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Wednesday, June 15, 2011

600 Point, LW, Games - Lessons Learned

I've played all of four (4) 600 point LW games now and I'm an expert!  :)

Here are some things I've done, but my opponents not so much, that have worked for me.  Some of these are somewhat redundant with each other...

- Ignore the "toys", bring low-level Combat/Weapons platoons for the most part.

- Bring as many "combat platoon" types of units as you can.  If you are an infantry company bring a couple infantry platoons.  It's OK, at this point level, to bring a "sub-standard" option.  I did this with the Gebirgsjager platoon to save points.  I ended up with two 7 stand units instead of two small FJ platoons.  Same can be said for the tanks. Bring some lighter tanks or tank hunters, etc.

- Mortars are the "King of Battle" on this level.  Even the short ranged FJ stummelwerfer is worth it on this level.  When we go to full size boards I may have to go with a regular mortar battery, but these HQ guys are great right now.

- Bring something that can kill at range (AT and Anti-infantry).  Mortars and then AT guns.  They are cheaper than tanks/SP guns.  Unless of course you are a tank company.  :)  This also gives you something to do while you move in with your "kill team".  Never let the enemy have a turn where they don't have to react to something you are doing.  If you do, then it gives them time to think about their turn and what they are going to do to you!  :)

- Bring as many units as you can fit.  The more dice you roll for fire, the more chances you have to kill something.  This also dilutes the enemy's fire because they have more units to deal with.  Again making him think more about the mechanics instead of his plans...

- Don't be afraid to sit and wait.  Either for reinforcements or for your long range stuff to start working their magic.


I haven't taken on a purely tank force yet, so that will get interesting, but I think I can hold my own.  Tomorrow we start the 800 point round...

Comments? Was this all just common sense?  :)

3 comments:

  1. I agree with what you've said except for the part about bring as many units (figures) as you can. In an infantry firefight against veterans, they can be concealed and gone to ground, thus requiring a '6' to hit. The same unit firing at trained infantry that are concealed and gone to ground hit on a 5+. That is double the hits (on average). If you bring more figures you have to go cheaper, which means lower quality. Do you think that you will get twice as many trained figures as veteran figures (all other factors being equal)? You would need to get twice as many in order to equalize the hit ratios.

    Every unit, I think, has its way to win. You need to find out what that is and use it. You will find that some troops just don't fit your play style, so you probably won't ever play them (like Reluctant Conscripts). That is really the key: find your style – aggressive assault, high firepower, mobile firepower, static defense, artillery, whatever – and play to that strength.

    Good analysis though.

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  2. I agree largely with what you said Dale, but I think you have a veterancy bias. While "You would need to get twice as many in order to equalize the hit ratios." is true at a very basic level, it overlooks a lot of benefits trained can bring. Sure you won't have twice as many guys, but it could be the difference of having an infantry platoon AND an HMG platoon deployed intermingled, and thus requiring BOTH units to be pinned, vs a single infantry unit that's veteran.

    To further this, you *rarely* assault unless you can pin the opponent, and even vs vets good platers rarely fail to pin the target of their assault. At the same motivation level, I'd rather have 11 trained guys in an assault than 7 vets. This could be preference, but that trained unit can sustain losses a lot better (which is probably a necessity since as you point out it will be shot up quite a bit more!). Clearly there's a LOT more to the equation, and I'm sure you get my gist.

    I also agree with Neal's assessment. There is a quality in quantity, but it isn't linear. I think there's a real "sweet spot".

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  3. Thanks for the comments guys. Dale, I was talking mostly about units rather than figures per se. My original plan for the "sub-standard" Gebirgsjager was as an objective holder or a speedbump if I needed it.

    That comment sort of encompasses several of the comments I made and I mainly mean to maximize the number of units that can shoot or do things rather than putting all of your eggs in a smaller number of baskets as it seems most of my opponents have done so far. Each unit means so much more at this level than they might/do in the higher point games.

    Steven, good to see you are embracing the Soviet mantra (quantity has a quality all its own...)! :)

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