In what instance??? Wardancers

[Sylk]

Hey all, so as I was browsing the book I came across something....
Wardancers:
Any model may exchange its hand weapons for an asrai spear 1 point per model
In what instance is this a good idea? Im sorry maybe im overlooking a simple thing but this doesn't feel viable to me at all...

[Coyle_Ravane]

If you make a large unit, leave the front rank as the are and give the rest spears for armour piercing and the extra rank.

I think people tend to use them most in small cheap units, so there's no point.

I have seen people use 9 in 3 ranks if 3 with spears in the rear 3 to maximise attacks against a character with the killing blow dance.

[Furyou Miko]

I think the option exists because there are wardancer models with spears rather than anything else.

[Baardah]

Actually any model not in front rank of WD unit would benefit from the spear. The front get +1 attack and all supporting attacks would have AP.

[Furion]

Don't units have to be armed the same way?

[Coyle_Ravane]

Don't units have to be armed the same way?

No. There is no rule saying every model has to be armed the same way. Most unit entries are worded so that you have to upgrade all or none, with phrases such as "...the entire unit may replace....", but wardancers don't have that.

Ogre Maneaters are another unit which can have different models with different weapons if I recall correctly.

[NonnoSte]

In fact it's not unusual to see 6+ Meneaters equipped with extra hand weapon on first rank and great weapon on the back. This way they max out on the attack number and gain the extra strength on the support ones.

[NonnoSte]

In fact it's not unusual to see 6+ Meneaters equipped with extra hand weapon on first rank and great weapon on the back. This way they max out on the attack number and gain the extra strength on the support ones.

[Furion]

Are you sure?

BRB p88 says, "It is usual for all the models in a unit to carry the same weapons."

The rules for Ogre Maneaters specifically state that different models can have different weapons (p92), "Any model may be armed with one of the following (different models may have different weapons)"

[Coyle_Ravane]

"it is usual"

That tells you everything you need to know right there. By saying it is usual, they acknowledge that it is not always the case.

If I say I am usually at the pub, it means that sometimes I am not at the pub.

Furthermore, there is no rule saying they do have to have the same equipment, and their unit entry says "any model may...." Not "The entire unit may...."

[Furion]

Hmm... Touché

[popisdead]

The 6th ed Beast Herd. The Gors had 2HWs or SHs and the Ungors had Spears and could have Shs. Sadly that unit would work better in 8th mechanic-wise than in 6th or 7th.

[Jossebuschman]

I use my wardancers in units of 5 with a spear and a champion. This makes it a very versatile unit, you can hole in a forest one wide and 5 deep and either take the damage on your champ to minimise kills, 3+ for an additional round of minimal deaths after the first, or go for killing blow to maximise attacks on a character whilst the enemy can still only kill you champ. This way you get 6 attacks on a character with rerolls to hit and 1's to wound, a pretty good chance of a killing blow.

I have succeeded on multiple occasions to hold up an entire flank like this. If they charge, great, you can hold them up for a few turns and maybe kill a character as a bonus. If they don't, also great, they will have to move around you and you can simply keep placing the unit right in front of them.

So the way I see it, 5 guys with one spear and a champ is the way to go.
It is not a fantastic upgrade, but it does increase your chances of killing a character and hey, it's just one point.