Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

When creating a unit.... should all the models use the same weapons.
For example... I have some skeleton warriors, but when I put them together I have some with spears and some swords. Should they all match?

I think the Swords will be fine, so long as they're just for the first rank / command.

Usually, they should all be armed with the same weapons. Some notable exceptions are:
1) Black Orcs.
2) Chaos Knights who don't have the Lance upgrade.
3) Trolls / Monsters / anything that has no real weapon options.

The reason why ranks should normally look the same is so that it's easy to tell someone "This unit has this upgrade". The spear's first rank can be an exception because the first rank doesn't exactly need their spears drawn to be fighting. Furthermore, they do the exact same thing for first-rank models.

Supposedly the majority of the unit are supposed to be armed as depicted.

When I have mixed-weapon models, I use the models in the front rank to show the 'official' weapon of the unit, since they are the most visible.

Minsc wrote:The spear's first rank can be an exception because the first rank doesn't exactly need their spears drawn to be fighting. Furthermore, they do the exact same thing for first-rank models.

This statement can be misleading. If your front rank, as an exception, has hand weapon and shield combo someone could make the wrong assumption that they get their extra +1 armor save and the second rank still gets to join the fight. Spear + Shield does not do the same thing as Hand Weapon + Shield for the front rank.

However, mixed weapon units should be just fine. Take Dark Elf Warriors for example (and I'm sure plenty of other units that I'm not familiar with). They automatically come with both Spears and Hand Weapons. I wouldn't hold it against any opponent for having mixed weapons in their unit block, so long as they made it very clear which weapons they were using once close combat begins just as the rules mandate.

But if you coould do it then you'd be able to arm the front rank with extra rank and the second rank with spears, cheatingly getting away with alot more attacks.

...what?

I think they meant "extra hand weapons" to get +1A for the front rank, while still having the back rank(s) using spears.

Which wouldnt work as all models in the unit MUST use the same weapon, apart from one DoW unit if memory serves. (and mixed units, ungors/gors and Krox/Skink)

nosferatu1001 wrote:I think they meant "extra hand weapons" to get +1A for the front rank, while still having the back rank(s) using spears.

Which wouldnt work as all models in the unit MUST use the same weapon, apart from one DoW unit if memory serves. (and mixed units, ungors/gors and Krox/Skink)

Even with that one DoW unit (Pizzaro's Lost Legion) they all basically fought the same in close combat, as the front rank had crossbows, and the back rank had pikes. If the front guys died the back guys would drop their pikes and grab the fallen guy's crossbow.

Modelling wise, I don't think it matters.

Game wise, you're going to have to use the same weapon in combat anyway.

The rulebook says that some models can be different, to make the regiment look interesting -- just don't make it confusing.

Before the new Skaven book, I had made some clanrats with spears. The trend at the time was to leave them off, to save points, so I had changed my mind about them. I am scattering the twelve or so spear rats through the rest of the clanrat regiments, because I'm to lazy to change them.

ZF-

It says in the book that as long as a clear majority are armed as it says on your army book, you're okay. I like to mix in the odd spear or great weapon into my orc units.

I'd say that as long as around 2/3 of the unit has the chosen weapon combination, such that it's clear at a glance what they are, it's fine.

I don't like the "majority" method - after all, if you saw a unit of 25 Night Goblins and some had spears and others hand weapons, in a roughly 50/50 mix, you wouldn't know what they were meant to be until you counted exactly 22 hand weapons and 23 spears... No, I prefer a significant majority.

Similarly, for the "at a glance" principle, if you're going to have exceptions in the front rank, either have the rest of the unit clearly armed (one rank of hand weapons and three of only spears are fine, one of hand weapons ond three of 2:1 spears to hand weapons, less so) or limit the exceptions to the command.

Finally, one flavour point - it's much more acceptable to have a unit of Night Goblins or Skaven have a hodgepodge of weapons than, for example, Empire Spearmen. The more regimented and "official" the army, the less variation there should be in the units, or at least that's how I feel.

As noted, the rulebook states that the majority should be armed correctly.

Aelyn makes a good point, though, that's it's probably the best practice to make it as clear as possible.

Or if all else fails, put a placard on the unit saying what it really has.