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So i want to puy a Damsel on foot in a men at arms block. Just so she can pop the prayer icon so the get the blessing of the lady, and to cast the signiture spell of beasts. Now to save points i want to leave her as a lvl 1. And everyone at my FLGS says thats pretty much suicide. My question is why? She fills her role, and thats it. I dont plan on her casting transformation or anything. Just bunker up in a block and buff the peasents.

Additional info. I also run a lvl 4 and sometimes a lvl 2

I see no problem with that. The 35 point upgrade is nice, but if you don't think you'll use the spell, whatever you roll and have somewhere else to spend the change, then go for it. Certainly "pretty much suicide" is a little hyperbolic.

There are other good spells in lore of beasts that could work using those tactics, worth having the second spell.

The boltthrowerish spell and the curse are two great options.

Level 1 wizards are a bit useless against an enemy lvl4, but they are great for opening up arcane items and good for an additional spell from a different lore to support your own lvl4.

You shouldn't gamble with your single spell though. I'd be sure to take a lore that has a good signature spell to choose if the dice decide they hate you. Shadow, Heavens, Beasts, and(to a lesser extent) Fire are all lores I would consider for a lvl1 since they have great signature spells(or in Fire's case, a decent Magic Missile to deal with ethereals/skirmishers).

As the whole purpose of the character is to casts Wyssan's, I'm not sure he's worried about which spell he rolls.

That said, the only problem I could see would be the lack of protection on your level 1, who would be singled out pretty quickly once the unit makes it to combat.

streamdragon wrote:As the whole purpose of the character is to casts Wyssan's, I'm not sure he's worried about which spell he rolls.

I was talking about lvl1s in general.

She will be dead as soon as the unit is in combat as she has no ability to hide, but if you keep the block out of combat she will be fine.

Characters dont have to fight right? They can sit it out. So combat doesnt bother her. And yeah all i want is a low point cost buff to my m@a.

ObliviousBlueCaboose wrote:Characters dont have to fight right? They can sit it out. So combat doesnt bother her. And yeah all i want is a low point cost buff to my m@a.

Models can always direct attacks at a Character in btb with them(unless the character is in a challenge).

So characters are always in danger of getting hit, since they have to be in the front if possible, except for a few instances:

-Characters can be forced to the back rank if they refuse a challenge(and only if they refuse a challenge).
-Characters can be placed in the second rank of a unit if the front rank is entirely comprised of other characters or unit command(Standard, Musician, Champion).
-The character has a special rule that allows them to be placed in the second rank(Slann+temple guard, for example).

Pretty sure he can sit it out. Its under the Im sitting this one out heading, talking about how characters are under no obligation to fight.

I might just put her on a warhorse, start in the M@A, pop the icon, then move her into a block of knights. Where shes definently safe since she has to be in the second rank.

The section you're talking about is called "I Think I'll Sit This One Out, Chaps.", and is an explanatory sidebar to the Make Way! rules. Along with the accompanying pictures, they explain that a character who wouldn't otherwise be in base-to-base contact during a fight is under no obligation to use Make Way! to move into base-to-base contact.

Nowhere in that sidebar, nor in the main rules, does it allow you to move a character *out* of base-to-base contact. Not only that, but it goes against the entire set of rules regarding combat reforming, maximization, directed attacks, and other concepts related to base-to-base contact.

I'm sorry, but if your level 1 wizard *must* go in the front rank unless there is no room for her (due to other characters or command models), and if she's in the front rank it will be quite easy for any attacking unit to pick her out. If you want to try to avoid it, put her on a corner and try to angle in fashions that will make it less likely... but in many circumstances it's going to happen anyway.

Learning to direct attacks against poorly protected enemy mages and BSBs is one of the tactical advantages smart, well-experienced players have over beginners.

an option would be to take 2 paladins on foot and the FC of the M@A allowing the damsel to go in the second row until one of the paladins dies.

svendrex wrote:an option would be to take 2 paladins on foot and the FC of the M@A allowing the damsel to go in the second row until one of the paladins dies.

Ehh by then you mind as well give her a warhorse and stick her in a unit of lance formation knights

'Cept she's there to give them The Blessing.

Putting her on a horse can work, but then she loses her Look Out, M'Lady! roll. Then again, she's got a 5+ save against cannonballs. It would just suck to buy the item and the character to get taken down in the first turn.
Even if she survives (she probably will, most games), she'd have to use the item, leave the unit, and join the knights. That's...that's a lot of time for those knights to be milling about.

I'd just as soon do as you plan, hoping her 6(5)+ and her higher Toughness from that spell will let her survive a scrap with the enemy.
The whole point of Men-At-Arms is to deny those other big blocks Steadfast when the knights hit home anyway. I think she could survive a turn or so against some Halberdiers, Goblins, or Skavenslaves (unless they're Deathfrenzied and Blessed with Filth, but that's another matter).

Shed only be in the block for my 1st movement phase. Start her on her horse in the block, pop the prayer icon, move the knights, move her into the knights.