The Deathstar, Fire Blossom… some of the names I've seen for
the 12 figure Hearthguard unit. For this I will call it x12 HG.
"Hearthguard" denotes, historically, your professional warriors. Bodyguard, the chief's friends, Ring Wearers, Wyclef's men in the movie The Thirteenth Warrior. These guys usually formed the core of a Dark Ages fighting group. They would have fine spears and axes made for war. Decorated helms, shields, and byrnies for armor. Saxes made for fighting in the shield wall and maybe even swords. They were trained and experienced as fighting was their job. Gold, silver, and bronze rings adorned their arms denoting prestige and accomplishments.
NOTE:
I talk a lot about winning and losing and some may construe
this as a focus of mine when I game. It is not. I game for many reasons, the
same as anyone else. I do like competition and feel winning and losing is part
of that tally. As an ex high school jock one thing I learned is that even if
you lose a lot you need to improve. Recognizing your weaknesses and improving
them is part of that process and I do this when I game. I like to be able to
put up a good game, win or lose, a the least. I like to overcome my own
obstacles as well as those of my gaming mates.
Over the last few years I've played a bit of Saga. I've lost
most of my games. Earlier this year I kind of turned a corner and started
winning a bit more and the biggest change I made was mustering a x12 HG unit.
My first experience was running Harald Hardrada and x12
Varangians. That cost an extra point for Harald though. Still viable (and I've
seen it called The Panzer) but effective as you can give them armor 6 or give
them two-handed axes and armor 5. I would never run that one "right"
though and my Varangian Panzer Tank was always out of position. My last game
with them against Welsh though shined a light on how effective they COULD be if
at full strength and in the thick of battle*.
* I had 7 Varangians left by the time I got them into the grill of the Welsh and those 7 did some serious damage.
Then there was my Vikings vs. The Welsh in a game of Escort where my opponent put down a x12 HG of mounted figures and swept my Vikings up good.
Later, quite by accident, I set up my Pagan Rus Faction with
a x12 HG (meaning to set up a x12 Warrior unit) and did not know I did it until
after dice were rolled. I went with it and that unit did real well though I
lost a Saga Dice.
This sheds light on why I was NOT running x12 HGs – Saga Dice.
One of the things running through my mind all the time was maximization of Saga
Dice. I was also getting killed in most of my games. Relation? Who knows? I'd
always try to get more Saga Dice slots by mustering small but many units
thinking, "I'm going to lose units thus Saga Dice – I better bolster that
up so losing units doesn't take away from rolling 6 dice per turn."
Well, that did not seem ot be a problem when I did run x12
HGs so I started running my Vikings with that. Here is my typical list –
Vikings 6 Points:
Warlord
Hearthguard>
Hearthguard> x12 HG
Hearthguard>
Warrior
Warrior split in to 2x4 units
-Gives me 6 Saga Dice
I've been adding a bard lately. Gives me a Saga Dice and
some other abilities. This is still new to me though.
Depending on scenario and terrain my usual deployment is a
x12 HG as core, screens forward of Warriors x4 and backed by the Warrior x8.
Warlord leading the x12 HG either from front or rear depending on scenario.
My focus with this unit is to get into the ranks of my
opponent and tear them up, regardless of scenario. My signature Viking Board
ability to bolster them in a fight is Ullr – re-roll misses. Been pretty
effective so far.
Pretty much the same with my Pagan Rus (bolstered by
Standing Like Bears) and will be soon for my Normans… my beleaguered and
hard-working but fragile Normans.
Here is a list of pros and cons. I hope that this list will
highlight why it works:
Pros –
Activates on all Saga Dice.
Hits Hard (24 attack dice).
Highest, unmodified, armor.
Longevity and resilience.
Most Saga Abilities are usable by them.
Cons –
3 points to muster.
1 Saga Dice.
Harder to paint (they need to look good in my book!)
Easy to shut down if you don't care for them.
That last point is the kicker. Welsh can call them out and
move them when you don't want them too if they are too close. Anglo-Danes can
hit them with one of their fatigue bombs if you don't screen them and shut them
down for a turn or 3. Pagan Rus will exhaust them and then you'll lose figures
if you have them M or more from another unit. Vikings can just hit hard with
either a x12 HG or 'Serkers and throw 36 Attack Dice at you. << these
have happened or I did it. I'm sure other factions have nasty little tricks
also. All of them can be mitigated though if you watch and plan for them. KNOW THE OTHER FACTIONS!!
Actual tactics, strategy being too strong a word in this case, used would depend slightly on scenario but is pretty straight forward:
Using Saga Abilities and smaller unit screens (levies and small warrior units) you move your x12 HG into a targeted area and start rolling dice.
In Clash of the Warlords this leads to killing figures and hopefully the opponent's Warlord.
In Fords this leads to a weak defensive and crossing force for your opponent and you crossing the bridge with a tough to route force of high-scoring Hearthguards.
Escort - cripple the defense and the Baggage has no chance.
Sacred Ground - if you don't have a lot of minis, because that dang x12 HG killed them all, you won't score a lot of points.
You get the point?
The 12 Figure Hearthguard unit - it's what I suggest to all new players.
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