SESWC Forum

Hi Chaps,
I have had a rethink about the 1500 point Avar army and how best to deploy it for WAB 2. With a reduction in the benefits for nomad cavalry, have had a go at beefing up the central Avar cavalry as armoured shock troops (2 plus save across the board for the Avars cant be bad!) with freeman allies to make up the required 25% - hopefully making the army legal! (didn't realise that allies were compulsory).
Here's how they look at present.

AVARS 1500 (free general)
General
Hand weapon and bow, heavy armour, kontarion, shield, half barding, warhorse, superior cavalry
War Banner Bearer Hand weapon and bow, heavy armour, kontarion, shield, half barding warhorse, superior cavalry
9 x Avar Nobles Hand weapon and bow, heavy armour, kontarion, shield, half barding, superior cavalry, standard, leader and musician. Fearsome.
9 x Avar Nobles Hand weapon and bow, heavy armour, kontarion, shield, half barding, superior cavalry, standard, leader and musician. Fearsome.
9 x Avar Nobles
Hand weapon and bow, heavy armour, kontarion, shield, superior cavalry, standard, leader and musician. Fearsome.
9 x Mounted Freemen Hand weapon and javelin, shield, light armour. May be light cavalry.
9 x Mounted Freemen Hand weapon and javelin, shield. May be light cavalry.
18 x Warrior Freemen Hand weapon, throwing spear, shield, heavy armour front rank warrior, rear ranks freemen. Fight three deep, casualties removed at ratio 33% warrior, 66% freemen. Warband.

I'll be trying them out at the club over the next few weeks (apart from the byzzies, everything else is boxed up for the move.)
Any suggestions for improvement on this set up for a cavalry based steppe army?

Cheers
Dax

Dax,

I'm not sure off the top of the old bonce but don't you have to take at least one Horse Archer unit per Noble unit?

Something like that anyway?

Darrell.

Dax,

can't really comment on the list, only playtesting will reveal what works, but you'll not always have a free general: that's only for those of us heading south for the WAB event at GB HQ. Granted it's a nice saving, but maybe best to build lists with the general being paid for.

Cheers,

John.

I'll double check the BTGG lists, but never spotted the requirement first time out.
As John mentions, need a bit of play testing before I get the balance right. Have plenty of the little buggers, so can easily shift to 2000 pts. If Darrell is right (which I certainly wouldn't bet against) I should be able to save the cost of a general from swapping back to archers from nobles from the 1500 points list.
Cheers for the feedback guys.
Dax

Dax,

I seem to remembert that you need 2+ units of Horse Archers- I'll check it later and report back.

Darrell.

Bugger - knew you would be right D, must take 2+ units of horse archers, and a maximum of 2 noble units, so that's this list scuppered! Back to the drawing board!
Cheers
Dax

You can still put together a pretty mean list for the Avars- remember, all formed cavalry, with the exception of Cataphracts, are now Open Order. Combine that with no march blocking from Infantry and you have considerable manoeuvreability mon ami.

Darrell.

Dax
I think you need to look again at the options.
ASB or War Banner bearer cant have Kontarion or spear.
Gen and ASB cant have warhorses.
Have you paid for Superior for your characters, + 10pts each?
You can have 2 units of Gepid Cav but NOT Gepid/German infantry only Bulgar/Slav infantry as Subjects. So no Heavy armour front rank in fact no armour at all.

Of the +2 Horse Archer units you can have Elite Tribesmen they can have Lt Armour and Kontarion/shield. Mind half barding does not count to flank or rear and Bucklers don't count for missile save from shooting.