Back after 7 years hiatus

Introduce yourself to the forum and tell us a little about your journey to the land of the Dark Elves...

Moderator: The Dread Knights

Post Reply
User avatar
G_g
Slave on the Altar
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2015 11:22 am

Back after 7 years hiatus

Post by G_g »

Hi folks,

While in college, I was away from tabletop gaming. Now, I'm looking into getting back to it.
Still have plenty of Tyranids and Dark Elves, and the place where I have been playing Magic for the last year is starting to get some miniatures and there seem to be a few folks around there that have armies. I still need to refresh on rules and whatnot, understand all this End of Times talk and a lot that I have missed.
From what I have been told, we now have a pretty impressive range of plastic models (which is huge, when I was on this we only had spearmen/xbowmen in plastic). Apparently, there are some new hotness must haves, units tend to be bigger but overall I have a nice collection to play around with

I have the following (all the old models, all metal except the spearmen/xbowmen):
Lord on Cold One
Lord on foot
beastmaster on manticore
sorceress on foot
assassin

20 spearmen
12 xbowmen
16 corsairs
13 dark riders (2x full command)
10 witch elves (full command)

16 executioners (full command)
10 black guard (full command)
5 cold one knights (full command)

8 harpies
5 shades

1 Hydra
2 Reaper bolt throwers

Most of these still need paint (all the core except witch elves are painted, and the RBT are on the way). I still have to look at some lists, but I have been told I either go the Malekith route, or need more witch elves and executioners. A few more xbowmen would also be nice. Either way, everyone recommended Doom-something Warlock, but there seem to be plastic models for it, so I am not too concerned, it is one box. It is not easy to get some minis here in Portugal, but it shouldn't be that hard. Any advice?
User avatar
Calisson
Corsair
Corsair
Posts: 8820
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:00 pm
Location: Hag Graef

Re: Back after 7 years hiatus

Post by Calisson »

Hi, G_g. Welcome to D.net!

Present edition of Warhammer gets lots of praise from gamers, same for present DE army book.

End Times campaign receives much less love. Consider it a campaign. Note that at the end of the campaign, the world is destroyed. During the campaign, rules become more and more relaxed, the last book remove pretty much all army composition constraint, and many resent that the balance of the game is lost. Playing the campaign is said to be only good for fun craziness, but not for playing a serious game.

Rumours say the next edition of Warhammer is due next month. Rumours suggest it would be threefold:
- a small, skirmish game, quite close to present WH40k, with a reduced number of factions, including all Elves merged together; probably more roleplaying and less game balance as we know;
- the game as we know it for 80%, with rules adaptations pushing it closer to WH40k, army books playble as they are, but little maintenance on model range;
- End Times campaign craziness, allowing gamers to place on the table pretty much anything they own.


Comments on your army, based on present rules:

12 xbowmen => excellent unit; shields if you taste; musician mandatory; no champ nor pennant (unless you increase unit to 20+).
16 corsairs => nice unit with AHW, FC; could increase to 20 if you wish, but not absolutely necessary.
10 witch elves (full command) => too small for full command, this size is good with only musician.
16 executioners (full command) => well playable although 20 would be better.
10 black guard (full command) => better with only champion; playable at this size even if 15~20, FC would be more confortable
20 spearmen => not very powerful, the preferred size is 35~40, FC
Overall, all your infantry is sized slightly sub-optimal, but all are playable; if you could use all your spearmen to proxy and fill up the ranks of other infantries, that would be more optimal.

Lord on Cold One + 5 cold one knights (full command) => excellent. Again, more COK wouldn't hurt but this unit is playable.
1 Hydra => excellent, you'll like the breath weapon but don't take the spit firing option.
beastmaster on manticore => fun but very vulnerable. Take the skin option for manti. Place carefully out of shooting range, especially cannons. Pick up your fights, it cannot kill them all by itself.

13 dark riders (2x full command) => Very, very useful. Small units are must-have, with musician. RXB useful but not mandatory. Champ not useful, pennant can be useful depending on scenario.
8 harpies => expensive but still useful.
5 shades => very useful, you might like them with AHW.
2 Reaper bolt throwers => very useful.

Lord on foot => little use; you might wish to convert him into a BSB, which is an absolute necessity.
sorceress on foot => very,very useful as Lvl4; pick up any lore to your taste and learn to use it. You wish you had other spell-casters (such as warlocks).
assassin => little use nowadays; could be used to proxy one more shade.



I have been told I either go the Malekith route => If you play End Times, Malekith on his dragon is an army by himself, and a strong one.
or need more witch elves and executioners. => would not hurt, but not necessarily the best way, unless you get a CoB.
A few more xbowmen would also be nice. => would not hurt, but not the most useful.
Either way, everyone recommended Warlock => for good reasons. Try at least one unit of 5, no upgrade.
Winds never stop blowing, Oceans are borderless. Get a ship and a crew, so the World will be ours! Today the World, tomorrow Nagg! {--|oBrotherhood of the Coast!o|--}
Post Reply