| Tactical Command http://www.tacticalwargames.net/taccmd/ |
|
| [Discussion] The "living fence" http://www.tacticalwargames.net/taccmd/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=9661 |
Page 1 of 1 |
| Author: | Chroma [ Wed Jun 13, 2007 6:27 am ] |
| Post subject: | [Discussion] The "living fence" |
Okay, the concept of the "living fence" tactic for Tyranids has come up recently, but I'm still not sure I get it. It's said to be powerful and "unstoppable", but I'm just not understanding it. Can someone give me more of an explanation? In my conception, it seems to be a long line/arc of Tyranids spread out widely, denying the enemy the ability to move past them, is that correct? If it is, isn't there a dreadful vulnerabilty to it? Couldn't one shoot a "gap" in the middle of it, even 11cm would do, then engage one half causing the other to be "out of formation" after the counter-charge step and removed from play? The counter-charges must be towards the nearest enemy, so it seems unlikely that Tyranid units would be able to move towards *each other*. Only Gargoyles would be able to "close the gap" if they were in the proper position. Am I conceiving of this incorrectly? |
|
| Author: | nealhunt [ Wed Jun 13, 2007 3:07 pm ] |
| Post subject: | [Discussion] The "living fence" |
I'll describe it and let you use models to set it up rather than trying to diagram it with ascii characters. The strategy is really 5 interconnected parts: 1) objective placment to limit required frontage 2) use of big swarms to fence 3) use of "speed bump" formations to limit reactive movement 4) use of fast units (usually biotitans) to plug holes and further counter enemy reactive movement 5) nodes, nodes, nodes for cleanup Unit density: You don't use a dispersed formation. You start fairly dense and stay that way right up until nearly the end of the game. A Tyranid Warrior swarm of ~25 units is ~500 points. On 10x40mm bases, laid out 6x4, that swarm can cover ~40cm frontage with units stacked ~20cm deep. That creates a pretty solid mass of troops. Blasting through it is not an option and clipping isn't especially effective, either. Add 5cm ZoC to each end and the direct area denial is ~50cm. Also important is the fact that it's a big, nasty assault group. Whether Hormies or Termies, the effective "attack range" for a swarm like this is ~30cm. Technically, they can move farther than that but the Nids want a substantial number of units in the assault. That reduces the effective range. Take 2 of those swarms and place them ~30cm apart. The zone in between them not in ZoC is only 20cm. Importantly, it is simply too dangerous for the enemy to try to pass through. Total controlled frontage is roughly 120cm of fairly densely packed troops: 5cm Zoc - 40cm swarm - 30cm gap - 40cm swarm - 5cm ZoC This is, obviously, an ideal setup. In actual practice, it never works out so nicely. You have to use terrain and cover. Usually, there are practical limitations on placement. The gap in the middle is bigger than above, or the swarms can't spread out as far, or whatever. That's okay. Actual coverage is still going to be substantial. 90cm is not unrealistic. Keep in mind that this is only ~1000 points. Besides, you don't have to actually start fencing people out until near the end of the second turn. Usually, one swarm or the other takes a beating as the enemy concentrates fire. That's also okay. We're assuming that you're not spread out optimally anyway, due to terrain. Losses simply take away the units that are placed sub-optimally. Stick to the cover and spawn. Losses will be serious. However, the goal is not to maintain a great offensive swarm. It's simply to maintain an impassable speed bump. Advancing through avenues with restricted LoS and/or cover, you should probably get to the end of the second turn with at least 10 units or so (~60% casualties, after spawning). That can still block 30+cm frontage, 3 units deep. Beginning around the middle of the second turn, start positioning the swarms to fence out the enemy. This does not have to be a continuous line and you should not leave swarms overly vulnerable. It only needs to make it generally difficult for the enemy to get around the ends or between the swarms. In the third turn, you spread out and fill in the line. Hopefully, your opponent has given you a potential assault target that's more or less where you want to be anyway. Even a very tightly grouped enemy formation can provide an excuse to spread out 40-45cm (10-15cm enemy frontage, 15cm FF range on each side) and then you get a consolidation move. Even a damaged swarm can pick that up, and a large swarm can simply not put many of the units in assault range, choosing to spread out instead. Fast/biotitan formations: Again, this is only 1000 points we've discussed so far. You will have plenty of points for fast biotitans to reinforce the line or cut off enemy end runs. A pair of biotitans makes for a great denied flank. One on each end can develop a pincer. Or, you can put the biotitans in the middle and spread the swarms farther apart. Regardless of the approach, you've made it much harder for the enemy to get around the line. Speed Bumps: The enemy will also have genestealers and lictors the enemy will have to deal with. It doesn't take a lot to stop them, but they are too nasty to be ignored. They are quite effective as speed bumps because they are more of a threat than most units in the game which fill that role, e.g. Sentinels, and must be wiped out, not just broken. Objectives: You get to place the objectives to force all the above to happen. optimal placement for Nids is as close to one board edge as possible so they can use the board edge to help restrict enemy maneuver in addition to bulk units. Nids always place the blitz to try to draw the game towards a board edge, then cluster their T&H objectives as much as possible. You might think that means the enemy can simply spread out objectives, but it doesn't work that way. The enemy places objectives first, so the Nids can react. If the enemy Blitz is in the middle, the Nids place towards their preferred end of the board. If the enemy places towards one end, the Nids just jump on it to force troops to cram into that end. If the enemy places T&H deep in Nid terrain, it's easier for the Nids to get into position to deny them physical access. If the enemy places near the centerline, the Nids can cluster their T&H just across the centerline on the other side. If the enemy spreads T&H to opposite ends of the board, the Nids pick the one in best position vis a vis the Blitz objectives for them to cluster theirs. With Nid controlling placement of half the objectives, it's guaranteed that they can get 4 objectives into ~1/3 of the board - their T&H, one of the opponents' T&H and one of the Blitz objectives. It's also guaranteed that they can get them at least a little bit "off-center" to one side or the other of the transverse centerline if they are paying attention. That means only ~30cm of potential open space on the close end. A rough diagram, just to show the linear placement on 6' board: |-1'-|objective cluster|--------3'---------| With that kind of placement, even if the enemy escapes the constricting Nid battle line, there is only so much they can do. Nids have forced them to abandon the majority of the objectives. Nodes: I don't think I need to elaborate on this. The basic Nid line will sweep up most of the objectives. Nodes can then arrive in force on all the others. === Just to show that I'm not talking about ridiculous amounts of material or an army with everything but the kitchen sink: Warrior swarm (~25 units) - 500 Warrior swarm (~25 units) - 500 Hydraphant - 375 Hydraphant - 375 3 Lictors - 150 2 GSN - 150 3 LSN - 150 8 Spores - 120 (more than you're likely to use with 2 synapse) === 2320 points This core works at 2700 points and above. 750 Synpase 900 Independent 120 uncommon 700 common 380 points to spend on more broods (6-7 more Raveners/swarm) 3000 points: You can drop a Hydraphant and LSN and add a Dom with 2 Dules and a few more spores or more Lictors or whatever you want. 2500 points: Dropping the Hydraphant leaves ~300 points to spend on Lictors and Genestealers, and you will still have 2 Warrior swarms at ~30 units each. |
|
| Page 1 of 1 | All times are UTC [ DST ] |
| Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group http://www.phpbb.com/ |
|