Post by FvonSigmaringen on Jun 3, 2020 22:36:40 GMT
Somebody over at warhammer-empire.com was looking for the TVI tactica. Unfortunately, our WarRoom, where it was originally posted, has been defunct for years, and there does not seem to be an English version available elsewhere on the internet. Bu chance, I found a Spanish (authorised) translation, and, for better or worse, decided to translate it back into English, in the hope that it may still be of use to someone.
It is important to note that
1. this applies to the 7th edition BRB and AB
2. it is a translation of a translation. Therefore, it is not a verbatim copy of the original text, but I do believe that the original ideas have been faithfully rendered.
TVI TACTICA
Tim Walker aka “The Village Idiot” aka “TVI” was the winner of the Charlotte Grand Tourney in 2003. His playing style is unique in that he focuses on one of the strengths of the Empire: the Detachment rules.
"I think the number one strength of the Empire's army is the Detachment rule. This rule opens up tactical possibilities that other armies can only dream of. Unit by unit, if we engage an enemy infantry regiment with our Detachments intact, we are entering combat with a +5 resolution for ranks, flank, and outnumbering.” - TVI
The Battalion Concept
Many people wonder what a TVI list or an Empire battalion is like. It is a balanced way of playing with Empire. An Empire battalion consists of several elements.
Main units
“So, I set about designing my army: three large units of 30 Swordsmen, deployed 6 wide by 5 deep, make up the backbone. Each Swordsmen unit has 1 or 2 Detachments of Free Companies, 12 men strong deployed 6 wide by 2 deep”. - TVI
The main units can be any of the types of Empire infantry, but they usually consist of Swordsmen, Spearmen and Halberdiers. The most important thing for the main units is that they have to be large. A 25 or 30 man infantry unit is ideal as a main unit. This allows the unit to lose a significant number of models, before losing its valuable rank bonus. At the time of the "5 models wide" rule, the closer you get to unit strength 30 the better, especially since the Empire's troops have become cheaper.
As many people will already know, the best core unit for the Empire are Swordsmen. Spearmen are the next best unit, and Halberdiers are the worst by far. Spearmen and Halberdiers can be deployed with or without shields, but whenever you are facing a certain amount of missile units, they will be useful. It also means the Regiment can use hand weapon and shield, which is sometimes necessary, depending on the type of enemy we are facing.
Detachments
There are many options regarding Detachment size and type. There are several types of Detachments: combat Detachments, "speed bumps," and shooting Detachments.
The most traditional type of combat Detachment for TVI-style lists is the Detachment of 10 Fighters [Free Company]. Other people rely heavily on Swordsmen or Halberdiers for their Detachments, but, on a personal basis, I don't like them too much. Even Spearmen can function as a Detachment.
Shooting Detachments are also common. Small Archer units work well with a battalion-based list, protecting the most valuable main units and combat Detachments. Archer Detachments can also be used to march-block the enemy, providing you more time to manoeuvre.
Detachments of Crossbowmen and Handgunners are often found in an Empire battalion. The golden rule is to deploy them in such a way that no weak points are created in a line that would otherwise be strong. Since the TVI concept requires mobility for it to work, static shooting lines are not recommended. That means you need either to deploy your shooting Detachments on a nearby hill, put them in a single row and use them as additional Detachments for combat, or deploy them behind the main battle line to fire at enemy units that break through the line.
"Speed bump" Detachments are of minimum size, and minimum cost. These units are normally used to divert enemy units. Another use is to make them flee from enemy charges, forcing the opponent to move in such a way that Empire units can take advantage of his new position.
In the battalion concept, "speed bumbs" are often used to force an enemy unit to charge the main unit of your choice. The "speed bump" breaks and the enemy unit charges towards the chosen main unit. This will allow you to charge with a Detachment or a small unit of Knights. Then you can finish them off the next turn. This is a key characteristic of the TVI game style. Caution should be exercised in using a Detachment in this manner. In the rules of the 7th Warhammer edition, units that pursue into a fresh enemy can immediately fight again, if the “speed bump” has been destroyed.
Light Cavalry
“Each infantry unit and its Detachment has an designated 6 strong cavalry unit. Two units consist of Knightly Orders and one unit of White Wolves. These units consist of bare Knights, no Inner Circle, no champion, nor standard, only a musician to maintain order”. - TVI
“The function of the cavalry is to support the infantry; they will sacrifice themselves in order to keep enemy units away from potential flank charges against your troops (unless your unit is stubborn). They will not pursue enemy units, unless the infantry is completely safe from enemy activity. The knights will allow the infantry to fight, while they themselves will move to the proper position to charge the flank or rear of the unit held up by the infantry. They will sit tight and protect an exposed flank, before going after small objectives”. - TVI
"Light Cavalry" are generally just normal cavalry units with a musician and nothing else. They are one of the keys to making the battalion concept work. The idea of using Knights as a defensive or a counter-offensive force is new to most players. Redirection is the fundamental function of Light Cavalry. Many times an Empire unit will not be able to withstand the charge of Heavy Cavalry. In this case, the Knights move forward at an angle to divert the enemy unit away from the main unit. Again, you need be careful, because of the new rules. Some of these charges you will have to hold, to prevent the enemy from redirecting the charge.
One of the best uses of Light Cavalry is as a counter-offensive force. Part of the battalion concept is to allow your main units to be charged. Once the enemy is engaged in combat, the Light Cavalry charges into that combat to break the enemy, and then use their higher movement characteristic to catch the enemy.
Light Cavalry are an excellent reserve force. The threat from the knights is enough to make the opponent rethink a few things. An intact unit of Light Cavalry can make all the difference, when the game is about to end. Catching fleeing units, charging depleted units, guarding the flank of a main unit moving to a decisive encounter ... all these are functions of the Knights. You will rarely want to advance boldly with Light Cavalry. They will rarely break an enemy unit on the charge. However, they can easily destroy or hold up support units. Remember that the idea is to preserve your main units as long as possible. Some circumstances may force the Knights to press forward: to kill wizards, destroy light missile units, march-block or divert important enemy units away from your lines allowing your advance.
The TVI Philosophy
Elements of manoeuvre
1. “The army must have an infantry line of at least 6 manoeuvrable elements, that, when deployed, extends from one end of the battlefield to the other. This provides flank security, as there is no flank to position yourself on." - TVI
Having a solid line of infantry, cavalry and artillery, you will not have to worry about whether they will outflank you. Also the enemy has no choice but to expose himself to direct cannon fire, if he tries to breach your line at a single point. Since there are so many manoeuvrable elements (Detachments, small cavalry units, as well as main units), it is difficult for an enemy to focus only on one section of the line.
Some of the new rules have made this even easier. Empire armies commanded by an Arch-Lector can have up to three units of Flagellants. As part of the battalion concept, these units resist charges, keeping the enemy engaged, until the cavalry can flank him, and run him over. Sometimes I call this concept "descaling", because the enemies are being scaled off an Empire unit. Greatswords are no longer limited in number as special units. A battle standard bearer with the Banner of Sigismund is yet another unit that can easily withstand a charge. The reduction in points of the Empire troops, along with the "five wide rule" makes it even easier to occupy the battlefield from end to end.
2. “Every unit that is not part of the main line of infantry must support it; in other words, it must be designed to help the infantry, not to prowl around eliminating targets by themselves. " - TVI
Heroic cavalry charges designed to penetrate enemy lines are not part of this army. The cavalry, for example, is there to divert, counter-charge a enemy unit engaged in combat, or sacrifice itself so that the artillery has a good target once the unit is destroyed. The actions of the anchor units are also designed to focus the enemy on attacking large troop blocks, having simply no other choice. Eliminating these small units will rarely give the enemy victory. At some point they will have to attack at least one of the large blocks of troops to get enough victory points to win the game; a difficult, if not impossible task ...
Even artillery is used as a supporting instrument. They must focus on the targets that are a threat to your main units. If you have to choose between saving the artillery itself or protecting a combat battalion depending on the objective you choose, the artillery must sacrifice itself for the good of the army.
Normal missile units have a supporting role in an army based on the battalion concept. Sometimes due to the width of the imperial line, missile troops must deploy behind the army. If the opportunity arises, they will fire through the spaces left by the units on the main line. They will also target anything that tries to get around the line in order to counter-charge any of your units or cut off their withdrawal. Ideally, some of the shooters would be deployed on hills or flanks to improve support for the battle plan. However, remember that missile units are expendable; in fact, everything is expendable, except for the main infantry units (and even one of them is expendable, if this will protect the other two units).
3. “Magic is defensive, artillery is defensive, cavalry is defensive; it is the infantry line that does the killing. The infantry does this not by charging enemy units, but by being charged by enemy units and counter-charging with Detachments. ” - TVI
A) All magic is defensive and designed to protect the main battle force: the three infantry units. Dispel scrolls are rarely taken, since most missile-type spells won't deal that much damage to large regiments. In most cases, the new Rod of Power will suffice as magic protection. Armies commanded by an Arch-lector usually have already a substantial magical defence. However, care must be taken in saving dice for the really damaging spells, so some other spells should be allowed to pass.
B) The artillery is in the army to protect the power of the big regiments. Great Cannons, Mortars, and Rocket Batteries will fire to reduce the rank bonus of enemy regiments, or will focus on the most dangerous units, and thus try to reduce them. Great Cannons will target the Monsters like Dragons, Giants, Manticores, etc. In a classic manoeuvre at the Charlotte GT, Tim sacrificed one of his large Swordsmen units to expose the flank of a Chosen Chaos Knight unit. The Great Cannon proceeded to fire and destroyed most of the enemy unit.
C) The idea of "defensive cavalry" is unique. The basis of the tactic is that cavalry is used to support the infantry line. Unless an enemy is to be diverted or its flank threatened, keep them generally close to a block of Swordsmen, both to make a flank support charge, and to catch fleeing troops, preventing them from returning to battle.
4. “All units in the infantry line, whether state or Detachment, will be large enough to withstand casualties and retain bonuses. The rest of the units will be so small that they will play a purely supporting role. This means that the support units will carry no standard, no champion, no characters, nor magic "trinkets" of any kind. They may have a musician to help regroup, but that will be the only upgrade they will have. ” - TVI
Ancillary units are kept small and at minimal cost. The rational is that against a less mobile army, many enemies will eliminate small units, and just ignore attacking large units with a high level of combat resolution. It is important to save these expendable units, as often an opponent's strategy will be to focus on supporting units and isolate main units. This is why it is so important to be aggressive with large blocks and not give your enemy any option, but to engage your army. Normally, an Empire army has enough missile units to prevent the enemy from staying away.
5. “The characters remain in the infantry line to provide their bonuses. They are all mounted, with a lot of armour, and if possible they will have a ward save”. - TVI
In the previous edition of Warhammer, mounted characters were vulnerable. One of the most widely used strategies was to use the characters to attract missile fire. However, this has changed in the new edition. Characters mounted in an infantry unit are now standard for most players. The characters of the Empire benefit from an excellent armour save and mobility.
Mounted characters are a fundamental part of the battalion concept. Once the enemy charge is over, the mounted character can use his greater speed to chase and catch those who flee. Sometimes an Empire general and a battle standard bearer can join a vanilla knight unit, turning it into a deadly routing unit. It may be necessary to eliminate weaker units to clear the path and for the main units to arrive in combat intact. Depending on how they equip themselves, the two characters can charge and remove support units by themselves. Targets such as Salamanders, herds of Beastmen, etc. will often not withstand the powerful attacks of two characters, or will, at best, hold out, until more Empire help arrives. This should not be done unless necessary, as the Empire is one of the armies that needs to preserve its leadership capabilities.
It is important to note that
1. this applies to the 7th edition BRB and AB
2. it is a translation of a translation. Therefore, it is not a verbatim copy of the original text, but I do believe that the original ideas have been faithfully rendered.
TVI TACTICA
Tim Walker aka “The Village Idiot” aka “TVI” was the winner of the Charlotte Grand Tourney in 2003. His playing style is unique in that he focuses on one of the strengths of the Empire: the Detachment rules.
"I think the number one strength of the Empire's army is the Detachment rule. This rule opens up tactical possibilities that other armies can only dream of. Unit by unit, if we engage an enemy infantry regiment with our Detachments intact, we are entering combat with a +5 resolution for ranks, flank, and outnumbering.” - TVI
The Battalion Concept
Many people wonder what a TVI list or an Empire battalion is like. It is a balanced way of playing with Empire. An Empire battalion consists of several elements.
Main units
“So, I set about designing my army: three large units of 30 Swordsmen, deployed 6 wide by 5 deep, make up the backbone. Each Swordsmen unit has 1 or 2 Detachments of Free Companies, 12 men strong deployed 6 wide by 2 deep”. - TVI
The main units can be any of the types of Empire infantry, but they usually consist of Swordsmen, Spearmen and Halberdiers. The most important thing for the main units is that they have to be large. A 25 or 30 man infantry unit is ideal as a main unit. This allows the unit to lose a significant number of models, before losing its valuable rank bonus. At the time of the "5 models wide" rule, the closer you get to unit strength 30 the better, especially since the Empire's troops have become cheaper.
As many people will already know, the best core unit for the Empire are Swordsmen. Spearmen are the next best unit, and Halberdiers are the worst by far. Spearmen and Halberdiers can be deployed with or without shields, but whenever you are facing a certain amount of missile units, they will be useful. It also means the Regiment can use hand weapon and shield, which is sometimes necessary, depending on the type of enemy we are facing.
Detachments
There are many options regarding Detachment size and type. There are several types of Detachments: combat Detachments, "speed bumps," and shooting Detachments.
The most traditional type of combat Detachment for TVI-style lists is the Detachment of 10 Fighters [Free Company]. Other people rely heavily on Swordsmen or Halberdiers for their Detachments, but, on a personal basis, I don't like them too much. Even Spearmen can function as a Detachment.
Shooting Detachments are also common. Small Archer units work well with a battalion-based list, protecting the most valuable main units and combat Detachments. Archer Detachments can also be used to march-block the enemy, providing you more time to manoeuvre.
Detachments of Crossbowmen and Handgunners are often found in an Empire battalion. The golden rule is to deploy them in such a way that no weak points are created in a line that would otherwise be strong. Since the TVI concept requires mobility for it to work, static shooting lines are not recommended. That means you need either to deploy your shooting Detachments on a nearby hill, put them in a single row and use them as additional Detachments for combat, or deploy them behind the main battle line to fire at enemy units that break through the line.
"Speed bump" Detachments are of minimum size, and minimum cost. These units are normally used to divert enemy units. Another use is to make them flee from enemy charges, forcing the opponent to move in such a way that Empire units can take advantage of his new position.
In the battalion concept, "speed bumbs" are often used to force an enemy unit to charge the main unit of your choice. The "speed bump" breaks and the enemy unit charges towards the chosen main unit. This will allow you to charge with a Detachment or a small unit of Knights. Then you can finish them off the next turn. This is a key characteristic of the TVI game style. Caution should be exercised in using a Detachment in this manner. In the rules of the 7th Warhammer edition, units that pursue into a fresh enemy can immediately fight again, if the “speed bump” has been destroyed.
Light Cavalry
“Each infantry unit and its Detachment has an designated 6 strong cavalry unit. Two units consist of Knightly Orders and one unit of White Wolves. These units consist of bare Knights, no Inner Circle, no champion, nor standard, only a musician to maintain order”. - TVI
“The function of the cavalry is to support the infantry; they will sacrifice themselves in order to keep enemy units away from potential flank charges against your troops (unless your unit is stubborn). They will not pursue enemy units, unless the infantry is completely safe from enemy activity. The knights will allow the infantry to fight, while they themselves will move to the proper position to charge the flank or rear of the unit held up by the infantry. They will sit tight and protect an exposed flank, before going after small objectives”. - TVI
"Light Cavalry" are generally just normal cavalry units with a musician and nothing else. They are one of the keys to making the battalion concept work. The idea of using Knights as a defensive or a counter-offensive force is new to most players. Redirection is the fundamental function of Light Cavalry. Many times an Empire unit will not be able to withstand the charge of Heavy Cavalry. In this case, the Knights move forward at an angle to divert the enemy unit away from the main unit. Again, you need be careful, because of the new rules. Some of these charges you will have to hold, to prevent the enemy from redirecting the charge.
One of the best uses of Light Cavalry is as a counter-offensive force. Part of the battalion concept is to allow your main units to be charged. Once the enemy is engaged in combat, the Light Cavalry charges into that combat to break the enemy, and then use their higher movement characteristic to catch the enemy.
Light Cavalry are an excellent reserve force. The threat from the knights is enough to make the opponent rethink a few things. An intact unit of Light Cavalry can make all the difference, when the game is about to end. Catching fleeing units, charging depleted units, guarding the flank of a main unit moving to a decisive encounter ... all these are functions of the Knights. You will rarely want to advance boldly with Light Cavalry. They will rarely break an enemy unit on the charge. However, they can easily destroy or hold up support units. Remember that the idea is to preserve your main units as long as possible. Some circumstances may force the Knights to press forward: to kill wizards, destroy light missile units, march-block or divert important enemy units away from your lines allowing your advance.
The TVI Philosophy
Elements of manoeuvre
1. “The army must have an infantry line of at least 6 manoeuvrable elements, that, when deployed, extends from one end of the battlefield to the other. This provides flank security, as there is no flank to position yourself on." - TVI
Having a solid line of infantry, cavalry and artillery, you will not have to worry about whether they will outflank you. Also the enemy has no choice but to expose himself to direct cannon fire, if he tries to breach your line at a single point. Since there are so many manoeuvrable elements (Detachments, small cavalry units, as well as main units), it is difficult for an enemy to focus only on one section of the line.
Some of the new rules have made this even easier. Empire armies commanded by an Arch-Lector can have up to three units of Flagellants. As part of the battalion concept, these units resist charges, keeping the enemy engaged, until the cavalry can flank him, and run him over. Sometimes I call this concept "descaling", because the enemies are being scaled off an Empire unit. Greatswords are no longer limited in number as special units. A battle standard bearer with the Banner of Sigismund is yet another unit that can easily withstand a charge. The reduction in points of the Empire troops, along with the "five wide rule" makes it even easier to occupy the battlefield from end to end.
2. “Every unit that is not part of the main line of infantry must support it; in other words, it must be designed to help the infantry, not to prowl around eliminating targets by themselves. " - TVI
Heroic cavalry charges designed to penetrate enemy lines are not part of this army. The cavalry, for example, is there to divert, counter-charge a enemy unit engaged in combat, or sacrifice itself so that the artillery has a good target once the unit is destroyed. The actions of the anchor units are also designed to focus the enemy on attacking large troop blocks, having simply no other choice. Eliminating these small units will rarely give the enemy victory. At some point they will have to attack at least one of the large blocks of troops to get enough victory points to win the game; a difficult, if not impossible task ...
Even artillery is used as a supporting instrument. They must focus on the targets that are a threat to your main units. If you have to choose between saving the artillery itself or protecting a combat battalion depending on the objective you choose, the artillery must sacrifice itself for the good of the army.
Normal missile units have a supporting role in an army based on the battalion concept. Sometimes due to the width of the imperial line, missile troops must deploy behind the army. If the opportunity arises, they will fire through the spaces left by the units on the main line. They will also target anything that tries to get around the line in order to counter-charge any of your units or cut off their withdrawal. Ideally, some of the shooters would be deployed on hills or flanks to improve support for the battle plan. However, remember that missile units are expendable; in fact, everything is expendable, except for the main infantry units (and even one of them is expendable, if this will protect the other two units).
3. “Magic is defensive, artillery is defensive, cavalry is defensive; it is the infantry line that does the killing. The infantry does this not by charging enemy units, but by being charged by enemy units and counter-charging with Detachments. ” - TVI
A) All magic is defensive and designed to protect the main battle force: the three infantry units. Dispel scrolls are rarely taken, since most missile-type spells won't deal that much damage to large regiments. In most cases, the new Rod of Power will suffice as magic protection. Armies commanded by an Arch-lector usually have already a substantial magical defence. However, care must be taken in saving dice for the really damaging spells, so some other spells should be allowed to pass.
B) The artillery is in the army to protect the power of the big regiments. Great Cannons, Mortars, and Rocket Batteries will fire to reduce the rank bonus of enemy regiments, or will focus on the most dangerous units, and thus try to reduce them. Great Cannons will target the Monsters like Dragons, Giants, Manticores, etc. In a classic manoeuvre at the Charlotte GT, Tim sacrificed one of his large Swordsmen units to expose the flank of a Chosen Chaos Knight unit. The Great Cannon proceeded to fire and destroyed most of the enemy unit.
C) The idea of "defensive cavalry" is unique. The basis of the tactic is that cavalry is used to support the infantry line. Unless an enemy is to be diverted or its flank threatened, keep them generally close to a block of Swordsmen, both to make a flank support charge, and to catch fleeing troops, preventing them from returning to battle.
4. “All units in the infantry line, whether state or Detachment, will be large enough to withstand casualties and retain bonuses. The rest of the units will be so small that they will play a purely supporting role. This means that the support units will carry no standard, no champion, no characters, nor magic "trinkets" of any kind. They may have a musician to help regroup, but that will be the only upgrade they will have. ” - TVI
Ancillary units are kept small and at minimal cost. The rational is that against a less mobile army, many enemies will eliminate small units, and just ignore attacking large units with a high level of combat resolution. It is important to save these expendable units, as often an opponent's strategy will be to focus on supporting units and isolate main units. This is why it is so important to be aggressive with large blocks and not give your enemy any option, but to engage your army. Normally, an Empire army has enough missile units to prevent the enemy from staying away.
5. “The characters remain in the infantry line to provide their bonuses. They are all mounted, with a lot of armour, and if possible they will have a ward save”. - TVI
In the previous edition of Warhammer, mounted characters were vulnerable. One of the most widely used strategies was to use the characters to attract missile fire. However, this has changed in the new edition. Characters mounted in an infantry unit are now standard for most players. The characters of the Empire benefit from an excellent armour save and mobility.
Mounted characters are a fundamental part of the battalion concept. Once the enemy charge is over, the mounted character can use his greater speed to chase and catch those who flee. Sometimes an Empire general and a battle standard bearer can join a vanilla knight unit, turning it into a deadly routing unit. It may be necessary to eliminate weaker units to clear the path and for the main units to arrive in combat intact. Depending on how they equip themselves, the two characters can charge and remove support units by themselves. Targets such as Salamanders, herds of Beastmen, etc. will often not withstand the powerful attacks of two characters, or will, at best, hold out, until more Empire help arrives. This should not be done unless necessary, as the Empire is one of the armies that needs to preserve its leadership capabilities.
