Hopefully stirring up further interesting talk on the forum, I wanted everyone's opinions and knowledge on this.

I'm quite keen add to my collection a High Elf warband led by Glorfindel and a Wood Elf warband led by Gildor Inglorion (is the latter possible btw, noticed his upgrade applies to wood elves but he is in fact in the Rivendell section?!)

This is for thematic purposes as much as the fact I like the character in the books and the models. But also to give me some options when fielding my Grey Company.

This is what I had in mind, but have no experience or knowledge at all on elven kind so tips much appreciated!

Glorfindel (AoG)
8 High Elves (Spears+shields)
4 High Elves (bows)

Gildor
8 Wood Elves (spears)
3 Wood Elves (bows, elven cloaks)
1 Wood Elf Sentinel

I noticed that wood elves have loads of options and can quickly become expensive models! What's worth it and what is not?

How are the above heroes and warriors best used? What are they good for, what must they avoid and is there anything above that should be tweaked for the better?

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I don't think Gildor's rule includes Sentinels. And they technically aren't wood elves, they are "Noldorin Exiles"...basically they're high elves without armour, but there are no such models, so GW made a confusing rule allowing you to use the wood elf profile and model. Not sure how familiar you are with Middle-Earth lore, but Noldor = High Elf, definitely not Wood Elf, hence the weirdness.

There are some pretty recent threads in the tactics forum by Beowulf about using wood elves, you might search those out because they're chock full of advice. But the short version is:
max bows (duh )
wood elf spear: essential. Not only does it give support, it allows you to shield.
throwing daggers: very much worth it, especially if you get all skirmishy and take advantage of throwing opportunities.
elven cloaks: never (unless you have a custom scenario).

For the army, Gildor's rule works like Erkenbrand's...you aren't limited to just Gildor's warband. So you could take something like:
8 High Elf (shield, spear)
8 Noldorin Exile (spear, throwing dagger)
8 Noldorin Exile (bow)
...and split them up how you want. (That's not an army recommendation, just an example.)

Glorfindel is one of the most solid heroes in the game, just note that for around the same cost you can get the Twins, which doubles your Might and effective attacks (ie: casualty rate). If you're facing a horde, the Twins are a better option (not to mention they are also part of the GC list). If you're facing monsters or spell casters, Glorfindel is probably better. Then again, Terror makes him hard to charge, which is useful against a horde as well.

Gildor is competent (like any elf hero) but soft, and vulnerable to shooting if he's not screened. Having a fighty spellcaster is always handy, but it's mainly the upgrade I'd use him for.

I believe you have to field Gildor with wood elves. As his profile calls for it, and his profile doesn't fit the high elves. Honestly I don't think he fits anywhere so they tossed him into that grouping.

And I can only speak to Glorfindal as a hero, but he's obviously a beast. I personally use him as a bit of a champion/hero hunter. But I haven't used him against the new monster rules. And the high elves are obviously elite troops. You have to be careful about being swarmed but in a shield wall they're pretty steady.

Personally with that war-band I'd make a front line of 4 shield warriors then in base contact place the archers and finally the last 4 spearmen behind them spaced so when th enemy closes in they can allow the archers to draw back and the secon rank of spearmen to take their places, if that makes sense. I also like in some cases putting Glorfindal in the center of that formation.

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No, you can field him with high elves, after all, he is one. He used to be in the Wanderers in the Wild list, but I don't think anyone used him. The current setup is much more useful, and more book-accurate except for the use of the term "wood elf".

Thanks for your insights as always whafrog!

Interesting to know about sentinels, can anyone confirm this? I'm pretty up to scratch with my lotr lore but as you say, pretty confusing in the sourcebook!



I'll have a hunt for it and see what I can find!







Agreed!



Really? Even with -1 to shoot in new rules and the fact you have a strength 3 bow anyway? I would say, well you can move full distance (which would be 8") and still throw but the weapon range is 6", within most force's charging range. Even with throwing spear of the rohirrim in my games so far, I've not had much luck with them so maybe that's affected my opinion!

Any particular reason? Expensive yes, but the ability to not be seen and shot back at in cover seems pretty handy against other armies with bows, especially with the low defence? I have no experience of this ofcourse, so playing devil's advocate!



That's great to know!



Interestingly, the Twins are part of a Grey Company list of mine which I would use alongside the above. Sounds like Glorfindel is a beast



Thanks Whafrog, all top advice and good insights!


elven cloaks: never (unless you have a custom scenario).

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Easiest thing is to check the FAQ: http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_Cus ... MBER12.pdf

ONLY he can lead Wood Elf WARRIORS (excluding characters from Lothlorien & Mirkwood), but ANY Wood Elf WARRIORS may be upgraded to Noldorin Exiles (but don't HAVE to be). Very important to get htat right.

Now, to make comment on the lsit - instantly: drop the elven cloaks - too many points, not enough use. You also can't take the Sentinel, so switch with another bow guy. That gives you an extra 31pts.

Since you're taking Wood Elves, may as well upgrade them to be Noldorin Exiles - nearly as fast as horses that way.

After those changes you then have 9pts spare to add in another model to your Grey Company list. I can;t really comment on glorfindel, but he does look pretty strong. However, Ia gree that the twins are more thematic (from my much limited knowledge), but I disagree that they're more effective (as we've discussed) - they get far pricier, far quicker to be comparable and become much less effective if either one dies. Just my feelings, but I know they often go opposite to the rest of One Ring ;P

Yeah, but Rohan only hits on a 5+ after moving, I think that extra pip is worth it. TD are good for a few reasons. Your bow limit is 33%, so this adds to your ranged options. With soft targets like wood elves, anyone you kill without being in combat is a bonus. If you kill one orc on a charge, you've paid for three TD upgrades. If you don't have priority and line up 5.5" away, you get a free turn of shooting that can be very effective at equalizing numbers, and meanwhile your bows are still free to pick off other targets. Lastly, you don't have to convert anything, just say "all my spears have TD". Okay, that last one isn't very strategic, just convenient

About the Twins dying: yes, that can be a liability, another reason to pick Glorfindel. If your opponent kills one Twin, especially with a mounted model, he can lead the other on a merry chase around the board while the rest of the Twinless army gets mopped up. Fortunately in the hurly burly of battle it's hard to time such a thing with that much exactitude.

Plonk Glorfindel on a horse and he can take out anything, even 2 phalanxes at once!

Just to confirm, wood elves converted to Noldorin Exiles can't be placed in any other warband other than Gildor's??

Whafrog: Good point re: throwing daggers, especially in comparison to my throwing spear example. I guess there is a big difference between going from 3+ to 4+ and going from 4+ to 5+ (in fact, thinking of ditching throwing spears from all but one or two of my rohirrim in the future)

Also, quick question re: elven cloaks. If a model is wearing one and is front of another model, does that give them cover from enemy bowfire too?

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Wrong. Noldorin Exiles can be ANY Wood Elf Warrior in the army. But out of the High Elf list, ONLY Gildor can lead Wood Elf Warriors.

They can be useul, but 2pts/model isn't cheap and I'd rather spend them on Thranduil's Mirkwood guard (slightly irrelevant, but another way to look at it would be 4 models of throwing daggers can get you another elf with spear, increasing break point and if you can throw a dagger, you can reach their face anyway). If they were 1pt each or had another bonus, I'd say heck yes. To be fair, they can be worth it, but it's kind of a 50-50 for each game: for the Wood Elves, definitely a case of throwing before charging, rather than to stand and shoot at people.

As for your Rohirrim's throwing spears, they often hit, especially when you don't move, but rarely wound and that's because you still need 6s against your regular opponent. As for the charging and throwing, that's not where their strength lies in Rohan. Although, dropping them all could get you another Rider...

The model behind still gets their ItW "save" and the model in front is wearing a cloak (which makes no difference unless partially hidden).

If it's partially hidden, you can target that elf. If you can still see the one behind, you can still shoot at them and accidentally (or "accidentally") hit the one with the cloak - it's just your eyes see a bush or rock or something, so you wouldn;t try to hit it, but if you accidentally did, it doesn't make the "rock" impervious ;P

Cloaks don't give cover by themselves, you have to already have cover, and if you do, then you can't be shot or charged *at all* unless the opponent is within 6". This is one reason they aren't that useful, you have to stay in cover for them to work. Cover could include the line of warriors in front, but all you're gaining is they can't be purposefully targeted. Not worth the 5 points IMHO, and only really interesting in a custom scenario.

I don't think the rules are clear about whether a model with a cloak provides an in-the-way. For the sake of this argument we have to assume that the cloaked model *does* have cover from the shooter, and so can't be targeted directly. (If the cloaked model doesn't have cover, there is no difference from a normal situation.) So assuming that, personally I'd house rule that it does provide an in the way, and the cloaked model risks getting shot.

It wouldn't be a houserule whafrog - there's nothing excluding it from forcing an inthe way roll and is still in the way. It just can't be actively targeted is all

Based on your advice so far, a 500pt thematic elven force for your consideration.

Glorfindel (Armour of Gondolin, Asfaloth)
8 High Elf Warriors (spears, shields)
4 High elf Warriors (elf bows, shields)

Gildor Inglorion
8 Noldorin Exiles (wood elf spears, throwing daggers)
4 Noldorin Exiles (wood elf spears, elf bows)

Small but thematic?

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DROP THE SHIELDS ON THE BOW GUYS! No need to have them as you don't get +1 Defence if you have a both, just the option for shielding.

Although, if you have 4 points spare, then why the heck not if you can;t spend them elsewhere

I've done this for 500 pts

Warband 1 - Arnor Contingent
Aragorn, Isildur's Heir
7 Warriors of Arnor
4 Rangers of Arnor with Spears
292 pts

Warband 2 - Lothlorien and Mirkwood Contingent
Legolas with Armour
4 Galadhrim Warriors with Shields
4 Galadhrim Warriors with Spears
4 Galadhrim Warriors with Elf Bows
207 pts

Total: 497 pts

It is much moretheme wise having eregion/Rivendell elves over lorien, although its not entirely impossible gathering a lorien host, lord elrond´s already made up an army of elves against angmar before and lorien elves were amongst their ranks.

But for casual allies, eregion is mroe common... and when I say more common its more like this...


Aragorn, isildur´s heir
- 4 rangers with spear
- 8 rangers

1 Dunedain

Sons of Elrond
- 3 elves with bow
- 3 elves with blade

and maybe if points left..

Rivendell captain on horse with shield
- 2 rivendell knights with shield

Theme background history? not much just a small patrol made up of aragorn and one of his friends (dunedain) was fortunate to find out the twins of elrond in the wild. They also have some rivendell knights as forward scout force, so it would be normal seeing them telling the knights to scout ahead leaded by an experienced Captain.

Except it would be illegal - they'd need a second and third Ranger of the North to allow having 12 Rangers and no other troops.