Killer & Filler

This forum is for any questions about the rules. Post here is you need feedback from the design team.

Moderators: philqw78, terrys, hammy, Slitherine Core, Field of Glory Design, Field of Glory Moderators

Post Reply
list_lurker
Major - Jagdpanther
Major - Jagdpanther
Posts: 1003
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:51 am
Contact:

Killer & Filler

Post by list_lurker »

There does seem to be a shift in the games we are playing, that units are being picked with no tactical role - other than boost the army unit value. Is this a desired 'feature' or the rules. It strikes me a easier to protect the filler than in DBM (generally AoW having less of a manouver phase)

what is you opinion?

Simon
shall
Field of Glory Team
Field of Glory Team
Posts: 6137
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 9:52 am

Post by shall »

I would defer to other testers for their views really. My own experience is that I can rarely afford filler sitting around doing nothing. It therefore tends to be hard to do relative to DBM but not sure how others find it.

Si
list_lurker
Major - Jagdpanther
Major - Jagdpanther
Posts: 1003
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:51 am
Contact:

Post by list_lurker »

This is true. I look forward to seeing how everyone else structures their army, and uses it. Usk will be interesting.

I'd hate to see a half dozen , 4 stand BG LI (~90pts) ,(+6 units), used just to bump up the army size and hide in terrain

Simon
rbodleyscott
Field of Glory 2
Field of Glory 2
Posts: 28014
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 6:25 pm

Post by rbodleyscott »

list_lurker wrote:This is true. I look forward to seeing how everyone else structures their army, and uses it. Usk will be interesting.

I'd hate to see a half dozen , 4 stand BG LI (~90pts) ,(+6 units), used just to bump up the army size and hide in terrain

Simon
If you can find a list that allows such a thing, let me know. The only "filler" BGs of 4 bases permitted should be in armies that are only allowed a maximum of 4 or 6 of that type.
shall
Field of Glory Team
Field of Glory Team
Posts: 6137
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 9:52 am

Post by shall »

Interestingly the only true filler I have tried were families from the Ancient Britons...they proved to be a liability as Terry got his Roman Auxilia into charge reach of them. They were more than a bit of a worry.....

Si
hammy
Field of Glory Team
Field of Glory Team
Posts: 5440
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2006 2:11 pm
Location: Stockport
Contact:

Post by hammy »

shall wrote:Interestingly the only true filler I have tried were families from the Ancient Britons...they proved to be a liability as Terry got his Roman Auxilia into charge reach of them. They were more than a bit of a worry.....

Si
I have run Medieval French with two BG's of mob hiding at the back. As long as you don't let the enemy get near them you are fine but.....

I think one of the armies with the most potential filler will be Assyrian but in DBM they could have 50 Hd if they wanted.

Hammy
list_lurker
Major - Jagdpanther
Major - Jagdpanther
Posts: 1003
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:51 am
Contact:

Post by list_lurker »

If you can find a list that allows such a thing, let me know.
There's a challange.... :P

So, from the first list I pick up....

Thematic Byzantine.

"archers in seperate units" : Light Infanty - Poor - Drilled - Unprotected - Bow @ 3 x 4 = 12
"archers in seperate units" : Light Infanty - Poor - Drilled - Unprotected - Bow @ 3 x 4 = 12
Javelimenmen : Light Infanty - Poor - Drilled - Unprotected - Javelin /Light Spear @ 2 x 4 = 8
Slingers : Light Infanty - Poor - Drilled - Unprotected - Sling @ 2 x 4 = 8

Theres 4 units for a princely sum of 40 points.

I suspect that Horse archers in units of 4 (avg / bow @5) are better 'value' - due to increased 'get out of the way ability'... Surely lots of armies with units like this!!

Simon
rbodleyscott
Field of Glory 2
Field of Glory 2
Posts: 28014
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 6:25 pm

Post by rbodleyscott »

list_lurker wrote:So, from the first list I pick up....

Thematic Byzantine.

"archers in seperate units" : Light Infanty - Poor - Drilled - Unprotected - Bow @ 3 x 4 = 12
"archers in seperate units" : Light Infanty - Poor - Drilled - Unprotected - Bow @ 3 x 4 = 12
Javelimenmen : Light Infanty - Poor - Drilled - Unprotected - Javelin /Light Spear @ 2 x 4 = 8
Slingers : Light Infanty - Poor - Drilled - Unprotected - Sling @ 2 x 4 = 8

Theres 4 units for a princely sum of 40 points.
Fair enough. The list should not allow the archers to be in BGs of 4. (According to the usual list policy should be 6-8 ).

Can't avoid the slingers and javelinmen being in units of 4 as there are only 4 in the list.

So that would still be 3 BGs for 36 points.

The problem is while they may be a bit too effective as filler, we don't want to turn LF into suicide troops either by making their loss unimportant.
I suspect that Horse archers in units of 4 (avg / bow @5) are better 'value' - due to increased 'get out of the way ability'... Surely lots of armies with units like this!!
Except that average unprotected horse archers cost 8 points. Don't think there are many poor ones in the lists.
Last edited by rbodleyscott on Tue Dec 19, 2006 11:48 am, edited 2 times in total.
list_lurker
Major - Jagdpanther
Major - Jagdpanther
Posts: 1003
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:51 am
Contact:

Post by list_lurker »

The list should not allow the archers to be in BGs of 4. (According to the usual list policy).
If its just a list design oversight then OK...
rbodleyscott
Field of Glory 2
Field of Glory 2
Posts: 28014
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 6:25 pm

Post by rbodleyscott »

list_lurker wrote:
The list should not allow the archers to be in BGs of 4. (According to the usual list policy).
If its just a list design oversight then OK...
Yes it is. but there will still be lists that can have a few small units of 4 LF. The question is whether it is enough of a problem to be worth complicating the very nice simple attrition points system we have at present.
list_lurker
Major - Jagdpanther
Major - Jagdpanther
Posts: 1003
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:51 am
Contact:

Post by list_lurker »

Yes it is. but there will still be lists that can have a few small units of 4 LF. The question is whether it is enough of a problem to be worth complicating the very nice simple attrition points system we have at present.
Devil and the deep blue here...

Either that or count as naught for losses, and then become expendable (another foible)

Armati had the idea of 'core units' ,on a list by list basis, by which loss of those accounted toward defeat. Maybe you could do somethins like that? Not elegant though

Simon
rbodleyscott
Field of Glory 2
Field of Glory 2
Posts: 28014
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 6:25 pm

Post by rbodleyscott »

list_lurker wrote:Armati had the idea of 'core units' ,on a list by list basis, by which loss of those accounted toward defeat. Maybe you could do somethins like that? Not elegant though
And more scope for editorial errors.
donm
Sergeant Major - Armoured Train
Sergeant Major - Armoured Train
Posts: 584
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2006 12:08 am
Location: Clevedon, England

Post by donm »

Thematic Byzantine.

"archers in seperate units" : Light Infanty - Poor - Drilled - Unprotected - Bow @ 3 x 4 = 12
"archers in seperate units" : Light Infanty - Poor - Drilled - Unprotected - Bow @ 3 x 4 = 12
Javelimenmen : Light Infanty - Poor - Drilled - Unprotected - Javelin /Light Spear @ 2 x 4 = 8
Slingers : Light Infanty - Poor - Drilled - Unprotected - Sling @ 2 x 4 = 8

Theres 4 units for a princely sum of 40 points.
Best I can find is Seleucid

2 x BG's of archers : Light infantry -poor-undrilled-unprotected-bow @ 3 x 6 = 18 each
2 x BG's of slingers :Light infantry-poor-undrilled-unprotected-sling @ 2 x 6 = 12 each

4 units for 60 points (not bad).

Put these with a BG of Javelimen: Light infantry-average-drilled-unprotected-javelin @ 2 x 6 = 12 and you get 5 BG's for 72 points.

All you need is a flank with some terrain and its not such a bad choice.

Don M
vincent
Corporal - 5 cm Pak 38
Corporal - 5 cm Pak 38
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:27 pm
Location: Paris, France

Post by vincent »

list_lurker wrote:Armati had the idea of 'core units' ,on a list by list basis, by which loss of those accounted toward defeat. Maybe you could do somethins like that? Not elegant though
I am very familiar with Armati and it does not work like that.
Armati separates troops in key units (their loss works for the army defeat) and non key units (whose loss is irrelevant).
This allows truly expandable troops, some of which can be reasonnably effective (e.g. peltasts in the hellenistic period).
On the other hand, it means that to defeat a medieval army requires to destroy at least some knight units.
The separation between core and bonus is irrelevant to being key or not. The role of core is more like the minimum number of units in an army list, the bonus being the optional and maximum number of troops for each type.
Best regards


Vincent
Post Reply

Return to “Rules Questions”