Now that it's been decided which turn you will take, it is now time to deploy. Much like the opening move in a chess game there should be strategy behind how your deploy your models.
Most games that I see deploy much like the following picture.
Both armies are laterally spread out with the warcaster/warlock centrally positioned. What usually results is a paper rock scissors duel. There will be quite a bit of repositioning as flanks fail or as holes develop. In all it's the standard but, in my opinion, is far from the best method for deployment in many circumstances.
I feel that this sort of central deployment allows a faster army to exploit your flanks. It also forces you to "Have" to change direction to confront said flanking attempts. I often prefer an off center deployment to deny one of the flanks. I'll most typically chose this option if going second.
Another boon of the denied flank tactic is that it forces elements of your opponents army to spend precious turns attempting to reposition. I remember one game where I took the win by simply out playing my opponent positionally. Admittedly I was out matched. My small Mortenebra force comprised of a few jacks, the Deathjack, Nightmare, Malice and Cankerworm. I had a few sirens and a necrotech too.
He brought the eMadrak pain with a full unit of burrowers, fennblades, and Kriel warriors with the UA and a two or three WA's. Had an axer, swamp troll and I believe an Earthborn Dire Troll. Add in a fell caller and I was outnumbered by some 30 models.
He deployed centrally, Madrak in the middle with his troops spread out in a long line of death. The fenns were to my left and the Kriels on the right. With beasts hanging close to Madrak.
I deployed first centrally as well. After seeing the final set up I knew that I couldn't possibly take on that many kriels all in one go because the counter charge would be devastating. In a bold move I AD'd the DJ on my right flank, just in Morty's control range; then on my turn I ran him forward tempting the kriels to take him on.
I then ran the remaining jacks to my right flank and set up a defensive posture near a hill. What this did was two fold. Firstly it moved me out of range of the hated burrowers and effectively took the fennblades out of the game for a few rounds.
Some of the louder trolls on the main forum would consider a complete re posturing due to the burrowers as a "win," however in this case not only did it deny the burrower's pop up turn, it also kep a huge chunk of his army out of the game. This was actually the move which saved me the game as I was then able to break his army down a piece at a time.
Positionally, if I had remained in the center I would have been destroyed. Sure, I would have taken a large amount of kriels with me, but not enough to sway the game into my favor.
In chess there is a defined center and through piece development you make concerted efforts to take and hold the center in order to achieve a better position. Unlike chess, warmachine has a fluid center which can be redefined depending on the type of game played. Caster kill granting the most fluidity.
Keep this in mind as you establish your position and make play for your "tactical center."
***More to come***
