What's better many small squads or a few big squads

[Enker]

I think this was a topic in the old forum, so I just set it up new.

In my oppinion many small squads are better than a few big squads. Why?
The main advantage is, that you can outnumber your opponent with activations.
This is extremly important in the first turn. If your opponent must reveal important deployment cards
before you, you can shot at his models and he not on yours.
A second advantage is, that you get more support options with more grunts.
A third advantage is, that you may be able to field a real Force Commander.
If you play with Parachuters you have the option to deploy them after your opponent has done its last activation.

But big Squads have advantages, too.
In subsequent turns you have more firepower at the beginning of a turn with a big squad, which is very important, too.
A big Squad can contain more specialist, esp. the Elite Squads.
A big squad does have to make panic roles later than a small squad, because you have to kill more models.

It's your vote.

[Jibbajabbawocky]

I prefer smaller squads, since it makes the army a little more tactically flexible.  Then again, I don't use Elites very often, so I end up with lots of figures on the board.

[masherking]

I'm middle of the road on this.
most of the time I like squads between 7-9 big (this number works very well for my cartel). For me its big enough to lay down a nice bit of firepower and small enough that if the squad dies I dont lose a 1/2 my army in one blow. But this depends on the type of squad I'm playing. Some squads I might "max out" depending on the troop type (some dark legion squads come to mind).

[Coil]

Good topic Enker. I think you summed up the main advantages of small and big squads. Many activations are important both in the first round with the cards and in subsequent rounds when you can outactivate your opponent for various purposes. The killing power of a large squad when you win initiative shouldn't be underestimated though.

A big squad does have to make panic roles later than a small squad, because you have to kill more models.

Well it depends ...

A squad of 12 models will roll for panic when 6 models have been killed and if they fail 6 models will be panicked.

If you instead had two squads of models 6 models then you'd have to kill 3 models in a squad and 3 would be panicked. So in order to panic 6 models you'd have to kill 3 models in each squad and 3+3=6.

[Pietia]

Unfortunately, in UWZ large squads are at serious disadvantage. Why? Due to the command distance - it is difficult to spread out soldiers well enough to minimise damage from template weapons (and similar tricks) and still have them in command. Enemies armed with spells like Apocalypse or Dark Lightning, lots of FTs, shotguns or other such weapons simply love big squads.

[wokrze]

I agree with Pietia - big squads cause a lot of trouble when enemy has templates. I usually play with small grunt squads as I use heavy Bauhaus elites which have limited number of soldiers per squad like Viktors or MH and generally I prefer more flexible approach (Ducals rule here - fast, longe range & cheap ). Even when I play only with grunt squads I prefere 5 models units. Though from time to time I field one larger squad as major long range fire squad (ex. 10 Dragoons incl. 2 snipers or RLs).

PS. Numberous activations is a good thing but better way to achive it is a lot of individuals.

[Ruther]

I tend too use medium sized grunt squads and small Elites (Medium sized would be about 6-8). Besides that i prefer smaller squads for ore flexebility and more activiations.

[Gallagher_Standard_Barer]

I typically like 6-8 man squads, usually 6 but 8 if I have an elite unit I really want an extra specialist for.  I recently built a capitol army that was entirely on the bigger end of this spectrum but I have yet to try it out.

[Pieper]

Formerly I liked the big squads for morale purposes.  However, the virtues of multiple activations and avoiding the big templates have swayed me.  Which unfortunately means I must now find some more unit leader figs.

[PFC joe]

I prefer seven man squads for flexibility as well as the Squad Panic test level, you have to lose four guys before you test.  I'll bump it to eight guys if i need more Specialists in my Elite squads.

-PFC joe

[PhillySniper]

It really depends on what and where im playing. In preperation for the con last year I played a force that had 1 large infiltrating squad 8 Jaegers 1 Sgt 2 HMGS and the Captain and several smaller grunt squads with snipers for long ranger support of the Jaegers. It worked fairly well. But with DL I use many smaller squads to be able to out activate my opponent and for manuverability to bring the many HMGs I can field to bear.


Philly

[PFC joe]

Good point.  If i'm taking Infiltrating squads or Paratroopers I tend to take as large as is tacticaly feasible.  Sometimes you just can't do that but I hate stranding otherwise good troops across the board with nothing but them and their ****s in the breeze.

-PFC joe

[PFC joe]

honest, that said "puppies".

[WarlordtheFT]

Puppies has to many letters to be that word. Are you lying Joe? 

My vote is for small squads. For the cybers, I typically take minimum sized squads of PV's and chassuers. That enables me to get all the support I need (I have 3 EDD, two AP, 1 AV    ). Plus with the 5 man PV squad for 80 points, I can get the 4 "Man" attila squads. AKA go the AAOD route.

Though I do see some benefit in fielding large squads for some troop types. For BH, I'm designing my force around 10 man squads. (7 trooopers, 1 sniper, 1 RL with AP.
As such 10 person squads (8 elites,5 troopers, 1 Sgt, 2 specialists) seem optimum.

I'd also add that any squad larger than the minimum should definitely splurge for the comm gear to avoid bunching up.

[Sylvas]

for grunt squads, I like to use 7 man squads so that I can have 2 specialists on the board, that and the fact that they don't have to take panic tests as quickly....I also like this size because, as an Imperial player, when I break off my specialists into fireteams, I still have a decent sized squad to use....

for elites, I like small, tactically flexible units of 6...I have used larger squads, like Golden Lions, in scenario games for a specific purpose, but I usually don't go that route...

B.
don't often out-activate anyone...