# Starting Dark/High/Wood Elves?



## Shadow Hawk (Apr 26, 2009)

I've been playing 40k for a while now, and I'm thinking of starting Warhammer Fantasy. I've decided to play Elves, just 'cause the models look awsome, especially the Wood and Dark Elves. I like the idea of High Elves though, more than the rest, but the models don't look as good. I've read the threads for choosing an army, but I would like some extra help. Which one should I play?

I would also like to know what to buy to get started. I'm not too bothered about skull pass, I think I'd be wasting my money buying 2 armies I'm not gonna play. I know I'd have to get a Rule/Army book, but what else is needed to play?

Generally, I want to start WFB and would like to know what to buy to get me started, and which elves are best to play. I don't really care about a learning curve, I can take it.

Thanks in advance for any help.


----------



## AAAAAAAAARRRGGHH (Apr 17, 2009)

Well, very roughly there's the melee dwarfs where movement matters a little less (HE), the tricky, shooty ones (all are, but WE more than the others...usually.) and there's the evildoers who can go both ways (and spit cheese all over the gaming board).

I believe the DE are the best (power wise), but the WE might be more rewarding. I really can't make other arguments for the HE than the fluff one as i find them rather dull gaming wise. But i'm sure many others will tell you otherwise. 

Battalions are always a good starting point, but I honestly only like the 40k ones. I think the fantasy ones have too much conditional filler in them. You could just buy an armybook first, then get whatever you like later. Or you could ignore me and listen to people with more reasonable opinions. XD


----------



## Shadow Hawk (Apr 26, 2009)

Thanks.
Why would WE be more rewarding?
Oh, and I'm more of a painter than player, but play quite often. Maybe it helps more.


----------



## Vaz (Mar 19, 2008)

Dark Eldar are your typical Glass Cannon. Once you get them right, you won't go wrong. However, they are a very hard force to get to grips with.

High Elves are what are known as Beginner Armies - along with Dwarves, and Empire, they are seen as the easiest to play. They are cheap enough, with enough combinations to counter anything, but don't necessarily excel, but certain models (Phoenix Guard, Dragon Princes, Lord on Dragon) are fantastic.

Wood Elves are quite difficult, however to play. The greatest armour save on Elven units is 5+, and with T3, they can look quite fragile. However, they are extremely fast, and maneuverable, with a proliferation of good ranged units, and tough as nails spirit creatures (the basic units, Dryads, being basically Skirmishing Chaos Warriors). I love the Wood Elves, and would personally prefer them to look more like the Wood Elves in Lord of the Rings (which is my new army, Silvan oo-rah), but they're perfectly... nice models. They have a range of beautiful center piece models though - Orion, Treeman, Dragon, Great Stag, and the cloaks are camoflaged, so it doesn't matter too much over neat painting either.

If you're looking for an army to collect, I'd suggest looking at your painting style - if you prefer clean lines and battle lines, then High and Dark Elves are your way to go - depending on whether you want to be good or bad. If you prefer grungy, earthy, colours, with bright contrasts, then Wood Elves are your way to go.


----------



## Shadow Hawk (Apr 26, 2009)

Hmm..
It's become between the Dark and Wood Elves now.
The Dark Elf Executioners look awsome, but I love the Waywatcher Lord.
I'm narrowing it down though.


----------



## MrFortunato (Aug 26, 2009)

hmm, i may be a D.E player, but ill throw in my sneaky, underhanded opinion...

High Elves are a good starter army, they are good in all rounds, and have magic i would kill for....seriously, they are also probably the best if you want a painters army too, as you can use lots of bright, fancy colours and designs on them , and lets not forget that AWESOME dragon kit

D.E are probably the middle boys (and my personal favourite) They are good in most rounds, magic is again awesome, (and hilarious when the enemy's prize unit is completely annihalated by black horror ) they again can have cool designs and what-not, but its more dark colours, they also have a wide array of beasties to choose from (although, irritatingly, they're almost all metal) on the fluff, stupid as it sounds, i prefer H.E fluff, 'last hope of the earth' sounds good to me 
interestingly enough, i played a 2k pt battle against my mates H.E today, I won....marginally, but hey, he's still like 8 victories down from me 

W.E are probably the hardest to master, ( i collect them too actually ) i personally favour a full cavalry army... they have quite a cool background (think of them as eco-warriors that are a little more pro-active in protesting and what-not):laugh: their colour stuff is a little more interesting, as you can choose a season, however, designs look out of place, (you could try vines though), i dont care what anyone says, W.E probably have the best looking lords AND heroes out of any army, they make great centre-peices, with the only thing better being that blasted H.E Dragon...

a note on executioners.... you have to stick on the blade to the hilt... in short, bloody awful to build unless you pin


----------



## Shadow Hawk (Apr 26, 2009)

If anyone can think of anything else, I would appreciate it.
It's leaning a bit on the WE side.
Also, what do I need to get me started with Fantasy?


----------



## MrFortunato (Aug 26, 2009)

hmmm, if your like me, and dont want to spend a penny more than needed, get your chosen book first, make a list, then buy SPECIFICALLY those things , for W.E, i woudnt go for the battalion, (although then again i exclude all infantry and forest spirits), for H.E and D.E i'd say the battallion is a good starter if you dont want to make your list first and buy just that


----------



## AAAAAAAAARRRGGHH (Apr 17, 2009)

Like I said, get an army book, even if you go for a fluffy army. You still want to read a little before choosing what your army should look like. 
On the painting side, even if you go with wood elves you can still make them all sorts of bright and flashy colours. I've seen both white and orange/green wood elf armies and. DAMN! they looked good.

Other than that all you need is a the BRB andyou should be ready to start


----------



## Vaz (Mar 19, 2008)

Shadow Hawk said:


> If anyone can think of anything else, I would appreciate it.
> It's leaning a bit on the WE side.
> Also, what do I need to get me started with Fantasy?


First ideas are the best. After having seen the last alliance in Lord of the Rings, I knew I wanted to collect Gil-Galad and buckets of Spearmen and 2 Handed Support, but Gondorians were cheaper. Then with The Two Towers came along, and the Silvan elves appeared, along with Rohan Cavalry.

I collected Rohan, due to their abilities, and the metal models of the Silvan's. Unfortunately, though, I've never let it go, my love for the pointy ears, and now, I have over 700pts of High Elves, and nearly 550 of Silvan Archers ready to paint, over 4 years later.

I still always end up going back to Space Marines in 40K, and Warriors of Chaos, so whatever your first choice is, be bold, be strong. All the models are recent, and rather sexy, so it's a win win.


----------



## Shadow Hawk (Apr 26, 2009)

Right, I pretty nuch think it's gonna be WE, but it could change.


----------

