need - regular vs modal verb

[angelene001]

So far I've found the following information:

regular verb: I need to say sth
* modal verb: I need say sth ---> wrong; we can't use "need" as a modal verb in affirmative

regular verb: I don't need to say anything
modal: I needn't say anything

regular: Do I need to say anything?
modal: Need I say anything? -- > seldom used but correct


* But today I've found out that we can say "I need hardly do sth", e.g. "I need hardly remind you of ...".
Can we use "need" as a modal verb in affirmative sentences in general? Or is "I need hardly do" an exception?

[5jj]

'Hardly' functions as a (near-) negative, as do 'seldom', 'scarcely', 'rarely' and a few other words and expressions.

[angelene001]

'Hardly' functions as a (near-) negative, as do 'seldom', 'scarcely', 'rarely' and a few other words and expressions.

I know that.

The problem is that I thought that we can't use "need" as a modal verb in affirmative.
But doing some exercises, I've found "I need hardly remind you". "Need" as a model verb is used in affirmative.

[5jj]

"Need" as a model verb is used in affirmative.

As I said in my last post, we consider 'hardly' to be negative in meaning.

I need hardly remind you = I don't really need to remind you / It should not be necessary for me to remind you / You don't really need reminding.

[angelene001]

As I said in my last post, we consider 'hardly' to be negative in meaning.

I need hardly remind you = I don't really need to remind you / It should not be necessary for me to remind you / You don't really need reminding.

Oh, I'm sorry, now I understand :)
Thank you :)