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.

Please indulge my dumb question, I'm a newbie. Purely ranged troops - archers, crossbowmen, handgunners, etc. - how to deploy and use them?

With true line of sight, you can't hide them behind defensive troops, so they're just this big squishy unit, sitting out in the open. Seems untenable.

Barriers are good, so are buildings.

Big blocks are very tough to break with steadfast in CC so even lame troops can hold for a long time.

Archers can be in deep blocks due to volly fire.

Non-volly weapons are better in smaller units (2x10) to ge the most out of them.



TBH: 8th(and fantasy in general) is a CC game. ranged weapons, while deadly, are 2nd to CC prowess.

exceptions are Dwarven and Empire Gunlines.

Thing is to remember is that there are a lot of modifiers so its not uncommon that BS3 average troops may need a +7 to hit

Ranged units have their place in most armies. They are not as devastating because of all the possible negative modifiers. However in certain armies (DE for example) they can be one if not the best RnF core choices.

Casper wrote:Ranged units have their place in most armies. They are not as devastating because of all the possible negative modifiers. However in certain armies (DE for example) they can be one if not the best RnF core choices.

True!

While a bit expensive, its funny to fire off 40 shots then reform into hatred filled skilled swordsmen with shields

jwoolf wrote:Please indulge my dumb question, I'm a newbie. Purely ranged troops - archers, crossbowmen, handgunners, etc. - how to deploy and use them?

With true line of sight, you can't hide them behind defensive troops, so they're just this big squishy unit, sitting out in the open. Seems untenable.

Hills can help prevent that problem.

You can also deploy a staggered line, with the ranged units sitting some inches back the melee units, not behind them, but just further back. For an enemy unit to get into range to charge your ranged units they will have to have come very close to your own melee troops.

The thing is, though, ranged troops won't often make their points back with straight shooting damage, unless they're lucky enough to score a panic check. As often as not they're useful for inflicting a few wounds on a unit to remove a rank bonus, to deny steadfast. They're also very handy for targeting enemy units that will cost a lot more than their points value to kill in melee, like swordmasters. And remember that once melee has been joined they can work as a useful support melee unit - I like to use units of 12 crossbowmen to charge the flanks of the enemy units in melee with my core infantry units.

Ah, the ol' staggered line, good tip.

It's a shame missile fire is not as prominent in fantasy as I'd really love to darken the skies with arrows, but I suppose that's my fault for picking the wrong kind of elves. At least my Sea Guard have bows, that'll have to hold me for now. Maybe I'll look at some small units of archers in the future just for fun.

Not to hijack the thread, but this seems like a good place to ask. If your troops are being charged and you decide to shoot at them, do your archers have a minimum range that they can shoot? I'm so confused at how that "Reaction to a Charge" works...

It's covered in the rulebook, it's something like the movement of the charging unit or double the movement of the charging unit. So if missile troops are charged by a unit with a movement characteristic of 4, your troops can't stand and shoot if the charging unit started its charge within 4 inches (or 8, I can't recall).

Yup no stand and shoot if the distance is less than the charging units movement allowance. Weapons with the quick to fire USR can however stand and shoot even in this situation.

Which is why Throwing weapons are nice.

Awesome, thanks for clearing that up.

I needed some extra core troops to round out my army to play a 2,000 point game this weekend, so I picked up a box of High Elf Archers. I guess we'll see how they turn out.