Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

I seems to me that the guys that you normally find at the top of the
leader board at every tournament follow the same basic tactic.
Screen and delay or hold one (or both) flanks, pick a target, mass
your offensive power, crush your target and cover its flanks
destroying any enemy counterattack. Very few win big fighting
defensively.

My problem is I like a balanced combined arms force, but very often I
dilute my killers in between the supports and although I have small
local victories I am never able to stagger the entire enemy line.

I have found that missle armed infantry are the most effective in the
game, because they can be used offensively and defensively. LTS and
P are most often on the defensive and armies that don't have any
effective killers (Hoplite, Sub Roman, etc)are very difficult to win
with consistantly. The most effective use of 2HCT or 2HCW is to peel
of things stuck to your LTS or Jls armed troops (especially hitting
them in the flank).

I have been playing a Rus army for years (mainly in the UK I haven't
been able to play in many US tournaments in the last 10 years) and
the most effective tactic I have found is to push forward in the
center with blocks of MI,LTS,Jls,Sh/MI,B supported by LHI,2HCW,Sh,
block one flank with LMI and terrain (waterways are nice), and use LC
with HC as my main attack force on the other flank. Works some of
the time, but alot depends on the HC. By the way I love the new
list, the Bulgar HC lancers are much more effective than the old
Pechnegs. Just thoughts. I'm trying to figure out if an First/Early
Crusader army is worth painting in 25mm. I love the period, but not
sure how to run it yet.

WD

[Ewan McNay]

--- In WarriorRules@yahoogroups.com, "lsu90" <lsu90@b...> wrote:
> I seems to me that the guys that you normally find at the top of the
> leader board at every tournament follow the same basic tactic.
> Screen and delay or hold one (or both) flanks, pick a target, mass
> your offensive power, crush your target and cover its flanks
> destroying any enemy counterattack. Very few win big fighting
> defensively.

So far, we agree, mostly. The essence of a Warrior win is fighting
where you want to, and not fighting where you don't. Assuming that
you and the other guy are both trying to do this, whoevere succeeds
should win. Wavers means that in most cases, once you have broken
through in one or two places, that's enough to win the battle. (One
of) my most common mistake(s) is trying to win everywhere. Sometimes
this works, sure, but it's usually unnecessary and risks losing
somewhere.

> My problem is I like a balanced combined arms force, but very often
I
> dilute my killers in between the supports and although I have small
> local victories I am never able to stagger the entire enemy line.

If you have victories and no losses, this is fine - generating wavers
in more than one area is likely to get you a big win.

> I have found that missle armed infantry are the most effective in
the
> game, because they can be used offensively and defensively. LTS and
> P are most often on the defensive and armies that don't have any
> effective killers (Hoplite, Sub Roman, etc)are very difficult to win
> with consistantly. The most effective use of 2HCT or 2HCW is to
peel
> of things stuck to your LTS or Jls armed troops (especially hitting
> them in the flank).

Missile infantry are good until you meet something that wants to hunt
them . P should always be on the offensive (OK, not against massed
irreg HTW); LTS much less so, but the Rus blocks you mention below are
afraid of very little and should be played *extremely* offensively.

> I have been playing a Rus army for years (mainly in the UK I haven't
> been able to play in many US tournaments in the last 10 years) and
> the most effective tactic I have found is to push forward in the
> center with blocks of MI,LTS,Jls,Sh/MI,B supported by LHI,2HCW,Sh,
> block one flank with LMI and terrain (waterways are nice), and use
LC
> with HC as my main attack force on the other flank. Works some of
> the time, but alot depends on the HC. By the way I love the new

I like Rus a lot; the biggest problem is getting them into contact. A
lack of decent LI does not help. But the suporting cast of Vikings
etc. can hold/win any terrain while the spear blocks can hold/win
almost any open spaces that you find; the biggest problem is getting
your flank(s) turned, followed by not having enough time to push the
opp off the table. I would not use the cav as the attack wing -
they're too likely to lose, and your holding force is likely to be
too expensive and possibly facing only a couple of units of LI.

Early Crusaders I also like. I haven't looked at the Warrior lists
for either this or Rus, though, so some of this may be bunk, but the
NASAMW First Crusade list (I think) is/was great.