Red Dragons ride
On 17-18 novembre 2012 in Milan there will be a second period DBMM tournament. Second period has a big variety of armies and choosing a competitive one is not easy, expecially when that army should also be a preferred one.
The last second period tournament in Italy was dominated by LhS armies. This was a kind of foe I needed to consider organizing the list. Another important issue was to be able to attack a corner sitter, having both strike and terrain troops.
After some initial ideas were tinkered, I decided to use a chinese army. Western Han could be a good option, because has CvO that can dismount as RAxS, has the regular baggage advantage, is mobile and has also a strike force of chariots RKnO (nicknamed red dragons by the dragon on the chassis). Ag3 let me deploy second to target the enemy and decide how deploy the RCvO that can dismount and possibly use night attacks.
The plan with the army is simple, use BwX to fix a part of the enemy army, attack with RKnO in a point where a breaktrough could be obtained quickly, supporting both these regiments with the CvO. LhF are a reserve, screen or outlanker, as suited by the situation. RPsO should screen and support the chariots, not be used in terrain.
CiC should usually get the higher pip and deploy near the BwX, or in front or behind them, while C2 can operate indipendentely on the opposite wing. Being all regular it can use the SG pip to better manouver. It can dismount as an AxS corps if terrain, enemy and position need an auxilia force to fight in it.
This is the list I will use:
C1- CiC RKnO, 4 RKnO, 8 ICvO, 5 ILhF, 6 RPsO - 32ME
C2- SG RCvO, 10 RCvO (spear and shield armed), 5 RLhF, 2 IHdO - 24ME
C3- SG RCvO, 12 RBwX/O, 2 IHdO - 15ME
C4- 6 RBgI - 12ME
After some games I'm quite confident about the army strenght, now what matters is avoid some terrible match ups for my cavalry. In the past I have seen few armies with massed Bw or Kn, so the risk seems to be limited. At least, I prefer to think so :))). Should I face them, the key for a successful game is exploit the Han manouver trying to outflank or outmanouver the enemies.
These are the tournament games
The final score was 87, enough to gain the first place. The army was excellent, a real killing machine, and turned out to balance well manouver, shock action and fire. At the moment I can say this is one of the best armies I have ever played.