Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So I plan on running 20 gnoblars with trappers in 2 units of 10. My question is, would it be better to make them all one long rank, or 2 ranks of 5?

I'm no expert, but that doesn't stop me.

The 2 ranks won't be steadfast because almost anything is going to kill a rank and/or have more ranks. Being wide makes it harder for enemy units to avoid you, but it also makes it easier to block your own units and have trouble getting around terrain.

You could do some compromise. You don't need 2 full ranks. And just over the games test out which works better.

Hm. Didn't think of that. So maybe 7-8 wide or something like that... it just might work!

Thanks mate.

2x5 works just fine for me, agile enough that you can usually park them in front of stuff, and not get in the way...

 japehlio wrote:
2x5 works just fine for me, agile enough that you can usually park them in front of stuff, and not get in the way...

You mean 2 wide and 5 deep correct?

That's how they worked best for me. Also, being only 2 wide meant that often enough survived to get a chance to rally and trap again.

-Matt

HawaiiMatt wrote:

 japehlio wrote:
2x5 works just fine for me, agile enough that you can usually park them in front of stuff, and not get in the way...

You mean 2 wide and 5 deep correct?

That's how they worked best for me. Also, being only 2 wide meant that often enough survived to get a chance to rally and trap again.

-Matt

Yes I do, that way I can park them in front of a horde who cannot charge my ogres without hitting them, but my ogres can charge them...
If I could take them in a 1x5 I would, as a 1x10 deep is too unwieldy...


Automatically Appended Next Post:

HawaiiMatt wrote:

 japehlio wrote:
2x5 works just fine for me, agile enough that you can usually park them in front of stuff, and not get in the way...

You mean 2 wide and 5 deep correct?

That's how they worked best for me. Also, being only 2 wide meant that often enough survived to get a chance to rally and trap again.

-Matt

Yes I do, that way I can park them in front of a horde who cannot charge my ogres without hitting them, but my ogres can charge them...
If I could take them in a 1x5 I would, as a 1x10 deep is too unwieldy...

I'm glad this question was asked because I didn't read it that way. I never even thought to try something like that.
Thanks guys.

I didn't either. It's an interesting idea.

DukeRustfield wrote:
I didn't either. It's an interesting idea.

I've run as many as 10 units of trappers before, and the results were hysterical. 2 wide 5 deep made it really easy to stagger them.
You'd charge into a unit, break it, and be stuck with the choice of over-run into another unit of trappers(forcing another round of dangerous tests), or restrain, letting the survivors possibly rally to get in the way again.

In a world of 30-50 strong infantry blocks, trappers, and lots of them, do outstanding.

This all works out great for 2 main reasons.
1) Ogres get awesome cannons so holding back at range isn't a great idea.
2) Gnoblars don't panic other Gnoblars. You can pack those bastards in right next to eachother and not worry about panic tests.

If your opponent doesn't have a spell that hits multiple units at once, he's in for a world of hurt. Not much can hold against the cannon balls and irongut charges that are behind wall of trappers.

-Matt

Ditto, it was actually pretty useful. Had 10 units of the buggers, only a few were trappers, but I deployed most of them first in a sort of "checkerboard" fashion across one flank.
It does get pretty funny...

HawaiiMatt wrote:

1) Ogres get awesome cannons so holding back at range isn't a great idea.

-Matt

Somewhat off-topic I guess, but being new to this still, I'm not seeing what makes the cannons so amazing. Against monsters or other big single targets sure, but what good does it do against an army with blocks of infantry? It doesn't seem to do too much against them.


I tried running two blocks of 2x5 gnoblars this weekend. They got peppered before they even got to the enemy line. But hey, at least they weren't shooting at the ogres!