Using Cannons Effectively in Warmaster -------------------------------------- A long ramble by Lothaire. Cannons are one of the most powerful units in Warmaster, gleefully employed by Empire and Dwarf armies alike. Unfortunately, they're often a victim of early-game flier attacks and do not get to be used to their full potential. This is my two cents on how to use (and protect) your cannons effectively. Note: I'll be referring to Empire cannons and units most often (as this is what I play), but these principles should apply equally well to dwarven cannons and units as well. Deployment: ----------- Cannons are most often deployed with other artillery (especially those giving stand-and-shoot (S&S) attacks) and/or with supporting infantry (again, often missile units). The point is to make the enemy general unwilling to commit a unit to attack them as it'll be likely that the charging unit will get mauled by S&S and will have no effective follow-up combat. Standard formations include: Cannon Missile Line: [crossbowman][cannon][cannon][crossbowman] This formation gives 10 S&S attacks as well as at least 8 attacks the first round of combat (depending on the basing of the attacker). The problem with using infantry in this fashion is that they are often unable to be used for any other purpose for the rest of the game. Cannon Missile Line (enhanced): [pistolier][cannon][pistolier][cannon] This formation gives 10 S&S attacks as well as at least 11 attacks the first round of combat (depending on the basing of the attacker). This formation also separates the cannons, so both units cannot be taken out by a single unit's attack. It's expensive to use pistoliers for this function, but later in the game (once the flier threat is relieved) the pistoliers can be quickly called up to the front for other purposes. Artillery Support [helblaster][cannon][cannon][helblaster] A unit charging this formation will suffer at least 14 (!) S&S shots, possibly 20 if it has infantry basing. That could potentially destroy a charging unit outright, with no chance to engage in combat. Even if a unit survives the S&S it will be so badly mauled that it is virtually guarenteed to do little damage and to lose combat. I have to admit, I don't personally use this formation much, as my helblasters have a habit of blowing themselves up at the slightest provocation. Flame cannons would work very well in this role, however. Canons Alone [cannon][cannon] There's nothing wrong with this formation - in fact, it can be the easiest way to deploy your cannons. Just be sure to screen and support your cannons with other units. Initial Setup (vs Armies with Fliers): -------------------------------------- The fliers are your main enemy in the early game. A first turn sacrificial charge by Elven eagles has put paid to many of my Cannon units. Since you don't know whether you'll get to move first or not, ensure your cannons are completely out of LOS of enemy units. Don't forget that fliers can Home Back - clever generals will place their fliers outside 20cm from their characters at the start of the game, so that they can immediately change position and attack from an unexpected/unplanned direction. This means your cannons will probably have to be behind a large infantry brigade or piece of terrain. The point of this is simply to keep them alive long enough to be used. Initial Setup (vs Armies without Fliers): ----------------------------------------- In this case there's no problem - put your cannons up by the front lines. Your cannons will almost always out-range an opponent's artillery, so they're relatively safe. Make sure, however, that there is always another unit right next to and forward of the cannons (an infantry brigade, etc). Having the unit in front ensures that enemy artillery and missile fire will be drawn away from the cannons (to the closer unit), and having it right next to the cannons makes it much more difficult for the enemy to 'narrow' his missile unit's field of view to include just the cannons. Hills ----- As with any artillery, hills are your cannon's best friend. If you can possibly arrange it, get your cannons on a hill, with a unit or two of infantry on the lower ground in front, screening your cannons from enemy LOS. Your cannons will be able to fire over your lower infantry units, but enemy units (including fliers) will not be able to charge as they won't have LOS. Very nice, very effective. Picking Your Targets: --------------------- Targeting your cannons well is critical. Classic targets are heavily armoured/monster units, large blocks of infantry, other artillery, and 'targets of opportunity'. The key to targetting is a) to see where the enemy's strength lies (so you can attempt to minimize that strength), and b) moving your units around so that the target is the closest visible enemy unit. For example, if the enemy has a large brigade of heavy cavalry on his flank as his main punch, make it your cannon's chief target. Maneuver your cannons behind your main battle line, keeping your fire lane clear on the flank the enemy cavalry will be charging. Move your other units and brigades around to screen your cannons from enemy missile fire and to clear the cannon's fire lane. Since movement is not guarenteed to succeed, try to ensure that your cannons have a valid target at all times. Even if it's not the one you'd like to shoot at, at least it's something and it's better than your cannons sitting on its hands for a turn. Heavily Armoured/Monster: This category includes enemy knights, heavy infantry (chaos warriors), and monsters (giants, dragon ogres). The objective here is not to destroy the unit, it is to do damage (possibly take a stand), disrupt the brigade, and hopefully confuse the targetted unit. These are generally the pricey power units of the enemy army - you want to keep them away from your army and out of combat as long as possible. Infantry Blocks: The more infantry in these blocks, the better. The objective here is to disrupt the brigade and make it difficult for the enemy to bring this large number of units to bear all at once. A block with four units of infantry in line formation will allow the cannons to hit all of the units (see Assessing the Damage below) causing 4 attacks for the front unit and 2 per unit for the rest for each cannon unit. With the amount of driveback dice and confusion tests (for making way) the enemy brigade will need to make, it's likely that at least one unit will be confused. Other Artillery: While you're out shooting his units, the enemy's going to be doing it to yours. If you get an opportunity to target his artillity, do it! At the very least you'll drive it back and possibly confuse it (making it less useful and more vulnerable next turn). At the best, you'll destroy the fragile unit out-right. 'Targets of Opportunity' There are times during a game when enemy units will be exposed of extremely vulnerable to cannon fire. Making good use of these can be very devastating. For example, a couple of games ago my High Elf opponent was working his infantry through a ruined city in the center of the table. His front unit of spearmen was setup on an angled line between two buildings. With a single command, I was able to line up my cannons so that I would shoot down that line, the 8 attacks causing 5 wounds. Because of the positioning, I was guarenteed to confuse him (as any driveback would push him into a building), but I lucked out and rolled 21 for drive back, destroying the unit completely! Assessing the Damage -------------------- The most important this about using cannons is making sure you get full credit for the havok they cause. A single cannon stand gets two attacks at the first unit it hits. It then gets 1 attack for each stand it hits up to 5cm from the back of the first stand. There's no armour save, so what you roll for hits is what he takes for wounds! The easiest and least-contentious way to see which stands will be shot through is to take a measuring stick/tape and lay it on the cannon ball's flight path. It's easy to see, and most players won't argue with the number of attacks that result. Example - Block of Enemy Infantry in Line: This is any brigade in the following formation: [AA][AA][AA] [BB][BB][BB] [CC][CC][CC] [DD][DD][DD] An attack by a single cannon unit (two stands) from the front (hitting A first) would cause: 2+2 = 4 attacks to A 1+1 = 2 attacks to B 1+1 = 2 attacks to C 1+1 = 2 attacks to D Many people don't realize that D would be hit. However, since each stand is 2cm thick, it only takes 4cm to go through units B and C, leaving the full 1cm of the 5cm blow-through to cause damage to D. Example - Block of Enemy Infantry in Column: This is any brigade in the following formation: [AA][AA][AA] [BB][CC][DD] [BB][CC][DD] [BB][CC][DD] An attack by a single cannon unit (two stands) from the front (hitting A first and blowing through into B) would cause: 2+2 = 4 attacks to A (1+1)+(1+1)+(1+1) = 6 attacks to B This attack is less likely to disrupt the brigade (as C and D are not hit at all), but it will do considerable damage to B. Example - Cavalry from the Front: Since this attack will only pass through one stand of the unit (assuming there's nothing behind it), it'll only do 2+2 = 4 attacks to the cavalry. This is more effective for drive backs and confusion than for actually doing any damage. Example - Cavalry from the Side: This is much nicer... (2+2)+(1+1)+(1+1) = 8 attacks. Nasty way to take down those enemy knight units. Summary & Comments ------------------ The whole goal behind using cannons in Warmaster is keeping them alive long enough to cause mass confusion and drive backs to the enemy's strongest and most vulnerable units. This is done by protecting the cannons in the early game, carefully picking targets and moving your units to allow your cannons to fire on that target. While it can sound complex, once you've played with it a little it becomes second nature. There's nothing like blocking your cannon's LOS to an enemy's most powerful unit to teach you a lesson! Good luck! --- That's it! I hope you can find some helpful hints in here. It's kind of funny, actually - writing this down really brought to my attention all the things I might not be paying as much attention to as I should. Hmmm... I'll have to work on this next game! If you have any questions of comments, please feel free: Lothaire@home.com. Lothaire.