The Ritterlich Republic

[Watchman]

There are 5 things required for every old school Ritt army.  A Rhino, a Mastodon, and tanks, tanks, and more tanks!

Well they certainly have made that impression on my 42nd. Black Watch, and 11th. A.C.R. unit structures.

[Savage Coyote]

Half of the tournament entries this year (2017) at CAVCon where Ritter!  My 5th Dornheim Brigade unit (Marienburg Lancers in their light blue, black, and red scheme,) a NATO camo style unit, and a flat grey unit.  I'm waiting for the KS to drop to get my complement of tanks though I'm wavering from my early war German grey scheme I'd originally thought and maybe drifting towards NATO tricolor the west Germans were using.  Decisions decisions. 

[Weird-O]

I picked up my first Ritterlich units the other day to give my Rach an OPFOR, and they've gotten me thinking. It goes without saying that at some point I'm going to be getting a Tiamat or thirty(I saw firsthand at Reapercon what Silverbacks can do, but I'm a sucker for liberally applied AoE.), which in turn has me wondering exactly what kind of evil shenanigans are possible with Strike Points. For example, can a Tiamat use a different Strike Point for each rocket launcher in order to lay down a truly vast swath of destruction or to prevent losing your whole salvo to a single bad Strike Point roll? Can a Cougar target lock a Strike Point so it can EST that lock back to its buddies, then use its Phased Array to boost the Combat Rolls of all the rockets aimed at that point? Are there other evil tricks I'm missing?

[Savage Coyote]

I don't believe that you can split your strike point rolls up, but if you had a section of Tiamats each could fire at a different strike point.  Unfortunately the Tiamat doesn't have an Advanced Targeting Computer rating so it can't benefit from the EST, but you can apply the Active Phased Array to your strike point roll I believe.  If another unit in your section has a FCS (Fire Control Somethinganother) you could add another +1 to the roll.  The cool thing is your Cougar doesn't have to be in your section to help with it's APA as APA is universal to all friendlies.  So a Cougar in your Cataphract, Rhino, Sabertooth Attack Section could help out your Tiamat/Panther Section, while the Panther has a FCS to help as well.  That means you'd need a seven on your strike point roll.

 

Tiamat's are a little substandard when compared to the Raijin, as the Raijin has FCS AND Chain-Fire Pod.  Chain Fire Pod says that if you hit a strike point, you can pass that strike point on to friends.  So if you need to rain down rockets on one model (or location that has several models) Chain Fire can really help.  If Ritter had the Griffin model out, I'd for sure have two Griffin's, a Tiamat, and a Panther there to rumble.  you'd have two FCS to help one of the Griffin's, an Advanced TC to help an EST or target lock, and Chainfire to pass to the other Griffin and/or Tiamat.  So you'd need a seven with just this unit on your strike point roll.  If you had a Cougar running around dropping APA, you'd need a five for your strike point roll!  After that successful roll, the other units could skip the strike point roll all together and drop their rockets right on the strike point due to chain fire.

 

If you are playing with add-ons, you can tack on a FCS and a Chain Fire Pod which can help the Tiamats.  They also have counter battery which can impact that game but I need to re-read the rules and the FAQ before I comment on it!

[CAVBOSS]

On ‎11‎/‎22‎/‎2017 at 9:31 AM, Weird-O said:

I picked up my first Ritterlich units the other day to give my Rach an OPFOR, and they've gotten me thinking. It goes without saying that at some point I'm going to be getting a Tiamat or thirty(I saw firsthand at Reapercon what Silverbacks can do, but I'm a sucker for liberally applied AoE.), which in turn has me wondering exactly what kind of evil shenanigans are possible with Strike Points. For example, can a Tiamat use a different Strike Point for each rocket launcher in order to lay down a truly vast swath of destruction or to prevent losing your whole salvo to a single bad Strike Point roll? Can a Cougar target lock a Strike Point so it can EST that lock back to its buddies, then use its Phased Array to boost the Combat Rolls of all the rockets aimed at that point? Are there other evil tricks I'm missing?

 

Following up on Ross's answer...

...using different Strike Points... no. You will declare a single strike point for the indirect attack, regardless of the number of weapon systems firing from that model. Additionally, if you miss the strike point roll, you will make a single drift roll, again regardless of the number of weapon systems firing (individually or as a salvo attack).  You could house rule it though and make a drift roll for each but it does slow up the game if there are a lot of rocket "boats."

 

...a Cougar target lock a Strike Point... no. The Cougar though could use one AP to target-lock the model for a rocket "boat" in its squad and using the EST to allow that model to add its targeting comp bonus (if available) to the strike point roll and a second AP for the Active Phase Array (provided the target is in its AoE) to provide a bonus to the strike point roll.

[Weird-O]

So I've been planning out my future Ritterlich army, and this is where I'm at so far. Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

CAV company:

Command Squad:

Rhino

Cataphract

Cataphract

Sabertooth

 

Battle Squad:

Tiger

Tiger

Silverback

Firedrake

 

Heavy Fire Support Squad:

Cataphract

Tiamat

Tiamat

Cougar

 

Recon Squad:

Cheetah

Cougar

Cougar

Cougar

 

Armor Company:

1st Squad:

Wolverine x4

 

2nd Squad:

Lion II x4

 

3rd Squad:

Manticore x4

 

4th Squad:

??? x4

 

Infantry Company:

1st Squad:

Heavy Weapons Team x2

Light Infantry Team x4

 

2nd Squad:

Heavy Weapons Team x2

Light Infantry Team x4

 

3rd Squad:

Medium Mortar Team x6

 

4th Squad:

Power Armor Team x6

 

1st Transport Squad

Armadillo x4

 

2nd Transport/Support Squad:

Simba x3

???

 

Air Section:

Lynx x?

 

Thoughts or suggestions?

 

I'm trying to stick to units with minis in Bones. The units I have so far(and thus locked in) are two Cataphracts, the Firedrake, one Cougar, and the Heavy Weapons Teams.

[Corsair]

Your Heavy fire support squad needs to either be a Special unit or you need to swap either the Cataphract or Cougar. You have to have 75% as Fire Support, so you need one more FS in the unit. You could swap the Cheetah and Cataphract to make it work.

[Weird-O]

Possibly, but something as slow as a Cataphract in a recon squad? Also, doesn't swapping one Attack CAV for another keep the same problem?

 

How about simply using a third delicious delicious Tiamat in that squad, and moving the Cataphract to fill the empty slot with the Simbas? With long range firepower able to engage a wide variety of targets(especially armored ones), it could make a pretty good infantry support CAV.

[Savage Coyote]

hmm... how many points is that?  Or just like, "everything I'm every going to own for this army?"  Usually when I force build, I run with three of whatever it is I'm doing (attack, recon, fire support) and then another element, generally a Recon.  Especially in Attack formations.  ECM and APA can alter your game if you can't stop the other side from using them.  In 5k games, it's usually easy enough to both save point, add some ECM to your force (and APA if the unit has it) and EST to that squad by using a Recon squad.

 

Here's my CAVCon squad (and note, there's no infantry or soft units allowed under this rule-set, or any upgrades:)

 

Attack 1

3x Rhinos

1x Cougar

 

Attack 2

4x Lion II's

 

Recon 1

3x Puma's

1x Catamount

 

I can tell you the Catamount REALLY helped tip the scales in the contest as it's APA was never jammed during the tournament.  Speed eight is pretty fast when you consider you also have armor seven.  Catamounts are a paint to remove from the table for what they are doing.  

 

Right now for fire support, I've liked 3x Manticores, 1x Tiamet in a specialist section.  The reason being we aren't using upgrades yet so I can't slap on a FCS to the Tiamet to make up for it's short comings.

 

I have some other combinations of units that I want to try, but so many lists, so little time!

[Weird-O]

5 minutes ago, Savage Coyote said:

Or just like, "everything I'm every going to own for this army?"  

 

That's pretty much what I'm shooting for, with the desire for it also to be a semi-viable battle force overall, on the off chance I ever get the opportunity to plonk everything down in a truly huge battle. Same goes for the group i posted in the Rach thread.

[Corsair]

2 hours ago, Weird-O said:

Possibly, but something as slow as a Cataphract in a recon squad? Also, doesn't swapping one Attack CAV for another keep the same problem?

 

How about simply using a third delicious delicious Tiamat in that squad, and moving the Cataphract to fill the empty slot with the Simbas? With long range firepower able to engage a wide variety of targets(especially armored ones), it could make a pretty good infantry support CAV.

The Cheetah is a Fire Support unit, by swapping the 2, you get your 3 Fire Support and meet the 75%.

[Weird-O]

I must need to download updated cards, because mine show it as an Attack. I'll get back to you on this.

[Weird-O]

...welp, you were right. I'll move the Cheetah to the fire support squad, though that Cataphract is still far too slow to try and keep up with a squad of Cougars. I'll put it in Battle Squad, and move the Firedrake to Recon. Also merging the Armadillos into the infantry squads to make them Mechanized, and combining the Simbas with the armored squad in the same way. Apparently transport squads cannot have non-transport support units in them, sad Zug.

[SparksMurphey]

Yeah, that change caught me as well. I had intended to have a pair of Cheetahs with a pair of (metal) Jaguars as a fast cavalry Attack squad (the 24. Geistertrupp)... then the Cheetah became a Fire Support CAV.

 

At the moment, my 1st Ophiuchi Brigade (and technically it's more a reinforced abteilung so far) is more of a 45,000 point TO&E to draw smaller units out of than a real force.

 

1. Königinschwadron

1. Königinwache (Attack): 4x Rhino II (3904)

2. Königinwache (Attack): 4x Tiger (2204)

 

2. Dreistschwadron

4. Aufklärungstrupp (Recon): 4x Catamount (1764)

17. Streikzug (Mech. Infantry): 6x PA Infantry with MARs, 6x Lynx (1422)

22. Streikzug (Mech. Infantry): 3x LA Infantry with LBRs and rat, 3x LA Infantry with panzerfausts and light machineguns, 2x Armadillo (817)

24. Geistertrupp (Specialist): 2x Jaguar, 2x Cougar (1256)

 

3. Raketenschwadron

5. Raketentrupp (Fire Support): 1x Cheetah, 3x Tiamat (2925)

6. Raketentrupp (Fire Support): 1x Cheetah, 3x Tiamat (2925)

7. Raketentrupp (Fire Support): 4x Silverback (2820)

16. Raketenzug (Fire Support): 4x Manticore (1472)

 

4. Sturmschwadron

3. Flugabwehrtrupp (Attack): 4x Sabertooth (1532)

8. Schutzentrupp (Attack): 1x Rhino II, 3x Cataphract (2836)

9. Schutzentrupp (Attack): 1x Rhino II, 3x Cataphract (2836)

10. Schutzentrupp (Attack): 4x Tiger (2204)

 

5. Panzerschwadron

11. Schutzenzug (Attack): 4x Wolverine (1500)

12. Schutzenzug (Attack): 4x Lion (1420)

13. Schutzenzug (Attack): 4x Lion (1420)

14. Schutzenzug (Attack): 4x Lion II (1472)

15. Schutzenzug (Attack): 4x Lion II (1472)

 

10. Mörtelkompanie

18. Mörtelzug (Mortar): 6x HA Infantry with medium mortars, 2x Armadillo (886)

19. Mörtelzug (Mortar): 6x HA Infantry with medium mortars, 2x Armadillo (886)

20. Mörtelzug (Mortar): 6x PA Infantry with medium mortars, 3x Armadillo with Loadmaster (1269 +240)

21. Mörtelzug (Mortar): 6x PA Infantry with medium mortars, 3x Armadillo with Loadmaster (1269 +240)

 

Originally, the Cheetahs in 5. and 6. Raketentrupps were the two Cougars now in 24. Geistertrupp - with the Cheetah becoming more of an anti-air platform, it moved to look after the Tiamats while still providing APA coverage, while the Cougars and Jaguars push forward for a strike.

 

While it's technically a legal force (if I can find someone to play a 45,000 point game with), as I said earlier, it's more of a larger pool to draw units from for fluff purposes to make playable lists. So for a 5000 point force, I might grab the 8. Schutzentrupp as my core CAV Attack squad (2836TV) for massed heavy MRAC fire, backed up by the 14. Schutzenzug (1472TV) for a little more mobile attack, but they've subbed out a Lion II with a Manticore from the 16. Raketenzug (no TV change, since the Manticore and Lion II are the same cost). Finally, a Jaguar and Cougar from the 24. Geistertrupp (628TV) range deep into the enemy's territory, herding them towards us and giving our rockets something to aim at.

 

At the moment, everything is stuff I have, except for the infantry (which is why they're all mechanised). Very little has paint on it, though. My dreams would include filling out another Raketenschwadron with Blitzs, Griffins, and Mastodons, getting some proper recon support with Panthers, Pumas, and Rudegerns (and more Cougars and Catamounts), making the Geistertrupp (Geisterschwadron?) live up to its name better with more Jaguars and Ocelots, and getting some proper air support in the form of Avengers and Typhoons. But let's get paint on some of this first.

[Pegazus]

Fun fact of the day. All the Ritterlich figures from the first and second Kickstarter barely fit into a small ammo box when you press just a little more than you think you should.