Played 2000pts against Night Goblins last week There were close to 300 models on the table by the time he had deployed, stretching from side to side. I sent my scouts to report on the enemy disposition. They were no help. My only previous full scale game had been against Tomb Kings who were mostly bunkered down in a corner, and I found myself unsure how to deploy against a horde. I ended up keeping my centre bunched to support each other in combat, and put my skirmishers and Sal out very wide to hold flanks. Deployment looked like this: Elements of my usual tactics were unworkable in that I normally march skinks up to close range to shoot and flee back through my lines on the opponents charge. This couldn't work because my nucleus was too far away, and I hadn't anticipated the presence of swift-striding flankers on the other side. The consequence was that my left side skinks had a decreased Ld debuff put on them, lost 3 to shooting and fled off the board, The salamander once again failed to even fire as the flanking spiders charged him. My right side skirmishers just kept fleeing and reforming away from the spiders on that side (which did in effect take them out of the game). Naturally the mighty lizards were victorious, with the EotG routing and catching the right spear goblins, forcing the archers on that side to flee off the board. The TG slew the general with "Birona's timewarp" in effect and the SW broke both a unit of spiders and the spearmen on the left, who were in the process of fleeing off the board when the venue started turning off the lights. Getting to the point: How to deploy against a horde? Can I huddle in corner ? Could I deploy inside out and put my hammers and anvils on the wings and my chaff in the middle ? Do I really need to worry about my flanks if the enemy only has light cavalry out there ? Please help - they won't be the last goblins I encounter. More "Spawning of Bob" pictures here: http://www.lustria-online.com/threads/spawning-of-bob.6957/
Refuse one flank (aka hide in corner) at initial deployment. Plan to keep your flank in the middle of the board stationary as a pivot point and advance the flank nearest board edge as fast as possible. Use fastest troops here e.g. steggies, krox, skrox, COR (relatively effective v spiders & wolves!). Idea is defeat this wing quickly then advance down table through his centre and other flank using the space he fills against him, maximising negative effects of animosity. Don't worry about other flank, even wolves have trouble getting across to you in time. Consider Terries to spring fanatics early and to drop rocks on smaller units of spiders, wolves, chariots and then force leadership tests for marches. If you want a unit to hold up far flank then a small sacrificial unit of cohort skinks is not bad, also skirmishing javs and the one use for swarms left in 8th. Consider this unit you foreign legion, they joined to die and you are going to put them where they have the opportunity to do so.