 Skellies?
I always take spearmen. Heck I swear by em.
At 9 points a model they seem expensive but in large units (at least 30 - I take a full 40 ) they are devestating.And you always, always chake full command.
This means you get CR of 5 (3 extra ranks, standard, and outnumber...you will outnumber trust me...even vs a gunline army) The enemy wont have full ranks cos you will have made sure of it, so they are already at a disadvantage. If a prince in there...he will sway the balance further in your favour.
Formation?
Don't put them in ranks of 5...make it atleast 7 wide (mine are 8x5). Now as most armies have 5 in the first rank, you have two extra diagnal attacks on them...if they charge you also get two ranks. Yeah, so what if they are St-3....bow are also st-3...all a 4+ imo.
Champions? Damn right.
There will always be a time when you don't want you lich standing like a lemon in the open. So you make him join a unit. You know that Chaos hero? Well Without a champ, he will challenge your Liche are tear him to buggery.
Sure you can decline, go to the back, but once the combat had been resolved you'll only be back in combat again. And Luthor Von Uberblagger has taken his agression out on some skellies and (say 4) and you are going to loose more as they crumble.
But the champion take a challenge, sure he will lose by 4 (argument sake), but you have only lost 1 model + crumbling skellies. Not 4 models + crumbling skellies.
Vs hand weapons?
A 5+ save in combat or an extra rank of attacks...my money is on the attacks as they have killing potential. A save won't kill enemy models. But idealy a general should take both, and toss in some archers with them.
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