Topic: EDITED: How do you use bowmen detachments?

[Thirsty Beaver]

Hey guys!

So I'm having bit of difficulty conceptualizing my first attempt at an infantry list, and I was hoping for some pointers?

How do I bowmen?

I don't understand how to speed bump or re-direct in this edition. Do I angle them to die in a charge stopping the opponent so I can charge next turn? If I angle them right does that expose the opponent's flank?

How do I bowmen?

Thanks as always!

[Guderian]

Archers have 2 uses: (1) move ahead of parent unit and speed-bump/detain an enemy unit for 1-2 rounds. NOTE: as skirmishers, the enemy does not need to line up on their front when he charges them;  infact they need to line up on the enemies front when they are charged. This makes redirecting with archers less than ideal, when compared to redirecting with a 10-15 man Halberd detachment.

(2) They are almost good at shooting chaff units; or at least culling them by 1-2 models.                          .
I use them in 5-6 man detachments because unlike HGunners or XBows they can move and shoot. And against DElves their St 3 attack is an asset vs. Their retarded pendant that makes the character immune to high st attacKs.                 

[Big Brother]

NOTE: as skirmishers, the enemy does not need to line up on their front when he charges them;  infact they need to line up on the enemies front when they are charged. This makes redirecting with archers less than ideal, when compared to redirecting with a 10-15 man Halberd detachment.       

This may have been true before, but I don't see anything like this in the BRB (p77).  Now the skirmishes form up upon the declaration of a charge reaction, and the only form up in the ranks they are already in.

[The Peacemaker]

Archers form up as normal so they are perfect for redirecting enemies.

OP question: yes, you angle them in different ways. Sometimes this simply holds the enemy up for a turn, other times it also blocks them into unfavorable positions.

[Thirsty Beaver]

Excellent!

Thank you guys.

Follow up:

How far ahead/away from the parent unit do I want to be?

My block in this low point game has my general and bsb in it, so as long as they are within range of their bubbles getting out of the 3' shouldn't be detrimental was my thinking? If the opponent takes them down to 1 man, does he have to roll snake-eyes because he is below 25%?

Thanks as always!

[Krokz]

Archer detachment don't get much from parent unit. Betting on 1 man to survive isn't wise.

First off you can deploy them in front of your infantry block. They provide a so called "screen". Enemy must first take down the annoying five archers before he can shoot at your infantry without penalty.
Archers do march 8" and as they are skirmishers they are perfect for placing them in front of an enemy (best 1" away) at an angle. That angle is set up so that an over running enemy can't hit anything. If enemy has frenzy he will have to overrun so you can use that to your advantage.
The other is just placing them in front of enemy and putting your hammer unit 11" back from archers. Overruning enemy will most probably not overrun 11" so what ever he does will enable you to get a clean charge.

About archers and forming up. People tend to think that your units behind archers cannot charge through them. No problem. Archers declare a charge and form up on center, which makes their foot print smaller and usually enough small to squeeze them through and charge something far away. Your unit behind archers now has a clean forward arc for charging.
The other surprise is to just charge the enemy in front with archers and the unit in the back of the archers.
I've done this a lot. Stuff like that get people off foot and wins you the game.

[Fidelis von Sigmaringen]

To me the main benefit of archers is their use as a wizard bunker.

[Thirsty Beaver]

No wizard in my list unfortunately. This is just a casual learning game.

Thanks for all the tips guys! I'm looking forward to trying them!

[Minsc]

I use them as an annoyance-unit and/or as a bunker for my "Pidgeneer."
(Engineer /w Pidgeon Bombs)

[Thirsty Beaver]

I've stayed away from pidgeneers as the rules are less clear than a mortar, they cost a similar amount, and are both completely ineffective in my trials.

I'll test them as a nuisance, following game as a mage bunker.

I forget where I read it, but engineer in a handgunner detachment to a spearbus next to a volley gun is how I will be fielding MEs from now on!

Unless I can ever find a second half to my mechanical steed engineer model (damn you bit lots!!)

[Thirsty Beaver]

Just finished my first game with bowmen: LITERALLY were the stars of the show 

Turn one run forward.
March blocked!

Turn two, charged by Chaos hounds, stand and shoot them dead to a dog..

Turn three they are in combat with another unit of hounds, and last until turn 5 blocking opponent's chaos warriors from engaging.

5 turns of being annoying, paid for themselves twice over with dead hounds. I may like skinks more, but definitely using bowmen in every game I use infantry now!

[theorox]

Don't expect that kind of luck every game! But yeah, they can be pretty handy.

Theo

[Derek Contyre]

Don't expect that kind of luck every game! But yeah, they can be pretty handy.

Theo

Agreed, but don't forget, your opponent won't forget about them either, and if 35 pts of archers have to be sacrificed so that the rest of your troops can live/win the battle... then that is a sacrifice worth doing.

And they might die dozens more times, but every time they do, it is because they needed to be killed. I love skirmishing archers. I have them in all my armies.

[polybus11]

Just to point out another crucial utility for 5 man archer screen unit.  Even if the archer unit sits directly in front of a halberd block for instance, opponent has to charge the archers and overrun into your block.  This has the important benefit of fighting the main fight on your turn when you can get buff wagons in place and cast important augment/hex spells to put the combat in your favor or of course having a flank counter charge by a unit of demigryphs or something waiting in the wings.