"Warmaster questions" Topic

I know the line is dead, but I was wondering about the way the units were based/ stand. I know infantry were two strips to a base/ stand but what about archers? How were they based? Were there any infantry scrimishers on shorter base/stands? How was cavalry based/ stand? How many figures to a base/stand? Infantry units for infantry I believe were three (3) stands for a unit, but what about cavalry units? I look forward to your help to my questions.

Everything was based on 40x20 archers were based in 2 ranks as well, cavalry was based with 20mm frontage on each base with I think 6 cavalry per stand…the only skirmishers I can remember were swordsmen for the Empire..Cavalry were like every unit 3 stands per unit except hero's and monsters ..I cant remember about artillery

Cavalry 4 models per base.
Artillery sometimes one stand per unit (orc rock lobber), somestimes two (HE bolt thrower).
Why not download the rules? Should answer all questions.
link

The army lists will tell you how many stands per unit.

The archers came with strips of four figures, they were clipped in half and four of the half strips were placed on a base for 8 figures.

Infantry skirmishers were only available to the empire army. They were set up like the archers, ie four half strips of two figures each to a base, and were a one stand unit. They were able to be attached to other units but did not function on their own.

I think the others have answered the rest of your questions.

Archers are also two strips per stand, based facing the long edge. The difference is archer strips are cast facing sideways, with four archers per strip. You cut each strip in half, then base the resulting four half strips so they face the long edge. It is confusing to describe, but just look at the figures in the rule book and it becomes obvious. Some players use six half strips to give the archers a denser look, but this is rare, and a fairly expensive luxury now that the figures are oop.

The only skirmishers are the Empire ones, and they face the long edge, like all other infantry. The only infantry that faces the short edge are the pikemen in the semi-official Dogs of War list. Old Glory does some 10mm pikemen that are recommended for this unit.

Cavalry units always have three stands per unit, with two strips per stand, just like the infantry. Cavalry always faces the short edge: that is what gives it an advantage over infantry in combat.

Good luck with Warmaster! It is an excellent game. The earlier, core armies (High Elves, Tomb Kings, Empire, Dwarves, Orcs, and Chaos) are still relatively common second-hand and on eBay, so collecting them is not hard, it just takes a little patience.

If you haven't yet, check out the Specialist Arms Forum. It has an active Warmaster community.

specialist-arms.com

Infantry: 2 rows of 5-7 figs each per stand (10-14 figs), 3 stands per unit, 30-42 figs total. 40mm front x 20mm side.

Archers/gunners/rangers: 4 columns of 2 figs each per stand (8 figs), 3 stands per unit, 24 figs total. 40mm front x 20mm side.

Cavalry: 2 columns of 2 figs each per stand (4 figs), 3 stands per unit, 12 figs total. 20mm front x 40 mm side.

Monsters vary. Group monsters (trolls, ogres, etc.) are treated as infantry, with fewer figs on each stand (usually 3 per stand). Cavalry-like monsters (centaurs, wolves, etc.) are treated as cavalry, and based similarly.
The Eagles in Bo5A operate as flying cavalry, but are based with the 40mm frontage of infantry.
Certain large or terrifying monsters (dragons, giants, Beorn, ents, etc.) are mounted as single figs on a single stand which comprises one unit by itself. These monsters have the 20mm frontage of cavalry.

Note that in Warmaster Ancients (the historical version), only "shock cavalry" has the short frontage, as it gives cavalry an advantage on attack, bringing more units to bear on a single point. Some people apparently complained about this effect in Warmaster, but I think it fits the intent and setting of the fantasy game (and the twin sister, Bo5A).

By the way, the rules slightly differ from WM to Bo5A, the latter reflecting many of the edits and changes that GW released as errata for WM. Most are either minor changes or clarifications, but one significant change is the limiting of any unit to three consecutive pursuit/advance movements in the same melee, a change that also exists in WMA. This prevents the unlikely but still not uncommon situation where a single unit basically slaughters its way across the entire battlefield in one turn (while everyone else apparently looks on in stunned awe or dismay). The Bo5A game also has some magic and unit special rules that fit the flavor of MiddleEarth a bit more closely than the WM rules would.