The Hook Book: Aggressive chaff strategies for Kings of War using models that look like sharks

Ashley here! To bring you a guest article written by Sean “Namor” Deitrick. Enjoy!

Local Superiority, to wit: “The Ocean is the Shark’s House” 

How many times have you heard about a human swimmer being killed by a shark in the ocean?  More than once, I reckon.  

How many times have you heard about a shark jogger being killed by a human in the city?  Surely never. 

This is because all sharks understand one fundamental principle of warfare, a principle perhaps best elucidated in the immortal words of marine scholar Veronica-Pooh Nash-Poleate: “The ocean is the shark’s house and the beach is the shark’s porch”.  Humans have a natural advantage on land and sharks have the advantage at sea.  As a result, when an equal number of sharks and humans encounter each other in the shark’s house, the sharks eat the humans (or bite and discard them) at their leisure.  This has alternatively been characterized in land monster military doctrine as the concept of “local superiority”.  In other words, as between two equal forces, the force which can create or exploit an unequal circumstance on at least part for the battlefield will gain an advantage which may be able to be subsequently leveraged across the entire battlefield.  That circumstance can be due to terrain, such as the shark’s porch discussed above, or it can be due to other battlefield circumstances, such as positioning.  See the diagram below:

Identical opposing forces.  All things being equal, the outcome will be decided by dice (boring).

Same, but one force enjoys significant local superiority (Jawsome!)

But You Said This Was Going to Be About Chaff…

Players design their own lists in Kings of War, so opposing forces are rarely identical.  Thus, potential local superiorities can be created in advance through army design.  Typical armies contain a variety of specialized units built around an overall strategy.  One well-known strategy of selection is a so-called “alpha strike” list, which uses a small number of fast-moving, hard-hitting “hammer” units to isolate enemy elements and engage in only overwhelmingly one-sided combats, destroying those elements one at a time without ever facing them all at once despite being outnumbered.

Knights, one version of an alpha unit, can use their high speed to create local superiority despite being outnumbered.

Another strategy of selection, which we will discuss today, is the pairing of cheaper expendable “chaff” units with more powerful “line” units.  Chaff is to the main-gauche as the line unit is to the rapier.  A group of units such as this, containing multiple units designed to be deployed together and to support each other, is frequently called a “battalion” formation in my local group.  This primer assumes that you, like me, are interested in using asymmetrical battalions such as these—that is, stronger line units paired with expendable chaff units—in order to create and exploit local marginal advantages. 

Also, this primer assumes that you are using Trident Realms because no good player would not be using Trident Realms.

Introductory Scenario 1

Consider the following scenario:

In this scenario, two forces of similar points value face off: two typical land monster regiments against a horde of depth horrors (sharks) and a regiment of tidal swarm (the bycatch).  All things being equal, and with strictly average die rolls, the following will happen:

Foot guard and fanatics double charge the tidal swarm, dealing 13 damage and routing them.

The depth horrors charge and do 10 damage, rolling a “7” and routing the Ne -/14 fanatics. They then pivot to accept a frontal charge from the foot guard.

The foot guard charge the depth horrors and do 4 damage, but the depth horrors hold. The depth horrors countercharge and deal 6 damage back, but the foot guard hold.

The foot guard countercharge and do 4 damage back (total 8), and roll a “7.”  The horrors hold. The horrors countercharge, deal 6 damage (total 12), roll a “7”, and rout the Ne 14/16 unit.

This of course requires perfectly average rolls and results in the depth horrors winning by a narrow margin—they could have easily broken at 8 damage, especially if not inspired—and an experienced game shark would discourage you from relying on strict averages rather than standard deviations.  However, the scenario still illustrates how the horrors can change the way a potentially bad scenario unfolds by using chaff even if they move second (despite having a longer charge range than the land monsters). 

Introductory Scenario 2

Unimpressed?  Compare the small margins earned in Scenario 1 to the following scenario, where the depth horrors get the first charge:

Scenario 2 begins with the same setup.

The depth horrors charge the fanatics and rout them, while the tidal swarm charges the foot guard and deals 1 damage.  The horrors turn to face the foot guard.

The foot guard counter-charge the tidal swarm and deal 5 damage, barely routing them on a roll of “7” against Ne -/12.  The guard then pivot to keep the horrors in front.

The horrors charge the foot guard and deal 6 damage (total 7).  On an average roll, this wavers the foot guard.  Assuming the guard have Indomitable Will, they swing back for 4.  Horrors hold.

The horrors deal 6 damage on the next turn (total 13) and decisively rout the Ne 14/16 guard.

While the sacrificial swarm only blunted the enemy attack in Scenario 1 just enough for the horrors to eke out a marginal victory, aggressive use of the chaff in  Scenario 2 carried the depth horrors to a solid advantage.  In other words, the careful use of asymmetric battalions can be used to both to reduce the disadvantage in bad situations and to increase the advantage in good situations.  Think of it this way: in both scenarios, the depth horrors (the sharks) used the tidal swarm (the bycatch) as chaff to keep the land monsters “on the beach” where the sharks have a better chance of winning—or at least a smaller chance of losing!

Formation: The Breaker

Chaff moves directly in front of the line unit to protect it and blunt enemy attacks.

The Breaker.

• Use against faster hammers without chaff.
  • This keeps the faster enemy from striking first.
  • If the chaff is too far forward or too narrow, a nimble hammer may be able to charge the line unit anyway.
  • Countered if enemy also has chaff, especially if superior. 
• Use to protect your line unit from heavy shooting.
  • If enemies shoot your line unit, they suffer a penalty and you may be able to set up a Ram (see below).  If they shoot the chaff, the line unit is safe.
  • Leaving the line unit on a hill while moving chaff off will not provide cover.
  • Some shooters may suffer no penalty (Cannon, Drain Life, Mindscreech).
  • Some shooters may be able to position to avoid the cover penalty (boomstick).

Variant A: The Staggered Breaker.

• Use when you have “thuulishly” chosen waverable chaff.  
  • Place the chaff so it can be pivoted 90 degrees if needed to avoid jamming the depth horrors.
• Use when your chaff unit is the same height or taller than the line unit.
  • Place the chaff to avoid blocking your line unit’s forward line of sight.

Variant B: The Half-Breaker.

• Use to prevent being double-charged by alpha hammers.
  • Use when your chaff:line unit ratio is low
  • Only prevents double charges against the line units.
  • Covering the leaderpoint of one line unit with the chaff may set up a flank charge.

Under certain circumstances, the Half-Breaker can help set up an unexpected flank charge.

Formation: The Ram

Chaff charges a superior enemy unit to limit its options.

The Ram.

• Use to restrict enemy unit the following turn.
  • Enemy’s forward movement will be limited to 1d6” regroup move.
  • Enemy will not be able to join or support other combats.
  • Will not work against some nimble units taller than the chaff.
• Use to disrupt flying or shooting enemy unit.
  • Prevents enemy from shooting.
  • Prevents enemy from flying (or using nimble, if flying).
  • Requires chaff to deal 1+ damage.
  • This can be accomplished with an individual acting as chaff.

Variant: The Ink-Cloud.

• Use when enemy is blocked by their own chaff and you don’t need to engage.
  • Usually only happens when enemy chaff deals little damage and is same height as the line unit, or if the enemy chaff is wavered.
  • Prevents the line unit from acting for one turn and slows the pace of the game.
  • The point is not to kill the enemy chaff!

Formation: The Hook

Chaff jams the corner of an enemy unit, presenting only a problematic flank. 

The Hook.

• Use to pull a unit “out of line” when regroup moves are all bad 
  • Enemy cannot ignore chaff and move forward.
  • Especially useful against wide hordes.
  • If enemy charges chaff, they are forced to charge it in the flank and pull “out of line”
  • May be countered by charging chaff with other supporting units, but horde’s movement is still disrupted for a turn.

Variant: The Anglerfish.

• Use against outflanking units with no chaff.
  • Place the chaff in the horde’s corner at a distance so that if it charges, it will have to move away from the battle; but if it ignores the chaff, the chaff will get a flank or rear charge.
  • Especially useful against wide hordes.
  • More effective in terrain, where the outflanking unit’s movement toward the battle will be further hampered.
  • Requires significant open space.

Formation: The Crab-Walk

Chaff and line unit double-charge and remove enemy chaff, then use regroup moves to make it difficult for the enemy to retaliate.

The Crab-Walk

• Use against enemy battalions with chaff in the Breaker Formation.
  • Double-charge the enemy chaff.  
  • After breaking it, your chaff moves forward 1d6” and your line unit moves back 1d3”.
  • Depending on the position of the units and the distance rolled, your battalion may end up in a Breaker or Hook Formation.
  • Effective counter for enemy formations relying on superior chaff.

A Note on “The Fin”

“The fin cometh before the shark.”  -Eckter 16:18

If your chaff has Scouting, it can be advantageous to it ahead of the line unit it supports.  The so-called “fin” formation allows you to use some techniques a turn earlier than otherwise. 

The Fin.

• The best use of Chaff at the tip of the Fin is in a Breaker Formation against shooting, because you will be able to disrupt the shooting faster if the chaff survives.
• Chaff at the tip of a Breaker Formation against melee enemies should stay a little less than 9” ahead of depth horrors, so that the horrors can charge any units that attack in even if they regroup 3” to the rear.
• Chaff at the tip of a Breaker Formation may leave line units vulnerable to nimble individuals, who may be able to charge around the chaff and ram the horrors.
• Chaff at the tip of a Ram, Hook, or Anglerfish Formation may be wasted if your line units are not positioned to capitalize on the subtle advantages they trade for.

A Note on “Harpoons”

Also dubbed “Missiles” by some so-called land monster “tacticians”, individuals with a high Sp can be powerful and flexible support units with the ability to double as chaff.  This is because, first, individuals all have the Nimble rule.  Second, the “Yeilding” rule only allows enemy units to move through your individuals when the moving unit is not disrupted.  As a result, one of these “Harpoons” can ram enemy units just as effectively as any other unit as long as they can reliably do 1+ damage on the charge.  Trident realms have no mounted heroes, so the most common choice is the flying Mythican, A.K.A. the “Flythican.”  This author prefers the much maligned flying Naiad Centurion, A.K.A. Namor, because his higher De, Ne, and Regen 4+ creates a potentially unkillable flying tarpit.

A Note on “Thicc Chaff”

Some players use so-called “thick chaff,” which occupies a chaff role but is capable of dealing more damage or taking more punishment than chaff which is merely meant to be expendable.  Thicc chaff shines in chaff v. chaff encounters.  It is also resistant to formations such as the Ink Cloud because the “thicc chaff” can do significant damage in its own right, even if the unit behind it is kept out of combat.  It is also able to better exploit flank charge opportunities.

A Note on Pathfinder

Pathfinder is a highly valued skill in Kings of War.  It is especially prized for hammer units, which want to avoid being hindered to preserve damage output at all costs.  Understandably, chaff rarely makes the cut when a player is deciding where to allocate the precious Potion of the Caterpillar.  One result of this tendency is that hammer units in terrain often operate without chaff.  Choosing chaff units with native pathfinder can really turn the tables on big units in terrain.  With that in mind, the otherwise less-popular riverguard treeleapers may be a suitable chaff option for the wooded parts of the board.