M T TM e c h a n i z e d T a u T a c t i c a







Unit Size

Content by T0nkaTruckDriver, Written by T0nkaTruckDriver, Edited by T0nkaTruckDriver

In general, when concerning yourself with unit size, there are four things you need to be worried about:
  1. How many casualties does the unit need to take before it is wiped out?
  2. How much does each model cost (points)?
  3. How many casualties does the unit need to take before they are required to take a 25% casualty break test?
  4. How many casualties does the unit need to take before they are reduced below 50%?
The answer to the first question is obvious, the unit must have all of its models destroyed before it is wiped out; therefore, if your only goal is to keep the unit in existance (and you don't care about fleeing, cost, etc), then you should just max out the unit size and be done with it. However, this is obviously never the case... the other factors are always a concern.

Regarding the second issue, we all must deal with the reality that we are not free to simply set our unit size at any number we wish. We are constrained both by minimum and maximum unit size restrictions as well as what makes reasonable sense regarding points investment. A unit of Crisis Suits can be made to be 9 models large by giving each of 3 Suits a Drone Controller and 2 Drones, thereby forcing 3 casualties to be inflicted before a break test is required... but rarely do we have the points (or hard-points!) available to give each Crisis Team 6 drones.

When concerning yourself with break tests, there are a few key unit sizes. These are summarized in the table below:

Unit
Size		Casualties which much be
inflicted to cause a break test
0-41
5-82
9-123
13-164

From studying this table, you can see that if taking break tests from shooting is your primary concern, your unit should either be 5, 9, or 13 models large in order to maximize the number of casualties that are required for a break test while minimizing the size (and cost) of the unit. For example, a unit of 8 firewarriors takes a break test when 2 models die. By investing 10 more points in that unit and bumping it up to 9 models, you force your opponent to inflict another wound before you need to test. Of course, all of this only applies on the first turn the unit takes casualties, after that everything changes.

When thinking about the final issue, it is important to realize the importance of a unit being below 50%. Once a unit falls below 50% of its original size, it cannot rally, it cannot claim objectives, and your opponent now gets half victory points for the squad. As an example, a unit that starts at 12 models, loses 6 and flees, can still rally since it is not yet below 50%. Using this same example, we see that a unit of 12 models must take 7 casualties before it's reduced below 50%. Interestingly, a unit of 13 models must also take 7 casualties before being reduced below 50%. Adding that extra model does not increase the survivability of the unit in this respect. It's not until the unit size goes up to 14 models does your opponent need to now inflict 8 casualties before they are below 50%. From this analysis, we can see that units that contain an even number of models are most efficient at keeping our squads above 50%.

Therefore, in a perfect world, our units would all be composed of:
  1. as many models as possible
  2. as few models as possible
  3. either 5, 9, or 13 models
  4. an even number of models.
Obviously most of these are contradictory with each other, but depending on which of the four issues I've outlined is of most concern with your particular play style, you can weight each of these as much or as little as you like to arrive at your perfect unit size.

Therefore when considering units of Battlesuits (Crisis, Stealth or Broadside), I've found that I like units of 4 models. I'm sure each of us has our own favorite unit size, but let me explain why I like this number. First, the unit must be reduced to 1 model before it is below 50%. At this point, the unit would be taking man-alone checks each turn anyhow, and will therefore probably not be contributing to the battle much anymore. If I were to bond the unit and allow it to rally, it would probably fail a man-alone check, flee out of range, (perhaps) rally and sit there for a turn, and then (assuming it doesn't fail it's next man-alone check) would take a turn or two to get back into a position where it can do some good again. By now as many as 3 or 4 turns have passed and the game is probably over! Therefore, with a unit of 4 models, there is generally no point in bonding the unit (opinions vary). I bring my Stealths in a unit of 4, I bring 2 Broadsides with 2 Drones making a unit of 4, I bring my Commander with 1 Bodyguard and 2 Drones making a unit of 4, I like 4!!!

For cheaper units, 2 models are nice. You can never be below 50% making bonding unnecessary. Furthermore, as long as you keep making your man-alone checks, your opponent must kill both suits to get full Victory Points for the unit. The small unit size makes them cheap and easy to hide behind terrain (good for Crisis Teams). The loss of a 2 man Crisis Team does little to hamper your battle plan.

In general, I think my all time favorite number is 14. Here, we need to take 4 casualties to require a break test, we need to take 8 casualties to be below 50%, and bonding is probably worth its points since you are (potentially) saving 6 troopers by doing so. Unfortunately, the only times this is possible is with a Firewarrior squad with 2 drones, or with Kroot.