So I'm just starting my Lizardmen army, and my first WFB army. I'm going to be buying two new Battalion boxes, and one old one(this way I can have 4 squads of 12 skink skirmishers), I will end up with 24 Cold One Calvary models, and am wondering how big of a unit I should run them in. My thought was two 10 man squads, two ranks of 5, and possibly two in the rear rank of each to remove as casualties in the hope of keeping rank bonus(if that's how it works, I'm still wrapping my head around ranks, coming from 40k). Any suggestions on how they should be run would be helpful, the only Lizard player I know never ran them, and is just starting to run them now himself, so he wasn't able to help me just yet. Thanks in advance for any and all help. Moo
The most I fielded was a unit of 6, I don't know if you'll get much from the +1 rank bonus in close combat. I like them but 24 may be a tad over doing it. But I'm a big believer in playing an army you like so go for it, but if your going to do that I suggest a lot of heroes on cold ones to strengthen your units.
Any larger then 7 and you may as well have put the excess models into a seperate cold one unit. When its 150+ points for a single rank bonus its just not worth it.
I use CoR's in units 5 wide, so its 175 pts for a second rank, and thats just one point of combat resolution in this case. If i depend on them i boost them with the first heavens spell and they will simply hit alot harder. I think its a good choice to use full command and a warbanner on them in order to negate the fact that your enemies will probably be outnumbering you and so on. The goal with popping the spell on them is simply to be able to kill enough enemy models so that they cant fight back. Problem is that they are stupid, so you shouldnt use 20 of them ( i think) can go nastily wrong.. Ive got a total of 13, new and old models, and ive thus far only used five at a time, i wouldnt mind going for one unit at each flank of my core blocks though.
Thanks for the responses. I think my problem is I like cavalry too much. I almost played Bretonnia for just such a reason. I guess what I can always do is play with a certain amount, and then add or remove to suite how well I feel they are doing. My new battalion box should be in this weekend, and I'm very excited to get started, now all I need to do is find the time to actually paint them(and my 100+ Ork models for 40k)
well, if you play that right, then that can keep the cannons from your main battle line so you can advance without the need. Multiple high-priority targets and fear FTW.
The trick with Brettonia is that their "Lance Formation" allows all of their outside models to attack as though they were in base to base on the charge. So rather than just having the front three striking in a unit of nine, seven of the nine get to strike in a head on shot. Most other armies' cavalry units, Lizardmen included, only ever seem to have a maximum of six in their units because anything larger will usually leave an extra guy out on the edge with nothing to attack. And since the models are so expensive, taking the extra rank just isn't as worthwhile as starting another unit. So that's my suggestion. Five or six per unit gets you the hitting power you need without wasting points. If you want to put more cavalry out there, just make another unit. And for the high point cost games (3000+) there's always a Kroq-Gar list.
Also a flank charge form another 5 model strong unit usually will have a lot more combat resolution then +1. Denying them 2-3 ranks and getting another set of charge hits are much better.
I like using cavalry several different ways. 1. Units of 5. Small Fast units. Use them to out maneuver or pin down other units. 2. Units of 8-12. Most often used in ranks of 5-6. They are large enough of a unit to have some survivability. This also allows them to hold their own if confronted with a real threat. 3. Units of 16-24. Taken in ranks of at least 6. Just because its funny to watch anything they attack break and run
I run Cavalry in groups of Seven, and put one or two in the second rank just so if someone flanks me I will have two guys fighting, it lets me just let trash like spider riders or marauders hit my flank, and then just shove them off, also lets you outnumber trashy fast cav that will probably be competing with you for flanks and just shove them aside. Might as well take a flank AND prevent your opponent from doing the same. I like to give them the war banner also, since it keeps trash like that and also trolls back.
i suggest using them in groups of 5 they are too exspensive for more and if you want more just place more then one unit of them ( 4 x 5 is very nice for 3000 points )