PDA

View Full Version : Strategic Maneuvers Army Specific: Swog Spearhead


Tai-Pan
September 8th, 2007, 04:15 PM
Swog Spearhead
By Fezzikthedoor

Units required: Several Squads of Arrow Gruts and Several Swog Riders

Remember, a Swog Rider enhances both in front and behind. As you slowly move the first rank of Orcs up close to striking range, your enemy will likely be focusing on the archers, not the “support” unit that almost everyone uses only to enhance the archers. Since his movement is 8, and the Orc’s range is only 6 (effectively 5 if positioned behind or on the rear flanks of a Swog Rider, as is probable) the enemy is likely to overlook your mounted units ability to close the extra distance. It is here that his size comes into play, allowing you to bypass single water hexes that might otherwise have proven an obstacle and have likely added to your opponent’s feeling of safety.

Once you have charged in with your front Swog Rider, your Orcs can move into range and shoot a volley towards the engaged units. Now the Swog Riders other abilities come into play, and you face a decision.

If the enemy does not have any order markers on the units that you surprised with your charge, you can bring up the second Swog Rider to enhance the first wave of Arrow Gruts, positioning him in such a way as to provide his Orc Archer Enhancement. You can then move an extra Orc up into position near the Swog Rider and unleash a second 3 arrow volley, you may position the second wave of Orcs in such a way that when a third Swog Rider comes up that multiple Orcs get a bonus of 2 to both attack and defense, or you may simply unleash another volley from the Orcs that are already positioned. It may even be advantageous to break away from your initial charge and fall back to allow more orcs the stackable bonus that his Orc Archer Enhancement allows.

If, however, the enemy has his order markers arranged in such a way as to respond to your initial surprise attack you may instead choose on a riskier path, assuming you survive the round. Due to disengage and his large size, the only unit that can keep a Swog Rider from going where he wants to is Major X17. This transforms the Bishop unit into an extremely quick infiltrator, and now is the time to strike. Leave the engagement and charge behind enemy lines, aiming directly for any support personnel you have a realistic chance of damaging or destroying. Some units that are especially tempting targets are Deadeye Dan, Iskra Esenwein, Khosumet, Kyntela Gwyn, Raelin, Syvarris, Taelord, and Theracus. With a little luck, you can leap frog from unit to unit this way, causing heavy casualties at best, forcing your enemy to turn around and deal with you at worst.

When he does finally decide to turn his attention to your Swog Rider, the unit’s tremendous speed coupled with disengage will also give you the option to simply run away. Now that you’ve bloodied your opponent’s nose in an unexpected way he is much more likely to divert significant forces to deal with this unexpected threat. If he doesn’t, simply charge back in and make him pay for it again and again.

Taeblewalker
September 8th, 2007, 05:32 PM
Swog Spearhead
By Fezzikthedoor

Units required: Several Squads of Arrow Gruts and Several Swog Riders

Remember, a Swog Rider enhances both in front and behind. As you slowly move the first rank of Orcs up close to striking range, your enemy will likely be focusing on the archers, not the “support” unit that almost everyone uses only to enhance the archers. Since his movement is 8, and the Orc’s range is only 6 (effectively 5 if positioned behind or on the rear flanks of a Swog Rider, as is probable) the enemy is likely to overlook your mounted units ability to close the extra distance. It is here that his size comes into play, allowing you to bypass single water hexes that might otherwise have proven an obstacle and have likely added to your opponent’s feeling of safety.

Once you have charged in with your front Swog Rider, your Orcs can move into range and shoot a volley towards the engaged units. Now the Swog Riders other abilities come into play, and you face a decision.

If the enemy does not have any order markers on the units that you surprised with your charge, you can bring up the second Swog Rider to enhance the first wave of Arrow Gruts, positioning him in such a way as to provide his Orc Archer Enhancement. You can then move an extra Orc up into position near the Swog Rider and unleash a second 3 arrow volley, you may position the second wave of Orcs in such a way that when a third Swog Rider comes up that multiple Orcs get a bonus of 2 to both attack and defense, or you may simply unleash another volley from the Orcs that are already positioned. It may even be advantageous to break away from your initial charge and fall back to allow more orcs the stackable bonus that his Orc Archer Enhancement allows.

If, however, the enemy has his order markers arranged in such a way as to respond to your initial surprise attack you may instead choose on a riskier path, assuming you survive the round. Due to disengage and his large size, the only unit that can keep a Swog Rider from going where he wants to is Major X17. This transforms the Bishop unit into an extremely quick infiltrator, and now is the time to strike. Leave the engagement and charge behind enemy lines, aiming directly for any support personnel you have a realistic chance of damaging or destroying. Some units that are especially tempting targets are Deadeye Dan, Iskra Esenwein, Khosumet, Kyntela Gwyn, Raelin, Syvarris, Taelord, and Theracus. With a little luck, you can leap frog from unit to unit this way, causing heavy casualties at best, forcing your enemy to turn around and deal with you at worst.

When he does finally decide to turn his attention to your Swog Rider, the unit’s tremendous speed coupled with disengage will also give you the option to simply run away. Now that you’ve bloodied your opponent’s nose in an unexpected way he is much more likely to divert significant forces to deal with this unexpected threat. If he doesn’t, simply charge back in and make him pay for it again and again.

I really like how you have adapted some of these from the Strategy Guides, like this one and the Valguard one. You make our work more "digestible." Well done.

Tai-Pan
September 8th, 2007, 05:40 PM
That was definately one of the goals in doing this. I think this maneuver was one of the first I saw and would want to come back to. I didn't really like the idea of trying to remember if it was in Arrow Gruts or Swog and then trying to find it. It's easier this way.

idgit
May 22nd, 2008, 12:38 AM
I like to move 3-4 swogs in behind a large ruin, and have the archers peek out both sides, if you position the swogs just right, your archers can add 2-3 attack dice to their 1, and when your archers get picked off, you can move more up into place to contunue the attack, and if your opponent start to move in close, you send out the swogs.

I usually have good success with this tactic, it works even better if the ruin is on height.

Major Q23
February 19th, 2012, 11:24 AM
I like to move 3-4 swogs in behind a large ruin, and have the archers peek out both sides, if you position the swogs just right, your archers can add 2-3 attack dice to their 1, and when your archers get picked off, you can move more up into place to contunue the attack, and if your opponent start to move in close, you send out the swogs.

I usually have good success with this tactic, it works even better if the ruin is on height.


What is your favorate beast to couple with arrow Gruts when you already have a strong archer and swog army?

sixthflagbearer
February 19th, 2012, 12:29 PM
Krug all the way, especially if there are heroes, then Mimring, if you need a special, or if there are squads.