8th Ed. Are Spears on Saurus worth it?

[Eladimir]

Spears imho. the point difference is quite minor and the extra attacks case more wounds than shields save. If it was a S3 extra attack might swing the balance but its a very many S4.

Anyways just another opinion for the pile.

 

[mixer86]

IMO its a tough one. i personally think spears are worth it as if you charge, you get 2 ranks, just like HW and S. but you have the option of setting up defensive and if you get charged you get 3 ranks to attack, 4 ranks if they are horded. I personally always take spears.

Yours Aye

Mixer

 

[Dubious_wolf]

Saraus warriors will never go first (great weapons/zombies aside). 8th took away the only reason you'd want to charge with your saraus. So most of the time I find they benefit from wide deep ranks, with spears. Since they aren't charging you might as well set up defensively so to maximize spear usage. I run 6 wide 4 deep with one or two extra in the 5th rank this gives me 7 casualties before my spear bonus starts being affected.

It's personal preference I don't think either is better.

 

[Josh Ichimaru]

Saraus warriors will never go first (great weapons/zombies aside). 8th took away the only reason you'd want to charge with your saraus. So most of the time I find they benefit from wide deep ranks, with spears. Since they aren't charging you might as well set up defensively so to maximize spear usage. I run 6 wide 4 deep with one or two extra in the 5th rank this gives me 7 casualties before my spear bonus starts being affected.

It's personal preference I don't think either is better.

This is why you take a slann with lore of light, always strikes first, and thye all get +1 attack

 

[strewart]

Saraus warriors will never go first (great weapons/zombies aside). 8th took away the only reason you'd want to charge with your saraus. So most of the time I find they benefit from wide deep ranks, with spears. Since they aren't charging you might as well set up defensively so to maximize spear usage. I run 6 wide 4 deep with one or two extra in the 5th rank this gives me 7 casualties before my spear bonus starts being affected.

It's personal preference I don't think either is better.

Well there is now +1 combat res for charging, so still a small incentive to do so. But good point that it doesn't really matter a lot if you do or don't.

One thing to consider on the whole, LM aren't that great at range. Only thing longer than blowpipe/javelin shooting is really the bolt thrower on the steg, which is unreliable, there is magic but it is also unreliable. Opponents that are better at range may be happier to just sit back and shoot rather than commiting their units, so you might literally be forced to charge to get out of their line of fire. I know I will happily move my High Elf seaguard up to the opponent, but then just sit there and shoot rather than charging so they have to charge and take the stand and shoot then 4 ranks of spears. I'd do that to saurus.

 

[JohnMavrick]

In the past I generally ran with two units of 20 Warriors with spears. If I didn't run my Slann I'd use my TG as a unit of 20 with HWS combo (obviously in friendly games only). I've found that both work effectively in their own right.

Spears are excellent for drawing in your opponent to take a charge. However with the HWS Saurus you wanna run up into your opponent's teeth and start slapping them around.

I've just finished initial builds of another unit of Saurus so I'll be running 2 x 18 Saurus with HWS and 1 x 24 with spears. The unit with Spears I'll likely throw Gor-Rok into for Stubborn so they can better take a charge. I'll also have a Scar-vet BSB near by in one of my two flanking HWS Saurus units to support with leadership rerolls. Naturally this set up is mostly for OB General/Non-Slann armies which I plan to run more of.

Just food for thought.

 

[1968yearofmetall]

I was on the understanding that models making supporting attacks only get to make 1 attack each. Is that right?

So if we use a unit of 30 basic Saurus as an example in 5 ranks 6 models wide. A unit with Hand Weapon and Shield would get 18 (12 attacks front rank, 6 from second) but benefit from the 6+ Ward Save.

The same unit with Spears would get 24 attacks, (12 from front rank, 12 from second and third ranks) but lose the Ward Save. 6 extra attacks that may turn into 1 casualty (2 if lucky) at the added expense doesnt really seem worth it as they will die a little more quickly.

I'm a newbie to forums so if I'm making a mess of it or going over old ground I apologise.

well, that depends on your tactic. if you are facing a low ld unit, one way is to make the opponent charge you, and use your extra attacks to make suer he fails a ld test because of the hight casaulty
- number
I use this tactic against my friends skaven, and he ran immedeatly!!

 

[1968yearofmetall]

what are you talking about?! hordes are for elves??!!
well ehh NO! they are for gobbos, skaven and zombies!

 

[Chaq Mundi]

Those are the exact kinds of units you DON'T want horded. Goblins, skaven(slaves) and zombies should have as many ranks as possible, since they are basically tarpits, and hording just means they have way fewer ranks. Besides, the wider they are, the more attacks they are going to take, which is VERY bad considering their low toughness and bad to nonexistent armor saves.

 

[lord karnik]

Actually I have seen horded Gobo's due quite well. give them Bows and sit and shoot 30+ shots a round and then stand and shoot with them, or better yet give them spears. 50+ attacks will added up to alot of wound no matter what is on the other side of the spear.