Infantry Tactics

[Agoz]

So, I've just started playing warmaster a few months ago, and I've noticed like many others that infantry seem a bit... difficult to use effectively, compared to cavalry they seem both easy to kill and very slow. Does anyone have any tips for getting the most out of infantry?

For reference I play Araby and my main opponent plays Brettonians, We've been playing 1000pt games.

[Dave]

1000 points is on the low end, and might have some balance problems. Try 1.5k or 2k. Also, terrain has a big affect on the game. Cav reigns when there's none for infantry to hide in.

The main anti-cav infantry tactic is to sandwich cav between two infantry units. If the cav looses they'll have to fallback into an engaged enemy which will destroy stands. The same goes for terrain they can't enter.

Remember only infantry gets support, so use that to your advantage as well.

[jchaos79]

support is the key of the infantry. Also taking defending positions.

Think the cavalry to attack and infantry to defend (in a very raw way)

[Agoz]

Alright, and what brigade formation should I be using? Currently I'm using a unit of archers with a unit of spearmen behind for support, however the archers always seem to die before they can get any benefit from the support and then my spearmen are destroyed immediately after by advancing cavalry.

[Dave]

Archers are meant for disrupting the enemy, not going toe-to-toe with them. I usually keep my archers in front to get some shots, but move them off to the sides to shoot out enemy support when I charge. What charges is usually a unit of spearmen and another in support (if needed, otherwise the second charges as well).

[Haranin]

heavy and light infantry tactics vary.

Heavy infantry wants to form up in columns, to spread out the hits. Light infantry is going to take loses, so a line is better as you just toss units away.

XXX
GGG
HHH

for light.

heavy
XGH
XGH
XGH

protect your flanks!

missile troops are for elves.

[Claus]

Especially with Araby you can do some nasty things.

"Mirage Spell" of the Wizzard to cast a Fata Morgana unit in front of your infantry.

When charging allways charge in mass with support and if you charge Cavalry encircle the cavalry. If you ar lucky and win the fight the unit is killed.

But other then that....allways use the terrain at your advantage to get defended bonus (hills,palisades..etc.) or hide them in the woods where Cavalry is not allowed to enter.
Cavalry is faster and dishes out more attack on a smaller front then infantry.

When playing wit Archers use also some flying Carpets.

Select a target at the edge of the battle front but archers in front to shoot and command the flying carpets in their back providing additional 6 shots....this way you should be able to achieve 6 hits on average (2 units archers 1 unit flying carpet) and this would also mean to kill 1 stand of cavalry on average (when it has a 4+ save)

Regards
Claus

[empireaddict]

In recent games we've found that counting support before removing casualties really does give infantry a better chance against cavalry.  In fact, in recent games we've stuck to 3 small rule changes borrowed from WMA which seem to give greater balance in the perennial infantry/cavalry debate without slowing the game down:

1) Count support before removing casualties.  Heavy infantry like dwarves often don't take enough hits for this to make a difference, but for their lighter brethren, such as Halberdiers, it makes a huge difference.

2) No "pinning".  If you come from a frontal position, you can't hit a unit in the flank just because a unit is already engaged on that frontage.  You move up alongside the unit that's already there.

3) Fight to your front.  Each stand fights what is in front of them.  Stops the concentration of 4 stands of cavalry on a single unit (2 front to front, 2 corner to corner).

We're also toying with the idea of a system of 'scouting points' to determine who sets up their army first.  That might then encourage the inclusion of more lighter cavalry.

Anyone have any thoughts or similar experiences?

[jchaos79]

How about your experience with 3) fight to your front rule regarding the fights that involves monsters?

Is it playable or make the monster really hard to kill?

[Geep]

3) Fight to your front.  Each stand fights what is in front of them.  Stops the concentration of 4 stands of cavalry on a single unit (2 front to front, 2 corner to corner).

How does 4 stands of cavalry attacking 1 of infantry occur? I understand the cavalry frontage of 2cm vs the infantry frontage of 4cm, and that you can technically get 4 cavalry stands in contact, but this goes against the alignment of bases rules.
A cavalry stand should be placed centre to centre with the closest infantry stand (2cm frontage with the infantry stand). 2 cavalry stands can go to either side of it, with 1cm of frontage each on the same infantry stand, and 1cm 'hanging'. That's the 4cm covered, with no corners to attack.
With 4cm vs 2cm, there should be no way that you can ever end up with a 4 vs 1 set up of stands.

Vs any army without cannons, or similar rank penetrating weapons, aligning in columns always looks best to me. This is purely theoretical- I have next to no gaming experience yet.

[empireaddict]

@jchaos79,
Again, if you’re not coming at the monster – or any other single stand unit – from a legitimate flanking position it’s hard to get at it.  Therefore you have to choose carefully who takes it on frontally or give an order to get other troops into a flanking position.

@Geep,
Yes, sorry, my mistake.  I’d forgotten about the centre-of-stand to centre-of-stand thing so this doesn’t really change the cavalry/infantry situation.  However, it does make infantry/infantry fairer, I think.