Please note that this is the second in a series of three articles and I assume here that you've read the first one for tips on what it means to have trenchworks and forfications in your games and how to make the best use of them. If you have not, go read it now, I'll wait.

Slow down, you move too fast, you've got to make the moment last...
The Defense strategy for trenchworks and fortifications is rather limited, but effective. Since these pieces pretty much anchor your force into a static position, you won't be able to effectively use mobility as a main asset. Fortunately, the limited options you have are very effective in addition to being simple. The ultimate goal can be summed up succinctly as: Slow Them Down. Please note that this article is geared toward defending against an assault-based army, as the Trenchworks and Fortifications will give you a greater advantage against a shooting-based army.

By attacking their time, you force them to spend more time getting to you. Every turn that you keep them out of your lines is another turn that they spend under your guns and one less turn of them stabbing you. For more specifics, I'll break it down into Movement, Target Priorities and Counter Attacks.

Movement
This is the most literal version of slowing them down. Make them move less than their normal maximum speed. Difficult terrain helps a great deal here. If you even slow them down by 1/3 (meaning they move an average of 4" per turn instead of 6) that'll give you at least a full extra turn of shooting against most armies. For that matter, depending on the starting distances, even slowing them down by a few inches total will make that difference. (25 inches of separation with no other factors will leave an army that moves 6" per turn just outside of charge range on turn 3. Slowing them down by 5.5 inches over those 3 turns will leave them outside of charge range on turn 4.) Having Difficult terrain directly in front of your positions is the most obvious way of doing this (and usually any trench terrain pieces will include some, just make sure you discuss it with your opponent first.) Having difficult terrain along the way or even at the edge of the opponent's deployment zone also works wonders. The closer it is to you, however, the better it is, because more of your guns can reach them while they crawl through the terrain.

You can also slow down an army's movement by channeling it through terrain features. An army advancing on a wide front will have to slow down as it moves through narrower paths. Even if the models in front aren't slowed, they will have less support behind them, and will be easier to pick off with your guns. If there aren't any handy pieces of terrain that can channel the opposing army, you might be able to create some. If you have vehicles that aren't as useful due to the static nature of trench warfare, consider using them as roadblocks. Until they are destroyed, they will force the enemy to move around them, and any weapons used to destroy them are not used against a more important part of your army. This is also a great way to use mobile platforms that have had their weapons destroyed. (A Whirlwind or a Leman Russ without their main guns would be great examples here.) By forcing the enemy to move around pieces, you force them to waste time and to bunch up, which gives you better targets for blast weaponry and makes them targets for longer.

Target Priorities
Transport Vehicles are your first target priority in trench and fortification defense. They are the fastest way for lots of nasty assault troops to get to your lines and wreak havoc. They generally have light to medium armor, but they are generally hard to stop. Most armies have access to various equipment to keep their transports moving, such as extra armor or track guards. While heavier weaponry won't improve your chances by much, multiple light-to-medium shots will help tremendously. Weapons like Heavy Bolters (against AV10 or 11, of course) Multilasers and Autocannon are excellent for this duty. Make sure that all the approaches to your positions are covered by weapons in this category, if possible.

Fast-moving Infantry Jump troops and cavalry are your second target priority. These generally are assault specialists, so they will hurt more when they get to your lines, and they also will block a lot of your shooting once they do engage. Some of them have fairly heavy armor (Assault Marines fall into this category) while others are more numerous (Hormagaunts would be a great example.) While heavy weapons can be very effective, and will start to thin them down, basic weaponry will probably be your best bet to wipe them out as they close.

Counter Assault
This is the part where you get to use any counterassault capability you have (even if you don't really have any. Keep reading, it'll make more sense shortly.) You want to create situations that will slow down the enemy or redirect them. A great possibility here would be some sort of heavily protected combat unit that can tie up an enemy unit for most of the game. An example might be a Space Marine Character in Terminator armor (against a unit with no power weapon capability.) Even a unit without close combat ability or protection can be used as a road block. The important part is that the unit must be able to either last for several turns against the unit, or must be able to lose combat right away. If the unit lasts for two assault phases, the enemy will be able to move forward without being fired on. On the other hand, if your unit parks itself directly in front of the enemy unit and gets charged, then folds right away, the enemy unit will be stuck out in front of your guns for another whole turn. If the unit can hold for several turns, it not only holds up that unit, but it forces other units to move around the combat, slowing them down.

Stay Tuned for the the next episode
So far I have covered fortifications and trenchworks from both sides and gone into more detail for the defenders. Next week you'll get it from the Attacker's point of view.

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