AoS Use of cavalry

[Lizerd]

So after playing around for a bit witty various total war games, a few tactical ideas can be used.
With cavalry you can do some pretty absurd things. So the uses can be as follows:
Option one: use them as a bait unit. This works well with tightly packed and ordered formation. Send a unit of cavalry or skinks to engage, but not fully charge in. They should deal a few casualties before turning and falling back. With some luck the opponent with pursue and open gaps in a line.
Option two: initial charge. After skirmishing takes place a charge can take place, typically to score large numbers of kills. This can help put your opponent at a disadvantage, killing troops while causing others to flee.
Option three: shock cavalry. This is arguably the deadliest use of cavalry as when infantry lines collide they battle for a while before one side gives in. Send a few units of cavalry lead by a scar vet to smash into the enemy line, leading to a large breakthrough and a good chance of victory.

 

[Torxhol Drakescale]

Are you referring to using these tactics in Total War, or on the tabletop?

 

[Lizerd]

Both, as a cavalry charge can shatter an enemy line, break moral, and capture objectives

 

[Aginor]

I think that is one of the things AoS does not do well unfortunately.
A cavalry charge and a charge by infantry are the same thing and don't work differently.

They are quite different in real life and Total War captures it fairly well. I see why they didn't include that in AoS, mainly because of complexity I guess.

That's why usual cavalry tactics don't work in AoS. Especially not with our Saurus Cavalry as they are sloooow.
In real life nobody would ever run after a retreating cavalry unit and charge them from the back. In AoS that is no problem.

Cold Ones retreat 7" (14" if they run), and even the slowest infantry in the game can move their 4" and then charge the cavalry. If the Saurus Knights don't march it is even trivial to charge them. Even for Skeletons.

So while I do like Cavalry I think it isn't worth trying to play real cavalry tactics in AoS.
...and maybe that is a good thing to a certain degree. I heard that there were editions in the past in which cavalry was pretty OP.

 

[Lizerd]

Well, I have a solution to crappy cavalry, send them in with a scar veteran on cold one, or you could send in a carnosaur. Despite the fact we don’t get to use momentum we can’t slice through enemies, but we can surround them, which means less chance of escape

 

[Torxhol Drakescale]

I think that is one of the things AoS does not do well unfortunately.
A cavalry charge and a charge by infantry are the same thing and don't work differently.

They are quite different in real life and Total War captures it fairly well. I see why they didn't include that in AoS, mainly because of complexity I guess.

That's why usual cavalry tactics don't work in AoS. Especially not with our Saurus Cavalry as they are sloooow.
In real life nobody would ever run after a retreating cavalry unit and charge them from the back. In AoS that is no problem.

Cold Ones retreat 7" (14" if they run), and even the slowest infantry in the game can move their 4" and then charge the cavalry. If the Saurus Knights don't march it is even trivial to charge them. Even for Skeletons.

So while I do like Cavalry I think it isn't worth trying to play real cavalry tactics in AoS.
...and maybe that is a good thing to a certain degree. I heard that there were editions in the past in which cavalry was pretty OP.

*COUGH* BRETTONIAN FREIGHT TRAIN *COUGH*

 

[Aginor]

Well, I have a solution to crappy cavalry, send them in with a scar veteran on cold one, or you could send in a carnosaur. Despite the fact we don’t get to use momentum we can’t slice through enemies, but we can surround them, which means less chance of escape

That's a good point. A better than average infantry move helps surrounding, which is a good thing to have because it limits enemies' movement.

*COUGH* BRETTONIAN FREIGHT TRAIN *COUGH*

I don't know what that is because I haven't played older editions. I am interested how it worked though, can you explain it shortly?

 

[Lizerd]

I’m curious, what is this Brettonian freight chain?

As for surrounding, it means the enemy is well, trapped and can’t move, exposing them to almost all your attacks

 

[Aginor]

exposing them to almost all your attacks

That's an important and often overlooked thing in AoS, and adds a big complexity to the game.
Model positioning using clever charging and pile-in movements can decide a battle by either denying a large portion of a unit their attacks, or enabling your own models to make as many attacks as you can.

 

[Lizerd]

In real life, and in aos, typically when an infantry line is surrounded, they get killed and the battle soon ends. As a result, surrounding is pretty important. It worked well for me last night

 

[LizardWizard]

In real life, and in aos, typically when an infantry line is surrounded, they get killed and the battle soon ends. As a result, surrounding is pretty important. It worked well for me last night

If your unit is more numerous then surround an enemy unit if able (consider who you might pull into combat). If your unit is smaller in numbers then try to fight on the enemy unit's corners. This is regardless of the power of the respective units. Both have their advantages.

However, having to surround a large enemy unit with multiple of your units will frequently go less optimally unless you have a unit you can attack first with that will likely severely diminish the surrounded units fighting power. This is due to the enemy units activation advantage. So, in most cases you are better off engaging an enemy unit on two distant ends

 

[Lizerd]

Curious. Never really thought of that as the last times I have surrounded an opponent, they typically would suffer greatly from attacks on all sides. We could try car thing people in a narrow valley with two sides, trapping them

 

[Torxhol Drakescale]

That's a good point. A better than average infantry move helps surrounding, which is a good thing to have because it limits enemies' movement.


I don't know what that is because I haven't played older editions. I am interested how it worked though, can you explain it shortly?

In Warhammer Fantasy Battles, there was a faction called bretonnia, and their big deal was cavalry, so what happened rather often with them was a massive brick of Bretonnian Knights, resembling a freight train. Also realized I had been spelling Bretonnia wrong.

 

[Lizerd]

That sounds... unpleasant. For everyone on the receiving end

 

[Torxhol Drakescale]

It usually was, but for someone who mained old Wood Elves, who could MOVE THE TREES, the freight train just got stuck.

 

[Lizerd]

Why does warhammer fantasy sound broken in mechanics?
The thing I can most compare this to is my mech in battle tech that could move at a speed comparable to a lighter warmachine...