D.R.A.I.C.H. – Chariots not dead! - Special & mounts.
Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 10:01 pm
What? A chariot?
What? Several chariots???
This thread is there to incite you to trigger these comments.
Personally, I own a chariot but I don’t often consider taking it.
Am I wrong? Let’s see.
Here below is a compilation of some nice reflections I’ve found about chariots in D.net – plus a couple of mine.
0. Summary:
The chariot is a great support unit for infantry.
A character on a chariot is no more a character; it is a chariot with an improvement.
In small games, core infantry is supported by a special chariot for a combined charge; both are inexpensive.
In large games, special stubborn infantry is supported by a character’s chariot for a following charge; both are expensive.
1. The chariot: a slow, stupid, sturdy support.
Let’s examine thoroughly the chariot’s characteristics.
Painfully slow.
Movement 7 is not that much. Many foreign chariots are quicker, especially HE’s.
But what makes the chariot really slow is:
- it cannot double-march;
- it needs to avoid difficult terrain, or it will receive 1D6 hits at S6;
- it gets stupid sometimes.
No double-march means that any infantry moves faster, even our RXB shooters. Only the RBT are slower. The COB moves nearly at the same speed. But these two units need not to reach the enemy, contrary to the chariot.
As a result, if you put a chariot on the starting line along with an infantry, the last one to reach the enemy is not unlikely to be the chariot, unless you can charge in turn2.
The damage expectation for getting into difficult terrain is the following:
between 1 and 6 hits, each has 2/3 chances of wounding, 5/6 wounds will be unsaved.
In average, there is a requirement for 7 such S6 hits to destroy the chariot’s 4 wounds.
So, in average, the chariot will loose half its wounds and will survive… once.
Conclusion: Terrain is bad. Avoid it. If ever you’re stuck in it and loose 2-3 wounds, consider remaining there and hope you don’t fail any stupidity suicide test. If you’re lucky and lost 1 wound, then ½ turn and get away.
At least, it is more manoeuvrable than most units: a small frontage, and may wheel at will.
Chariots, although slow on the march, become quite fast and very maneuverable when you get close: they are not march-blocked and wheel at will. This makes setting up a flank much easier with a chariot than with a large, regularly wheeling unit such as COK.
It is not slow when time comes to charge: not only it charges at 14”, but, like monsters, a chariot can pivot at any single point in the course of the charge, rather than at the beginning – plus a free wheel when hitting the opponent, like anyone. OK, this does not allow you to get illegal charges, i.e. you need to see the appropriate side of the unit.
And the chariot can become as fast as flyers, when it pursues with 3D6. This is to remember if you combo-charge with a unit of corsairs who have the slavery rule.
Stupid at worst times.
With Ld9, stupidity happens 1/6 of the tests.
So there is 1/6 chances that things will go unexpectedly and put you in trouble. Except when you’re already in a melee, i.e. already in trouble.
OK, that means less than once a game, considering that a chariot rarely survives 6 turns without ever starting the turn in a melee.
The chances decrease to 1/12 if there is a Dreadlord nearby.
So, instead of just moving or remaining still, the chariot may decide single-handedly to go straight at 3.5”.
Beware to never, ever leave any unit in front of your chariot. I did it once. I learned never to do it again.
And don’t point at any terrain closer than 7”. This is a self-inflicted but real restriction to the chariot’s mobility.
As it is fear-causing, you’d rejoice that the chariot doesn’t care if the target unit is fear-causing itself.
Alas! Stupidity still requires a Ld test so the advantage is cancelled.
The advantage of causing fear does not quite help to autobreak any foe, as it would require the opposing unit to become US3 or less, meaning probably that they have lost by a lot, so that would help only to finish up stubborn infantry.
Overall fear is not that great an asset.
Don’t worry too much about stupidity. Sure, it will happen. But even if it prevents sometimes an actual charge, there remain the potential charge that your opponent has to take into account during his own turn: the front 90° of a chariot is always a place to avoid.
Very sturdy, except when receiving S7.
That is one of the best advantages of a chariot, and it is often underestimated.
T5 is much better than most other DE units.
4 wounds are great, since the chariot looses none of his ability till the last wound.
3+ save is really great, one of the best we can get, and better than most foreign chariots.
As a result, our chariot is exceptionally resistant to an insane amount of small S hits, like most missiles.
Think about it: Bowmen shooting 50% accurately S3 arrows need to shoot 144 arrows in average…
Alas! There is the famous exception of S7 hits, a single of which suffices to destroy it at once.
Against foes that don't have S7 attacks in their army, it usually proves to be one of our single most durable units (after the Dragon and the War Hydra).
In melee, two factors help defensively the chariot.
As your chariot causes fear, it means anything trying to charge it may have to test and may fail. Not reliable but can be useful especially against low leadership armies.
Also, the small 50mm frontage of a chariot means that a 5-wide cavalry unit can’t hit it with the whole of its frontage.
A striker who hurts a lot.
On the impact, the bonus hit with the blades makes 1D6+1 autohits. This is slightly less random than the usual D6+0 that most foreign chariots get. We are more reliable.
Chariot impact are at S5 = very usual for a chariot.
4 attacks total, 2 for the CO, 2 for the charioteers. And these attacks have hatred, better than foreign chariots!
Also, the charioteers have a higher WS than most R&F, they guarantee a ton of kills.
S4 is good, and further improves when charging (cavalry lance = +1 = S5; see BRB p.56).
Many S5 wounds will go through most armours.
Inflicting D6+1 S5 autohits, 2 S5/WS5 hatred attacks, and 2 S4 hatred attacks on the charge will make nearly anyone take notice. Ouch. We have a very reliable killer… when the CO don’t get stupid.
The Strength and killing potential of the chariot outshines any other unit save the hydra.
OK, it is not enough to kill a dragon on the charge, but wiping out 5 elite infantrymen is nothing exceptional for our chariot.
An additional advantage is the small frontage, and the fact that the chariot is a single unit.
It means that the impressive strength of a chariot is concentrated on 50mm, and even on a single point if necessary: touching the target with a corner is enough.
It means also that you can put other units in your frontline, good for combi-charge: the chariot hits corner to corner, allowing nearly everyone in your infantry unit to get into contact.
(E = enemy infantry, 5 wide; CC= chariot; F = friendly infantry, 7 wide, 6 of them in contact).
__ EEEEE
CCFFFFFFF
Remember that impact hits are inflicted only to R&F as long as there are 5 R&F in the unit.
If there are less than 5 R&F in the target unit, then the impact hits are randomized.
Conclusion: character assassination is not possible!
A hindrance is that the two chariot’s cold ones can fight only in the front, not even on the side.
Also, remember that a fleeing chariot inflicts normal impact hits if it meets another unit, friend or foe. If it is a US5+, non-fleeing foe, the chariot is thereafter destroyed. This rule is more a curse than a blessing.
A cheap special slot.
At 100 pts, the chariot is really inexpensive for what it does; it could be sacrificed with no remorse, especially taking into account how difficult it is for the opponent to destroy it.
However, its major drawback is that it takes one of the very scarce special slots. This is the real drawback of the chariot.
It shoots, too.
Could pull a rank off a unit in the early game or get rid of a Fanatic.
The best use is to complement a unit of RXBmen, at the end of the shooting phase. Did you need one more kill in that unit in order to force a panic test? Chariot shoots 4 shots.
Too bad a stupid chariot can’t shoot, and too bad it can shoot only in its 90° LOS.
OK, it is just a side role and I won’t comment further on it. But don’t forget it, sometimes it’s useful!
Summary:
A chariot moves as slowly as infantry; takes little space; must avoid terrain.
=> it goes well along with infantry.
It resists a lot of light shooting although no cannonball; it deters the opponent to put anything in a 90° x 14” area, and this area can be oriented freely.
=> it needs no cover, and can cover itself and others. It makes a great flanker.
It provides an exceptional Active Combat Resolution and has no Static Combat Resolution on its own.
=> it is a great complement to mass infantry providing Static Combat Resolution.
Chariots are both wonderful and horrible - wonderful when they hit and horrible when touched by S7.
Conclusion:
the chariot is a specialized unit which is great combined with mass infantry.
Its main drawback, as a support unit, is to take a special slot.
2. Uses and misuses for a special-slot chariot.
Core Infantry support unit.
We have seen above that a chariot complements well a slow and massive infantry unit, which needs to get across the no man’s land before it meets the opponent.
The chariot deters march-blockers and side-chargers. It may even cover the lousily armoured infantry from side shooting.
When finally you get into melee, the infantry unit provides SCR, the chariot provides ACR.
Chariots make a better support unit than most other units, because they are cheaper, because of the smaller frontage, and because they are more resistant to counter charges.
Our elite infantry competes with chariot for special slots.
But if the bulk of your army is made of corsairs or spearmen, then the chariot is an outstanding complement.
A spearmen unit provides a high SCR but the ACR is probably very low, and the opponent will be able to retaliate with most of his front rank surviving. Here, the chariot not only provides a well needed ACR but also, by killing foes which would be quite unaffected by the spearmen, a chariot prevents the loss of many spearmen and the loss of the corresponding ACR to the opponent. Spearmen don't generate kills, chariots do and they work beautifully together.
With corsairs, the chariot is less useful as a flanker, since the corsairs are better protected against shooting, and if side-charged, they don’t loose any shielding and will retaliate with twice as many attacks as spearmen.
In melee, the corsairs provide a little more ACR and less SCR than spearmen. The chariot helps not only to get more ACR but, more importantly than for spearmen, it prevents efficiently retaliation.
But the best comes from the combat result: if the enemy, loosing the combat by a large margin, flees, then the corsairs’ slavery rule slows the enemy, while the chariot gets 3D6 to catch them and destroy them.
Conclusion: Core infantry escorted by special-slot chariots are very inexpensive.
If you want to keep the costs low, then this is a way to go.
Excellent in small games, where you face less S7+ cannons and the likes, and where pts are scarce.
Anti ASF.
Do you hate those haughty HE and their ASF? Chariots are for you!
Impact hits happen before the ASF. Sure, it is random, but you can expect easily 3 less infantrymen to ASF you pre-emptively, and probably more. They will be replaced by fills from rear ranks, which will not be able to strike back (even ASF) but will be allowed to offer a target to all your own troops facing them.
Conclusion: chariots + core infantry perform very well versus ASF elite infantry.
Furthermore, the chariot takes some width and can reduce the exposure of your other units.
In case you faced a 7 wide elite unit (H) with your 5 wide unit (D), then you can arrange to have 2 opponents face only the chariot(C) (one diagonally) and its very sturdy armour. This will abide by the rule to maximize models in contact, as all his and your models will be in contact (one opponent and one of yours diagonally). This will be useful during the possible following turns of melee if you don’t break the opponent immediately. Of course, don’t expect to win the trophy for the fairest opponent with this trick.
_ HHHHHHH
DDDDDCC
Area denial.
Move your chariot the full 7” (yeah, impressive…), and pivot freely in order to face whichever direction is best, even if it is at 90° from the general move. The chariot will deter the opponent to put anything in a 90° x 14” area.
Next turn, you can pivot freely in the general direction of your movement, move 7”, and pivot again freely towards the no man’s land you wish to create.
The opponent will hesitate a lot before putting anything in the threatened area, save the sturdiest dragon or the most inexpensive baiter.
Goalkeeper.
Same as before, but done at home, if you play a magic-gunline.
In that case, you spend a lot on expensive sorceresses, and many more pts in core RXBmen and rare RBTs.
Special slots are available and you don’t have that many pts left.
Instead of taking an expensive and rare hydra as babysitter and renouncing some RBTs, or taking an expensive and vulnerable to shots BG unit, just take a couple of chariots, quite cheap and special. Not marching isn't a big deal since you intend to stay where you start. Just wait for your prey to come into range.
They will pose a difficult threat to the opponent who wants to get quickly in melee before you magic/shoot him down. And they are difficult to get rid of.
Only flyers don’t care much: they can easily position at more than 14” of your chariot and less than 20” of your shooters for a deadly charge next turn. Hence the need to take 2 chariots for that purpose, you cover much more space – and remember to position your chariots 6” forwards of your troops!
Juicy target.
Seems desperate, but sometimes it is useful. The idea is that at 100pts, chariots are expendable.
Sure, the chariot is vulnerable to a cannonball. So what?
Remember to present your flank to cannons, not your front nor your rear. They will have to guess the distance more accurately (25mm wide instead of 50mm long target).
In average, cannons inaccuracies require shooting two cannonballs to get rid of a chariot. This is two cannonballs less shot at your other units. Of course, if your other units include your general on manticore, then your chariots are not the most likely target!
Conclusion: you placed an expendable chariot in the open for a tempting S7 shot to draw attention away from that flank shot you just don't want to take. OK, this is expensive a “cannon dispel scroll”. But in the meantime, your whole army moved, did they?
Heavy cavalry Tar Pit.
Warning: This tactics is generally not advised.
The idea is to single-charge a unit not too large, but it can work also when the chariot is charged.
Taking advantage of the sturdiness of the chariot, you hope to receive little to no damage, especially since the small frontage of the chariot prevents some of the opponents to hit anything at all.
Therefore, you loose the combat because of the opponent’s static combat resolution only.
Loosing by not much, your high Ld will allow you sometimes to stand firm, pinning down the opponent’s unit where another of your unit can side-charge it.
If you loose, your chariot flees 3D6”, it chances to be caught are low.
Now, this is usually not a good tactics, because:
- you need too much luck against units with high S or high SCR;
- if you fail, your chariot will flee towards your own troops and may cause havoc with impact hits.
However, it can be used against heavy cavalry, which has little SCR, which will hit back only with 4 models, and which strength is reasonably low when not charging itself.
I’ve used myself once with success against Bretonnians. Really, chariots can be incredibly sturdy!
Single chariot charging frontally.
This is always a bad idea unless you can prove it was your opponent’s mistake (he moved while phoning to his girlfriend, he was drunk…).
Never, ever, use a single chariot to charge an unengaged unit (stupidity tests aside), unless it is a very small support unit that you’re sure to break AND you NEED to break that unit (for example, because it prevents you to double-march).
If a large unit happens to be in range, thanks to your brilliant manoeuvring, it will loose 5 models and survive, and in later turns, you’re bound to loose to SCR. You’ve lost more pts than him.
If a small unit did arrive in the charging area of your chariot, it is for a good reason. If you don’t know for which reason, your opponent knows.
Shooters hunter.
This an exception where charging frontally a unit is nice (thank you Hartsteen for bringing this out).
A chariot is great to hunt down any shooter unit except those warmachines with S7.
Be it bowmen, longbowelves, shortbowgobs, crossbowdruchii, rifledwarfs, warmachines, all of them are going to be destroyed by a single charge. The stand & shoot is easily survived by the surdy chariot, the impact takes its toll, charioteers and CO kill a few more and fear no retaliation, and the remaining few shooters become normally less than 4 and autobreak to this fear-causing unit.
However, the chariot is slow. As the shooters usually remain where they started the game, this is a job which will be fulfilled only in turn 3. The likely overrun (pursuit is mandatory because of hatred) will just allow one more charge in turn 5 or 6.
Combined chariots charging frontally.
Well, this is not something to do either. Why?
Compare it to a unit of 6 CoK with FC and magic banner, which can take on most infantry to the front for a little more than 200 points: you get roughly 6 ACR and 2 SCR, enough to overcome the opponent’s 5 SCR.
For the same pts albeit two special slots, two chariots will kill something like 10 R&F, winning by more and having US 8. Tempting! But if the opponent doesn’t break, the drawback is that in the following turns, they hardly kill anything anymore, contrary to the COK.
Also, 2 chariots means 30% chances that at least one of them will go stupid. This is not reliable enough. Especially since your opponent will be cautious not to leave in front of this formidable – but slow – threat anything worth the double-charge.
This is why CoK are better suited to be line breakers than COC. Better use COC as support units than main hitters.
The only exception is if you’ve got more chariots in reserve for a flank rescue charge in later turns, i.e. a chariot army.
Anyhow, not many players take up two of the scarce special slots for chariots.
Charging a unit inside a wood.
Normally, your chariot wants to avoid any kind of difficult terrain/obstacle. Your opponent will take advantage of it and hide inside woods. Wrong if he does!
If their unit is worth more than your chariot, charge!
- If they select to flee, you’ll just run 7” and won’t suffer any damage, while the opponent will have left his useful position, and worse, he will now be positioned on the opposite side of a difficult terrain, across which it will take him forever to come back and be useful.
- If they don’t choose to flee, then your chariot will suffer some damage but survive, and will deal his impact & normal hits.
The chariot is likely to win the melee.
- If the loosing charged unit does not flee, then both units are stuck and can’t do much till the end of the game: good for you as now both units can’t do anything and your unit was cheaper.
- If the charged unit flees, then your chariot is likely to catch it with 3D6 pursuit, and may even get out of the wood without taking any other damage (BRB p.63 top, the chariot won’t suffer any more terrain damage during this turn). This is the best you can expect.
Bait & flee.
Not the best unit for that, therefore your opponent may fall into your trap.
By “mistake”, you place the chariot in charge range of your opponent, and better, it presents a flank.
It’s tempting to charge it, in order to deny its impacts, especially since only the charioteers would be able to strike back.
So your opponent charges.
This is when you declare that you flee. You’ll catch your opponent by surprise. Just be careful not to flee across your own troops, they would be surprised, too…
As you flee 3D6, this is a pretty sure failed charge for your opponent, and you had readied a flank charge just for that mistake to happen…
OK, this is not for beginners; I just mentioned that possibility because I know it can be done, but I will not advise it.
What? Several chariots???
This thread is there to incite you to trigger these comments.
Personally, I own a chariot but I don’t often consider taking it.
Am I wrong? Let’s see.
Here below is a compilation of some nice reflections I’ve found about chariots in D.net – plus a couple of mine.
0. Summary:
The chariot is a great support unit for infantry.
A character on a chariot is no more a character; it is a chariot with an improvement.
In small games, core infantry is supported by a special chariot for a combined charge; both are inexpensive.
In large games, special stubborn infantry is supported by a character’s chariot for a following charge; both are expensive.
1. The chariot: a slow, stupid, sturdy support.
Let’s examine thoroughly the chariot’s characteristics.
Painfully slow.
Movement 7 is not that much. Many foreign chariots are quicker, especially HE’s.
But what makes the chariot really slow is:
- it cannot double-march;
- it needs to avoid difficult terrain, or it will receive 1D6 hits at S6;
- it gets stupid sometimes.
No double-march means that any infantry moves faster, even our RXB shooters. Only the RBT are slower. The COB moves nearly at the same speed. But these two units need not to reach the enemy, contrary to the chariot.
As a result, if you put a chariot on the starting line along with an infantry, the last one to reach the enemy is not unlikely to be the chariot, unless you can charge in turn2.
The damage expectation for getting into difficult terrain is the following:
between 1 and 6 hits, each has 2/3 chances of wounding, 5/6 wounds will be unsaved.
In average, there is a requirement for 7 such S6 hits to destroy the chariot’s 4 wounds.
So, in average, the chariot will loose half its wounds and will survive… once.
Conclusion: Terrain is bad. Avoid it. If ever you’re stuck in it and loose 2-3 wounds, consider remaining there and hope you don’t fail any stupidity suicide test. If you’re lucky and lost 1 wound, then ½ turn and get away.
At least, it is more manoeuvrable than most units: a small frontage, and may wheel at will.
Chariots, although slow on the march, become quite fast and very maneuverable when you get close: they are not march-blocked and wheel at will. This makes setting up a flank much easier with a chariot than with a large, regularly wheeling unit such as COK.
It is not slow when time comes to charge: not only it charges at 14”, but, like monsters, a chariot can pivot at any single point in the course of the charge, rather than at the beginning – plus a free wheel when hitting the opponent, like anyone. OK, this does not allow you to get illegal charges, i.e. you need to see the appropriate side of the unit.
And the chariot can become as fast as flyers, when it pursues with 3D6. This is to remember if you combo-charge with a unit of corsairs who have the slavery rule.
Stupid at worst times.
With Ld9, stupidity happens 1/6 of the tests.
So there is 1/6 chances that things will go unexpectedly and put you in trouble. Except when you’re already in a melee, i.e. already in trouble.
OK, that means less than once a game, considering that a chariot rarely survives 6 turns without ever starting the turn in a melee.
The chances decrease to 1/12 if there is a Dreadlord nearby.
So, instead of just moving or remaining still, the chariot may decide single-handedly to go straight at 3.5”.
Beware to never, ever leave any unit in front of your chariot. I did it once. I learned never to do it again.
And don’t point at any terrain closer than 7”. This is a self-inflicted but real restriction to the chariot’s mobility.
As it is fear-causing, you’d rejoice that the chariot doesn’t care if the target unit is fear-causing itself.
Alas! Stupidity still requires a Ld test so the advantage is cancelled.
The advantage of causing fear does not quite help to autobreak any foe, as it would require the opposing unit to become US3 or less, meaning probably that they have lost by a lot, so that would help only to finish up stubborn infantry.
Overall fear is not that great an asset.
Don’t worry too much about stupidity. Sure, it will happen. But even if it prevents sometimes an actual charge, there remain the potential charge that your opponent has to take into account during his own turn: the front 90° of a chariot is always a place to avoid.
Very sturdy, except when receiving S7.
That is one of the best advantages of a chariot, and it is often underestimated.
T5 is much better than most other DE units.
4 wounds are great, since the chariot looses none of his ability till the last wound.
3+ save is really great, one of the best we can get, and better than most foreign chariots.
As a result, our chariot is exceptionally resistant to an insane amount of small S hits, like most missiles.
Think about it: Bowmen shooting 50% accurately S3 arrows need to shoot 144 arrows in average…
Alas! There is the famous exception of S7 hits, a single of which suffices to destroy it at once.
Against foes that don't have S7 attacks in their army, it usually proves to be one of our single most durable units (after the Dragon and the War Hydra).
In melee, two factors help defensively the chariot.
As your chariot causes fear, it means anything trying to charge it may have to test and may fail. Not reliable but can be useful especially against low leadership armies.
Also, the small 50mm frontage of a chariot means that a 5-wide cavalry unit can’t hit it with the whole of its frontage.
A striker who hurts a lot.
On the impact, the bonus hit with the blades makes 1D6+1 autohits. This is slightly less random than the usual D6+0 that most foreign chariots get. We are more reliable.
Chariot impact are at S5 = very usual for a chariot.
4 attacks total, 2 for the CO, 2 for the charioteers. And these attacks have hatred, better than foreign chariots!
Also, the charioteers have a higher WS than most R&F, they guarantee a ton of kills.
S4 is good, and further improves when charging (cavalry lance = +1 = S5; see BRB p.56).
Many S5 wounds will go through most armours.
Inflicting D6+1 S5 autohits, 2 S5/WS5 hatred attacks, and 2 S4 hatred attacks on the charge will make nearly anyone take notice. Ouch. We have a very reliable killer… when the CO don’t get stupid.
The Strength and killing potential of the chariot outshines any other unit save the hydra.
OK, it is not enough to kill a dragon on the charge, but wiping out 5 elite infantrymen is nothing exceptional for our chariot.
An additional advantage is the small frontage, and the fact that the chariot is a single unit.
It means that the impressive strength of a chariot is concentrated on 50mm, and even on a single point if necessary: touching the target with a corner is enough.
It means also that you can put other units in your frontline, good for combi-charge: the chariot hits corner to corner, allowing nearly everyone in your infantry unit to get into contact.
(E = enemy infantry, 5 wide; CC= chariot; F = friendly infantry, 7 wide, 6 of them in contact).
__ EEEEE
CCFFFFFFF
Remember that impact hits are inflicted only to R&F as long as there are 5 R&F in the unit.
If there are less than 5 R&F in the target unit, then the impact hits are randomized.
Conclusion: character assassination is not possible!
A hindrance is that the two chariot’s cold ones can fight only in the front, not even on the side.
Also, remember that a fleeing chariot inflicts normal impact hits if it meets another unit, friend or foe. If it is a US5+, non-fleeing foe, the chariot is thereafter destroyed. This rule is more a curse than a blessing.
A cheap special slot.
At 100 pts, the chariot is really inexpensive for what it does; it could be sacrificed with no remorse, especially taking into account how difficult it is for the opponent to destroy it.
However, its major drawback is that it takes one of the very scarce special slots. This is the real drawback of the chariot.
It shoots, too.
Could pull a rank off a unit in the early game or get rid of a Fanatic.
The best use is to complement a unit of RXBmen, at the end of the shooting phase. Did you need one more kill in that unit in order to force a panic test? Chariot shoots 4 shots.
Too bad a stupid chariot can’t shoot, and too bad it can shoot only in its 90° LOS.
OK, it is just a side role and I won’t comment further on it. But don’t forget it, sometimes it’s useful!
Summary:
A chariot moves as slowly as infantry; takes little space; must avoid terrain.
=> it goes well along with infantry.
It resists a lot of light shooting although no cannonball; it deters the opponent to put anything in a 90° x 14” area, and this area can be oriented freely.
=> it needs no cover, and can cover itself and others. It makes a great flanker.
It provides an exceptional Active Combat Resolution and has no Static Combat Resolution on its own.
=> it is a great complement to mass infantry providing Static Combat Resolution.
Chariots are both wonderful and horrible - wonderful when they hit and horrible when touched by S7.
Conclusion:
the chariot is a specialized unit which is great combined with mass infantry.
Its main drawback, as a support unit, is to take a special slot.
2. Uses and misuses for a special-slot chariot.
Core Infantry support unit.
We have seen above that a chariot complements well a slow and massive infantry unit, which needs to get across the no man’s land before it meets the opponent.
The chariot deters march-blockers and side-chargers. It may even cover the lousily armoured infantry from side shooting.
When finally you get into melee, the infantry unit provides SCR, the chariot provides ACR.
Chariots make a better support unit than most other units, because they are cheaper, because of the smaller frontage, and because they are more resistant to counter charges.
Our elite infantry competes with chariot for special slots.
But if the bulk of your army is made of corsairs or spearmen, then the chariot is an outstanding complement.
A spearmen unit provides a high SCR but the ACR is probably very low, and the opponent will be able to retaliate with most of his front rank surviving. Here, the chariot not only provides a well needed ACR but also, by killing foes which would be quite unaffected by the spearmen, a chariot prevents the loss of many spearmen and the loss of the corresponding ACR to the opponent. Spearmen don't generate kills, chariots do and they work beautifully together.
With corsairs, the chariot is less useful as a flanker, since the corsairs are better protected against shooting, and if side-charged, they don’t loose any shielding and will retaliate with twice as many attacks as spearmen.
In melee, the corsairs provide a little more ACR and less SCR than spearmen. The chariot helps not only to get more ACR but, more importantly than for spearmen, it prevents efficiently retaliation.
But the best comes from the combat result: if the enemy, loosing the combat by a large margin, flees, then the corsairs’ slavery rule slows the enemy, while the chariot gets 3D6 to catch them and destroy them.
Conclusion: Core infantry escorted by special-slot chariots are very inexpensive.
If you want to keep the costs low, then this is a way to go.
Excellent in small games, where you face less S7+ cannons and the likes, and where pts are scarce.
Anti ASF.
Do you hate those haughty HE and their ASF? Chariots are for you!
Impact hits happen before the ASF. Sure, it is random, but you can expect easily 3 less infantrymen to ASF you pre-emptively, and probably more. They will be replaced by fills from rear ranks, which will not be able to strike back (even ASF) but will be allowed to offer a target to all your own troops facing them.
Conclusion: chariots + core infantry perform very well versus ASF elite infantry.
Furthermore, the chariot takes some width and can reduce the exposure of your other units.
In case you faced a 7 wide elite unit (H) with your 5 wide unit (D), then you can arrange to have 2 opponents face only the chariot(C) (one diagonally) and its very sturdy armour. This will abide by the rule to maximize models in contact, as all his and your models will be in contact (one opponent and one of yours diagonally). This will be useful during the possible following turns of melee if you don’t break the opponent immediately. Of course, don’t expect to win the trophy for the fairest opponent with this trick.
_ HHHHHHH
DDDDDCC
Area denial.
Move your chariot the full 7” (yeah, impressive…), and pivot freely in order to face whichever direction is best, even if it is at 90° from the general move. The chariot will deter the opponent to put anything in a 90° x 14” area.
Next turn, you can pivot freely in the general direction of your movement, move 7”, and pivot again freely towards the no man’s land you wish to create.
The opponent will hesitate a lot before putting anything in the threatened area, save the sturdiest dragon or the most inexpensive baiter.
Goalkeeper.
Same as before, but done at home, if you play a magic-gunline.
In that case, you spend a lot on expensive sorceresses, and many more pts in core RXBmen and rare RBTs.
Special slots are available and you don’t have that many pts left.
Instead of taking an expensive and rare hydra as babysitter and renouncing some RBTs, or taking an expensive and vulnerable to shots BG unit, just take a couple of chariots, quite cheap and special. Not marching isn't a big deal since you intend to stay where you start. Just wait for your prey to come into range.
They will pose a difficult threat to the opponent who wants to get quickly in melee before you magic/shoot him down. And they are difficult to get rid of.
Only flyers don’t care much: they can easily position at more than 14” of your chariot and less than 20” of your shooters for a deadly charge next turn. Hence the need to take 2 chariots for that purpose, you cover much more space – and remember to position your chariots 6” forwards of your troops!
Juicy target.
Seems desperate, but sometimes it is useful. The idea is that at 100pts, chariots are expendable.
Sure, the chariot is vulnerable to a cannonball. So what?
Remember to present your flank to cannons, not your front nor your rear. They will have to guess the distance more accurately (25mm wide instead of 50mm long target).
In average, cannons inaccuracies require shooting two cannonballs to get rid of a chariot. This is two cannonballs less shot at your other units. Of course, if your other units include your general on manticore, then your chariots are not the most likely target!
Conclusion: you placed an expendable chariot in the open for a tempting S7 shot to draw attention away from that flank shot you just don't want to take. OK, this is expensive a “cannon dispel scroll”. But in the meantime, your whole army moved, did they?
Heavy cavalry Tar Pit.
Warning: This tactics is generally not advised.
The idea is to single-charge a unit not too large, but it can work also when the chariot is charged.
Taking advantage of the sturdiness of the chariot, you hope to receive little to no damage, especially since the small frontage of the chariot prevents some of the opponents to hit anything at all.
Therefore, you loose the combat because of the opponent’s static combat resolution only.
Loosing by not much, your high Ld will allow you sometimes to stand firm, pinning down the opponent’s unit where another of your unit can side-charge it.
If you loose, your chariot flees 3D6”, it chances to be caught are low.
Now, this is usually not a good tactics, because:
- you need too much luck against units with high S or high SCR;
- if you fail, your chariot will flee towards your own troops and may cause havoc with impact hits.
However, it can be used against heavy cavalry, which has little SCR, which will hit back only with 4 models, and which strength is reasonably low when not charging itself.
I’ve used myself once with success against Bretonnians. Really, chariots can be incredibly sturdy!
Single chariot charging frontally.
This is always a bad idea unless you can prove it was your opponent’s mistake (he moved while phoning to his girlfriend, he was drunk…).
Never, ever, use a single chariot to charge an unengaged unit (stupidity tests aside), unless it is a very small support unit that you’re sure to break AND you NEED to break that unit (for example, because it prevents you to double-march).
If a large unit happens to be in range, thanks to your brilliant manoeuvring, it will loose 5 models and survive, and in later turns, you’re bound to loose to SCR. You’ve lost more pts than him.
If a small unit did arrive in the charging area of your chariot, it is for a good reason. If you don’t know for which reason, your opponent knows.
Shooters hunter.
This an exception where charging frontally a unit is nice (thank you Hartsteen for bringing this out).
A chariot is great to hunt down any shooter unit except those warmachines with S7.
Be it bowmen, longbowelves, shortbowgobs, crossbowdruchii, rifledwarfs, warmachines, all of them are going to be destroyed by a single charge. The stand & shoot is easily survived by the surdy chariot, the impact takes its toll, charioteers and CO kill a few more and fear no retaliation, and the remaining few shooters become normally less than 4 and autobreak to this fear-causing unit.
However, the chariot is slow. As the shooters usually remain where they started the game, this is a job which will be fulfilled only in turn 3. The likely overrun (pursuit is mandatory because of hatred) will just allow one more charge in turn 5 or 6.
Combined chariots charging frontally.
Well, this is not something to do either. Why?
Compare it to a unit of 6 CoK with FC and magic banner, which can take on most infantry to the front for a little more than 200 points: you get roughly 6 ACR and 2 SCR, enough to overcome the opponent’s 5 SCR.
For the same pts albeit two special slots, two chariots will kill something like 10 R&F, winning by more and having US 8. Tempting! But if the opponent doesn’t break, the drawback is that in the following turns, they hardly kill anything anymore, contrary to the COK.
Also, 2 chariots means 30% chances that at least one of them will go stupid. This is not reliable enough. Especially since your opponent will be cautious not to leave in front of this formidable – but slow – threat anything worth the double-charge.
This is why CoK are better suited to be line breakers than COC. Better use COC as support units than main hitters.
The only exception is if you’ve got more chariots in reserve for a flank rescue charge in later turns, i.e. a chariot army.
Anyhow, not many players take up two of the scarce special slots for chariots.
Charging a unit inside a wood.
Normally, your chariot wants to avoid any kind of difficult terrain/obstacle. Your opponent will take advantage of it and hide inside woods. Wrong if he does!
If their unit is worth more than your chariot, charge!
- If they select to flee, you’ll just run 7” and won’t suffer any damage, while the opponent will have left his useful position, and worse, he will now be positioned on the opposite side of a difficult terrain, across which it will take him forever to come back and be useful.
- If they don’t choose to flee, then your chariot will suffer some damage but survive, and will deal his impact & normal hits.
The chariot is likely to win the melee.
- If the loosing charged unit does not flee, then both units are stuck and can’t do much till the end of the game: good for you as now both units can’t do anything and your unit was cheaper.
- If the charged unit flees, then your chariot is likely to catch it with 3D6 pursuit, and may even get out of the wood without taking any other damage (BRB p.63 top, the chariot won’t suffer any more terrain damage during this turn). This is the best you can expect.
Bait & flee.
Not the best unit for that, therefore your opponent may fall into your trap.
By “mistake”, you place the chariot in charge range of your opponent, and better, it presents a flank.
It’s tempting to charge it, in order to deny its impacts, especially since only the charioteers would be able to strike back.
So your opponent charges.
This is when you declare that you flee. You’ll catch your opponent by surprise. Just be careful not to flee across your own troops, they would be surprised, too…
As you flee 3D6, this is a pretty sure failed charge for your opponent, and you had readied a flank charge just for that mistake to happen…
OK, this is not for beginners; I just mentioned that possibility because I know it can be done, but I will not advise it.