8th Ed. Solo scar vets vs CO bus

[LawGnome]

As everyone knows, scar vets are amazing.

Normally, when I run a bunch of scar vets, I end up putting them in a CO bus. 3 scar vets sit along with 7 CO riders, and you have a dangerous, hard to kill unit.

However, I've been watching a bunch of battle reports where people are using them as solo units.

Pros to being in the bus: more attacks, protection from cannon sniping, BS shooting, magic.
Cons to being in the bus: One target to avoid, so it can be chaffed out of existence, juicy target for game ending spells

Pros to being solo models: hard to pin down, target diversity, combo charges, less enticing for targeting with game ending spells
Cons to being solo models: no LoS, harder to defend against cannon sniping, etc.



Given the two options, how do you prefer to run your scar vets? Why?



For extra fun, an additional scenario: You have a list with 3 scar vets and a CO unit of 7 CO riders. How many scar vets do you put in this unit? Again, why?

 

[GCPD]

I've worked a mini bus of 2 Vets and 6 Cold Ones into my lists but I'm not a huge fan of a bus in general (but especially one made up of inefficient Cold One Riders). The additional advantage of this means that I can adapt their placement depending on the opposition - they can hide in the unit against armies with cannons, or run around solo against those without depending on what I need them to do. The relatively small size and cost of only 6 models means that they aren't a complete waste of points without providing ablative wounds for the Vets should they go their own way, and they can usually be pretty good at clearing small weakish stuff up (Glade Guard, for instance).

 

[NexS1]

I tend to run my scar vets on foot, in units, mostly because I don't use big enough units of cold ones.
Also because i haven't converted more than a single scar vet BSB on cold one.

I'm lazy

 

[Myster2]

The problem with adding the CO's is that it's just so expensive.

 

[Sleboda]

You mentioned getting chaffed into ineffectiveness.

Something to think about is not being afraid to charge a Vet or OB out of the bus on his own. Lots of people overlook this possibility.

So, you can advance up and peal off Vets as need be to deal with various smaller, chaff-like, threats and then punch your main opposition when the time comes. You might even find that you can rejoin the bus with your guys your sent out if time allows before the bus commits.

 

[Mr Phat]

You mentioned getting chaffed into ineffectiveness.

Something to think about is not being afraid to charge a Vet or OB out of the bus on his own. Lots of people overlook this possibility.

So, you can advance up and peal off Vets as need be to deal with various smaller, chaff-like, threats and then punch your main opposition when the time comes. You might even find that you can rejoin the bus with your guys your sent out if time allows before the bus commits.

+1

it also often end up to your advantage if something charges your solo scar-vet and fails to break it, as your bus is not far away!

"oh, you were counting on a reform just now?....well...thats not a reform, thats your flank "

 

[heuningby]

Last weekend I had a lone Scarvet cowboy with Halberd, LA, Dragonbane gem take out a unit of seekers and overrun into the flank of some trolls and broke the trolls 3 times (everytime he miraculously failed to catch them and my opponent made a mistake and played them as LD7 so they kept on rallying). Seekers alone were worth his points...

So yeah, don't be scared of running them solo or charging out of a unit.

 

[Mr Phat]

Thought i'd mention this:
I know from myself than one can have an irrational fear when gambling with characters.
Its like the "Character" stamp creates an emotional bond to the model, as if you want it to survive more than other units.
I have found this has made me play my vets bad (read: too careful) in earlier games, and if anyone recognizes this: get over it
Your vet is a tough SOB who is more or less bound to die on the battlefield any time (fluff reference "a saurus has never been known to die of old age").

Get him out there so he can join his brethren in Valhalla.....oh wait

 

[LawGnome]

These are all great tips, guys.

I wouldn't have thought of charging the scar vet out when it gets chaffed up. That makes eagles a lot less effective. I can charge out, hit the unit the eagle was trying to defend, and then maybe kill the eagle at my own leisure later.

Thought i'd mention this:
I know from myself than one can have an irrational fear when gambling with characters.
Its like the "Character" stamp creates an emotional bond to the model, as if you want it to survive more than other units.
I have found this has made me play my vets bad (read: too careful) in earlier games, and if anyone recognizes this: get over it
Your vet is a tough SOB who is more or less bound to die on the battlefield any time (fluff reference "a saurus has never been known to die of old age").

Get him out there so he can join his brethren in Valhalla.....oh wait

That is a great point. I normally try to keep all of my characters alive. I really should just focus on keeping the slann alive and shouldn't care if the scar-vets bite it (so long as they take a pile of guys with them.

 

[Hinge]

You mentioned getting chaffed into ineffectiveness.

Something to think about is not being afraid to charge a Vet or OB out of the bus on his own. Lots of people overlook this possibility.

So, you can advance up and peal off Vets as need be to deal with various smaller, chaff-like, threats and then punch your main opposition when the time comes. You might even find that you can rejoin the bus with your guys your sent out if time allows before the bus commits.

This is great advice, just be aware the character may be forced to overrun due to PF if he can not kill the chaff out right.

I also find that opponents get so focused on chaffing the CO unit, they forget the character can charge out of the unit and past the intervening chaff if they do not place the unit carefully.

Hinge

 

[Dyvim Tvar]

I also find that opponents get so focused on chaffing the CO unit, they forget the character can charge out of the unit and past the intervening chaff if they do not place the unit carefully.

Exactly.

Wood Elf player congas his Stubborn Eternal Guard unit into the face of my Cold Ones. Oldblood on the corner charges out of the unit into archers behind them.