Just an idea i'd like to suggest ; moreso in light of the recent lack of plastic infantry box sets...

I had the idea that a unit of infantry could be 4 models instead of 8?

The two ways of acheiving this could either be a 4x1 base, but keep the same stats except that their resilience could be improved to 2. This would limit the spaces in the command base to 4 but maybe make the use of upgrades / epic heroes more selective...

The alternative is to use the standard 4x2 base, but use four models with the 'empty' slots filled with scenic counters (what I do currently, but it makes the ranks look a bit sparse / skirmishy)

any feedback would be great, thanks

Well, of course you may adopt this idea as a house rule, if you are short of troops.
But generally speaking, the peculiarity of this game is that of being a game for masses of miniatures; if you reduce them of one-half, you'll downgrade WotR to a sort of SBG.
About rules, giving R2 to four mins is not exactly the same as having eight mins with R1: the former unit is stronger, for it loses 1A for every 2Rs, rather than 1:1 as it is for the latter. So you'd also need to rebalance it with a special rule.

_________________
RESTITUERE INIURIAS, INIURIOS TORQUERE

Aurë entuluva!

fair points you make there, thanks for the advice. I'm just after a way of keeping the spirit of WOTR without the need for hundreds of minis ; not to say I don't love painting them (even 72 lothlorien elves), just that I could not field 50+ mirkwood elves due to the cost of these models.

I took some inspiration from the original GW warmaster / battle of five armies games as fielding 'stands' of miniatures...