MSU Resources

I enjoy playing and exploring Multiple Small Units lists whenever I can. These kinds of lists are challenging to play, but very rewarding when things do manage to come together and get you the win. 

I have not played anywhere near enough games to be an authority on the play style as it relates to Kings of War generally, and can offer no definitive insights on even my main army. I simply lack the game experience to speak with any certainty. I have however blabbered about it here on the blog for years now! I'll let you judge if I have stumbled on something insightful in my ramblings...

My posts related to general MSU tactics and thoughts are linked here, and dated, so you can trace the evolution of my thinking, and you can visit the Battle Reports pages to see some of these concepts in action. More updates and edits are sure to come. Thanks for visiting!

Elite Armies and MSU vs MMU (Link, July 6th, 2024)

It's been a while, but 50 games is offering some new insights. First, for Kings of War, MMU or regimental spam seems to be a better terminology for describing how this style of play fits this game. After all, troops are the small units in this game, and are hard to utilize in roles other than chaff. Second, elite armies, or those with units that top-out at the regimental size seem like good candidates for exploring this playstyle. Abyssals has been fun, but something like Imperial Dwarfs seem like they could also fare well with some MMU play.

Unlocks and Hordes (Link, September 8th, 2022
I tried a list that focused on using the unlocks my regiments gave. The game was close, and I liked the results and think I should utilize my unlocks more diligently. However in looking at the details and comparing my MSU to a more typical KOM list, I realize that my regiments are not really cutting it. I think MSU is a viable approach, but without good stats or good rules, the KOM needs to rely on numbers and nerve, and we get those by running a few hordes. I will still try some MSU with other armies as I am able to though! 

The Unit Cost vs Unit Size Debate (Link, June 22, 2022)

The game mechanics of Kings of War have a lot of interactions with the MSU style of play, as unit sizes themselves are capped; you pay more for those smaller, more versatile units; and very few roster options cost more than around 15% of a typical list. In short, the game encourages fielding multiple units. So, I am starting to come down on the side of "MSU = Regiments max" for an easy shorthand.

MSU: The Village Idiot

Discussing Successor Lists (Link, July 19th, 2022)

Thoughts (Link, June 11th, 2022)

Tactica Repost (Link, June 10th, 2022)

I like to learn from others whenever possible. Life is too short to figure out everything yourself! A player won an old Warhammer tournament, and those tactics permeated the discussions for the next decade or so on the old forum.  I recently stumbled on Randy Atchley's Tactica again, and while this was for an entirely different game, the general tactics favored combined arms and small units, and I felt worth a look.

COMMON THEMES IN MSU LISTS (Link, April 21st, 2016)

Each army seems to have their own way to play a more MSU-focused game, due to available units, unit costs, unit stats or army special rules. I am finding that there doesn’t seem to be a hard and fast way to define MSU, but there are some general trends, as explored in the post. Considering these themes, and applying them when building a list may help you build a more MSU-styled army.

KINGS OF WAR IS DIFFERENT (More Thoughts) (Link, February 26th, 2016)

Even if you have played MSU in a different game... Kings of War is a new game, and as such will necessitate developing new skills and tactics. I try to summarize some of what makes Kings of War unique here, and is more of a “food for thought” post.

MSU LIST CHECKLIST (Early Thoughts) (Link, February 25th, 2016)

After playing a few games of Kings of War, consider perusing this post, even if you are not playing MSU. There are a lot of armies in Kings of War, and a lot of potential threats out there. Look at the checklist, and your list… and hopefully it helps you understand your lists might be strong or weak against before you bring it to the table.