This thread discusses the Content article: The All-Knight Tactica

Nice tactica Duke Henri. I prefer mixed armies of peasants and knights but have use all knight armies in the past. I normally use large units of KE supported by units of 6 KoTR because KE are cheaper points wise which gives me a few more points to spend on other things.

One thing I would add to your tactica is never, never, never, never, under no circumstances (did I say never?) charge a large block of infantry with only one unit, not even GK. Always charge with support. Even if you only have frontal charge available charge with 2 units of knights. I have always lost combat res when charging with only 1 unit due to static CR. Same goes in reverse when calvary charge my large blocks of M@A, M@A usually win.

im sorry to say that in my expirience you are actually wrong in this. Any block of nine knights can take on any block of low to medium grade infamntry on completely alone and kill them first turn. Yes, yes i know it defies logic but its true. With a heroe (most knight blocks have these guys in them, atleast in my armies) a unit of eight knights in lance get 7 strength 5 WS 4 attacks + 3 strength 3 WS 3 attacks + 3 more strength 6 WS 5 attacks on a hero with no magic items and only a lance. Thats a total of 13 attacks with the potential to wound. Lets match them up against a unit of 30 swordsmen, a medium grade unit of infantry (for the purpose of this we must asume they have no detatchment). We can say of the 7 knight attacks about 4 or 5 will hit lets low ball it and say we get unlucky and only 3 hit. then we will low ball it and say 1 horse attack hit and 2 heroe attacks hit. Of those 2 knights wound 2 heroes wound and the horse misses. thats 2 wounds at a 6 + save and 2 wounds without a save. that means probably 4 wound. in return your opponent gets 2 attacks with the champion at best 1 wounds and in all likelihood you save it.

CR: 4- 0
he gets 2 ranks, 4-2
he outnumbers you 4-3
on not a great charge you win 4-3 and at 6 leadership he will flee in all likelihood. vwala you win on a mediocre charge!

Edit: if this is your main unit of knights the war banner will add another 1 to your resolution which would mean your opponents modified leadership would be 5. Give your hero virtue of discipline your opponents mod. leadership is now 4 on a mediocre charge.

A unit of grail knights would give you the W even if counter charged by a small detachment!!

Post edited by: Duke of York, at: 2007/01/28 22:09

I'd have to say this has been my experience as well, now that having been said I do tend to gauge what I am charging versus their likelihood of sticking around. But one lance on average can defeat most infantry.

on average against a unit with out any ubber banners ir heroes, or heroes period.its usualy better to charge with you big unit and if you possibly a smaller unit of say a unit of knigths errant, pegasus knights or mounted yeoman. nothing big,just the extra 2 - 4 cr bonus you get is worth while.

My experience has been completely different from yous, Your Grace. Every time I have charged large blocks of infantry with 1 lance of Knights, either KE or KoTR I either loose the combat , tie or my opponent make his ld check which leave my knights tied up in combat giving him time to bring another unit into my flank. I have also never faced anything less than an 8 ld and many times 9 and 10, so for me a -2 to CR is just not enough. Any opponent worth their salt will keep his general close, especially against Brets.

If charging 1 lance into large blocks of infantry works for you go for it. As for me I will stick to supporting my knights with other units

What infantry are you usually charging against? If we're talking dwarfs, then we're really talking about something completely different.

@Duke of York aren't there 7 horse attacks and not 3 as well (they usually kill most).

Anyhow, yes unless one can predict a counter charge one lance is usually enough to break most units.

But I agree with the topic creator, a charge with more lances is preferable.

Just as a quick note - I didn't think you could combine the impetous knight with the twilight banner as you can't charge when you use the twilight banner? Am I right here? (havent got the book to hand).

I think you're right, davieste. I quote: "The Twilight Banner can only be used in the remaining moves section of a turn". I stand corrected, edit pending.

Pity. It would have been cool if you could use it to charge through terrain.

You are completly right, you cannot use the twilight banner when you charge. On the topic: I haven`t used all knights army since the 5th edition. I like peasents, and the feudal atmosphere isn`t complete without them. The other reason is that my ancesters fought a great battle (they were peasents) against the local tyran lord, which is famous in our history.
Concerning the non support charges, my opinion is this: Whenever you charge you can get really bad rolls. You must evaluate: Is it neccesary to break the enemy. If it is (e.g. a unit of onfantry with three ranks in your flank) than combine lances. If it is not, and you can spare few rounds of CC if things go bad, than you can charge with two lances.

Here is an example of what happened to me once:
SSSSS WWWWW
SSSSS WWWWW
SSSSS WLWWW



EEE GGG
EEE GGG
EEE GGG

E- errants
G - grail knights
S - high elf spearmen
W - high elf white lions
L - High elven prince

I charged both lances, hoping to cause 15 wounds, or get lucky if he fails his stubborn test.
Two unit members remaind, and he passed the stubborn test.

Looking back I realize that it would be better if I had charged the spearmen with the errants,
and white lions with the grail knights.