Topic: The Case for Giving Halberdiers a Ward

[der Hurenwiebel]

stubborn if the army is led by anything but a wizard, in which case they get cheaper by one point each, the ability to buy heavy armour, and halberds count as AP.  The arguement against phoenix guard and chaos knights getting this also doesn't really wash for me, basically the rule adjustment makes halberdiers light great weapons.  Not quite as likely to penetrate but when they do you are just as likely to go into the hurt locker.   

[Perius]

I submit that the problem with the halberd is not the weapon but the unit. Swordsmen are better, as they survive longer, and are thus more likely to win the combat through combat resolution. Being only marginally more expensive means that they are a much better option.


I therefore propose to cut the points cost of Halberdiers to 4/model. This is the sort of drastic cutting seen with the new Dark Elf book; it certainly worked there, making generic Warriors a much better choice.

For those hunting combat resolution, we make Halberdier Full Commands free. This represents the more common nature of Halberd regiments; other formations are more likely to be detachments, whilst Halberds tend (fluff-wise) to serve as proper regiments, and are thus more likely to have a complete command deck.


Halberdiers thus become a cheap unit with good combat resolution. Swordsmen aren't disadvantaged, and no fundamental rule change regarding state troops is carried out. No new special rules are introduced; rather than removing the weakness, we offset it.


What do you think?

[Freman Bloodglaive]

Would we still have a problem with panic when those big blocks of halberds start running after getting slaughtered?

[commandant]

Stubborn is an idea but I would like to them to have heavy armour and a new rule.   For the Empire.   This rule states that no matter how many are killed the entire front rank still strikes back.   The represents the longer reach of the halbard as well as the doggedness of the empire halbardier

[Fandir Nightshade]

I think stubborn is enough, they still die like flies as they are supposed to do but they will fix the enemies in one spot so the stank/knights/flaggies can countercharge the enemy the S 4 is nice to wound something once in a while and they are well priced for 5 points if they would have stubborn.

The halberd itself should be armour piercing as Hurenwiebel proposed. If it becomes a good weapon this way ...so jolly whoopdy do as greatswords are overpowered right now as I see a high percentage of heroes running around with it (flails if on horse or disc or whatever). Stubborn 5 points even if lead by a wizard lord, makes them a nice choice and you would see at least two big blocks of them in each empire army.....promise. (those two blocks would even be decent sized so no undead mob will outnumber them in the first turn of combat) so I think that you will look at blocks 30 strong at the least 150 points of stubborn candy.

Two blocks of halberdiers and one block of greatswords should be a nice solid core of any empire army. But you shouldn´t force those units on the general with fluff but you should make them a sound choice.

[der Hurenwiebel]

OK I could go for stubborn with an ap halberd, with the ability to buy heavy armour for my boys.  6PT stubborn 5+as halberdiers excellent.

[commandant]

could we get them for 4 points with stubborn and no armour.   They I would run them in units of 40

[der Hurenwiebel]

sorry for stubborn, ap halberd and four points you have to lake the light armour as well 

[wissenlander]

I know it's been said, but I don't see any justification for giving halberdiers a ward save.  Give them the option to wear heavy armor, armor piercing and maybe some rule that makes them stick around (be it stubborn or no matter the casualties the front rank may always strike back in full force sort of thing) and it would be fairly reasonable.

It sucks that we're getting railed by all the power creep, but I like my infantry soft and squishy (not really, it stinks).  But I just can't justify having our average joe's fighting as though they were trained at Globo Gym.

[Fandir Nightshade]

I would even let them stick to light armour but I want stubborn. They still would be light and squishy but the best core infantry we have...and they would be like mini greatswords with S 4 and Ld 7 instead of S 5 and Ld 8.

They could even state in the fluff that once an imperial soldier hatches he comes with his own halberd and if he should ever survive the first year in service he will grow to a bigger codpiece...his old one will fall off and he will be the greatsword ....together with his bigger cod piece the greatswords should be immune to psychology.