whoa, settle down there big guy.. first off, i don't intend on being "charged" as you put it, that's why the swordmasters won out over the spear elfs in the debate...
i have 4 bolt throwers and 32 archers, + the reaper bow... i don't think any calvery is going to get near me... and my elfs are faster on foot then any other troop - skaven swarms...... so i'll be doing the charging and str 5 is better than armour save 4..
as to 4 bolt throwers being cheese, how do you figure exactly? I'm playing an army which is low numbers, low str. low T...low armour... ummm.....i only have one warmachien choice... and ugh.. i'm missing hte cheese thing.. and my biggest str, speed, i'm limiting by plaing defensive... i'm missing the cheese part?
last time i checked most elfs aren't going to "Defend" by running troops forward...
Also given that empire can field 6 warmachines, dwarfs can field 6 (sorry, 10 as bolt throwers are special choices and 2/1 choice), DE's can also field 4, actually any race that can field warmachines so far that has an army book can field as many or more warmachines as i can ....and skaven can field 2 mini war machiens / unit... not to menion 2 lightning throwers as well... if you dont like it play defensive w/ your army. I don't call offensive armies w/ lots of knights in them cheesy, they're offensive armies.
I dont' call Defensive armies w/ war machines in them cheesy either, it's a Defensive army. if your going to start calling things cheese really i'd pick things you can at least kinda back up, like helblasters or organ guns which you could at least argue, not a warmchine that will rarely ever get back the points it costs. (4 hits, 3 wounds, 2 die a turn... unless it's heavy calvery your not making it back before they get to you).
If your going to call something cheese you should back it up.