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Hi guys,

Going to be undertaking a 2000 point match against some high elves and im wondering what is the best way to counter high elf spearmen? I am playing with my empire army and my question is what would you guys suggest is the best way to deal with them? Should I hold them up with my swordsmen because they can parry whilst I try and flank the with my halberdiers?

Any suggestions?

Shoot them. Hit them with numbers.

Elf soldiers are very expensive. Shooting them is the best option, unless you have something that can negate their ASF(or make their Str3 bounce off)

All you have to do is dictate when combat occurs.

If you let a he player control the engagement, things will be rough.

 matzu9 wrote:
Hi guys,

Going to be undertaking a 2000 point match against some high elves and im wondering what is the best way to counter high elf spearmen? I am playing with my empire army and my question is what would you guys suggest is the best way to deal with them? Should I hold them up with my swordsmen because they can parry whilst I try and flank the with my halberdiers?

Any suggestions?

Do not throw infantry into the front of elf spears. If he's running a big block (and he should), he could be wracking up 10-15 kills.
I'd hit them with spells and warmachines to thin them, and then try knights to the front and infantry to the flank. Knights are going to blunt the attack better than any other option you have (outside of steam tank).

-Matt

Could you tell us the list, as the advise could vary on whether he is, and I assume he is, running power spears or whether he has any big blocks of specials.

I think the question is fairly simple. How to counter spearmen, period.

Shooting is very effective, thanks to T3 and a little armour.
In combat, as a general rule against High Elves, you'll want to send your durable and expensive units into his Core, and your expendable hordes into his Special. Because doing it the other way 'round is like sending lambs to slaughter. If all the butchers wore gem-studded blue and white uniforms and really tall hats.

Play dwarfs with great weapons. A standard Elven spearmen will just fail, miserably. 4's to hit with rerolls for them then a 5 to wound and I get a 5 up armour save. Not many casualties. I get a four to hit. Then I get a two up to wound. Then they die.

Hm. Except the Elves are 1pt cheaper and get 1-2 extra ranks of attacks than you. It's certainly a favorable match-up for Dwarfs, but it's not an auto-win by any means.

I would bet on four demigryphs to win combat forever against a basically unlimited number of high elf spearmen, The great weakness of spearmen is being s3. Their great strength is that they *will* hit you with their high WS and rerolls. Accordingly, take things that don't mind being hit at s3, which are demigryphs due to their t4 and 1+ save, inner circle knights due to their 1+ save, and a steam tank if that's your thing (personally I never run one because I think they are terribad).

Steam tank, knights, and a warrior priest to give you a few buffs will ruin a HE day.