Corsairs as Core

[Dalamar]

I noticed one other thing but I need to re-read Malekith's rules. If I remember it right, he's immune to the instant kill spells as well! (Well, they'll cause a wound).

Not like with S5 he's super vulnerable to them anyway.

[Fallenturtle]

I like corsairs as core. people underestimate the value of a 4+ armor these days. Yes, big nasty things are in the current meta but what would you rather have in a one on one fight against str 3/4 armies, witch elves or corsairs? Losing 1 attack per model and the forced overrun/pursue is a small price to pay for a 4+ armor and more control over your units. Maybe in 9th edition they will take out the forced overrun/pursue, but for now I'd rather have more control over a unit than more killy power.

[Dalamar]

It's not the one attack per model that puts witch elves above corsairs. It's poison.

I've once had a block of corsairs get stuck on a dwarven cannon because I couldn't roll 5+ to wound to save my life.

[Trax]

And ItP really does come in handy from time to time, speaking of control over your own unit.

[Ichiyo1821]

I like corsairs as core. people underestimate the value of a 4+ armor these days. Yes, big nasty things are in the current meta but what would you rather have in a one on one fight against str 3/4 armies, witch elves or corsairs? Losing 1 attack per model and the forced overrun/pursue is a small price to pay for a 4+ armor and more control over your units. Maybe in 9th edition they will take out the forced overrun/pursue, but for now I'd rather have more control over a unit than more killy power.

I agree but to be fair there are times when you don't even need to pursue simply because Witches can outright kill the unit specially if it's just a monster..overrun? Sure charge me..it means my redirectors aready in position regardless anyway or uou do want your aWitchea to het charged. The plus 1 combat tes is really nothing as Witches tend to go overkill anyway. The problem I have is frenzy baiting...

[Dalamar]

That problem is dealt with by good use of bolt throwers and dark riders.
My current army seems to hold back until enemy chaff is out of the picture. If they come to me, sure, otherwise, I can wait.

[The_Peacemaker]

It's not the one attack per model that puts witch elves above corsairs. It's poison.

Poison WITH the ASF re-roll.
This is what makes them killer.

I played an online game through webcam the other day with vamps. My ghouls did alot of damage with that poison. The only reason I mention this is because it was online I only had like 10 dice so I had to write on a peace of paper how many poison hits and how many regular hits. I looked back and was like really? 50-90% of my wounds came from poison?(depending on enemy toughness).
And the awesome thing about poison is if your opponent casts a toughness buff(lore of life, beasts, etc..) poison doesn't care. If enemy decreases your strength your still getting your poison hits through.

Watch some battle reports on utube, the Cauldren of Blood with Witch Horde is contender for best death-star out there.


Face the facts. Corsairs got nerfed because GW wants you to buy the new stuff like witch elves.
That being said, corsiars don't suck. They are not overcosted. They are worth their points so if you have the models and want to use them they will still be effective on the tabletop. Its just for a min/max competitive list, corsairs don't make the cut.


My favorite use for them is in blocks of 15-20 with handbows, and stick them in a building like the watchtower. They shoot opponenents within 12", they can always stand and shoot which is awesome since after combat the attcker is pushed 1" away from building which lets you shoot again!.


Oh and from what I've been seeing, baiting the frenzied witch elves is proving to be difficult since Dark Elves have alot of shooting to clear away enemy chaff, and I've seen opponents charge the cauldron of blood out of the unit and then continue on with witch horde.

[Dalamar]

Granted I only had two games with my witch elf horde so far but they didn't get baited once yet.

[Kzar]

The witch elf horde with the cauldron is definitely a fantastic unit. Like people have said, you don't want to get baited, so good use of bolt throwers, dark riders, and darkshards is very important.

As for corsairs, I think that they really do have their place as a core unit. I know that it might be an old technique, but they are my favorite to throw mindrazor on. The 4+ makes them more durable than other infantry, and the two attacks is more useful than spears or swords.

[Vulcan]

The simplest solution to frenzy baiting is to use a screening unit to block the frenzied unit's charge lane until you want it to charge. Simple as that.

I've taken to using a tirestrip unit of 10 Witches with musician for the role. It's fairly cheap, does damage all out of proportion to it's cost and numbers, provides hard cover to the unit behind it, and is frenzied itself so it won't panic and flee if it starts taking shooting casualties.

Keep it 3-4 inches in front of the big Witch (or frenzied Executioners) block, and the tirestrip just charges a turn earlier than the big block. Yes, it will die. It'll rip a rank or two off just about anything with less than a 4+ armor save, leaving it that much weaker for the main block. It'll chew through any chaff in the way without even breaking step.

And above all, loosing it won't cost me the game.

[Murphy'sLawyer]

Well I just took first in a tourament, my first fantasy tournament, with Corsairs and they did way better than fine. They did excellent.

Yes Witchs eat things up with the CoB, we all know that. But the Corsairs are still and will remain an excellent core choice. I have been using them every game since the new DE book came out and I have never found myself feeling they where needing more. (except when they got stuck with a tree man.)

So I say and will say it is a preference to your own play style and meta. Witches will die in droves to shooting and magic in my meta and throwing a CoB is painting a big red target on the unit for diverters and chaff.

But like everyone else this is just my opinion and experience. Corsairs are a good Core choice up there with the Witches when there is no CoB.

[Heartshiver]

The consensus seems to be that all of our core are useful and that we have a choice for every situation.

Personally I'm a big advocate of using large units (20-30) of crossbows with shields, musician and banner. This has become less popular it seems, since their points have increased, but in my eyes crossbow units are competent static combat res blocks (they have ASF and murderous prowess like everything else) that come with a crossbow as gravy. I deploy them in 2 ranks for shooting and when the gap starts to close you simply swift reform for whatever threat is coming at you. Usually a horde for dealing with light infantry or ranking up if it's something tougher, in which case they just need to hold out with steadfast until something can help them out. After reforming not only can you fire and get a stand and shoot charge reaction but you can also back peddle 3" to try and make the enemy charge fail.

In my eyes the swift reform was made for our crossbows.

[Setomidor]

The consensus seems to be that all of our core are useful and that we have a choice for every situation.

Are you sure? I struggle to find a use for Spearmen and Swordsmen

I agree with the above sentiment that due to their 4+AS Corsairs are a good alternative to Witches when up against S3/S4 armies. The problem is, such armies hardly exist anymore! Most competitive armies are made up of Monsters, Chariots, Monstrous X, and Warmachines. Add Magic and Diverters to taste. In this kind of environment, the 4+AS will be quickly reduced to a 6+ at best, and the poison of Witch Elves is going to put them way ahead in the damage output department.

[Gidean]

After reforming not only can you fire and get a stand and shoot charge reaction but you can also back peddle 3" to try and make the enemy charge fail.

In my eyes the swift reform was made for our crossbows.

2.5" to be correct.

[Calisson]

you can also back peddle 3"

2.5" to be correct.

No, 3" is correct.
Read BRB p.26, very bottom of first column. Half distances are rounded up.

[Gidean]

you can also back peddle 3"

2.5" to be correct.

No, 3" is correct.
Read BRB p.26, very bottom of first column. Half distances are rounded up.

Thanks! Never caught that in the last 3 years.

[marcopollo]

Corsairs do allow for a secure SS bunker without worrying about khainite backstabbing. So putting a BW shrine/CoB in the unit allows the SS to hide in the 2nd rank without being back-stabbed to death or fielding front rank attacks.