Tactics?

[GondorCaptain]

What are some tactics you guys use?

I've tried many, the crescent line, half square, vice, pincer... but eventually all fails and formations dissolve into a mass melee where I have infantry hold the enemy and cavalry charge the rear. Yeap every time it ends up like that, I guess because it's sufficient.

But it gets really boring when every battle is 1)archers skirmish, 2)infantry engage, and 3)cavalry charge. I see no variations, not viable ones at least.

So if anyone else has had some success with other tactics, please share!

[Scipio praeditus]

I like this slight variation on the theme, 1)allies storm to their deaths on the enemy lines, 2)archers skirmish, 3)infantry engage, and 4)cavalry charge. Or this one, 1)mages destroy the enemy, 2)infantry and cavalry mops up.

[leonn]

tactics can only be simple given the rock\paper\scissors nature of the ai. 9 times out of 10 the enemy will attack you so you can funnel them where you want.
pin them with strong line troops
send cavalry out on flanks and the ai will send assets after them,weakening their attack.
once pinned,envelop with cavalry so they cant move.
slaughter.
if the enemy has mages,send a good fast unit to finish them quick,sacrifice it to do so if you must.
if you have cannon,destroy their heavy hitters at a distance with it.
so far 273 battles on vh, first as wissenland then as kislev.no losses although some were close! cheers

[odyseusz79]

Try an all-cavalry army. It takes a lot of micro-management, but it will be new. You probably will find it even easier, though.

You can also try an all-infantry army (with or without artillery). Just for the challenge.

[patatkraam]

Try an all-cavalry army. It takes a lot of micro-management, but it will be new. You probably will find it even easier, though.

You can also try an all-infantry army (with or without artillery). Just for the challenge.

Halbediers only = win.

[Scipio praeditus]

Halbediers only = win.

I concur, even though they where recently nerfed (I'm sure the 1.4.4 install was changed somewhere in the last few months).

[odyseusz79]

Yep, halberdiers are very powerful, but only as long as they have the spear wall capability.

[WAR monger]

Try an all-cavalry army. It takes a lot of micro-management, but it will be new. You probably will find it even easier, though.

You can also try an all-infantry army (with or without artillery). Just for the challenge.

I don't know why, but that sounds really dangerous...

[ImperialAquila]

I usually go for a Hammer-and-Anvil or a Hannibal envelopment tactic. When I employ handgunners, cannons and heavy knights in my army composition I tend to rely on a Napoleonic tactic of flanking maneuvers. I also use the Roman Maniple System though not quite as often.

[Mikail Mengsk]

They ALWAYS have it on...

Usually the AI is not smart enough to counter cavalry manoeuvers, but sometimes it surprises the player. Try not to exploit too much the cavalry power to have a slightly harder challenge. Home Rules are good for that.

[Julianus Flavius]

Play vampire counts, grow a load of skeletions (I set them to upkeep 0 but up the upkeep of the elites and cav) and zerg-rush, exhausting your archers/crossbows if you have them (I don't like using them because the VC's don't have them on the tabletop, although there's really no reason why not, now I think about it...) and then make sure every enemy unit is engaged. Then, commit your grave guard, Von carstein infantry, blood keep footnights, undead chaos anything, reapers, ghosts, etc to the center in an attempt to overpower the enemy's center AT THE SAME TIME as you send in your cavalry to crush the wings from behind. That should start a mass rout.
A typical army lineup looks like this for me:
4-6 Skeleton Warriors (of either kind)
1-2 Ranged Skeleton Warriors (of either kind and only if they're needed)
1-2 Screaming Skull Catapults
3-5 Elite infantry (Dismounted Von Carsteins, Dismouted Blood Knights, Drakenhof guard, reapers, banshees, spirit hosts, grave guard, etc)
at least 4 units of heavy cavalry to hammer the enemy.

When using Screaming Skull catapults, especially in the late game where you have multiple armies per battle, have no qualms with firing on your own men! As your troops are worth less than prettymuch every other faction's (with the possible exception of Goblins) if you land a hit on their elites while they're nice and stationary in close combat, it doesn't matter if you hit some of your worthless skelies or zombies in the process. However, I advise you avoid firing at your elite infantry or cavalry, and if you use mortals in your army (for spear/shieldwalls) I advise avoiding any friendly fire on them at all

[Mikail Mengsk]

exhausting your archers/crossbows if you have them (I don't like using them because the VC's don't have them on the tabletop, although there's really no reason why not, now I think about it...)

OT: they had in the Sylvanian special army list during Storm of Chaos, IIRC


Screaming skull catapults are really devastating, as a Vampire Player (play with 1.4.2) they seem even overpowered in their scaring ability.

I suggest to train halberdiers in conquered settlements, too.

[Rhio]

Tactic: Kill them all

Works every time

[Mikail Mengsk]

All infantry army is the typical Dwarven army: with the right infantry you'll win anyway. The only problem is that you won't capture many prisoners when the enemy army flees. You can mitigate this problem by making very wide encircling manoeuvers BEFORE the mass-route, and artillery fire on the fleeing enemies.

I won't suggest all-cavalry armies: too easy to win.