8th Ed. Bait and switch Vs Skaven!

[Leokill27]

I was trying a few little tactics, and this one was super effective.

The bait and switch ad I called it, you may know it as something else but here is is

I had a weakened saurus unit from shooting, so I moved them forward into a channel between a forest and impassable terrain, I had a TG unit sitting back and facing the opening, I sat my weakened unit just in from the gap, angled so that when I was charged, and the Plague monks closed the door, I would have an open flank charge! Hammering them with the TG they broke and got ran down.

Great thing about this tactic is, if you get it right, it resets itself, you can weave the units and use them alternately to take the charge. Also, you can set this up to arrange a rear charge.

Ill try and make some pictures up and post them here, but I think ill make this thread a Maneuver and battle tactic thread.

Post any tricks you might use here too!

 

[Arli]

I would like to see those pictures. I will take any help I can get with tactics and deployment.

 

[Coatl]

not a bad idea. that would work pretty well with frenzied troops, but you might have an issue with a cunning general who sees that flank charge youve got set up . i like the idea of baiting with saurus though, tough little buggers. tactics i like to use, magic wise, are two slann lists. both taking the same lore can lead to some devestating magic phases or taking complementary lores can really lock down a crucial combat. ive had great fun running 2 slann with heavens, tetto and a lvl 2 priest on EoTG (3 with plaque of tepok). getting 3 possibly 4 comets irresistable is just plain hilarious. also, a life slann and a death slann can make for a big tar pit unit out of a relatively weak group of skinks. with life and death, you also have the ability to generate dice AND heal wounds faster than most armies could dream about. add to the fact that they both contain 2 of the most devestating spells in the game on top of some great augment and hexes, youll have an answer magically to anything your oppent has.

 

[Xlcontiqu]

A very effective strategy that I employed many times in 7th edition. In 8th edition it is a lot harder to pull off.

One of the reasons is larger charge distances and if you flee and they manage to catch you, they will get a free reform. So if you hold, break, and then are caught you have a much lower chance of it being effective. On a similar note, if you flee the charge immediately they have a chance to redirect onto something within charge range.

So, I preferably bait with a unit that will not break and then bring in a flank charge with another strong unit. More effective and leaves less room for error.

Both tactics are valid and useful, but with the changed 8th edition rules, bait and switch has definitely become harder to pull off.

 

[Leokill27]

Well again, If you are careful and clever about the use of terrain, redirecting charges might not be too big a problem, and with holding then being broken, you should get some damage on the unit and the flank unit should be able to maintain front arc on them and continue the pain *btw timewarp helps loads!*So even if the bait flees and isnt run down, you still have a flank or possible rear charge to take up. But Yeah, if they get a combat reform and bear down on you then it could be trouble

In many ways, the angle you keep units at when you're expecting a charge should really be more important, because, the enemy will try and setup his charges to do maximum damage, if he sees a squinty unit, he may take that as a sign of not expecting his charge. Also, if the enemy is trying to overrun through units along the line, If you squint him off and send him either in front or behind your line, you could save yourself some severe pain.

Two slanns? How do you run them, 1 solo 1 with TG and what loadout / points bracket is that in?

 

[Leokill27]

As with making Images for this,MS paint wont let you rotate things off axis, its 90 degrees or nothing, So ill try find something that lets me rotate images, or by god I'll draw it free hand :3

 

[Viarca]

Another good tactic with Skaven (especially frenzied Monks that might not be able to help themselves) and other huge blocks of cheap units that really benefit from Steadfast, is to use forests, as they lose their steadfast rule when the majority of their models are in them during close combat. Terrain is the best part of the changes brougt by 8th edition (at least in my opinon) and adds a lot more tactics an flavor to casual games (most tournaments I've played in only allow standard buildings and obstacles, with only mysterious forests and rivers from the new stuff).

 

[Coatl]

i usually play 3k games, so keeping that in mind, i normally stick my general (bsb of course) in a 60 saurus block (evil laugh). the other slann floats around and causes mischief. the general normally gets life with the solo something offensive like death or metal. very consistent for people that play me a lot but ive yet to lose that 60 block