Empire Huntsmen

[Wildeybeast]

So, I have a GW voucher burning a hole in my pocket and I'm thinking of getting some Empire archers because I love the new plastic kit. Despite having an Empire army for 15 odd years, I've never used archers because their distinctly average BS means I've always prefered the better strength of handguns and crossbows. I'm only going to buy one box of ten as I don't want to spend anymore, so there isn't much point in fielding them as anything other than huntsmen, so I'm wondering how people do/would use these scout troops. Beyond encouraging wizards to stay in units, I'm struggling to think of an effective use for them and I don't want to ditch 100 points of stuff from my well refined army list for a unit that has limited tactical value. Suggestions are gratefuly recieved.

[Old_Paladin]

Archers have their use, but it does depend on your play style.
The unit is a skirmisher and have the only common move and fire weapon in the army.

Put them in front of one of your main agressive infantry units (swordsmen, halbardiers of greatswords); they can provide mobile cover to that unit, make potshots while they advance, then move aside to let the melee unit charge.

Remember, with the new 'to wound' chart, they can often get a wound in on a warmachine/monster; which can often save you your own warmachine shots, if you've rolled just short of the number of wounds you wanted.

[KriegXXIX]

Ahh the humble archer unit. I would not recommend using huntsmen. I don't think they have the oomph necessary for the scouting job. 5-man units of archers on the other hand ... these are amazing gems that are the only detachments I use now.

Archers are not for shooting, but don't forget to shoot them anyways. You can get lucky of course. What archers are for is to control the battlefield. Use them to screen, delay and annoy your opponents. They are brilliant for ensuring you can engage in combat on your terms which is vital in an Empire army. You must be ruthlessly callous with their lives, because your forces need every advantage when close combat erupts.

Common moves I pull is to rush them up and angle them in front of the unit you want to delay. If they do charge, they can be redirected for your benefit, and you can charge yourself on your turn. You can also flee too if the situation warrants. Sometimes you will just have to have them take it (and die). It's alright though ... this means you don't have to pay them after the battle. Furthermore, they would have probably resorted to banditry eventually so you have done the Empire a great service in more than one way.

[Drunkencorgimaster]

Sometimes you will just have to have them take it (and die). It's alright though ... this means you don't have to pay them after the battle. Furthermore, they would have probably resorted to banditry eventually so you have done the Empire a great service in more than one way.

Lol! I love that! It so true, they always looked kinda like two steps from the wrong side of the law to me.

[Mospaeda]

Scouting archers sound great in theory, but there's always so many better things to be bought with 100 pts.

Redirection is your best bet, especially against frenzied troops - lead them off to where you can get a flank shot from your cannons. Or you could use them in conjunction with your pegasus warmachine hunters. First turn, the pegasus flies up behind the huntsmen to take advantage of the hard cover. Next turn, he charges a warmachine or another missile unit. If they're able to stand-and-shoot, they suffer from long range, hard cover (again from the huntsmen) and the stand-and-shoot penalty. Nice!

[Thornblood]

10 uses for my archer detachments (usually 5 men), and I usually run two of them;

1. Posse for my Wizard
2. Ablative armour/escort for my Witch Hunter
3. Taking charges and leaving the unit the charged them in a sticky situation. Angle the archers so that when they charge the unit is about to take a flank charge from you.
4. Baiting frenzied units.
5. Shooting after marching- not for the damage, but the potential can help herd your opponent in the right direction.
6. Stand and Shoot whats charging the parent unit.
7. Skirmishers are stubborn in a forest. Hold that forest.
8. Running through the gap between your opponents units and then
9. Either shooting enemy shooty units or threaten to charge in the rear the units you just run past (skirmishers dont get the rear charge bonus, but its psychologically threatening and scary to an opponent that it got this far)
10. Finally, shooting things whilst doing all of the above- you might kill something.

Ten good reasons for a unit that costs less than 40 points (can I say that, its a way off from the actual point cost?)

[Mospaeda]

+1 as a Wizard bunker, the -1 to hit with shooting is great and they're cheaper than crossbows/handgunners

[Thornblood]

Just realised Lore of Shadows gives you the teleport swap thing. A Shadow wizard with Van Horstmans speculum and a Witch Hunter can change places from there respective archer units. You thought your wizard was safe fro the witch hunter? Think again! You thought your hard as nails hero was gonna kill my Witch Hunter- the Wizard with Van Horstmanns gets ya!

My Shadow wizard gets ignored alot because he is an augment/hex wizard rather than anything directly offensive.

Bit sneaky, but if your fighting Vampires the necromancer will be avoiding your Witch Hunter but not nessacerily your wizard, and the Vampire might be avaoiding the wizard. Swap. Crumble.