8th Ed. Are my Temple Guard wide enough?

[stormshaft]

I'm not sure I have my head screwed on straight, I was thinking about fielding my 18 TG and Life-Slann like this:

TG TG TG TG TG
TG TG SL SL TG
TG TG SL SL TG
TG TG TG TG TG
TG TG

I was first thinking of fielding them 6 wide, since not only does it look better with the Doomtoad in the middle, they could potentially dish out more attacks in HtH.
Like thus:

TG TG TG TG TG TG
TG TG SL SL TG TG
TG TG SL SL TG TG
TG TG TG TG

But I got unsure. Since 6 wide with TG-bases might be a bit too big anyway so the extra 3 attacks (2+1 support) might be lost in most fights (against smaller bases), and so the extra rank would count for more.
Am I correct in this, or should I field them like the 2nd example?

The REAL reason I'm asking is since I want to make a movement tray that fits them well enough.

 

[SanDiegoSurrealist]

I always run my TG 6 wide, if for some reason you need them smaller you can always do a quick reform.

I can see no reason to not run them 6 wide, other than to gain a rank, but the larger frontage gives you more attacks and from an strictly aesthetic point of view it just looks better with the Slann balanced in the center.

 

[jormi_boced]

I run mine 5 wide to prevent the number of attacks coming back at them. In most cases I just want as many of them to live as possible. I would say this would be especially true if you only have 18

 

[Eladimir]

I'm with SanDiego. Looks better and you have a life slann anyways

 

[jormi_boced]

I sculpted a magical vortex for mine that sits him right up over the center of my unit.

 

[JohnMavrick]

Six wide across the front is fairly standard unless you run a unit of 16 generally. You won't have to worry about reducing the number of attacks back at you unless your going against a horde unit in which case you can negate a few models' attacks if you go five wide.

However it seems to me, in my experiance, that six wide give you the most bang for your buck.

 

[stormshaft]

Thanks a lot for the replies guys.

My mind is still a bit split on the matter, on one hand (5 wide) I get less attacks coming in on me, and one rank more, with a buffed up unit they are quite hard to face and whittle down.

On the other hand (6 wide) I have a Lifetoad, going for the "know-full-lore" and "plus powerdice" disciplines, making for a pretty decent anvil (especially if I buff my TG).
Also, I get to make another 3 attacks at Str 5, with a (hopefully) buffed up unit with regen and +T, which is also stubborn while the toad still lives.
The extra attacks might not break the enemy in one turn, but at least I have a potential 6 extra wounds in two turns, which COULD mean breaking the enemy, especially if he can't kill my dudes properly.

Plus it looks so much better.

... sounds like I've already made up my mind.


I guess I'll just have to make an extra movement tray and try both setups in a game, instead of trying to metagame myself to the top.

 

[jormi_boced]

Six wide across the front is fairly standard unless you run a unit of 16 generally. You won't have to worry about reducing the number of attacks back at you unless your going against a horde unit in which case you can negate a few models' attacks if you go five wide.

However it seems to me, in my experiance, that six wide give you the most bang for your buck.

Elite infantry like Swordmasters will spread out as wide as they can to cleave through your bodyguard. If you go 6 wide as opposed to 5, they will get an additional 8 attacks. They will hit on 6 or 7 of those with ASF re-rollls and then they will wound 5 or 6 of them with no armor save. We can't go HW & Shield anymore, so we will get no parry save and lose a whole rank