# New Wood Elves Player...



## JAMOB (Dec 30, 2010)

My friend and I (who both play 40k) are considering getting WHFB armies pretty much just because. Anyway, he has chosen ogres and I Wood Elves. I will not be swayed from this, screw being competitive (I've heard they're not) if I want to win games Ill go back to my BA.
What units should I get? I will probably get a batallion or two, not sure though where to go from there. Thanks

-JAMOB


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## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

Well you should start with a solid base: glade guard and dryads are almost universal favourites as they are both pretty cheap and effective for what they do.

Next you want to add in some good offense, which pretty much means treemen and/or treekin but can also mean very big units of eternal guard or, if you're feeling particularly tricksy, wardancers. After that you really want a couple of eagles: many people can't use them effectively but if you can they are godsends (war machine hunters, blockers, redirectors or flank charging in support of others or to lose, break and try to get the opponent to chase after you).

Units I suggest you avoid are glade riders (just don't do enough for their points), wardancers (excellent unit, but I suggest you get some experience first), warhawk riders (expensive and not great, but you may find you want to include them later) and wild riders (decent enough, but not really needed).


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## JAMOB (Dec 30, 2010)

Thanks a lot! So, would you advise getting the battalion or no?


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## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

Yeah, I started out with a couple of them and it was a really nice start to the army: especially since I converted 10 of the glade guard into waywatchers... I pretty much just had to add a mage and I had a decent, workable army.

Only downside is all the glade riders you end up having... after using 3 units of 5 for a huge number of games (I didn't have anything to swap for them for a long while) I found that they just aren't worth it: they are fast enough to scare the hell out of opponents but almost never kill anything of note and while they rarely die they can occasionally just be easy points for opponents to grab to help them towards a win (magic missiles or small ranged units can erase glade riders very easily if they want to).

Few things I would point out to people starting wood elves- your glade guard can move 3" a turn backward and still shoot without penalties and skirmishers (such as dryads) are steadfast in woods... unlike other units which lose steadfast if 50% in a wood.


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## JAMOB (Dec 30, 2010)

Ok. I was just wondering because you said that the Glave Riders aren't worth it, and the rest of the units are cheaper together than the whole battleforce (which makes sense of course).
Quick question, im pretty sure Skirmishers can march and still shoot, so does that mean if they march and shoot there is no penalty? They would mean then can move back 6" and still unleash hell... ?
*EDIT* sorry, more specifically scouts


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## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

Well that's easy to answer: don't take scouts.

Scouts are absolutely bollocks: the only reason to take glade guard is their S4 shooting. AT long range they do a little damage but once you can get within 15" (try to stay as far away as possible... but still within 15") their bows really start to massacre enemies.

If you were to take scouts (or waywatchers, which are much better) you can march and shoot with no penalties so can always move 10" a turn in any direction and still shoot: a ranked up unit gets to move 1/2 of its movement rounded up sideways or backwards (thus 3" for M5 elves) but skirmishers can just march away from the enemy, turn and then shoot. It is _very_ hard to pin down shooty skirmisher units.


I tend to split my army between units that melt from the enemy's grasp and annoy the crap out of them and units which can actually do damage: glade guard fall into the second category. Though if the enemy gets too close you can just march into their flank... they'll have to reform to get you back in charge arc and then you get a turn to march away from them before they can. Coupled with a flee reaction this can save your glade guard from getting needlessly massacred.
- I tend to give my opponent's the awkward decision of trying to make unlikely long charges (and having stand & shot reactions each time) or having to march up close to ensure the charge and have my whole army just march out of their view... occasionally I've done both (quite funny when someone wastes a couple of turns on failed charges all the while getting shot from stand and shoot and my turn's shooting and then marches up to ensure the charge only to find nothing left in view).


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## JAMOB (Dec 30, 2010)

Ok thanks. I have a question though: You said you dont like scouts because they dont have the glave guard longbows, well, neither do waywatchers. Why do you like them so much then? And how would you suggest running them? Is it just the ability to infiltrate/whatever really close? And does the 2 hand weapons mean they have base 2 attacks (if necessary, though hopefully wont be)? Basically, what makes them worth the extra points over scouts?


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## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

Waywatchers scout and get behind the enemy really quickly with their killing blow shots that mean any characters that run solo are in serious trouble (or are riding on monsters) but they're also fairly decent against heavy cav.
You're right with the 2 hand weapons meaning each waywatcher gets 2 attacks... but you're wrong talking about these as a last resort: get the chance to charge warmachines (or the flank of enemy ranged units) and you get an easy win.
... lastly the waywatchers have an extra -1 to enemy shooting so stick them in a forest and they are incredibly hard to root out with shooting.

On the other hand scouts can still deploy ahead of the army like waywatchers and march and shoot like them but they don't have that killer potential that makes waywatchers such a threat (the threat itself is often very useful) and the lack of a second hand weapon means you can charge war machines but you'll likely be on an equal footing: 5 attacks at WS4 S3 doesn't really rip through crew so you tend to take casualties... while 10 attacks of the same type will normally do serious damage to the crew even if it doesn't kill them all.


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## JAMOB (Dec 30, 2010)

Oh ok, thanks. You've been a great help, and (for now at least) I'm all out of questions. I would rep you, but I already did. Thanks again!


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