I have been thinking, and it seems as though I have found a substitute for ML/Ram. I was thinking about the donkey kick and how a mounted figure breaking away could deal damage to alot of opponents, without having to roll a risky attack roll against a well defended opponent. I was then thinking, what if you could use the donkey kick, over and over again, the same way one would use ram.

This could be used well, but the only problem I see is that the kick only works when breaking away successfully. With Magic Levitation, I see that it moves the figure 10 inches automatically, but because the figure is being "moved", I would think it would require a breakaway roll. If ML does need a breakaway from an opponent, then a powerful way to kick a line of 3 figures average or more with powerful force, ignoring the hard to get attack rolls, such as cheese enhancement figures protected by the EGM's chain defend, for example. If no breakaway roll is required for ML, something such as this still may be able to be used, such as levitating into a whole rank on one turn, and then on the next breaking away and inflicting damage.

Has this idea been thought off, tested, and then scrapped because of its inefficiency, or is it a new idea that has its potential to be a powerful force for ML-Mounted armies?

You don't need to roll for breakaway when someone ML's a fig, that why the multi-ML + Rammer trick works.

As for the Mule Kick aspect of your strategy, it's a useful trick, but I wouldn't base an army on it.

You base a whole formation with a mounted fig (not with the front side), whole formation shreds mounted fig. :p

This would be the "normal" result.

That is also what I think a formation would do, but it may work if the formation just pushed, or has a relative poor close combat value. Looking at most mounteds though, they can't take much from close combat theirselves. If ML suddenly had an errata that made cause for breakaway, this type of strategy may be able to be implemented.

This is the sort of trick I would use to take down a EGM if I had no rammers.

Besides, this trick can never be as effective as ML/Ram, since it'll fail 1/6 of the time.

the main problem with that would be you cant really do it in groups, because if charge is activated then it cant be in a formation. also, it fails 1/6 of the time

This concept has been described as "poor man's ram" and it is helpful in many circumstances. However the best way to use it is against one figure that's already recieved an action token. If they push to hit or push to break you get your 1 click of damage, or the following turn you get the 5/6 chance of pulling it off. Very effective to keep in mind but it's important to know just how far you can take it.

I think this strategy is quite useful. A friend of mine loves using his fell reaper * this way.

Maybe it's not as effective as Ram, since it fails 1/6 of the time, but there are mounted pieces that are much cheaper than any Rammer. If I remember well, a Light Lancer * costs only 28 point, a lot less than those War Hachetkruggs *. And
Lancers can move 14, while War Kruggs are limited to 10.

wat does ML stands for?

ML = magic levitation

ML/Ramming is one of my favorite tactics (also yo-yoing), and honestly if you want to use a good rammer, go for the single based ram units like minotaurs or Pyre Spirit.

Since the idea of ramming or the "shake and break" tactic is to deal clicks to a figure without rolling attacks (presumably because the fig is too hard to hit with a regular attack roll). So with that in mind, let's examine both strategies.

Ram units:

Minotaurs are especially nice because they're tough, but the good thing about single bases is:

You ML them into something and it does a click of ram (possibly to multiple units). Its stuck there and maybe gets shredded. If not then:

Next Round You roll breakaway and suceed, you back up an inch then run into the figure again for another click of ram. If you fail to breakaway you free spin and deal another click of ram. Again there's a shred risk, but since you can only base about two figures (normally, special circumstances might let you base more) the risk is minimized. If you use the taurs their toughness helps. If you used Pyre Spirit he's inflicted additional damage from venom.

Next round, you push and try breakaway again with the same results. Suceed or fail, you got some decent damage in.

3 clicks in 3 rounds (or more if you used PS). Works good on Gilgarsh and other hard to hit figs that don't have toughness/invulnerability. Best way I know of to take most Titans and uniques out of their best clicks quickly without the risk that an attack roll can give you.

But looking at mounteds, the best idea is a ramming mounted for practically the same idea (except no free spin, but easier breakaway). Course a mounted rammer can't "shake and break" (unless you turn off the ram), so your strategy is still a bit different.

Now on top of all this fun, remember that if you had your rammer in b2b with more than one ML fig, you can "slam and ram" then pull your rammer back out of possible counterattack to keep it from being shredded all in one round.

Or if you're really feeling adventurous you can use your multiple ML figs to ping pong your rammer off of multiple units dealing a click each (this works great for neutering SAs on figs).
Seems pretty effective to me.

Mounteds:

Using a regular mounted? Hmm. Lets examine it.

Firstly, there are no venomous, mounted units so lingering in base contact with a mounted unit is a risky proposition in the first place.

You ML it into base contact, it stays there for a round because it cant do anything (possibly getting shredded) and you have wasted an action and done no damage.

Next round you breakaway (hopefully) and if you placed yourself right with ML you can base about 3 or 4 figures and do a click to each as long as they aren't in your attack arc.

You can't yoyo the figure, because MLing a fig out of base contact doesn't deal shake off damage (no breakaway roll).

Overall, the "shake and break" is simply not as efficient or effective. In a pinch it works okay as a substitute, but it lacks the reliable solidity of a Ram SA.

Argue as you will, but I think my point is clear.

A mounted units strength is in it's ability to be mobile. The shake-off damage is just an added benefit.



[ag]

is there to get the first damage in on strong figs or take out glasjawed abilities.

the poor man's "shake and break" is primarly usefull in the end-game where most figs are damaged and are no real threath for you're mounted.

Hmmm... some inaccurate rules going on here.

A mounted figure that is Magic Levitated away from opposing figures will not do shakeoff damage. One of the conditions for such damage is a successful breakaway. When the figure is levitated, there is no breakaway at all.

As for the strategy, I think everyone is looking at this from the wrong angle.

Instead of looking at it as using one mounted figure to try to damage multiple opposing figures (thereby opening the mounted figure up to multiple attacks), how about using multiple mounted figures to do multiple clicks to a single opposing figure? Take a formation of three mounted figures and arrange them around the target so that they're all touching the target outside their front arc, yet are still touching each other. (I think that should be possible with 3.)

Next turn, do a formation move, and break away with all of them. You still get the easy break because the figure is mounted, you will probably do 3 clicks to it (and you can still do a couple even if one misses the roll), and you only open yourself up to a single attack in between.

Been done to a wind minion with 4 chargers in a high pt game, he didn't like it very much.