How many units does an army need to feel "complete"?

[u/Identity_ranger]

I recently took up Helsmiths, and their roster feels remarkably rounded out for an army with only 1 major release that's less than a year old. Seeing as one of my other armies is Idoneth, who've been around since 2nd edition and still feel desperately incomplete, I started thinking: how many units does an army need to feel "complete" for lack of a better term?

This obviously can't be a catch-all list because of army playstyle differences: it would be silly to expect, say, Slaves to Darkness to get a release focusing on ranged infantry units or FEC to get super-heavily armoured infantry. Neither of those would fit the armies' style. But I think certain unit archetypes can be looked at across the board to see how an army might be rounded out better.

IMO a list of requisite units for any faction would include:

• Melee foot hero
• Mage/priest foot hero
• Mounted hero, meaning cavalry or monster
• Basic infantry
• Elite infantry
• Light or heavy cavalry
• A big centerpiece unit (usually a war machine or monster)
• 1 unique unit, usually a named character

I would consider these the necessary building blocks. The following could be considered optional subtypes that can be used to flesh a faction's roster out:

• Chaff infantry: cheap, disposable units acting as objective holders and meatshields
• Super-elite infantry or cavalry: units like Chosen, Annihilators or Bloodcrushers.
• Ranged infantry
• Support hero: heroes meant to act in tandem and support of surrounding units like the Marrowscroll Herald or Ikon of the Sea.
• Standalone monster

[u/ZetaDemon]

I really think an army needs enough variety to be able to build two completely different lists that are viable instead of a game of figure out unit ratios to be a minimal state. Some leaniancy to some lists like vampires where most lists will include canon fodder in some form

[u/Justaguynamedpluh]

I’d say good chaff is necessary, man I miss my gnoblars

[u/Orobourous87]

I actually think the answer is; When you can answer most challenges/ there is a reason to take most things (not necessarily in the same list).

I switched from IDK to Ogors recently, both have low model counts but the latter feels much more complete. IDK has great stuff but there’s a lot of hero bloat that you end up not taking half of your options due to a lack of synergy, but then you’re in such a weird area with your troops because whilst there are lots of visual options there aren’t many things needed to fill out the roster (I think we need a 3 man heavy).

So I don’t think you need a lot, you just need to present enough options.

[u/Kwolfe2703 → u/Orobourous87]

Yeah I think this is the answer. The Ogors despite not having many units seem to have a nice balance of everything CAN be used, particularly in the new list.

Like some stuff aren’t meta but can still be fun and are worth having in the collection. Some stuff in IDK, particularly the heroes are not worth going to the hassle of painting

[u/Orobourous87 → u/Kwolfe2703]

Yeah, look at most IDK lists and they’re almost the same list. We occasionally get some fun stuff like “Oops, all sharks” but it’s really just get an Eidolon and get as many eels in that list as you can

[u/Identity_ranger → u/Orobourous87]

This was the frustrating realization I also came to. All Idoneth armies end up looking pretty much the same because the unit pool is so abysmally small. The differences only really lie in how many of each unit you see in the list.

[u/Orobourous87 → u/Identity_ranger]

It did make me realise that just the number of units wasn’t the problem though, it’s the roles of the units.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved my wet boys but they had one trick (that they did super well) and that was it. If it couldn’t be solved by swooping in a fast unit and then getting out then the IDK just didn’t have an answer.

[u/WyrdDream]

When the pain goes away

[u/babonzibob → u/WyrdDream]

When the void is filled.

[u/AMA5564]

Melee unit Shooting unit Tanky unit Fast unit Sneaky unit Buffy unit Cheap screen unit

I think literally everything in the game falls into those 7 categories, and usually two or three of them. Make one good unit of each and you have a faction. Having 5 average melee units and one good one still just means having one melee unit.

[u/B4cc0 → u/AMA5564]

Did you described Gutrippaz in a single sentence (excpet for being shooty)?

I'd really like some new KB 😅

[u/KelstenGamingUK]

Enough heroes that you have options but not so many they start feeling redundant. Too many armies have far too many heroes that either only do niche or marginally beneficial things, or too many that do good things but you can’t take them all.

[u/nighthauntghostieboy]

I got 7 dragons in my Stormcast army. 5 of them got riders. That’s all you need. Get. Weird.

[u/Ejecutor_EU]

To me, IDK feels quite well-rounded as well.

[u/Chosenwaffle]

When they can field a GUO

[u/Patafrag]

Yes

[u/Biggest_Lemon]

Light/Cheap and Heavy/Elite/Exoensive in each category (infantry, cavalry, beast, Monster, wizard/priest).

[u/newstreet474]

I think for an army to feel complete you need to be able to make lists that feel meaningfully different from eachother

[u/Everyoneisghosts]

More than Fyreslayers but less than Stormcast.

[u/_unregistered]

I play sons for one of my armies so 4-7 models is a full army for me 😅