How wide do you deploy shadow warriors?

[Nyeave]

I am in the process of assembling a few shadow warriors and thought I would make them a movement tray but that got me thinking. How to deploy them?
I was thinking of deploying 5-6 of them as not to put too many points in to them but still maximize the amount of attacks going into a warmachine but if I deploy them 5 or 6 wide with the skirmisher rule it’s going to be a very wide unit which is hard to maneuver and hard to deploy as ambusher but if I deploy them 3x2 I won’t have the benefit of a rank bonus.
How do you guys deploy your shadow warriors?

[SpellArcher]

Do Skirmishers get a rank bonus?

I'd go 3/2. But really it doesn't matter as you can reform at will.

[Nyeave]

Haven't got the rules on me atm but I was of the impression they get a rank bonus if 5+ wide and in combat were they use the "collapsed" formation. But yeah you are right about the reform at will. That does maybe make the point a bit moot...

[Maedil]

Skirmishers count has having zero ranks.

FAQ:
Page 77 – Special Rules, Skirmishers, Light Troops.
Change “[...]zero ranks[...]” to “[...]zero ranks in
combat[...]”.

For me, I usually go with a 3x2 setup, to minimize frontage, unless i am re-directing with them.

[Nyeave]

Thanks alot. That settles it. No reason to go wide in the deployment phase then. That can easily be done later on if you want to block or redirect. Thanks guys.

[Ferny]

I think they also lack steadfast unless in a wood.

I was under the impression that when attacking war machines only a hunting party goes in (as per with buildings). I know this is limited to 3 mounted troops (usually the only things I manage to get as far as the war machine backline) but I think for infantry it is 5 rather than 6 (don't have my book on me so can't check) if that affects how many you choose for your list? Of course, a little redundancy does no harm bar points!

[Prince of Spires]

Skirmishers are never steadfast as a consequence of not counting ranks in combat (except when inside a building, where everyone is steadfast). They do indeed count as being stubborn when they are in a forest.

It's 6 models that get to fight vs a warmachine.

Rod

[Iluvatar]

Definitely make your tray 3x2 - it also has the good point that it can be used as 3 ranks of 2.

[RedPanda]

dont get too small of a tray, some times you want them in a single rank to block things