Common Misconceptions

[Mekkah]

Yeah, that is a good point. Now for the most part you aren't actually going through weapon uses faster as long as you're getting the same amount of ORKOs (you aren't, but let's say you are). However, you'll need to completely unequip everyone you're not deploying in order to have access to their gear either in your deployed units or your supply convoy, which isn't always conveniently on your way on maps, if at all. In addition, your good weapons will be spread very thin. If you only have one Fire Sword, you might have 10 people who want to use it, then 9 of them are out of luck. But if you're only using, say, 6 combat units, it's really just a race between 2 of them and they can trade it around fairly easily, whereas the other 4 will prolly be weilding prf weapons, axes, lances, magic, etc.

[Baldrick]

Maybe if you go at super turtle pace this somewhat applies, but as it is using that many units WILL make your units relatively weak. Your units do not start close to capping those stats at 20, and they do not automatically have 4 scrolls in their inventory every time they level up. By using so many units, you actually have to face the challenge of raising units, because let's face it, beyond the top 10 units or so you will find mostly units that start out bad or okay. Fergus, Asvel, Othin, Brighton, Dean, those kind of units are ridiculous even at base level. But then you get to units like Halvan that are alright at base or even levels but not that awesome, needing to get lucky for ORKOs. And then there's Karin who needs to get a ridiculous amount of overleveling to get good, and shitty ones like Kein that start out underleveled and aren't even amazing at even levels.

Well, one man's "super turtle pace" is another man's "milk reinforcements for maximum exp and equipment". If you fight the same ratio of enemies, your characters will still be as strong even if you have a larger party. The top tier units can survive on very litle exp for a while, since their offense is so broken. So units that need more love to be good can be focussed on, and can pass scrolls around to each other (Scroll abuse is much easier at STP).

Plus, by raising that many units, you are actually accepting that you're going to be benching at least a third of them in a lot of maps. That doesn't sound like a very, well, efficient use of your EXP. I'd rather have 1-2 units of my star team of 8 sitting out than 5-6 out of 15 units. Note how a lot of maps, particularly gaidens, don't even let you deploy this many units. Also when you do get to deploy a lot of units, a lot of them end up doing nothing (or nothing that isn't trivial) cause there's usually at least one badass in there taking out an army on enemy phase, and the rest is just there for show.

The fatigue system means units will have to sit out eventually. There's more than enough EXP to go around; the enemy density is huge in this game. And the more units idling, the more margin for RNG-screwage you have.

Also the more units you deploy the more your limited supplies dwindle down further...

Beyond Manster, I'd say financing is rarely, if ever, an issue. Capturing and stealing can net you enough equipment that everyone has their own supply, so you never need to share with anyone else, except maybe for unique weapons. Speaking of them, there will be less special weaponry to go around, but an Iron Sword tends to kill enemies dead just as well. They make life easier, sure, but in the rare case that you need a certain weapon on a certain character, the others can live without it.

[sunshineYON]

In FE7, supports do NOT build in Lyn mode. I've played this game dozens of times and still can't remember this fact. I just naturally lump units that can support together out of habit, sometimes even at a cost of efficiency, etc.

[Agro]

Beyond Manster, I'd say financing is rarely, if ever, an issue. Capturing and stealing can net you enough equipment that everyone has their own supply, so you never need to share with anyone else, except maybe for unique weapons. Speaking of them, there will be less special weaponry to go around, but an Iron Sword tends to kill enemies dead just as well. They make life easier, sure, but in the rare case that you need a certain weapon on a certain character, the others can live without it.

While we're at it: Iron weapons are amazing in FE5 ._.

[dondon151]

iron weapons suck in FE5 like they do in every other game

[Anouleth]

Silver and Killer weapons are better than Iron weapons, in my experience.

[Refa]

Killer weapons are the secret best weapons.

[I don't play for turns]

I'm a newb too, and these things could be helpful.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks FE10 on easy is about as hard as most normal modes.

Still, I already knew a lot about the stuff you wrote, and I agree (mostly. I don't need Jagen's on normal modes most of the time, and I usually train about 15 units throughout the majority of the game in FE7, 9, and 11)

So thanks for the tips. I'm probably still gonna promote at 20 just for fun though...