AoS When a big unit piles in with multiple small units, can he attack them all?

[Nielspeterdejong]

So I have been thinking about making a bloodclaw starhost, so that I'll have both a Saurus army and Skink army. The bulk of my army will be a unit of 40 Saurus warriors, buffed by a starseer's mythic shield, and starpriest's summon starlight. While supported by my oldblood on carnosaur, scarveteran on carnosaur, sunblood, and scar veteran on cold one and his 15 knights.

Say I charge the unit in to attack another unit, and afterwards 3 or so units pile in to attack as well, and after piling in I have 10 saurus warriors per enemy unit spread? Will I be able to attack each of those units with my 10 warriors per enemy unit?

 

[Bowser]

Yes, you pile in to the nearest enemy unit, so all that are in combat are affected. You make all of your attacks against any or all units that you can reach. But hope you get them, because now you have four units attacking back!

 

[Nielspeterdejong]

Yes, you pile in to the nearest enemy unit, so all that are in combat are affected. You make all of your attacks against any or all units that you can reach. But hope you get them, because now you have four units attacking back!

So, say I charge first, and I am able to charge 4 enemy units, does that mean my 1 unit can attack each one of them before they can retaliate afterwards?

 

[Bowser]

Yes, you must complete the charge against one unit, but if you can complete it in such a way that you are able to pile in to all 4 groups, then you can attack all 4 of those groups before any retaliate. That block of Saurus completes their entire attack before moving on to the next combat.

 

[Nielspeterdejong]

Yes, you must complete the charge against one unit, but if you can complete it in such a way that you are able to pile in to all 4 groups, then you can attack all 4 of those groups before any retaliate. That block of Saurus completes their entire attack before moving on to the next combat.

Ah, got it! So when you charge, you can try to hit all of them, and after you charged it is their turn. in combat right? is that what you meant with next combat?

 

[Bowser]

Okay so you charge. You make it to set it up so you can pile in to 4 groups. Once all your charges are complete you pike in with the one unit 40 saurus. Let's say 10 for each group.
All 40 of your saurus in that unit attack. You damage 4 of the opponents units. Now your opponent chooses 1 unit to attack back. If you have any other units you can then attack, until all units in combat have attacked.

So if this is your only combat, you attack first and then your opponent attacks with any remaining units in that combat, if you take your casualties away in a smart way you will be able to reduce his attacks.

 

[Nielspeterdejong]

Okay so you charge. You make it to set it up so you can pile in to 4 groups. Once all your charges are complete you pike in with the one unit 40 saurus. Let's say 10 for each group.
All 40 of your saurus in that unit attack. You damage 4 of the opponents units. Now your opponent chooses 1 unit to attack back. If you have any other units you can then attack, until all units in combat have attacked.

So if this is your only combat, you attack first and then your opponent attacks with any remaining units in that combat, if you take your casualties away in a smart way you will be able to reduce his attacks.

Alright, got it! So when I charge it's best to charge say to four units, and also with my other units. But let my warriors do the first roll, so when they are weakened they will not be able to deal that much damage to my other units which I also charged in.

 

[Bowser]

You got it exactly! That's why that carno or another hero is amazing for cleanup! The 40 saurus weaken the units, everyone else just cleans up what’s left!

 

[Nielspeterdejong]

You got it exactly! That's why that carno or another hero is amazing for cleanup! The 40 saurus weaken the units, everyone else just cleans up what’s left!

Alright, that makes totes sence That way they can't do too much against the carno and the other dino riders!

But that would mean you'd have to make sure you charge first? How do you do that? Gamble where they might go, and hope your skink priest with trappings his charge reroll will help you out?

 

[Bowser]

Well there's the trick of a good movement phase. You want to move just out of his move + charge distance range, and hopefully he moves toward you. That way you can charge in and ensure the saurus attack first.

Setting up to let him charge your carno or some othe big threat would work as well. Move the saurus up to give the opponent the chance for him to charge with all four units, and move your carno or other big threat into charge distance of one of his bigger units, this will make the opponent choose between the hig threat or the saurus, but this gives you a lot less control.

You can try things like chameleon skinks or other shooters or your rippers to try to force his move towards your saurus, but in smaller games you may not have those options.

 

[Nielspeterdejong]

Well there's the trick of a good movement phase. You want to move just out of his move + charge distance range, and hopefully he moves toward you. That way you can charge in and ensure the saurus attack first.

Setting up to let him charge your carno or some othe big threat would work as well. Move the saurus up to give the opponent the chance for him to charge with all four units, and move your carno or other big threat into charge distance of one of his bigger units, this will make the opponent choose between the hig threat or the saurus, but this gives you a lot less control.

You can try things like chameleon skinks or other shooters or your rippers to try to force his move towards your saurus, but in smaller games you may not have those options.

Well if we go for 2500, I want to use my Dread Saurian. I believe he's tanky enough so that he can take a few hits? for the extra 100 points I was thinking of either adding a feathercloak skink priest or a starpriest to buff him. I'm thinking that the starpriest might be better, as his other buff can increase the damage of the Dread Saurian's bite. So if I send him first (16 hp, 3+ save, starlight buff to lower the hit of enemies by -1) I think he should be able to soak up most damage though. How does that sound?

Alternatively I just have to control my movement I guess, and make sure I charge first.

 

[Bowser]

Control your Movement, and when possible control his. Like placing that dread saurian at set up is important. It should wither be pointed at his general or at a unit that ue may view as important hat will force the move to where you want it.

 

[Nielspeterdejong]

Control your Movement, and when possible control his. Like placing that dread saurian at set up is important. It should wither be pointed at his general or at a unit that ue may view as important hat will force the move to where you want it.

Alright, so the Dread Saurian will lead the charge, and move towards his weak units. Got it! Also if he's up front, and getting buffed by one or two of mys kinks, he should be quite durable.

 

[Nielspeterdejong]

Or, how about another unit of 40 warriors? With a Skink starpriest to buff them?

Or do you think with his low defence of 5+ he'll get destroyed? even with the -1 to hit for enemy units targeting them?

 

[Quazicotl]

Are you using a slank as well? Because you can always use mystic shield with your slank and use the other spells on your other saurus. That way you have two groups of 40 saurus with a 4+ rerollable save ignoring -1 eend. They can take a punch!

 

[Nielspeterdejong]

Are you using a slank as well? Because you can always use mystic shield with your slank and use the other spells on your other saurus. That way you have two groups of 40 saurus with a 4+ rerollable save ignoring -1 eend. They can take a punch!

Well I was thinking about using the bloodclaw starhost, with:
-Oldblood on carnosaur
-scar veteran on carnosaur
-sunblood
-scar veteran on cold one
-40 warriors unit
-a unit of 8 cavalry
-a unit of 7 cavalry
-the bloodclaw starhost buff
-starseer who can cast the mythic shield on one
-skink priest with trappings who will be close by to allow them to reroll saves
-Skink starpriest who can cast the starlight (-1 on attacks whoever attacks them) on them

That for a total of 2000 points.

 

[Quazicotl]

In matched play, you have to take either 5 or 10 knights. So take 1 of 5 and 1 of 10.

 

[Nielspeterdejong]

In matched play, you have to take either 5 or 10 knights. So take 1 of 5 and 1 of 10.

Really? Wasn't the minimum just 5? But sure, I can also do that.

Also, with regards to that 2000 points army, I will just use my starseer for the mythic shield, and also buff them with my starpriest, as well as keep my priest with trappings nearby to allow them to reroll save rolls.