Dragon Rampant - Questions on Warband Building

[Mr. White]

As I'm looking over minis for DR, there's one aspect of these well written rules that sill perplexes me a little. How exactly one decides when to use Single/Reduced models for a unit or not, particularly when leaders are involved. Also, a decent guide for assigning unit types for creatures. I'm going to guess the answer to both is..."whatever works for you!", and that's fine I guess, but let me rephrase each to better help me wrap my head around warband design going forward.

1) Selecting Reduced/Single Models Units - Let's say I want to have a giant in my warband...the book has Greater Warbeasts and Elite Foot as options for giants. Does one just pick the unit they think best represents the type of giant they want to field? A more wild, berzerk  giant in a barbarian warband might be a Greater Warbeast, but an Oni with a samurai warband might be Elite Foot?

2) With Leaders involved - Leaders are always part of a unit, but don't add to the strength value. So, if my leader is a necromancer on a skeletal steed, he could be a 10pt Elite Rider unit. Would I use just one larger based model, or have him amongst a group of skeletal riders flanking him as guards. I guess either way is fine for strength purposes, but it seems one is clearly a larger footprint on the table, thus easier to be seen and charged but also force the warband to spread out more as all units have to be three inches away from one another. This isn't a super big concern as I intend to play DR in casual settings, but either option seems to change the way the warband plays.

Like I said, I intend for DR to be totally casual games, but it's highly likely that I'll be building multiple forces and hope to get a good idea on how to build warbands in a balanced enough manner but still keep them interesting and distinct. A simple trick would be for me to just dictate that all leaders are single model units, but is that necessary?

Thanks!

[Codsticker]

Ultimately this is correct: "Whatever works for you!".

I think I would approach this from a visual preference point of view with regards to leaders since either option you have outlined above is perfectly fine. If the leader is on foot or a normal sized mount I would make him/her part of a unit; if he/she is in a chariot/infernal machine or riding a dragon then probably a single model, disregarding the advantages/disadvantages of either option.

[Silent Invader]

Again, whatever makes you happy.

For the various Mersey rules I tend to put leaders with an entourage (usually totalling 6 minis so sometimes a RMU) whereas something like a wizard becomes a RMU of 1.

Going for a RMU does - as you say - have an effect on game play due to the smaller frontage, but I do so only for those units that would have a smaller frontage.

[Sinewgrab]

I use DR for absolutely friendly games, so I absolutely agree with Codsticker and SI.  I have in fact, been known to play Dragon Rampant with entirely reduced model count units - they were all Dragons.  At 42 points, I had 7 of them, ranging from the Great Red Dragon from WOTC a few years ago to Clan War Dragons I painted 20 years ago.

[Davout]

I usually base my decision on a few factors:

1) How big is the model. As with your example, if I was fielding a giant, I would use a single model and choose the profile that best fit the type of giant I wanted to use (more then likely) a Greater War beast.

With smaller monsters I usually field units of 3 or 6 (again based on size, but sometimes based on the number of models I own). For example, I'm fielding a unit of trolls with by goblin army. Three came in the box so the unit is going to be three models in size.

2) How elite is the unit. I try and keep my Elite Foot units at about 6 models. Giving each guy two wounds always makes it feel like they are super tough or have really good armor.

In terms of generals and heroes it again depends on how elite they are in terms of the story I'm trying to tell. If I'm fielding an Aragorn or Gandalf type character then it's probably going to be a single model unit. Again, this represents how tough/lucky/blessed they are in the story.

A minor prince or young mage leading their forces into battle will be part of a small unit. This represents their close followers or helpers.

So for me it's all about the story I'm trying to tell and how visually the models on the table can help tell that story.   

[Chief Lackey Rich]

As others have said, do what works for you.  The advantages and disadvantages of having fewer models on the table pretty much even out, and really have less impact than the base sizes involved do.

Me, I try to use RMU for anything that has larger bases than whatever the army's "normal" infantry or cavalry are based on so that the overall footprint remains roughly the same between units.  Doubt it's really important to do so unless you go to extremes like a 12-model infantry unit all on 80mm bases or something.

A "That Guy" player could probably eke some advantage out of cheap, expendable units with ridiculously huge footprints due to high model count and very large bases, which would make stupidly effective screens for better units.  Nobody wants to be That Guy.