Warhammer Ancient Battles V.2- Almoravids 2800pts Tips Needed!

[Atheling]

Hi,

In order to get my painting mojo back, help recover from various mental health problems etc I've decided to tentatively place a target/goal or two in front of me in order to get myself back into the swing of handling a brush again.

One such target is our very own Tim Haslam's friendly WAB Dark Ages event in February next year.

I haven't played WAB V.2 for well over a decade and even then I only played the second edition a couple of times so I'm going to need some help with the list if I'm not to have my army peg it off the tabletop in turn one and ruin the game for everyone.

I would be very interested in hearing  from anyone who has any tips, tricks or ideas on how to improve the list- at least to a mean average standard

Warhammer Ancient Battles V.2- Almoravids 1800pts

Characters: Up to 25% (700pts) 360
Cavalry: Up to 50% (At Least 925pts) 435                                            
Infantry: Up to 50% Formed Units may be Stubborn (1400pts) 1568
Special Units: Up to 25% No Allies unit may have Barding or Lances (700pts) 435

Characters:
Caliph:                                                244
Hand Weapon/Light Armour/Shield/Javelins/Throwing Spear/Horse
M-8/WS-4/BS-3/S-/3T-3/W-2/I-3/A-2/Ld-10
Army General
Army Standard Bearer:                              116
Hand Weapon/Light Armour/Shield/horse
M-8/WS-4/BS-3/S-3/T-4/W-2/I-4/A-2/Ld-8
Army standard Bearer

Cavalry:
12 Guard Cavalry (L/S/M):                                435
Hand Weapon/Light Armour/Shield/Javelins/Throwing Spear/Horse
Drilled

Infantry:
21 Black Guard (L/S/M):                                        477
Hand Weapon/Large Shield/Thrusting Spear/Javelins
Drilled/Stubborn/Riding Camels/Tethered Camels

24 Spearmen (L/S/M):                                          319                                                 16 Spearmen:                                                        (239)
Hand Weapon/Thrusting Spear/Javelins/Large Shield
8 Archers:                                                           (80)
Hand Weapon/Composite Bow
Combined Formation Riding Camels/Tethered Camels

24 Spearmen (L/S/M):                                          319                                                 16 Spearmen:                                                        (239)
Hand Weapon/Thrusting Spear/Javelins/Large Shield
8 Archers:                                                           (80)
Hand Weapon/Composite Bow
Combined Formation Riding Camels/Tethered Camels

21 Spearmen (L/S/M):                                                     351
Hand Weapon/Thrusting Spear/Javelins/Large Shield
Stubborn/Riding Camels/Tethered Camels


17 Skirmishers:                                                                 102
Short Bow
Skirmishers                  


ALLIES:
12 Christian Spanish Noble Cavalry (L/S/M):                                      435
Heavy Armour/Shield/Throwing Spear/Horse
First Charge
M-7/WS-4/BS-3/S-3/T-3/W-1/I-4/A-1/Ld-8

Total of 2798 POINTS out of 2800pts

Thanks Guys

[Tim Haslam]

Leadership 10 general is expensive, but we’ll worth it.
So you get a tick for that.

I’ve been having a bit of a play with infantry using tethered camels, making the unit cause fear in cavalry.
I think it’s a good idea. Your opponent only has to fluff that one crucial morale check and it can turn the game.

Looks all ok to me matey.
 

[Atheling]

Leadership 10 general is expensive, but we’ll worth it.
So you get a tick for that.

I’ve been having a bit of a play with infantry using tethered camels, making the unit cause fear in cavalry.
I think it’s a good idea. Your opponent only has to fluff that one crucial morale check and it can turn the game.

Looks all ok to me matey.
 

So, have I got this right? Cavalry has to make a Fear Test is Charging the units with the Tethered Camels?

If so, the list has suddenly gained in my esteem as one of the weaknesses of the 5+ save infantry army would be a Cavalry based army. Ergo the Ld 10 elf (as good as  ).

I've got with Throwing Spears for the Christian Spanish Allies as I learned the hard way in an El Cid campaign day game at WHW with Scrivs that they can take on Lances, especially if you are wiling to forgo your rank bonus and shove a few knights up into the first rank.

It should be a pretty quick one to paint up as well and will give me a break from those Normans I Always seemed to end up playing back in the day!

[Tim Haslam]

Yup, tethered camels cause fear in cavalry.

Should be a good army.
But remember those Shieldwall armies…. You’ll need to flank those.

[Atheling]

Yup, tethered camels cause fear in cavalry.

Should be a good army.
But remember those Shieldwall armies…. You’ll need to flank those.

Christian Cav and Drilled mounted Black Guard at the ready 

[GerryB21]

My Saxons have 2 units on Mounted Thegns just to cover that :-)

[FierceKitty]

Ancient? 

[Atheling]

My Saxons have 2 units on Mounted Thegns just to cover that :-)

Possibly outmanoeuvred by the Drilled Mounted Guard (boy can they move in WAB V.2) and outsplattered by the Christian Knights 

[Tim Haslam]

And so the banter begins!

It’s only 6 months away 

[Atheling]

And so the banter begins!

It’s only 6 months away 

I already have the Black Guard (Foot), Black Guard (Cav) and the Spanish Can complete from a project from 2019. Some Andalusian Lancers if I wanted them as well.

So, just the three infantry units and the one skirmisher unit.

Talking of the skirmisher unit, can you see a way of shaving off a few points so I can find enough to have two decent sized skirmisher units with bows?

[Major_Gilbear]

Whilst I am familiar with WHFB 5th, I don't have experience with WAB 2.0 to know if the above is any good... However, it looks like a sensible force to me, so skills/upgrades notwithstanding, the miniatures part of it looks like it will carry you well.

I dare say that if you have units of it done already, and can get a block of Spearmen done in reasonable time, and possibly draft in some proxies for the skirmishers and Christian cav, then maybe a test game will point you in the right direction? At this point (and knowing you have lots of nice armies all ready to go), you could even play a game on your own just to get some practice in with rules and test-drive some  of the stuff you're less certain about.

One thing I did notice: your list says 1800pts, but the total at the bottom suggests it's 2800pts...? Typo, or did I miss a subtlety of the upcoming tournament format? There seem to be some formatting issues on the last few units too, unless these are the units you are less sure about?

[Atheling]

Ancient? 

Name of the rules system.

Whilst I am familiar with WHFB 5th, I don't have experience with WAB 2.0 to know if the above is any good... However, it looks like a sensible force to me, so skills/upgrades notwithstanding, the miniatures part of it looks like it will carry you well.

I dare say that if you have units of it done already, and can get a block of Spearmen done in reasonable time, and possibly draft in some proxies for the skirmishers and Christian cav, then maybe a test game will point you in the right direction? At this point (and knowing you have lots of nice armies all ready to go), you could even play a game on your own just to get some practice in with rules and test-drive some  of the stuff you're less certain about.

For various reason, at least at the moment, getting any games in is a no-no for me

One thing I did notice: your list says 1800pts, but the total at the bottom suggests it's 2800pts...? Typo, or did I miss a subtlety of the upcoming tournament format? There seem to be some formatting issues on the last few units too, unless these are the units you are less sure about?

Nope, just a typo. Now amended.

[Major_Gilbear]

For various reason, at least at the moment, getting any games in is a no-no for me

Not even on your own?

I know it's not the same as "real" opponent, but in terms of getting a feel for how a unit manoeuvres or fights it still helps.

[Atheling]

Not even on your own?

Nope, no space really.

I know it's not the same as "real" opponent, but in terms of getting a feel for how a unit manoeuvres or fights it still helps.

I'll probably clear a space and give it a try at some point. I do have the problem of having rebased everything except the Almoravids which might make finding a foe tricky 

[wmyers]

Nope, no space really.

I'll probably clear a space and give it a try at some point. I do have the problem of having rebased everything except the Almoravids which might make finding a foe tricky 

I’m sure you could experiment with elements by themselves - like a training ground exercise.

It will take a lot smaller of a space, be faster to set up, play and take down.