Harpie spam? can it work?

Mr_piechee · Post by **Mr_piechee** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 7:55 pm

reading through a few threads i can see that people like harpies allot, and there featuring in most armies due to their cheap ability to screen units.

So i was thinking with our nice hard hitting but potentially slow foot special units, how about make an army that screens itself with harpies but not by standing in front of druchii units, but by charging every shooting unit on the table!

I'm thinking that a few units of witch elves and Black guard with hero's/lord to boost them, and then 4+ small units of harpies and a few large units. 1st turn move the harpies just out of charge range of everything, and then second turn charge all their shooting units. then with the blocks of infantry you can move forward and take down those non shooty units that don't know what to do with themselves and with a bit of luck just as you finish them off the harpies should be fleeing or dead leaving some more targets to charge. I'm not sure what should fill the core choices, but what do you think about the tactic? how many harpies do you think are needed? they're going to need to withstand stand and shoot reactions, and they will have to last a round, if not two of shooting (they could potentially get shot three times before they get into combat, if you don't get first turn). Do you think big units are worth it? you can only shoot one unit a turn so if you score 10 wounds of a 5 man unit those harpies are allot safer than in 10 man units.

Discuss away!

Dirty trickster · Post by **Dirty trickster** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 8:07 pm

The emerging consensus seems to be, that 3x5 harpies combined with 2-3x5 DR, RCB, Mus. is the way to go.
The harpies screen - and the survivors charge along side the DRs.

As a second wave comes the COK/COC/Hydras...

And moving in for the kill the infantry - either in rank&file or in MSU depending on preference...

It seems a sound tactic... especially when supported by the improved dark magic, that hits hard from turn 1...

Heat-13 · Post by **Heat-13** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 8:24 pm

Hmm an interesting suggestion. I would personally not use them as a shield for my units though.

I would rather take 2 units of 5 Harpies and use their 20" fly move to move them right up to the enemy shooting unit/ that pesky mage with lots of magic missiles. And have my harpies camp right in front of him. This means that rather then using them as a shield on one unit, they block nearly all of the viable targets for the enemy's shooting from those 2 particular units.

Scouting shades are also good for this. Now you harpies may not survive the resulting barrage, but hey they saved you black guard from being pummeled by two high elf bolt throwers for a turn. Then you will probably in range with your own shooting/magic or you may even be in charge range to sort out those pesky magic and missile units.

So yeah my strat would be:

Step 1: Harpies fly up to missile unit. opponets reaction: shoot the only viable target - the harpies. Also the upside of this is that the Harpies are likely to stop enemy march moves due to being so close to the enemy line. (If the harpies get charged let them - the enemy will do you line of sight blocking work for you, just let the harpies flee and watch that unit of 20 swordsmen block the line of sight of the greatcannon with a failed charge muhaha)

Step 2: Charge the missile unit from the back or flank with dark riders. (and the harpies, of course, in the case that they survive.. somehow) This may not work for mages with tough bodyguards

I think this should work well, especially as the harpies on their own won't do much damage to the units and as they may not win due to CR, they will likely flee due to low Ld, which means that they too will effectivly be out of the game.

Give it a go... this tactic seemed to work reasonably well against my friend who had 2 bolt throwers in his army

Gastronauticon · Post by **Gastronauticon** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 8:34 pm

The most cost effective unit size will be a point of consideration. One will want to keep them at US +5 in order to be truly versitile.

I love them and I guess murders of 7 will do the trick for me.

Post by **Dyvim tvar** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 9:15 pm

I think multiple units of 5 are the way to go. A unit of 5 can do pretty much everything just as well as a larger unit can. March-blocking and baiting are accomplished just as well by a unit of 5 as by a unit of 7, 8 or 10. And except in the case of those rare machines with large crews, you can normally only get 5 models into B2B to attack the crew of a war machine. No need for 7 when 5 will do.

Acumenth · Post by **Acumenth** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 11:40 pm

slight shift in topic, but when facing an opponent that has ~2 infantry shooting units and ~2 warmachines, what would you aim your harpies for?

Post by **Dyvim tvar** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:35 am

Go directly for the war machines.

Harpies aren't very good at attacking real units of troops. And I generally think it's more effective to attack something to completely stop it from shooting--i.e., the machines--than it is to try to screen against shooting. Screening means casualties taken and potential panic (and is not a long-term solution in any event).

Mordru · Post by **Mordru** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:46 am

IMO Dyvim has made the telling point. Multiple units of 5 are the way to go. Screening is really a matter of deployment to shield as much of your vulnerable army as you can if you don't get first turn. If you do get first turn you can advance the harpies into charge range as appropriate or essentially redeploy some of them to re-orient your advance and let them lead the way in that instance. Having harpies to send in with the dark riders enhances both units.