Email: Wood Elves

Email in:

Hi Stelek

I've enjoyed reading your blog and was wondering what your thoughts are on a competitive 2000 Wood Elf list. My friends have finally convinced me to start a fantasy army and I've chosen Wood Elves. I'll admit that a lot of my reason was for how the models look, the speed of the army and wanting to play something different than the armies that are common around here.

My normal competition will be all 3 flavors of Chaos lists, DE and Dwarves, not sure how much that would affect things. I'll give you a list of the models I have already but if there is extra or different units, feel free to add them.

Lord on Dragon
Noble on horse
Noble with Great Weapon
2 Spellsingers on foot
Drycha
26 Glade Guard (2 musicians)
16 Dryads
8 Glade Riders with full command
5 Wild Riders w/ full command
16 Wardancers with 2 Musicians and champs
3 Warhawks
6 Way Watchers
1 Treeman

Thanks
Delemon

Reply out:

Well, that's certainly a motley crew!

I don't think much of Wood Elves being able to close combat the enemy effectively. To say they've been eclipsed is putting it mildly.

You can do an Eternal Guard list, but once your T3 characters die (immediately?) those units disappear in a hurry.

So I think a serious competitive Wood Elf list has to focus on the three strengths they possess:

Delay, Shoot, and Magic.

Here's a list, then I'll explain how it works:

2000 Pts - Wood Elves Roster - The Glade Guard

1 Spellweaver @ 368 Pts
General; Level 4 Upgrade; Hand Weapon; Longbow
1 Elven Steed @ [0] Pts
1 Calaingor's Stave @ [25] Pts
1 Dispel Scroll @ [25] Pts
1 Starfire Arrows @ [25] Pts
1 A Pageant of Shrikes @ [25] Pts

1 Spellsinger @ 187 Pts
Level 2 Upgrade; Hand Weapon; Longbow
1 Elven Steed @ [0] Pts
1 The Horn of the Asrai @ [25] Pts
1 A Muster of Malevolents @ [25] Pts

1 Spellsinger @ 187 Pts
Level 2 Upgrade; Hand Weapon; Longbow
1 Elven Steed @ [0] Pts
1 Divination Orb @ [25] Pts
1 A Befuddlement of Mischiefs @ [25] Pts

1 Spellsinger @ 162 Pts
Level 2 Upgrade; Hand Weapon; Longbow
1 Elven Steed @ [0] Pts
1 The Deepwood Sphere @ [25] Pts

10 Glade Guard @ 120 Pts
Hand Weapon; Longbow

10 Glade Guard @ 120 Pts
Hand Weapon; Longbow

8 Glade Guard Scouts @ 142 Pts
Musician Mus; Hand Weapon; Longbow; Scouts; Skirmishers

8 Glade Guard Scouts @ 142 Pts
Musician Mus; Hand Weapon; Longbow; Scouts; Skirmishers

1 Treeman @ 285 Pts
Causes Terror; Flammable; Large Target; Scaly Skin; Stubborn

1 Treeman @ 285 Pts
Causes Terror; Flammable; Large Target; Scaly Skin; Stubborn

Total Roster Cost: 1998

So, I think it's pretty self-explanatory but here goes:

Leave the glade guard out in the open so you can shoot them.

Hide the treemen. Stick them in forests and start moving them around to block your opponents advance.

Many wood elf players get very very aggressive with their rather fragile army because they have 2 stubborn treehouses.

This is a serious mistake. You need to draw the enemy into your shooting and magic, while preventing him from moving freely as much as you possibly can--it's all about delay, shoot, and magic.

Everything in this army shoots or magics the enemy. This is what you excel at.

Close combat monster? Not since...ever. Avoid it at all costs!

The musicians are there to help your expensive bowmen rally after they flee (they'll be doing it often).

Remember to keep your casters with them so you can magic/shoot a target to death before it can get a charge in.

Your treemen should, paradoxically, be placed in the woods facing TOWARDS your side of the board...with a clear view out....then moved AWAY from your side of the board, into the middle. You can shoot wherever so focus more on frustrating your opponent with nothing to do but get shot and magic'd to death until he comes across the line and you can charge him in the ass with a treeman.

They can pretend like they don't need to, but truth is...they do. Only way to beat this army is to get across the field as quickly as possible to shoot, magic, or close combat you to death.

Plays into your strength, and then it's a scrum. Whether you survive it, is really up to you.

If you face many terror using morons, you can modify a couple sorcs to be glamour and bring a unit of dryads along instead. The army still works just not as good.