Committing to Units...How Do You Do It?

[Mr. White]

So, I've got a box of Oathmark orcs incoming and soon I'll get a box of Oathmark dwarves. I intend to use a single box to make a Dragon Rampant army. So, an orc army and a dwarf one. Each box comes with 30models, but add in a few of the metal characters and each box can make three units of 12.

I've been going back and forth on the builds for a loooong time. Do I do both with a unit of spears, a unit of handweapons (offensive), and a unit of bows? both sides would be the same, so balanced, but also maybe boring. Do i have the orcs with two units of handweapons and one of bows? Or maybe just three units of handweapons.

I'm using DR in my example here, but it can go for any sort of army/large warband scale game. How do you decide which units to build out without feeling regret that you should have gone another direction?

[Elbows]

What is the puprpose of the army?  Also, is there a reason the armies are limited to one box + heroes, etc?

If it's a demo army, I'd obviously make the three units as different as possible.  If both sides were three units of the same...it'd be a really boring game, and wouldn't showcase anything to a new player.

With something like DR and other agnostic/sandbox style games...it's a bit easier as they can really represent whatever you want, as long as maybe the missile guys have missile weapons, etc.

If I had to use just one box per side, I'd try to do three different units which showcase various components of the game rules (been too long since I played DR to remember the unit types).

I think a good starter 'set' includes enough units to get a grasp on various types of unit rules and roles.  Something like the old 6th edition Warhammer Fantasy started box was pretty cool:



You got basic infantry for both sides, basic shooting for both sides, a cool mounted character for both sides, and then one side got a cannon, while the other got a chariot.  Short of wizards and cavalry, the box had several "types" of units meaning you'd get a grasp on several types of units just with the starter box.

[Hobgoblin]

There's no particular difference between spears and hand weapons in Dragon Rampant (unless you want there to be), so I'd make your close-combat infantry about half and half just in case you want to differentiate at some point (in DR or another game). You can then mix them in or separate them out as you see fit.

I'd also suggest differentiating some of them by paint scheme - with red or brass helmets for the orcs or something like that - in case you want to mark some of them out as Elite Foot. That gives you more flexibility; again, you can mix them in or separate them out as you see fit.

So, assuming you have 36 figures, here's what I'd do with the orcs:

12 archers
6 archers with shields
6 sword/axe/mace men with shields and a distinguishing mark (entirely red clothes or entirely black clothes or something like that)
12 spearmen, 6 of whom have some different distinguishing mark (red or brass helmet or fancier shields, or helmet crests)

The 6 archers with shields can be mixed in with the swordsmen and spearmen as you see fit (and the three bows in each unit ignored), as two units of Light or Bellicose Foot. Or they could be combined with the 6 swordsmen to give a "mixed weapons" Light Foot unit.

You could break your 12 archers into two units of Scouts. Or break out six of them for that purpose and combine the rest with shield-carrying archers as Light Missiles.

Or you could use the 6 guys with shields as Scouts, in which case you could make the 6 swordsmen Elite Foot.

Or you could have two units of Elite Foot (swordsmen and red-helmet spearmen) and combine the remaining spearmen with the shield-bearing archers as "mixed weapons" Light Foot.

Or you could use the archers with bows as Elite Foot with a missile upgrade.

And so on.

I reckon that would give you combinations like these:

1) 2 x Elite Foot, 1 x Light Missiles, 1 x Light Foot (Mixed Weapons)
2) 2 x Bellicose Foot, 2 x Scouts
3) 1 x Bellicose Foot, 1 x Light Foot (Mixed Weapons), 1 x Light Missiles
4) 2 x Bellicose Foot, 1 x Light Missiles
5) 1 x Elite Foot, 1 x Bellicose Foot, 1 x Scouts, 1 x Light Missiles
6) 1 x Elite Foot (Missile Weapons), 1 x Elite Foot, 1 x Bellicose Foot, 1 x Light Missiles

I'm sure there are more! But you'd have plenty of flexibility. And for Light or Bellicose Foot, read Heavy Foot if you prefer.

[Pattus Magnus]

There’s a lot of sensible advice in Elbows’ reply. AND I was slow typing and Hobgoblin made many of the points I cover. Still, here you go!   

I’ll partly take a “devil’s advocate” position regarding test armies. On Sunday I played my first game of One Page Rules (regiments/ rank and flank version). As it happened, we used dwarves vs orcs, since it was an off the cuff game and those were handy (and by a weird coincidence, both forces were 32 figures, almost identical to what you have coming). The game was mainly to test the rules (and have fun rolling dice and pushing figs around), so we deliberately took nearly “mirror image” forces. The main difference were special abilities that are baked into the rules. We still had fun, despite lack of troop type variety, and were able to learn the game mechanics, since we didn’t need to look up a wide variety of the special rules.

That’s a bit different situation than yours, as I had the figures already and the focus wasn’t building armies for long term use.

For your situation, I think the figures you have on the way will be a great core that you can build from, or will have replay value if you stay with what you have, especially using the Dragon Rampant rules. DR is very flexible in terms of what figures are carrying, AND in terms of figure count, so you’re not too tightly locked into your army build.

First regarding figure equipment. There are a few types where some “what you see is what you get” is important. Specifically, units with shooting need to have some kind of bow, crossbow, etc. Also, units with spear-based special abilities should have long pointy sticks… (I thought DR had a “schiltron/ wall of spears” style special ability, but I may be confusing it with Lion Rampant- I would take Hobgoblin’s word over mine on this point). BUT, for most troop types, there’s flexibility around how you depict them - orcs carrying swords, axes, maces and a few spears could represent heavy infantry, lighter infantry, or bellicose infantry, depending on how you feel the troop types fit with your vision for the force. So, you could build 12 with spears and 12 with hand weapons, to give yourself the option to play them as one spear unit and one unit of some other infantry type, or you could mix the figures together and make 2 units of generalist infantry. I love that flexibility!

Another flexible aspect is the number of figures in a unit. 12 is normal for representing most common troops, BUT you could represent tougher troops such as elite dwarf bodyguard troops by having 6 troops that each have 2 damage points. That gives you some options with your 30 figures to make more than 3 infantry units if you want more variety. That also applies to “character” figures like heroes or magicians, of course - represent them with 1 figure or a figure and a couple assistants.

Finally, there’s no reason that your army build has to be written in stone - the same orc figures could represent heavy infantry in one game and bellicose berserkers in the next, depending on how you want to play the force (as long as you and your opponent know that the figures changed roles between games).

Short version, you’ll have all the figures you need to play a variety of dwarf on orc violence!

Shorter version- I don’t commit figures to units… they’re more use when they’re promiscuous.

[Hobgoblin]

Good points, Pattus Magnus.

A couple more: build at least a couple of standard-bearers (you can build up to six), which you can use to count as more than one Strength Point.

And remember that the 'leader' arm offers you the opportunity of building six guys with double-handed axes (albeit all leading on them). If you do build all six, you'd have a ready-made Elite Foot unit of six huscarl-style fellows. And you could vary them a bit by using spare standard-bearer (left) axe arms so that you've got some dual-wielder types in there as well.

One more thing - I see that the Orc Heavy Infantry sprues are starting to become available individually on eBay. One of those with a 2-Strength-Point leader (or standard bearer or whatever) gives you a whole unit of Elite Foot and plenty of spare heads and arms to mix things up.

[Mr. White]

@Elbows you make some good points. These won't be for demo games though, but for casual games at my place.

@Hobgoblin and @Pattus Magnus, you're blowing my mind. Back to the drawing board...but this time with these excellent guides!

Thanks, all!

[Pattus Magnus]

Just a follow up thought regarding heroes, elites and similar reduced model units. In DR a unit rolls half as many dice in combat when it loses 50% or more of its starting strength. If you use 12 figure (or 6 figures for units that start with that many), then no problem, it is a matter of straight figure removal.

If you have units that are represented with fewer figures, then it helps to have a way to visually track that on the table. You can use markers or chits, and for a monster or major character represented by a single figure that’s your main option (or maybe a check-box card off the table). 

An alternative I like is to capitalize on the fact that 12 divides evenly by 2, 3, 4, and 6 * and make unit sizes based on those multiples. So, a unit of trolls could have 4 figures with 3 damage points each, and it is visually intuitive that its combat dice drop when only 2 figures remain.

Another way to do it is for the figures to have different (but simple) damage point values. For example, a leader unit with 12 damage could have 3 figures - the king with 6 damage, and 2 bodyguards (or a standard bearer and a musician) the each have 3 damage points. So, when both “helpers” are lost, the unit drops to half combat dice.

Basically, keep it simple and intuitive and DR’s reduced model unit rules give lots of ways to represent damage points without needing markers.

* I don’t know whether Dan Mersey deliberately chose 12 figures/points for the baseline unit size to maximize even division options, but if he did it was a great choice. One of the things I dislike about Xenos Rampant is the change to a 10 point baseline - I realize 10 aligns better with collections based on GW rules, but it lost the mathematical flexibility advantage and that makes me sad.

[fred]

The other approach is to accept that you will be buying a second (and third) box before too long, and build these with the options you like the look of!

Different rules will have different ways of differentiating units so some variety is useful long term.

[Keeper Nilbog]

I know this doesn't directly relate to your ask, but if your going for "one box forces" then the Perry 100 Year War English box is your friend.
24 Archers and 12 foot Knight can make a 24 pt force, and will give you a human faction of a different style.

Just saying (lovely models too)

[Hobgoblin]

(I thought DR had a “schiltron/ wall of spears” style special ability, but I may be confusing it with Lion Rampant- I would take Hobgoblin’s word over mine on this point).

You're quite right that the Heavy and Light Foot units do have Wall of Spears (and the former are described as pikemen or spearmen in the book); but I recall that Dan Mersey said around the time of release, "If they don't have spears, the ability is called Wall of Shields!". And given that a Heavy Foot unit could be three trolls or whatever, there's no constraint on armaments.

All that said, I'd play orcs as Bellicose Foot wherever possible - they're great fun on the table!

[jon_1066]

You should definitely embrace the flexibility of the DR rules.  If you did the orcs as 12 each of bows, spears and heavier weapons you have maximum flexibility.

Archers, light foot, heavy foot
Mix archers into light foot so 2 units of mixed weapons
Mix light and heavy and field them as either or bellicose
Split archers into scouts.

I’d avoid elite foot unless a big boss type leader.

Dwarves you could do similar but have more heavily armoured so heavy foot, veteran heavy foot and elite foot are your options with one unit of xbows.

[Khusru2]

The only true Orc tactic is 'get there fastest with the mostest'.
Fast, close order infantry 18 strong to overwhelm one enemy unit. The other 18 of the same to intimidate the other enemy units.

[TWD]

I think the most important thing to remember is to get whatever decision you make slightly wrong, thereby giving you a reason to buy more toy soldiers.

[Hobgoblin]

On Oathmark orcs: you have the very similar but slightly smaller Oathmark goblin range (warriors, wolfriders and slaves) to make use of; on this side of the Atlantic at least, they can be bought by the individual sprue on eBay.

Some of the wolfrider heads are big enough to work on the orcs; they're slightly bigger and uglier than the goblin infantry.

The slaves are great as Scouts (they have slings) and Ravenous Hordes. They have very characterful heads, and they work with some of the bow arms from the goblin infantry sprues (the ones without mail sleeves).

The wolfriders also come with optional wolf-tail helmet tassels, which are a nice way of designating potential Elite Foot. If you have a mix of orcs with wolf-tasselled helmets, ordinary helmets and bare heads in a unit, no one will think anything of it. But if you separate out six guys with tassels, they'll look appropriately distinguished as elites. It's always good to have that option!

[Dr. Zombie]

You do realise that one box armies are just a gateway drug to more boxes right?

I don't think any wargamer in history has ever committed to having just one unit type. You start out with telling yourself I want spearmen, they are cool looking and versatile. But after painting them you convince yourself that you really "need" a unit with hand weapons and shield, and then a unit with poleaxes and a unit with two hand weapons and so on. No on gets just one unit type.

But for a game of Rampant it really does not matter as much how they are armed. You just need to be able to tell the different unittypes from each other, so you could mix it up a bit.