A good combo?

[DEWN MOU'TAIN]

is this a good combo?

orc with tower shield and short spear in front. orc with long spear behind. and another orc with a tanglefoot bag behind all of them? the orc with the bags tosses them out to the opponents while the other two hit at the same time...

[Areteas]

Technically I think the orc in front would provide soft cover to anyone the 2nd orc and 3d orc were trying to hit (worst for the tanglefoot bag guy; I don't think he could get line of sight for his throw).

This could (possibly) work with an orc with a shortspear in the front, an orc with a longspear riding a worg or other Large (long) creature in the middle, and an ogre or other Large (tall) creature in the back with the tanglefoot bag, but at that point I'd just send the ogre out to smashy smashy.

[cranewings]

It definitely works. Want to see men in line with spears? Look up Alexander the Great's phalanx sometime.

Three rows of guys stabbing with people in the back throwing stuff is almost the most basic and oldest battle tactic in human history. If RAW doesn't support it, or gets in its way in any way, throw it out.

[Gorbacz]

cranewings wrote:

It definitely works. Want to see men in line with spears? Look up Alexander the Great's phalanx sometime.

Three rows of guys stabbing with people in the back throwing stuff is almost the most basic and oldest battle tactic in human history. If RAW doesn't support it, or gets in its way in any way, throw it out.

Human history was rather short on people who could cast area of effect spells. :)

[cranewings]

Gorbacz wrote:

cranewings wrote:

It definitely works. Want to see men in line with spears? Look up Alexander the Great's phalanx sometime.

Three rows of guys stabbing with people in the back throwing stuff is almost the most basic and oldest battle tactic in human history. If RAW doesn't support it, or gets in its way in any way, throw it out.

Human history was rather short on people who could cast area of effect spells. :)

Oh yee of little faith (;

[karkon]

One specific problem I see with this is that if the two front orcs are engaged then the third orc will take a -4 for throwing into combat. By having precise shot (and point blank unless the 3rd orc is a ranger) the third orc has additional options such as regular ranged attacks or if he is a caster then he could do ray spells.

[Phneri]

DEWN MOU'TAIN wrote:

is this a good combo?

orc with tower shield and short spear in front. orc with long spear behind. and another orc with a tanglefoot bag behind all of them? the orc with the bags tosses them out to the opponents while the other two hit at the same time...

I'd offer a modification:

Short spear/tower shield guy in front, longspear guy has a tanglefoot bag in one hand and throws it (now having 2 hands available for spear attacks) and give the guy in the back a javelin/sling/bow/etc.

As an opponent closes the tanglefoot bag and ranged go, as the debuffed opponent moves in spear guys go and ranged dude throws into melee (give him precise shot).

If you're using a high strength stat block for all of the mooks go for javelins/slings for the ranged guy for a cost-effective damage addition.

Give the rear combatants spiked gauntlets so they can deal with a surprise flank.