I wanted to get your guys (and gals) opinions on deployment and Runewars. How much of the game do you think is won by the initial setup? It seems like you can easily shape the game with terrain, by blocking wide units. That cavalry set up to 4+2 move can really ruin your day really fast, and its hard to get out of the way.

Are there some good turn 0 strategies you can employ to make deployment not end your chances?

I think this depends on the armies involved. Elves are so maneuverable that I feel like the deployment matters much less when they're involved. For example, Leonx can march past enemies and reform to hit them in the back in some big surprise moves. Oathsworn, on the other hand, are generally much more telegraphed. If both armies are very telegraphed and both players execute well, then I'd say the game is about 50% decided in deployment, but that's the most it ever is. In most matches, I'd say deployment is around 25% or so. It's important, but I've seen a good deployment blown enough times to not be so naive as to think that's the most important thing.

I don't think you can win in initial deployment, but you can lose. See my 2nd video play though video on youtube . Making mistakes in terrain placement and deployment can be fatal.

Just now, flightmaster101 said:

I don't think you can win in initial deployment, but you can lose. See my 2nd video play though video on youtube . Making mistakes in terrain placement and deployment can be fatal.

I definitely agree that you can lose on turn 0.

I think it's the most important part of the game, in large part because there are only 8 rounds. It doesn't matter how well you maneuver or the raw stats of your units if they are blocked, trapped, or otherwise don't have full access to their dials.

Yep, I agree that deployment is HUGELY important. I'm still trying to get a feel for it. Right now it still feels so nebulous to me. I'm not quite sure what my goals in set up are, acting more on gut than on any tactical ideas. Okay, so sometimes I have great tactical ideas that pay off. The more I play, the more I learn.

In my last match, terrain was spaced out pretty far, but I was able to close off some gaps with well placed Volatile Runes (my first time playing that objective). That mad a big difference. My opponent was just going to run through as fast as he could, but there were 7 runes on the first round, and 6 on the second round, so he didn't chance it, and had to go the long way around with his larger unit.

I've lost games in deployment and subsequent round one mistakes for sure.

I used to say this about Armada, and now I say it about Runewars:

You cannot win this game in deployment, but you can definitely lose it.

2 hours ago, Parakitor said:

I'm still trying to get a feel for it. Right now it still feels so nebulous to me. I'm not quite sure what my goals in set up are, acting more on gut than on any tactical ideas. Okay, so sometimes I have great tactical ideas that pay off. The more I play, the more I learn.

Welcome to miniature wargaming .

As derpy as this sounds practice your deployments outside of the game. Get your blocks and random scatter some terrain. Then think, how am I going to apply overwhelming local force superiority, at that point on the table, what happens if the enemy comes through here, how can my units support each other in this setting.

Push your units out a move and you'll rapidly see how these test deployments impact on your battlefield presence.

Of course there are always staples to deployment.

1. Don't put your units too far from each other other as they will be unable to support each other and can be isolated and overwhelmed by the enemy.
2. Protect your flanks, be it with terrain or other units
3. Pay a little bit of attention to the enemy deployment, has the enemy general made their own mistakes, can you capitalise on these
4. Can you use misdirection to pull the other general into making a deployment mistake, think Aliana and her Leonx Rider redeployment; an early drop of these with the plan to scoot them to another location later on
5. Where do you want your units to be in turn 4 of the battle, thinking this way can really crystalise your thinking on deployment as you'll know the movement limitations of your units so therefore know how you need to deploy them.

5 hours ago, flightmaster101 said:

I don't think you can win in initial deployment, but you can lose. See my 2nd video play though video on youtube . Making mistakes in terrain placement and deployment can be fatal.

This, I agree with this 100%.

From a play perspective how do you guys feel about the importance of deployment?

is it a big enough factor that learning scenarios should have fixed deployment? That early games players should help eachother delploy?

It is not as important as say, Armada, but very important. Yes, you can lose immediately on poor deployment (against good deployment)

8 hours ago, TylerTT said:

From a play perspective how do you guys feel about the importance of deployment?

is it a big enough factor that learning scenarios should have fixed deployment? That early games players should help eachother delploy?

I would say that that learning the scenarios so you can deploy specifically for them makes deployment a deeper part of the game. If I'm on "Hammer and Anvil" and playing "Bounty" I would deploy vastly different then if we were playing "Supply Raid". Even though its the same map, the objective and my strategy in how to go after the objectives is going to change how I set up my forces.

Hence my thoughts that since the objectives are sooooo much more important to score in RW then say Armada, if you deploy poorly you can totally put yourself behind from the get go.

I've never seen a game categorically won in deployment, but I've definitely seen games lost in deployment.

I've made, and seen made, errors such as deploying mortal wound causing too far away from potential targets, units placed out of range of allies they need for synergy and people blocking their own units into choke points.

But like I said, I have yet to see someone deploy so cleverly that their opponent can't escape from a well laid plan or trap.

I have also seen terribly mis-matched armies, which is kind of kin to deployment wins. Last week I played a game with a lancer heavy list against a Latari opponent who didn't have a single unit that could do more than two wounds to them a turn. Had I fielded my usual archers and Reanimates with a couple of lone lancer blockers, he would have been just fine.