Ulthuan

Evening all. I’m going to a small event (32 players, 6 games, 2000pts) where I think there will be a lot of art and missile troops. Every army gets a free giant so I think that people will take art to deal with them and I’m trying to play the meta and take anti-anti-giant troops.
I am going to take the Wayshard on a Lord with 30 inf. The trouble is I can’t decide between a couple of options.

Archers vs Spearmen

Spearmen are cheaper and more fighty and a magic banner might come in very handy.
Archers can do stuff the turn they come up and can project power across the board. 30 archers stand a decent chance of shooting a war machine off the board the first turn they come on. Also in scenarios I can’t use the shard then archers will be more useful.

Loremaster vs Prince vs Annointed.

A lore master is the fun option, a mage that close to the backline will scare people. Buffing the infantry, death sniping and fireballing will help the unit fulfil it’s function nicely.

Anointed gives a ward save and is a decent character in its own right,

A Prince is the fightest of them all and the ld10 is nice, very nice. I would however then require another Prince to avoid my general being the other end of the board from the rest of the army. That’s quite a big downside.

I did some searches but there doesn’t seem to be many things written about the wayshard so I’m kind of asking for random thoughts and experiences.

I've used the Wayshard.

Archers vs Spearmen

I like Archers or Spearmen as the Wayshard unit. However, you can take one 30x block of each as your core. Then you can decide based on the enemy list.

Loremaster vs Prince vs Annointed.

I have only used a Noble for this. I feel the Prince is the superior choice or the three. Archers can't stand and shoot with the Annointed because they would be immune to psychology. Not good. Remember you don't have to enter on their back line. You can hit them in the flank from the side edge, which is really good.

The Loremaster can work with a base Armor of Caledor + Wayshard loadout.

Immune to psychology does not prevent you from stand and shoot. Anyhow, when you enter the field, its not very likely that you'll place your unit where you get charged. The anointed could be nice with ring of fury for that extra save

If the unit is immune then they can't S&S but then doesn't that have to be the majority of the unit?

If I went Loremaster I was initially thinking shield of wryming (don't have book to hand for actual spelling) however armour of calador seems like a good shout. It would give him str6 attacks which the unit would lack.

Having both archers and spearmen as shard capable is seriously something I simply hadn't of at all. Borderline genius that man.

page 71
Immune to psychology- the unit cannot choose flee as a reaction+ passes all fear, terror and panic tests. (unless they changed it?)

The wayshard is really fun to play, personally i think its kinda expensive to have 30 spearmen or archers+ a character just waiting a turn. a unit of 10-15 spearmen+ char can be enough for your enemy to fear it.

I think archers are better when using their 30 inch bows from the start

I think the unit of spears would be the better choice. Archers held in reserve takes them out of the game for a turn (possibly all game) and they lose those turns of shooting. A unit of spears coming from the back forces some hard decisions in how to deal with a combat unit going for a rear/flank charge. If archers shows up out of no where, I wouldn't think much of it.

Good catch. I've been playing with my Kemri Archers for too long. I merged the rules.

Back to having a unit of each. I would think something like 30x Archers, musician, champion and 30x spears FC BoEF. That locks up the core and gives you some options. It also takes a lot of punch out of the list, so beware.

I think the Wayshard is something you really have to build around. That is why I only take it for fun. I tend toward a shooting army with it. They never know where those archers will come on, and it really lets you get to gunlines, which is what you are expecting at the tourney I think.

I think the point that the archers won't do anything while off the board is moot. That applies to either unit taken with Wayshard. So it really is an argument against Wayshard, not against the archers themselves. I think archers are superior in most respects. The fact that they can't take a magic banner is their only real drawback, and it applies here as well. Popping out with a spear unit with the flaming banner right next to a Crypt Horror or Troll unit is pretty great.

My advice: play games with each and both, lots of games. Then decide.

I would have thought the problem with archers is that they could be doing damage from turn 1 if they were on the board, missing 1-3 turns of shooting by using wayshard. Your 30 spearmen aren't going to be in the action until probably turn 3 anyway, so they aren't losing out by ambushing. in fact, with a lucky roll, and arriving in turn 2, they could potentially be in combat SOONER than if they started in your deployment zone. If not, they'll be in a threatening position very early anyway