Historical Tactics

[L1qw1d]

WE’ve recently talked a lot about noobs getting assistance, and I noticed something lacking in general from the D.R.A.I.C.H.: Basic tactics.
I know we have a lot to be said about playstyle, and I know we all have to kinda get ‘jumped in’ to learn the true pros and cons of how things ACTUALLY work, but history HAS put up tactics for people to study. It’s up to us to adapt them to our strengths and weaknesses as Elves and as Players (don’t hate the players, hate the game. Then hate the players, because we’re Dark Elves, and we hate EVERYONE). Napoleon however noted something interesting: 'Peruse again and again the campaigns of Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, Gustavus Adolphus, Turenne, Eugene and Frederick,' urged Napoleon. 'Model yourself upon them. This is the only means of becoming a great captain, and of acquiring the secret of the art of war. Your own genius will be enlightened and improved by this study, and you will learn to reject all maxims foreign to the principles of these great commanders.'
I thought it might be interesting to peruse these in a general forum, since I haven’t seen anything…at least nothing recent, or in 8th


1. SURPRISE ATTACK: TEUTOBURG FOREST, 9AD
This involves distracting the enemy with secondary forces while using the main force to strategically envelop the enemy in rear and flank.

This maneuver seeks to force the enemy to react and give battle on unfavourable terms for fear of being cut off from supplies or communications. This maneuver is usually attempted if an aggressive mobile force is available or if enemy supply and communication lines are vulnerable.
Advantages of this maneuver include the total victory if the enemy loses a battle while cut off from his base and the prospect of alternative objectives once in the enemy’s rear and flank.
The disadvantages of this maneuver are few because the maneuver has so much diversity although mobility and timing are vital to its success.


2. ENVELOPMENT: OPERATION URANUS, 1942
You can break this into either a SINGLE Flank, which involves pinning attacks on the opposing center, sometimes a flank as well, while using mobile forces to try and turn the other flank and roll up the line towards the center.

This maneuver is one of the most frequently used.
Advantages include the possibility of enveloping a portion of the opposing army and usually offer less risk of disaster than other maneuvers.
However, disadvantages still include the risk of a counterstroke against one’s weakened center and other flank. Or a DOUBLE Flank which involves pinning attacks on the opposing center while attacking both flanks in order to encircle the entire opposing army. This maneuver is usually attempted – and should only be attempted – if one has a superior force or exceptional tactical skill.
The obvious advantage of this maneuver is complete annihilation of the opposing force while the disadvantage is the danger of a counterstroke against strung out forces if the encirclement is not strong enough.


3. COMMITTING THE RESERVE: AUSTERLITZ, 1805


4. SHOCK ACTION: ARSUF, 1191


5. CONCENTRATION: JAGDGESCHWADER FORMATION, 1917
This maneuver involves concentrating superior force at the center of the opposing line in order to punch a hole and then to exploit the gap with a reserve force.

This maneuver is usually attempted if flanks are protected by obstacles such as rivers.
Advantages of this maneuver include the possibility of encircling parts of the opposing army, assaulting rear bases/supplies and the presence of alternative objectives to keep the opposing commander guessing.
Disadvantages include the threat of being encircled by a calm commander who counters against weakened flanks and the prospect of a high casualty figure if the opposing commander makes good use of exterior lines to transfer forces to contain the attack.


6. OFF-BALANCING & PINNING: TRAFALGAR, 1805
I believe this is also called an Oblique Order? This maneuver involves steadily massing strength against an opposing flank while using secondary forces to distract and lure away opposing reserves.

This maneuver is a good choice if the opposing force is superior.
The advantage of this maneuver is the ability to concentrate force at the enemy’s weakest point while denying one’s own weakest point to attack.
The disadvantage of this maneuver is that the imbalance of force can be disastrous if the enemy is in fact able to strike said weakest point.


7. STRATEGIC OFFENCE & TACTICAL DEFENCE: PANIPAT, 1526
This maneuver involves luring the enemy to vainly attack a strong, well-chosen defensive position before counterattacking against the exhausted force.

Expectedly, this maneuver is used if such an impenetrable defensive position is available or if a direct offensive is not viable.
The advantages of this maneuver include the economic use of resources in the defensive mode and that the switch from defense to offense can produce a decisive result.
One disadvantage is that the maneuver may become too passive and either be attacked from an unexpected direction or an attack may never come. Another disadvantage is that submitting to encirclement, which is sometimes required, may lead to total annihilation of one’s force.


8. DECEPTION: Q-SHIPS, 1915
This maneuver involves staging a retreat in order to induce the enemy to abandon its position and plunge ahead in an attack before turning to surprise the enemy with an ambush.

This maneuver is useful if the enemy holds an exceptional defensive position that it must relinquish in order to be defeated.
The advantage of this maneuver is the psychological impact the enemy has when being fiercely assaulted while advancing or attacking.
The serious disadvantage is that a staged retreat can easily become a real one if morale and discipline are not at a high standard.


9. INTELLIGENCE: MATAPAN, 1941


10. GUERRILLA WARFARE: CHINA, 1934-49
This maneuver involves using superior political will to eventually defeat a superior force.

This maneuver has recently become more popular because of the lack of parity between modern armies’ firepower and more effective because of the power information exerts on people and their governments. This maneuver will be thoroughly analyzed at a future date and a reading list for studying insurgency/guerrilla/fourth-generation warfare will become available.


So I was wondering- how could we, as the mighty druchii, exploit these and expand our database of death?
How would a more experienced gamer break these down for someone just starting (pics accepted! Lol)

[Calisson]

Thanks for the initiative.
There are probably some lessons to learn from RL. Even if the limits of a wargame do not allow any transposition (which is already very hard to do from RL to RL), it might trigger some creative ideas.
What one should not try is to transfer directly historical situations to WH where it is not likely to fit.


FOG OF WAR.
In RL, what matters a lot is what Clausewitz called the "fog of war".
RL generals face permanently a lot of uncertainty.
That's a very significant difference with WH.
However, WH leaves some "fog of war":
- the army list. Even if your opponent knows you'll bring some DE, he might still not be prepared to your unusual choice: deathstar, all-mobile, shooting-heavy, lack of magic, assassins, ...
- deployment: many small units allow you to place last your most significant units, when the opponent has revealded his battle plan.
- magic objects: they are not revealed until they are used. Same can be said for assassins.
- the last thing that can be left "foggy" is your own brain. As long as you maintain throughout the battle many options opened, the opponent can not guess which one you will take. That means multiple threats on each enemy, choice between multiple useful spells to cast... That means also random results like KB or some snipe spells that threaten to change the outcome of the battle.



Another overriding principle of RL war is the concentration of fire.
Better shoot hard at 1/2 of the enemy and destroy it, rather than shoot at all the enemies and leave them all able to retaliate.



You will find out that these two principles alone were used in many of the examples you provided.

[Miasma]

This is something that indeed is very interesting and something that I, myself do attempt to include within my games.

Oblique Order (Off-Balancing) is something that I like to do with fast armies (Bretonnians and potentially Dark Elves), I also like to refer to this as a slanted battle line.

The standard tactic is to deploy of the lower movement (and Stubborn) foot troops on one flank and over load everything else on the other, the opponent now has the choice to either attempt to engage the slow troops which gives me the time to re deploy the fast troops via marching I have not attempted this with my Dark Elves yet but below is how I like to deploy my Bretonnians



Obviously Chaos goes first since I'll be praying, so he has a choice he can either move to face my fast flank of cavalry in which case I can move my fast troops out of the way and set up a slanted battle line



Or if he moves to attempt to engage my infantry and artillery I can move my fast troops around to threaten his flanks as well as setting up speed bumps



Obviously this tactic works extremely well as Bretonnians thanks to the High Movement of the Knights especially against slower (M4) opponents, also it is beneficial since I am effectively forcing my opponent to re act to my movement and considering I'm going second this is a great bonus.

Dark Elves can make a great use of this tactic if they go heavy with Cavalry and they also have the ranged damage from shooting and magic to be able to force the opponent to close the range quickly

[Tyrannus deathbringer]

Nice discussion, gentlemen

I especially like Miasma's last post with the breakdown of the Oblique Order tactic.

I could see that working really well with Dark Elves; a big block of spears or Execs doubling for the Men at Arms, X-bows and Sorceresses or Reapers for the trebuchets; and with the fast troops being CoKs, Hydras, Dark Riders, Chariots, Harpies, Peg Masters, etc etc.

Will have to try it out

[L1qw1d]

I'll be honest, I've always had the wierd stuff happen where pushing up the middle in one concerted effort just... doesn't work. After reviewing some of the actual things that have occurred, I've found it has a root in the pinning I've been using not being as effective as I'd liked. I adapted each time, but this shows me that if I refine certain things, my point ratio may actually increase (and maybe I'll move out of Draw country, for it is a LARGE country with me lol).

I'm looking for a programme to put up pics to show things because it is a PAIN to say 'okie when you have the formation for running up the middle, you have 2 main groups, flanked by a group on each side. The FIRST main group is to punch hard, and the SECOND main group is to insert and take advantage of the damage caused by the first while those units on the flank are made to PIN until you can take them. ' and then say 'well what would you put in the first group?' for those that would want to learn some of them