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Hi, I like to run horde armies at tournaments. I like the playstyle and feel it counters several other builds out there just with the power to ignore/tie up unkillable/invisible models.

However, time can be an issue with games. At the last couple of tournies I went to I managed to avoid having any game run over time through speedy play despite having around 180-model armies. I was looking at upping the model count, and was wondering if anyone had any tips for running huge armies in reasonable time. I feel it's not at all fair for the other player if you don't give them a full game to kill your endless tide of models!

My strategies:

- Organise every squad in tubs beforehand, ready to deploy instantly.

- Collect them up into said tubs again as they die, so they're ready to go next game.

- All models are varnished and relatively hard-wearing, so for the most part I can just dump a tub of them onto the table before setting up properly

- Clear squad markings (in my case on guardsman shoulder pads) - helps keep units distinct.

- Know the rules inside out, and have a reference sheet on hand for common things (BRB missions, strategic objectives, perils chart, warlord traits etc.)

- Don't quibble about about small rules problems. If the opponent is playing some rules wrong and it only costs me a 3pt conscript or two then I'll let it slide.

- Make tactical decisions quickly and roll from action to action without pausing to think too much.

- Dice-rolling app on my phone for big rolls (e.g. when 50 conscripts have FRFSRF against an invisible unit and you're rolling 150 dice looking for sixes)

- Towards the end of the game, just ignore any of your units that will have no impact on the objectives


If anyone has any other ideas I'd like to hear them. I'm on the fence about making movement trays - can't help but think they'd get in the way more than they'd help, particularly if a unit got into CC or had to move through terrain.

Hmmm. Maybe this should have been in general discussion. Oh well.

I don't think any tournament has rules forbidding a player to have a personal movement assistance team.

When I play hordes, I move the first row of guys 6" and then I just pull from the back of all the basic models in the squad to fill in the gap. Special weapons and characters I move 6" for them as normal. Helps move giant blobs of 30 around on the table with out you having to touch all 30 models to move the squad.

I like to think over my tactical decisions a lot, so i moved away from hordes unfortunately.

Even though i like how they feel, it's just so tiresome.

My only suggestion is to bring food. Cause playing a greentide feels like working overtime - even worse when you're hungry.

I say make the horde list do one specific thing. for example, orks greentide's best trait is close combat. if you decide to take your imperial guard and make them shooty and good at close combat then you will add more time to your game.

Food's certainly a good idea at any tournament haha

I guess ignoring the shooting/assault phase is an option, but I tend not to want to lose any tactical flexibility. Guard do both shooting and CC quite well...

The movement thing is a good idea - the inner part of a unit doesn't tend to matter so much beside leaders and specials.

I love the MSU style and everything very fast on the board, with the exception of those units that stay in the backfield and do nothing else than shooting. Moving 30 orks is really boring, I never use units that move only 6 inches without a vehicle.

Tournaments i normally play in require 2 turns of play or don't count.

If i was taking my orks i'd work to the battleplan that the game was oly 2 turns long XD

which ofc is not fair to my opponent so i never bring orks

one tip i have for all games with lots of big units is to take some string with you and place it between units to act as a barrier to easily distinguish squads.

I forgot my string once and used cutlery

Combine your move and run so you only pick up and place models once over two phases. Most aren't bothered by this and there is no real way to abuse it unless you are clearing out infantry to move and shoot with fast vehicles.

I run renegades and heretics en masse but usually just gunline it so the hardest part is setting up for the game. That being said, gunline horde can keep the turn times down... unless you have 20+ templates to put down a turn that is

Movement trays.
After using my nids in the first game years back I went straight on eBay and got a ton of them.

Quick and easy movement, no coherency issues etc.
Only time they are out of the tray is assault or death.

A can of compressed air helps considerably. Mark six inches out with a flat stick, and then commence to short blasts on the can.

On a serious note, the six inch measurement tools help greatly. I also recommend that you color code the bases by squad, as this is generally more visible than smaller shoulder-pad-style squad markings.

Both of these recommendations have assisted me greatly when playing a zombie horde. The 'can of air' method is only wishful thinking, at this stage...

I made a great deployment tool for my Genestealer cult:



I got movement tray's with a wooden pin that I can easily pick up.

Next step what I want to do is provide each separate tray with a small dice container. If I roll a '6' on the cult ambush table and assault a unit I could then just use the right amount of dice straight up from the container.

I also don't do the 'small things' anymore. I'am not going to shoot with 10 x strength 3 auto pistols at the 2+ models with 4+ feel no pain. Takes to much time and I need to take them down in close combat anyway.