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Part 2 - Using the expandable RHB corsairs
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Screen for a special infantry unit.
RHB corsairs have one very specific use, for which they are really handy:
they make an excellent escort for all special infantries.
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Screening against magic/shooting.
They make a great moving shield against magic & shooting, with an impressive 4+ save. That's easy to understand: it takes much more effort to shoot/cast away 100 pts of corsairs than 100 pts of any elite troop. If the enemy spends a lot of energy killing the corsairs, they are progressively reduced to a small unit but who cares? They did their job taking hits instead of the most expensive unit behind. What they soak in did not hurt your Execs nor BG behind them.
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Getting rid of march-blockers.
Did the opposing light cavalry get in position on the side of your troops, out of charge LOS? If the corsairs and their escorted unit are march-blocked, it means that the foe is within RHB shooting range. The corsairs turn towards the march-blocker and shoot it. And this can be done in pretty much any direction, as they can turn 90° or 180° and shoot (and THIS is better than charging, for which you would need a LOS before moving - for this reason, they are superior to AHW corsairs in this role). Usually, the march-blocker is a light unit which cannot withstand 20 bolts.
Harpies could do the same job by charging, however their charge is lame, and furthermore it forces them to leave their assigned position.
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Deterring light troops's charges.
Light cavalry, harpies and the like never hesitate to charge a small screen: getting the charge, they will kill a few, meaning less retaliation and a likely win.
However, when charging RHB corsairs, you get the retaliation before hitting, and that's 20 shots. Chances are that the charging unit looses half of its strength and what remains won't hurt much, or they may flee alltogether before even reaching the corsairs. The RHB is a nice deterrent for light charges. No matter where the fast cavalry comes from, they can interpose, shoot and stand & shoot if charged. Light cavalry hates that.
No more light charges, which could have forced a hate-pursuit by your special units!
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Charge redirectors or softener for heavy charges.
They are an obstacle also for incoming heavy troops, who would rather directly take care of your more expensive units. In case something nasty threatens to charge the corsairs, this is when your own nasty unit gets ready for a juicy fight!
a)
Flee and countercharge.
If the attacker is heavily armoured and coming from far, they sometimes better flee and surprise the enemy who will move only half-charging movement. Even if they are cought, who cares for such a small unit, as long as the foe is now presenting his flank or lost his charge bonus? However, finding the appropriate distance between corsairs and escorted unit is rather difficult and depends on the enemy you're facing. Easy against dwarfs, impossible against flyers.
b)
Redirect the enemy.
RHB corsairs placed angled make for charge redirectors with firepower (stand and shoot) for relatively few points and the exes/BG behind them will be happy at the flank newly presented. Sure, such positioning isn't any easy. Or you can select to flee and determine exactly where the charging unit will end up.
c)
Flee and receive the charge.
You can allow them to flee through the ITP ASF BG and have the BG receive the charge themselves.
Hey, remember, you wanted to protect your ASF BG from shooting, not from charges? Job done!
d)
Soften the charge and be sacrificed.
RHB corsairs provide you with the unique option to Stand & Shoot, likely killing at least one foe with 20 bolts, hence reducing the opponent's rank bonus. After that, of course you loose combat, flee and have the foe meet (with one less rank bonus) your ASF BG.
By the way, only RHB corsairs allow you to select this option. Oh, and it's soooo nice against HE!
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Complementary charge.
When the escorted unit has finally reached he enemy's line (or the enemy has reached your lines), then the corsairs are not anymor useful for screening. Worse, they are now an obstacle for your own elite troops.
Don't worry, they may well charge themselves, either at a distinct foe or simultaneously with the special infantry they were escorting, in both cases providing the latter with a clear path. Both charging, you have to maximize the models in contact, and you must try to get an even number from both units (BRB p.23). The elite's job is to kill, the corsair's job is to catch the fleeing opponent with the slavery rule if you win. Our special infantry should be able to win the combat alone, and having some corsairs in the fight not only provides numeric superiority and a muso (which BG often lack) but also, in case the opponent flees, the slavers rule.
Here, the drawback of having the screen in the way (happening whatever the escort) is mitigated by the advantage of the slaver's rule (exclusive to corsairs).
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Leaving the escorted unit.
We've seen that if the enemy destroys the corsairs by shooting/casting spells/charging, then they've done their job and the escorted unit is free to run and charge.
However, if the elusive enemy let them live and tries to avoid both units, ultimately, when you're close enough, they have to leave a clear path for your special forces.
You'll wheel the corsairs away towards one direction, hopefully facing the most threatening shooters, while the elite, behind, wheels the other diretion towards the most interesting target. It leaves one round of reaction to the enemy, which is much better than having to cross the whole battlefield with no cover at all.
One good way to make room for the unit behind is as follows:
wheel 2.5" away from the desired direction, then reduce the front line by 5 from 10x1 to 2x5, removing the 5 in excess exclusively from the side in front of the screened elite unit (yes it's legal, you don't have to reduce from both sides). After that process, you should be able to move forwards your elite unit with a double-march around the former screen. Problem solved.
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Fleeing corsairs.
If a sucessful shot/spell or charge forces the corsair unit to flee and if they are still at US5, they may trigger panic to the escorted unit behind. For that reason, it is better to let them escort ITP troops (BG, WE, SSS corsairs) rather than Execs. Afterwards, the corsairs will likely pass their Ld test and rally (but if they fail, who cares?) and still be able to contest a 1/4 table. At least, they have done their escort job and they are no more in the way.
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Screen for a frenzied unit.
The annoyance for frenzied troops is that they are likely to be baited away and find themselves flank-charged or dragged out of your lines.
This is why you need an escort in order to canalize them.
Everything in the previous chapter remains valid, except two very minor points if the escorted unit is SSS corsairs, because all corsairs cost the same per model (hence AHW corsairs don't need a screen) and have the slavey rule.
Corsairs with RHB are great babysitters for frenzied units:
- they are very resistant
- when a small unit of fliers or fast cav comes within range, they get mowed down in a hail of small arms fire that will decimate the usual 5 man march blockers willing to pull away frenzied troops.
If no such frenzy-trigger/march-blocker gets close, then everyone just double-marches.
If ever RHB corsairs panic or have to flee, the frenzied unit behind does not care.
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Comparing screening units.
RHB corsairs compete in the escort role with other core troops.
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DR are too expensive for that job, let alone DR with RXB. Don't screen with DR, it is not cost-efficient at all, they are just a treat for the opponent's shooting.
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Spear warriors are less expensive than corsairs but survive less to shooting & magic and achieve nothing else by themselves.
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AHW corsairs have the same price, same survivability, but they threaten only a 10" charge zone in their LOS rather than a 13" shooting zone regardless of the LOS.
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RXBmen are less effective as a screen, because they can soak less shots. However, they can more efficiently shoot when they don't double-march, and they can more efficiently provide a supporting flank charge - better save, same attack but forfeit the slavers rule. They threaten light troops at much longer distance, however suffer -1 to hit if moving at all.
In real-world psychology, during a game, it is always so tempting to shoot with them that they will be reluctant to double-march instead, while corsairs won't ever complain about that, but you know how not to listen to your troops, don't you?
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Hapies are the real other good choice for an escort.
Harpies are the easiest to use in that role, but they are more fragile, they don't have the slaver's rule and they don't threaten as much light harassers.
They can move 20" & charge at 360°, and 5 harpies cost half the price of 10 corsairs, and furthermore they won't panic anyone by being destroyed or fleeing. However, they will shield the escorted unit only until the first shot, to which they will loose enough models to let the next shot have a direct LOS to the escorted unit (and probably they will panic: they are prone to flee if 2 of them are killed, which corsairs are not).
Therefore, you have really to compare 1 unit of corsairs to 2 units of 5 harpies or 1 unit of 10, for a similar pts cost. In that way, the enemy has to shoot/cast twice at harpies before he can have a LOS to the escorted unit; by comparison, shooting twice at corsairs will destroy less models. After that shooting, either harpies or corsairs may panic but corsair's Ld is higher; however, 4 fleeing harpies won't panic anyone, while 5-7 fleeing corsairs may panic Execs (but not BG nor frenzied troops).
Later, the harpies may charge/march block easily with their exceptional speed; on the other hand, corsairs are more likely to remain US5 and constest a 1/4 table, or help capture an opponent, so each has its role, easier to fulfill for harpies.
I'd rather suggest to use many harpies for screening the units when having the general near in a troop behind them.
Another factor to take into account is that, if you have a special-heavy army, you may be happy to fill up a core slot with 105pts corsairs. If this is the case, they might compete with RXBmen rather than harpies.
Overall,
the real choice for an escort is between 10 RHB corsairs, 10 shielded RXBmen or 2 x 5 harpies.
Each has advantages and drawbacks.
- 10 shielded RXBmen screen least and can be charged by light troops, but they can shoot and fight better.
- 2x5 Harpies screen well and can move & charge very far, but are not resistant.
- 10 RHB corsairs screen best and resist light charges, and they can shoot light march-blockers easily.
That is why I always take one of each!
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Stand-alone harassing unit.
Sometimes, you have this unit available but don't need to screen anyone. Several reasons:
The opponent has brought little shooting and his magic requires no LOS.
There are two hills and three buildings in the opponent's deployment zone, hence the screening is useless.
A clever shot in turn 1 destroyed your elite unit.
Or the screening is done as in the previous chapter, and your unit is now available for other duties.
Are these 105 pts you've spent wasted? Of course not, there are still many uses for that unit.
It's a tiny unit, so if the enemy takes care of it, it allows something more expensive to survive and fight, and if the enemy ignores it, they can easily become a pain for him.
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Flanker.
Enemies have often some sort of light cavalry or scouts. Having some small units of these shooting corsairs means that he can't play with our flanks easily, and has to consider charging them instead of just avoiding them. Think about your own fast cav and whether you would get in range of that unit with them. You wouldn't b/c you would get killed.
This allows our main efforts to ignore enemy fast cav/skirmishers and concentrate on getting into position for that critical flank charge turn 3, our scouts can go after enemy artillery and our harpies can do the redirect march block thing.
RXBmen would perform better in that job, and I would recommend them for this specific task; but when available, RHB corsairs are as painful, as they are more difficult to get rid of.
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A trick for flankers: move them in 5x2 formation.
A 5x2 unit can move and wheel more easily than a 10x1.
In your turn, if the enemy gets close enough, even out of your LOS, you will add/reduce a rank with 5 corsairs, at a cost of 1/4 of your movement. First you rotate 1/4 or 1/2 turn if necessary, then move/wheel a little bit, finally you augment the first rank to 10*1 and shoot 20 bolts with no penalty (except -1 for multiple shots)!
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Taunting unit.
The unit can get close to the enemy and taunt him by firing bolts at whoever it can reach.
If ignored, it will be a pain.
If shot at, it is quite resilient.
If spelled at, then it prevented a more expansive unit to be spelled at.
If charged, it stands & shoots, kills a few, normally looses combat, so what? It was positioned in order that the pursuing unit finds itself in trouble or at least away from the heat.
In any case, it is fun to play.
Less efficient than DR, but cheaper also and more resistant with more wounds. Excellent against HE.
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1/4 table contester.
Most of the time, this small unit earns back its price, if only by claiming a 1/4 table after being ignored for the duration of the game.
If it gets inside a building, then it is extremely difficult to dislodge: impressive missile protection, stand & shoot guaranteed... only template weapons and magic have a chance. If ever an infantry wants to get them out, they get 10-bolted when they charge (only 5 can shoot from a 1-storey building), and, if they don't succeed, they are pushed back 1" away, where they got 10-bolted again (with no more penalty for charging troops) and they get once more 10-bolted if they can charge again. Ouch.
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Babysitter for sorceress.
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Usual babysitters.
Often, sorceresses are babysitted by warriors or by shielded RXBmen.
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Shielded RXBmen are lesser missile absorbers, but their shooting at 24" takes care of most shooters and light chargers, and in any case their shooting complements well the long distance spells.
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Warriors, in a passive role, have a greater capability to absorb shots & spells, and, if charged, provide a good SCR. You would take them over RXBmen only if you were mostly worried about the sorceress' safety, or if you knew you would face a very shooty opponent.
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RHB corsairs offer the best protection against attack from a distance.
Have you ever considered RHB corsairs instead of warriors, for an improved protection?
100 pts of corsairs absorb pretty much the same as 100 pts of warriors, so they provide the same protection at distance.
However, warriors are helpless to prevent "suicide snipe-charges", i.e. a unit of light cavalry (or harpies) which charges the unit, three of them hit the sorceress and they don't care if they loose the fight, the damage is done.
This is where the Stand & Shoot capability of RHB corsairs comes handy: they are indeed the best passive escort you could dream of, because
they protect against shooting, magic AND snipe-charges.
If your intention is to babysit a sorceress, then a champion is mandatory, with a pair of RHB.
If you can manage to put them all inside a building, with far reaching magic such as Metal or Fire, then the enemy's only hope is to cast them out, to reduce slowly the number of building occupants with template weapons, or to move far away and ignore that unit.
A sorceress with short range magic (shadow, death), possibly mounted, can benefit as well from their protection. They rush towards the enemy, the corsairs providing an excellent protection (only COK can offer a better protection). You double-march at 10", the enemy is at 14" and you're still protected (and more so than with MXB or DR).
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Two slim babysitters.
Overall, I feel that generally RXBmen are more useful with their ability to shoot while the sorceress casts.
But I appreciate to have both options available (i.e. 1 MXB unit and 1 RHB corsair unit) and select the babysitter in accordance with the foe I face. I like even more to be able to move my sorc back & forth between the two units if one gets depleted too much or better positioned.
For example, deploy both units 10 wide, one behind the other, slightly off on one side.
As you deploy the characters last, you'll put your sorc either on the front or on the rear unit depending on the opponent's deployment.
RRRRRRRRRR
..CCCCCCCCCCS
In this example, the sorc in the rear unit has a LOS on the target you wish, but the enemy has a reduced LOS on the rear unit. The sorc benefits from "Look out, Ma'am" and won't be hurt, while less enemy models can shoot at your babysitting unit.
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Babysitter for assassin.
Assassins may be used in your main lines, defending a character or boosting a melee unit.
Or assassins can be used as warmachine / character hunters, especially if they use the cloak.
In this latter use, the problem is to get safely the assassin within range of the target, allowing him to survive even if ever the cloak is dispelled.
The most popular unit for sheltering & delivering such an assassin is probably
shades, if they manage to get inside a convenient wood.
However, the convenient wood does not always exist.
Also, the trick is very obvious and the experienced opponent will be weary of shades.
Finally, when you reveal the assassin, move the shades in LOS of the targeted warmachine/magic user, cast the cloak and see it dispelled/scrolled, now you have your assassin inside a unit of 5 pricey shades with no armour and only the skirmisher rule to protect them from the retaliation of the former intended target.
Now, consider a unit of
RHB corsairs with the same assassin hidden inside.
Your opponent may start the first round. Who in the world would spend any shooting or magic against this strudy, non-threatening unit?
When it's your turn to play, you reveal your 'sass, double-march at 10", and, in the magic phase, you trigger the cloak at 20". Or, if you're too far from any interesting target, don't reveal it yet, just move forwards and remain innocuous for one more turn.
If/when the 'sass finally manages to fly and charge his target, then you can use your RHB corsairs as a stand-alone harassing unit, as mentioned above, while the 'sass butchers the warmachines.
If the cloak fails, then the 'sass is safe in a unit very resilient to shooting & magic missiles, that no one will charge in fear of the RHB and the ASF 'sass. Much better than shades!
Shades or RHB corsairs?
Actually, I'm happy to have both available.
Shades are likely to shelter the 'sass, but, as my usual opponent get used to the trick, he always sets the terrain in an unfavourable position. This is when I find corsairs handy. Or sometimes I put the 'sass in the corsairs for no reason other than for a change.
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The AP variant.
The RHB corsair unit can be made more threatening with the AP "BoM" banner, which works with range weapons as well as with melee weapons.
In this setting, you emphasize the shooting performance over the expandability.
Hence, the champion becomes interesting, but the unit soars from 105 pts to 153 pts.
DA's combo is to put this unit just in front of the ASF BG, and to move all of them forwards towards the enemy.
Usually, the prudent opponent avoids the BG (because he assumes they have the ASF) and tries to shoot them instead.
With a screen, it's more difficult. The corsair's job is to screen against magic/shooting, as usual.
In addition, the two units combined rush towards the enemy and the corsairs pin them with bolts at up to 13" distance, when BG alone would only be able to charge at 10".
If charged, they have the option to:
- S&S, the 22 AP shots are sure to deal some damage before the corsairs loose combat and run across the ITP BG, who receive gladly the reduced charge and recover the captured banner.
- fleeing across the ITP BG remains an surprise option.
The idea here is that BG benefit as usual from the screen, but here, in addition, the screen benefits so much from the company of the BG that you can afford to beef it up and make it more effective and less sacrificeable.
In that setting, RHB corsairs screen better than RXBmen, and they are superior to any other screen because they can shoot efficiently.