104 replies to this topic

[Hunk]

No Vale Warriors, huh? I'm starting to lean in the same direction, myself...I think they're a little too all-around to actually be much use for anything. If I want attack power, royals or deathseekers are the way to go; and for cheap troops, the swordsmen are a better buy.

Is anyone using the Vale Warriors? No one posting their lists here seems to... Are they not worth their point cost? As a newbie Warlord player, I was planning on basing my elf list around the Warriors, but maybe I should reconsider? I like the sculpts, though, so that might be a reason to buy them anyway...

[Stubbdog]

The vale warriors are worth their points. You just have to notice that their points are very low. The Royal soldiers are the more heavy soldier.

The vale warriors work great in their designed roll, as swarmers and road blocks, not as heavy melee.

They also work great in supporting roles with other heavier melee models lending cheap support bonuses.

Toss in a battle totem, or a divine caster with bless, or a leader with armor of courage and they quickly go from being lower level soldiers to higher ones while still remaining cheap.

So, to sum it up, as they sit on the card, they are good supporting soldiers. With some work and boosting, they can also star in the heavier soldier roll, they just cant do the heavy soldier roll by themselves without any boosting.

[rgtriplec]

Here is a kind of starter list using a warrior army pack and an archer army pack. The Protectors FA can make the Warriors 4/2 using Swift, Larnarch makes them Stealth and with inspire 5/2, Peruhain can Bless for 6/2 and if you added a totem 7/2. So they are actually really good if you can use all these things together. Granted you may miss a Bless and can't always use Swift but on average you can probably always be around MAV5.


Elves - 995 points

Troop 1
Larnach the Grey
Peruhain, Elven Monk
Vale Warrior x 8
Lysette

Troop 2
Selwyn
Caerwynn
Vale Archer x 9

Troop 3
Baeldrinahr

Troop 4
Giant Eagle


Luck Stone


I have elves and this is a list I would use with Warriors and Deathseekers.

Elves - 1498 points

Troop 1
Larnach the Grey
Lysette
Peruhain, Elven Monk
Death Seeker x 7

Troop 2
Baeldrinahr

Troop 3
Dilean Softstep

Troop 4
Selwyn
Caerwynn
Vale Warrior x 9

Troop 5
Varashia
Vale Archer x4
Death Seeker x 2

Troop 6
Varashia
Vale Archer x 5

Totem Luckstone

[Vil-hatarn]

One problem with your analysis--remember that swift attack limits you to one attack; so while the faction ability it is a handy boost, its impact will be much more limited than you imply. Also, your scenario requires both a leader and a unique caster--so it can only be applied to one troop. In the end, it's a lot of resources all focused on making the cheap models better--which makes me question whether said resources are a good payoff as compared to simply upgrading them to Royal troops.

Also, small problem in the second list--Gildan can't lead Deathseekers, they're too expensive.

[rgtriplec]

It also limits the enemy to one DS, so you can attack models that are much better than yours without getting killed in a single set of DSs. It also allows you to break away free and reposition yourself. Granted Elves only have one divine caster, but if all the warriors are in one troop, as in my example, one leader and one caster are needed. In the end 2.0 seems to use synergies of your SAs, FAs, WAs, Casters etc... to get boosts much more than the old game.

Royal troops are fine but the poster asked for a build around warriors. So, I did and as Stubdog said they are worth their points. For the price of 3 Royal troops you get 6 tracks and 10 or 11, 6 attacks at MAV 4. For the same cost you get 10 tracks at 10, 10 attacks at MAV 3. Royal Troops don't really outclass the Vale Warriors. They are pretty equivalent when compared in equal points. I didn't really mean to imply that the FA was some type of game breaker and even said it can't always be used, but it can be used by the Warriors which was the posters choice models. I also said your Blesses may miss, but overall you will average about MAV5 if you use all the stuff available, and why not use it its there.

[Hunk]

Thanks for everyones help!

Would the following list work for a 500 point army?
Army: (499 points)
Troop 1
1 Larnach the Grey (127)
5 Vale Warrior (22)
1 Lysette (U) (63)
1 Peruhain, Elven Monk (U) (60)
1 Vale Long Thorn (16)

Troop 2
1 Varashia (35)
2 Vale Archer (33)
1 Vale Warrior (22)

I prefer the sculpts of Warriors, Longthorns and Breakers/Swordsmen to the Deathseekers and Guardsmen. I have to order my models today, as I run a FLGS and there are lots of other stuff I need to order from the US today (otherwise iI'd have to wait for another month, which I don't want to). I think I'll go with the Warriors, as that means I have to paint less models than if I build around Longthorns and Breakers...

[jdripley]

Not a bad list!

I think one of your big challenges with that list will be to avoid getting mobbed too quickly. Your main offensive punch comes from Larnach and Lysette and neither is particularly good at defending themself. You'll need to run a fine line between keeping them close to the action where they can affect many enemies with their spells, and keeping them tucked away so they don't get killed too early. Fortunately your Vale Warriors are very mobile and can be used as a screen. And Varashia's troop will be good at harassing the enemy and denying them the ability to safely focus all of their attention on Larnach's troop.

Another potential challenge with this list is what to do if the enemy brings something really big and nasty. Say, Judas Bloodspire, perhaps, or one of the big solos. Those are often pretty tricky to handle at the 500 point level already. Your options revolve around your casters, but you'll be facing high MD with those models (for the most part). You'd probably have to time things right so that you can blast the target with both mages, AND charge all of your warriors + Longthorn in in the same activation. It'll be a bit like playing Chicken with a mac truck. Remember to use Bless in that turn as well, of course.

I think it looks pretty solid for 500 points. Elves do magic very well, which is the list's obvious focus, and they do ranged also, and you've got some ranged in there too. It can be tough to do melee with elves, and it looks to me like you've got just enough melee to keep the enemy from simply walking up to your mages/archers and knocking them down.

[rgtriplec]

Your list is good, but since your build only has 13 models trying to put everything in Larnarch's troop would to your advantage, as he can make them all Stealth. This build trades out your second leader and longthorn for the unicorn. You keep two troops and although the Unicorn isn't Stealth he can stay back out of range and magic with Blink/Rush it can be in B2B to fight from 22" away. With RotU you can also add Blink to one of the casters, which may keep them alive a bit longer.


Elves - 498 points

Troop 1
Larnach the Grey
Lysette
Peruhain, Elven Monk
Vale Warrior x 6
Vale Archer x 2
Luck Stone
Ring of the Unicorn

Troop 2
Silvermaine, Unicorn

[Hunk]

Your list is good, but since your build only has 13 models trying to put everything in Larnarch's troop would to your advantage, as he can make them all Stealth. This build trades out your second leader and longthorn for the unicorn. You keep two troops and although the Unicorn isn't Stealth he can stay back out of range and magic with Blink/Rush it can be in B2B to fight from 22" away. With RotU you can also add Blink to one of the casters, which may keep them alive a bit longer.

Probably a good idea, but I have already pushed the "Order"-button, so the unicorn will have to wait. But I'll consider the it next time!

[kendrick72]

Your list is good, but since your build only has 13 models trying to put everything in Larnarch's troop would to your advantage, as he can make them all Stealth. This build trades out your second leader and longthorn for the unicorn. You keep two troops and although the Unicorn isn't Stealth he can stay back out of range and magic with Blink/Rush it can be in B2B to fight from 22" away. With RotU you can also add Blink to one of the casters, which may keep them alive a bit longer.

Probably a good idea, but I have already pushed the "Order"-button, so the unicorn will have to wait. But I'll consider the it next time!

anyone have any info on this narthrand nightblade? stats? anything?

[Shakandara]

Arthrand is part of the new Tembrithil faction. Stats are as-yet unreleased; expect to see them in the Savage North supplement.

~v

[kendrick72]

Arthrand is part of the new Tembrithil faction. Stats are as-yet unreleased; expect to see them in the Savage North supplement.

~v

thanx! I was actually hoping he was a wood elf. he reminds me of the old Jes Goodwin Scarloc sculpt.

[Hunk]

Hi!

I think I'll have to order some more elves... Is the army list below playable or is it anything I should change? I own the following miniatures and I'd like to use the most of them:
Caerwynn + 2 Vale Archers
9 Vale Warriors
Larnach
Turanil
Ice Queen (to be used as Lysette)
Deladrin, Assassin (to be used as Baeldrinahr)
1 Vale Swordsman/Breaker

Army: (999 points)
Troop 1
1 Larnach the Grey (127)
1 Lysette (U) (63)
1 Peruhain, Elven Monk (U) (60)
7 Vale Warrior (22)
3 Vale Archer (33)

Troop 2
1 Turanil (U) (75)
1 Ellithin Graysteel (70)
2 Royal Blademaster (35)
4 Vale Long Thorn (16)

Troop 3
1 Mossbeard the Treeman (155)

Troop 4
1 Baeldrinahr (U) (62)

[Shakandara]

Looks pretty good. You might want to swap around some of the Warriors from Larnach's troop for some of the Long Thorns from Turanil's troop. Otherwise, you may find your Long Thorns in the front rank quicker than you'd like them. Many people use either a 3-to-2 or 2-to-1 ratio for regular frontline warriors to Reach models (partly because the guys up front die faster because they are in immediate combat, and partly because when you stack 3 models on 1 for Support bonuses, it is generally easy to base with 2 - preferrably warriors with higher DVs and more attacks). Also, with bringing both Larnach and Lysette, it seems a shame not to bring Caerwynn. The Mirror Image/Barrage trick is awfully nice when you run with a small number of archers.

~v

[ViciousPanzer]

Your list is good, but since your build only has 13 models trying to put everything in Larnarch's troop would to your advantage, as he can make them all Stealth. This build trades out your second leader and longthorn for the unicorn. You keep two troops and although the Unicorn isn't Stealth he can stay back out of range and magic with Blink/Rush it can be in B2B to fight from 22" away. With RotU you can also add Blink to one of the casters, which may keep them alive a bit longer.

Remember that blink doesn't allow you to take advantage of a runner or charge movement bonus. The farthest the Unicorn can move (without assistance from a spell like burst of speed) is 20". It's also important to note that you cannot choose to move normally, a model with blink always blinks.

Joshua