In all my lists I usually try to have atleast 2 scout formations, especially at a tournament.

As has been noted already they are the best way to hinder Air assaults and teleporters. They are also the best defence against massed drop pod armies.

Seeing as these are the only scouts available in the list it's not surprising to see them in almost all armies.

Of the 16 BL armies at 09 tourneys 8 took their full allocation of scouts and 7 didn't. Of armies that finished in the top 4 the split was 3-3

1 took no retinues and therefore no forlorn hopes

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Ah, here's Steve with some facts to sway my opinion.

Consider my opinion changed, for 2009 at least it looks like the Forlorn Hopes weren't such a huge crutch as was my impression (though half the lists took their full allocation, that's probably no more prominent than the number of Marine lists that took Warhound Titans, etc).

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Although my xp isn't terribly extensive i have had reasnoble success without Forlorn Hope/Chosen formations. Under the current BL list there is pretty stiff competition amongst Elite formations in terms of choices. They are a cheap activation but a small formation of Raptors costs a similar amount and can do a similar job (even without the Scouts rule) without taking up an Elites slot, and comes with a Chaos Lord.