Its marching time!

Hello, Mullinstron here and today I wanted to talk to you guys about footslogging armies. In the past I have always been a fan of the meched up transport list, but recently I have been finding myself playing footslogging lists and having a lot of fun. Mostly I have been playing a total footslogging Grey Knights list that has been meeting with great success. But I have also seen the rise of some footdar and a few other lists where people have been taking less transports for more boots on the ground. So how do you play a footslogging list? This was something that I had to figure out with my Grey Knights. First you need to have a core of units that is resilient enough to cross the table and take some firepower. This can ether be though numbers or through the sheer toughness of the model in the case of Terminators.

The next thing that helps is large squads. You are going to lose guys. There is no way around that. You are going to take two turns to get to your opponent, they are not going to like that so they are going to light you up. This means that large numbers is a benefit.

Also don’t forget to hug cover. You want to move those large squads into and through cover as fast as you can. It’s obvious but bears thinking about the more of your men that arrive at your destination the better for you and the worse for your opponent. Alternatively, you can screen your own guys with another unit. Run a less expensive unit in front of the unit you want to keep safe. You are giving your opponent the choice to shoot the unit in front with no cover save, or, shoot the more valuable unit in back which will now have a 4+ cover save.

This point I cannot stress enough have a PLAN! Before you set out on your epic walking journey across no mans land, set down a strategy to win. Foot lists are not very quick and cannot respond to things that happen on the other side of the table. Before you set out know where you are going and what you are planning to capture. If it’s a kill points mission think about waiting for the enemy to come to you. The less you have to react to them, the better it is for you.

Study your opponent’s list and make sure they are not going to be able to outflank you some how. The last thing you are going to want is to send your whole army across the table and then have something outflank and kill the 5 sniper scouts that you left on your objective. Make sure you know how you opponent can move before you commit your troops. As a footslogging list you are not going to have a chance to take back what you are doing. Once you are committed you are committed.

Try to use alterative deployments if you can. Deepstrike and outflank are both great. But be sure to leave a core of your list that is still moving across the table. Coming at your enemy from all angles can really throw a monkey wrench in your opponent’s plans. You want them trying to shoot all of your squads at the same time. The less concentrated fire your opponent has on one unit, the more chance you are going to get there alive. A unit of scouts, commandos, Jump packers, Crisis suits, Deathmarks , or whatever can really turn the tide and pull heat off your Main force.

Deep strikers can also really help a footslogging list by being able to cross the board and hold an objective that is WAY out of the way. I always like to have at least one squad deep strike when I play. This way I am sure that I can get to one of the enemy objectives.

I hope that this has highlighted some of the ways to footslog. I know it was trial and error for me. There can be huge benefits playing this type of list. You are going to have way more boots on the ground than your opponent (depending on army). That means you are going to be able to hold objectives more effectively. You are also going to be harder for tank killing weapons to kill off. A las cannon is great against a Rhino, but not so hot in killing off the tac guys inside.

So take some time and check out your codex. See if maybe there is a foot list in there for you somewhere. I know for me it really has changed how I play and look at my opponents lists. I am having a lot of fun footslogging. Give it a try!

~m