[spikevash13]

do you like spear elves at 15 or is that really bad? how about 16 and 20? because Iknow many people like 20 but what if you want less spear elves?
swordmasters same question same numbers and all that?
silver helms do you like them as a single rank of 5? or two ranks or 8?(if you only have 8) if you have 10 is it better to have 2 units of5 or 1 unit of 10?

I do not know at all about the infantry but the silver helms seem like they sill work well at 2 units of 5 but what if you only have eight like me is there a way to get 2 for cheap?

 

[Sylvester]

15 is usually the biggest I take for spear elves. I've tried different things and found MSU works the best. For silver helms I would do 2 units of 5 over a unit of 10. One more unit to flank with and a 10 strong unit of silver helms is a big expensive target. Also 10 silver helms would be great if you are looking to win straight up combat. However if that's what you are looking for then you shouldn't play High Elves. For High Elves to win combats you need to flank. Luckely they are good at that. The only units I would take bigger are Swordmaster, White Lions and Phoenix guard. But Swordmasters and white lions only because they are protacting the banner of sorcery.

 

[strewart]

I always use spearmen in units of 20, though I'll soon be trialing them at 16. I think you do need the 3 ranks behind the first for maximum bonus, so 15 wouldn't be a good idea but 16 or 20 would.

Swordmasters are better small rather than large, they rely on kills to win combat. I'd probably go 5x3 with them.

Silver helms 5 or 6 models if you wan a small unit, 10 if you want a large one. Its personal preference, I prefer small.

 

[Plague_00]

yeah i like 16 for reg spearmen , 15 for lothern sea guard and swordmasters and 6 with the silver helms and dragon princes these numbers are formidable and don't cost alot

 

[elfwarden]

i use units of 16 spaermen, they work quite good.
About SM i use a unit of 16 since i want to get around 12 to 15 in combat.
i also use a unit of white lions. with a prince they number 18 in 6*3 lines, they hope to charge and kill the enemy and maybe get 1 or 2 rankbonus their self.

Good Hunting!

 

[Lord Anathir]

first off....spears work the best in 20.

also .... and even more importantly, swordmasters also work best in units of 20 rahter then support units. Please note that this it not theory but rather experience. (also note that my tactica i mention that SMs work better in support units, but i would like to change this, as my views on them in the past 6 months have changed)

SMs are still infantry, and only (if ranked 6 wide) have 7 attacks. Compare SMs with a 6 strong knight unit. Beside the higher Ws, SMs really have the same effectiveness. Now. we all know that it is not smart to charge small knight units into the front enemy units. so why should it be okay to do it with a small unit of SMs (expecting to win from kills rather then static combat res)? The answer is this: Its not. The reason silverhelms and DP are best taken in small units is for rank negation, counter charging **this can only be done because of their movement**. Swordmasters on the other hand, are not as mobile, and are therefore hardpressed to get a flank. Additionally, when excepting charges, it guarantees that even elite units will be hitting on 4s....pretty good when you are trying to limit the amount of casualties the charging unit is getting. Even better, your St5 might actually be able to cause a wound in return....and in subsequent turns even better, as you will be striking first (also the turn your support unit charges in the units flank and negates his/her ranks). Therefore, it is much better to spend two more points per model then a spearmen to get a WS 6 ST5 guy accepting a charge rather then WS4 S3. Go with the rank and file swordmasters....take a unit of 20. They are infantry, get rank bonus + outnumbering combat res, thats what infantry do best!!!:yes:

Thus said, it is important to remember that swordmasters are still T3 AS5+. This means you wont be standing up to chaos knights/ warriors, or anything that hits really hard. If a chaos knight unit is preparing to charge any infantry unit, eagles can be put in front of them on an angle in order to redirect them as you wish. From there you can get either a flank attack or an additional round of shooting.

 

[elfwarden]

i;ve found that any unit of 16 or more works good.

yesterday i played a battle in which a unit of 16 spearelves hold up a unit of boar big uns with black orc boss for three turns.
And you just have to support eachother. if you get 16 SM and a chariot in combat you can have great results.
it's all about good deployment and teamworking with your units IMO.

Good Hunting!