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Been a while but enlistments been rough. That being said I finally got some time to return to the hobby and I've picked us the new counts. My question is, since you can take banshees and wraiths as heroes now if you line a front rank of say skeletons with them, does that essentially protect the entire unit from mundane attacks from the front? The reason I ask is because I love ethereal units and this would give them a way to overcome their numbers weakness

Yes, in close combat at least. Shooting attacks would still hit RnF

What about ballistae? I'm assuming since they can't wound an ethereal unit they won't penetrate (which seems counter intuitive because the bolt would pass right through)

As Nosferatu said, it's great in combat against normal troops, barring chaos knights and skillcrushers, but shooting still kills RnF.

 Vindicare-Obsession wrote:
What about ballistae? I'm assuming since they can't wound an ethereal unit they won't penetrate (which seems counter intuitive because the bolt would pass right through)

If memory serves, bolt throwers always hit RnF if there are more than five models in the unit. (Can't double check right now as my BRB pdf is on my dead laptop)

Also keep in mind that the command group goes to the front as well if you have one, they have priority over characters

Until you get to close combat, when you can Make Way! to put all ethereals at the front, displacing the command group.

So in your opinions, good tactic? Thinking of filling a front rank of skeleton spearmen with them or perhaps a horde of tomb guard......

 Vindicare-Obsession wrote:
So in your opinions, good tactic? Thinking of filling a front rank of skeleton spearmen with them or perhaps a horde of tomb guard......

It's 300 points minimum to cover the 5 front spots. That's really expensive.
It's also a bunch of characters with WS3 T3 and W2, and no save of any kind, (other than being immune to non-magic).
When it does work, it is an ineffective use of points.
When it doesn't work, it's huge points lost.

What seems to work better is 1 or 2 ethereals, along with full command.
Now you've got only 40mm of front that can swing on rank and file. It's usually good enough to get the job done, at only 120 points.

-Matt