires dice can and will ****** you over. 

I wonder if Sigmar isn’t best played when the fewest engagements and dice are rolled. 

Sure knocking players out, or killing them, is really FUN in Blood Bowl, but it’s the riskiest and worst way to win. 

When playing to the objectives in Sigmar I wonder if it’s about minimizing the amount of combats you need to weather whilst playing to the objectives. 

Better positioning, target focusing, and overall executing your formations well might lead to wins more often than not. Fighting for fighting’s sake is fun, but I’m beginning to realize how frail my skeletons are and if it shouldn’t all be down to one decisive blow. 

I think this is pretty spot on. There are always outliers, and exceptions (attack when strong, etc), but you're really onto something there