# US vs UK: Tactical Trends



## darklove (May 7, 2008)

It seems to me that there are some distinct differences in the tactics used by different factions in the US vs the UK and I wonder if anyone else has observed this and could make some sweeping generalisations about this?
I find it fascinating.

To make one quick example, I am in the UK and I recently returned to Eldar (I am mainly a Necron player since forever) after a break of several years. Everyone loves EMLs on Wave Serpents here, it is the bee's knees (and bees must have nice knees because that is where they carry their 'soon to be honey'). But all the comments I see here from US members are "NONONO! EMLs are soooo expensive - use Scatter lasers to make your shuriken cannon and serpent shield twin-linked - it is uber sweet" etc. etc.


So, has anyone else noticed some big tactical trend differences between different parts of the world?


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## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

Australians have tactics, Brits don't :laugh:

Midnight


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## Chaplain-Grimaldus (Aug 4, 2013)

Well that is utter bullshit midnight lol.

I'm pretty sure the incentives for a Brit soldier to transfer to the Ausies army is a fuck lot more than it is for the Ausies to come to the Brits (Eg, there isn't)

Ps: after reading that it sounds like I'm kicking off, I'm not, it's playful banter lol.


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## Straken's_Fist (Aug 15, 2012)

I think what you really mean is real life tactics vs internet tactics.  Unless you have spoken to international players in 'real life'...


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## Loki1416 (Apr 20, 2010)

I can see that people from different countries would think differently when it comes to tactics. Thing is though, there is a HUGE difference between tactics and list optimization.


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## Ddraig Cymry (Dec 30, 2012)

I'm not familiar with this as I've only played one guy and we're both American, he was Eldar using a Wraithknight and Eldrad n a 1,250 point list. I on the other hand really like hitting your enemies hard were they're weak, not neccesarily hit and run. I like hitting fast and hitting hard enough to beat them before they have much of a chance to hit back.


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## darklove (May 7, 2008)

I'm obviously talking about game tactics rather than real world 

Some net-lists seem to be popular everywhere, while some only in particular regions of the world.


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## locustgate (Dec 6, 2009)

My most frequent tactic is pin your enemy down with infantry and heavy fire while your elites move in to take out their HQ and elites, works with IG, Tau, Orks, Usually Chaos, and Marines.

Note: tenderizing them with heavy fire, Broadsides, and stealth teams increases the kill:loss ration in your favor.


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## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

Chaplain-Grimaldus said:


> Well that is utter bullshit midnight lol.
> 
> I'm pretty sure the incentives for a Brit soldier to transfer to the Ausies army is a fuck lot more than it is for the Ausies to come to the Brits (Eg, there isn't)
> 
> Ps: after reading that it sounds like I'm kicking off, I'm not, it's playful banter lol.


I think the thread's on about the little plastic models we all collect, not the actual armed forces :wink:

And yeah, it's a huge generalization; I just used Australia as an example since it has the best competitive blog hosted there (3++ Is The New Black), but I'm honestly comparing tournament lists to FLGS lists; some of the shit I've seen at Warhammer World's 'Invasion!' events...

Midnight


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## Chaplain-Grimaldus (Aug 4, 2013)

I know, I was joking 

I think it's only natural that trends will adapt and evolve to meet the local Meta. 

It goes beyond nationally to locally. If your area has a load of Ork/nid players then you will see a lot of flamers in tactical squads, guard squads and so on but if there are loads of mec players or marines


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## emporershand89 (Jun 11, 2010)

I did notice this at Pax East, held in my hometown this past year. 2 U.K and 1 French player I battled used very reserved tactics. They prefered less units with more kick than more units with mob tactics. Alot of my fellow U.S players were complete horde/mob tactics (Guard, Necrons, Nids). It was interesting to see, especially the one 2v2 Apocalypse game that spanned 4 tables.


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## Bearer.of.the.Word (Aug 11, 2013)

MidnightSun said:


> Australians have tactics, Brits don't :laugh:
> 
> Midnight


How bally dare you sir. Its time my glove meets you face:grin:

That being said the majority of games I play end on turn 12 when one of us is tabled, and only after a blood thirsty close combat grinding match.
Screw victory points, the gods appreciate the strong not the guy who's really good at baby sitting stuff.


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## Sethis (Jun 4, 2009)

UK players tend to prefer "Rock" lists like Nob Bikers (when that was a thing) over the MSU style, even when MSU was the most powerful archetype in late 5th.

Of course that's a generalization, but from what I've read about American tournaments and what I've seen in person in British tournaments, it seems to be the case. I don't know if you can get any more specific than that.


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## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

Bearer.of.the.Word said:


> How bally dare you sir. Its time my glove meets you face:grin:


Hey, I'm a limey too. Just one that reads 3++ Is The New Black :victory:

I really have no idea. UK players seem to stick together shitty units to form shitty armies and then bitch if you even suggest it's bad, but that's the same everywhere I think.

Midnight


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## Archon Dan (Feb 6, 2012)

As stated earlier, I think it really boils down to local meta. I have no tournament plans but I think my LGS has prepared me well should I take the plunge. From what I've read about other LGSs, mine is really diverse. I've read how "Eldar is big here" or "nobody plays Orks." At my store almost everyone has more than one army and nearly all the armies are represented. If I want to learn to fight Tau, I know who to ask. The same is true for Eldar, Orks or IG. And when it comes to Marines, each player uses different Chapter Tactics. So, while some players "cut their teeth" against very specific local metas, I would say facing more diverse opponents lets you learn the strengths and weaknesses of an army build faster.


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## tuebor (Jun 27, 2011)

It's all about local meta, there's no national character to it, outside of smaller nations of course. I've played in France, Germany, Canada and several US states and I've found no greater variation between countries than what you find between clubs in the same town.


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## emporershand89 (Jun 11, 2010)

It is funny how all of you are simply ripping on one another instead of presenting generalizations about tactics used between Brits and Americans; or Shmuck vs shmuck for that matter.  Stay on Topic 


On the topic of Tactics changing Internationally I can admit I have noticed several differences. In particular dealing with U.K players I notice that the more Elite the unit the better. American players, both in Warhammer 40k and any video game competition, prefer to have cheaper firepower, "en mass." This means they would rather stack up several squads of Heavy Weapons Teams for Imperial Guard instead of 1 Baneblade, they prefer Death Companies to Elite characters, and prefer to shoot you than CQB you. For the U.K part they will invest points in the more Elite unit because they tend to play much more conservatively, and will only commit their units when they see a advantage. U.K will favor Monoliths over Heavy Necron Warriors, Land Raiders over Cyclone teams, and SwarmLords over a horde of Warriors.

Another distinct difference, IMHO, is U.K players like to trudge it out, whereas Americans prefer to rush in. Many players in the U.S love Valkyries, JetFighters, and other Air units used to bring swift mobility to troop movements and deadly mobile firepower platforms to key positions. Many U.K players (especially at Pax East) have shown me they will stick it out with massive Artillery bombardments, Hordes of Elite Orks, or crush everything under the Nid Warriors claws. Slow and Steady vs Swift and Deadly.

As for other countries they have their own perks, particularly 3 Swedish players I had the privilige of facing at Pax East demonstrated how they love to use Elite special characters over basic Troops. I'm not even sure if it was legal for a 2,000pt battle with all the Space Marine character he had (High Marhsal, Castellan, Emporers Champion, Reclusiarch, and a Sword Brethern CS?? I was like WTF man???!!!). Funny thing was they both laughed at and abhorded me when I told them to use massive maounts of basic heavies for Imperial Guard. I still beat 2 of the 3. Anyway different places, different approaches to the same problem. Dog eat Dog world babe!!!


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

emporershand89 said:


> It is funny how all of you are simply ripping on one another instead of presenting generalizations about tactics used between Brits and Americans; or Shmuck vs shmuck for that matter.  Stay on Topic
> 
> 
> On the topic of Tactics changing Internationally I can admit I have noticed several differences. In particular dealing with U.K players I notice that the more Elite the unit the better. American players, both in Warhammer 40k and any video game competition, prefer to have cheaper firepower, "en mass." This means they would rather stack up several squads of Heavy Weapons Teams for Imperial Guard instead of 1 Baneblade, they prefer Death Companies to Elite characters, and prefer to shoot you than CQB you. For the U.K part they will invest points in the more Elite unit because they tend to play much more conservatively, and will only commit their units when they see a advantage. U.K will favor Monoliths over Heavy Necron Warriors, Land Raiders over Cyclone teams, and SwarmLords over a horde of Warriors.
> ...


I'd go a long with that. I'm a fairly conservative player but I limit my elite units to one over 200 points in 1500 point game on average. I use missile launchers and a thunderfire cannon a long with assault cannons so tend to sit back and shoot until the necessary time when I jump forward to deliver a killing blow to weakened units with small squads of marines packing a combi weapon and a normal version of the same type in a razorback.


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## emporershand89 (Jun 11, 2010)

Words_of_Truth said:


> I'd go a long with that. I'm a fairly conservative player but I limit my elite units to one over 200 points in 1500 point game on average. I use missile launchers and a thunderfire cannon a long with assault cannons so tend to sit back and shoot until the necessary time when I jump forward to deliver a killing blow to weakened units with small squads of marines packing a combi weapon and a normal version of the same type in a razorback.
> __________________


Again Word_Of_Truth I'm not saying these are facts; just making a generalizaed observation......twice. For all we know it might change, or perhaps it was just those 2 Pax East events, or those particular U.K/Swedish players way of fighting. Nothing is Absolute, Everything is Permitted as they say.


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