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.

Seriously, it's such a pain to set up, the deployment always feels weird, and things like Linebreaker feel a lot harder to judge during the game. Are there any redeeming qualities to deploying Vanguard Strike?

My last FLGS didn’t use it. The extra effort in setting it up and measuring it off didn’t add anything significant to the game. Now, if you were playing on a fixed table with set terrain, I could see it. Going diagonals gives you more options for how to slice it up into sides. But for a blank field filled with scatter terrain? Not worth the effort.

It's a nifty idea, but the deployment is a pain and I've always hated things like Outflank on it.

Pick your corners which you deploy in. Then each opponent stands at the non-occupied corners and measures 14.5" along the short edge and 22.5" along the long edge. Put a marker at each of these points. You measure your 14.5" marker to the opposite corner's 22.5" marker and that gives you one deployment zone.

and please note that for all rules purposes, the LONG EDGE of the board is your board edge. This means when flyers come on, they can technically enter from your opponents deployment zone because you are coming in from the far edge of the table. it also means that you can get some of those linebreaker cards on essentially turn 1.

I drew lines on my gameboard to show where Vanguard (and the other deployment configurations are) so it isn't so bad for me. However, there is nothing about I particularly like.

It's a pain in the backside to set up, but it's fun enough once you get going.

But to answer the question, yes, i like Vanguard Strike.

Not a fan of it, its annoying to measure for deployment and if you have a lot of terrain it gets very iffy on where the deployment line is. As an assault focused army like Ork getting on the line as accurately as possible can mean the difference between making a charge or not later in the game.

Also Vanguard Strike also forces a lot of models towards the middle of the deployment zone which is annoying when you want to spread out your units towards the flanks. It has similar surface area as Dawn of War but it feels a lot smaller and it can be frustrating to fit everything.

Love it.

Got a piece of string with blu-tack at either end, easy as pie to stick it corner to corner and deploy 12" from. Remove string when deployment finished (as Icculis pointed out, once the game begins, you use the long table edge for reserves and linebreaker).

Now Hammer and Anvil on the other hand...

Far better deployment system than Hammer and Anvil... I've never found it harder to find my deployment line than any other deployment, and I think, based on what some of you are saying above, that you are forgetting that the LONG board edge becomes YOUR board edge the moment the game starts.

Echo the piece of string suggestion. Makes it a piece of piss to setup and results in some interesting setups.

One of the FAT mats, the city one, has little red laser dots on the deployment line. Makes setting it up much easier. My FLGS has a couple of these and it takes out 90% of the hassle. But yeah, screw Outflank on that deployment type...

 SharkoutofWata wrote:
One of the FAT mats, the city one, has little red laser dots on the deployment line. Makes setting it up much easier. My FLGS has a couple of these and it takes out 90% of the hassle. But yeah, screw Outflank on that deployment type...

I don't understand at all? the LONG edge becomes your table edge, and so you outflank from the short edges? What's the confusion?

It offers the best game play in my opinion, making flank moves matter and giving "spreading room", but I agree that setting it up is a bother.

 goblinzz wrote:

 SharkoutofWata wrote:
One of the FAT mats, the city one, has little red laser dots on the deployment line. Makes setting it up much easier. My FLGS has a couple of these and it takes out 90% of the hassle. But yeah, screw Outflank on that deployment type...

I don't understand at all? the LONG edge becomes your table edge, and so you outflank from the short edges? What's the confusion?

I think he means that Outflank can be really nasty in Vanguard (effectively arriving behind your army) 2/3rds of the time. I'd agree that it's a point against that deployment type, but still like it.

Yes, that's what I mean. First time I went up against Outflank like that, I challenged my opponent about the rule because I simply could not believe it was made to be THAT effective. I was dumbfounded.

If you know your opponent has outflank, deploy accordingly.

And be happy you didn't play in 5th against genestealer hordes, where you basically didn't get to play on 36" of the board because you had to stay 18" from either edge or get assaulted with no recourse.

If you play on certain fat mats from frontline gaming, the deployment areas are subtly marked on the mat, no fuss no muss.

 SharkoutofWata wrote:
Yes, that's what I mean. First time I went up against Outflank like that, I challenged my opponent about the rule because I simply could not believe it was made to be THAT effective. I was dumbfounded.

That makes more sense. However, this is one of those adapt or die situations... It rewards different army builds, and keeps the game interesting.