Hey guys. Well I'm planning to start a Dogs of War army and I'm probably just asking a noob question but the help will be appreciated. With regular Dogs of War pikemen, I was just wondering:
1. What sizes do you usually field them.
2. What Formations do you run them in.
3. Running them in 500 pts., 1000 pts, 1500 pts, etc.
4. Best tactics in fielding them.
5. How many units is best to take in a regular 2250 point game.
1. 20-25
2. 5x4 or 5x5 or 6x4
3. Always, they are iconic!
4. Make the enemy charge you, hopefully (but not to likely) you'll win. Use them the to guard flanks, or reinforce your main line.
5. I usually only use one, but 2 works fine as well. But they are so god damn expensive!
1 - Yeah, the more the better!
2 - 5x4 is a personal favourite.
3 - Yeah, but I've never actually fielded 'plain pikes'. I've always choose from the RoRs. Usually Ricco's, who are better fighters or Pirazzo, due to fluff. Leopold is a good choice against fear-causing enemies!
4 - I've used them to be my main line. And they work. Use some duellists or ligh cavalrymen to protect these guys' flanks.
4. Run them towards the enemy.
Seriously.
People who know about Dogs of War expect pikes to sit back and wait for them to charge. But if you go for them your still fighting in more ranks (unless you're hitting the front of a HE Spear unit) and you usually catch them on the back foot.
1. at least 20 strong
2. 5 wide, at least 4 ranks
3. Only bother the WS4 HA or ItP RoRs, as 10-pt WS3 Ld7 troops aren't worth taking.
4. Advance so they present some minor threat to the enemy.
5. None - point-for-point, there are far better bricks and Cores available.
(12-16-2009 06:29 AM)Templar44 Wrote: [ -> ]Hey guys. Well I'm planning to start a Dogs of War army and I'm probably just asking a noob question but the help will be appreciated. With regular Dogs of War pikemen, I was just wondering:
1. What sizes do you usually field them.
2. What Formations do you run them in.
3. Running them in 500 pts., 1000 pts, 1500 pts, etc.
4. Best tactics in fielding them.
5. How many units is best to take in a regular 2250 point game.
1. 20 or 30
2. 5*4 or 5*6 or 6*5
3. Pikemen ARE Dogs of War! Everytime!
4. March toward the enemy infantry, protect their flanks with duelists, crush the lil' foes!
Honestly, I run them in my list because they're iconic, not because they're particularly great. They make a decent defensive troop block, and so that's how I use them, but let's face it, they're a bit overcosted, fragile, and too vulnerable to psych for their price. The RoR are better, but wow are they expensive!
I believe the most effective use, and the one I sometimes run, is to use The Leopard Company as a paymaster's guard unit. Mind you, I think Beorn and his boys are better at the role, but Leopold does okay.
All that being said, pikes have potential! With the updated cost in the playtest book they're much more useful!
I usually run two units of pikeman. In larger games seven wide by four deep. Put a captain in witha great weapon for some extra oomph. Remember, pikes (and spears for that matter) fight in one LESS rank when they charge, not one rank. So on the charge they go first and fight in three ranks. Smaller games I only go five wide.