whafrog wrote:
Well Brutoni, I've read all your messages and appreciate your points. I agree, elves are not adequately serviced by the SBG or these rules, but I blame that on the underlying game mechanics.
So now that you've spent the time tearing it down, how about building it back up? What are your thoughts on how to fix it? And I don't mean just stating they should have C5 or F6, but the whole package with balanced point costs, keeping in mind the quantity vs quality bias built into the rules.
Ah, sorry in trying to construct valid arguments against your posts I appear to have forgotten to leave some genuine constructive criticism. My only defence is that it is exam season and I also have my dissertation due in soon so I'm a little busy. (I'm not being in any way sarcastic here, I want to iterate that because it can be difficult to read into emotion in the internet.)
How to fix it I am unsure of, a drop in fight could potentially be offset by causing terror. This is an idea you have already picked up on though.
Personally I would go with a stat line along the lines of
Noldor Warrior: Points??
F: 6/3+ S:3 D:3 A:1 W:1 C:5
Special Rules:
The Undying light: The Noldor have seen, or are directly descended from those who has seen, the light of the undying lands and as such contain a measure of that pure magnificence in themselves.
Noldor elves cause terror to all creatures
Warrior skill: Noldor Warriors are ancient and skilled warriors, when a Noldor warrior fights with spears they may treat them as pikes. Noldor warriors wielding an elven blade two handed ignore the penalties to win the fight but keep the bonus roll to wound.
Then throw in the options for war gear that you see fit though the standard Noldor warrior was definitely a spear and shield kinda guy.
Noldor Banners:
The Noldor go to war accompanied by the banners of their families, great works of art and reminders of a proud race now at it's twilight.
These banners grant the banner bonus to all nearby Noldor but at an increased radius of 6". However should a Noldor Banner bearing be lost all Noldor in range of the banner bearers benefits at the time of it's death must now charge the nearest closest enemy model for the rest of the game. They pass all courage tests they are required to take.
Okay, I'm not sure about the points cost though I would keep banners at the usual elf point cost due to the disadvantages that would come with losing a banner bearer.
Obviously this does little to help counter the 1 wound problem that high points cost models have however I think it is a better balance than yours. With the ability to rank up like pikes but keep shields due to having spears you can group your elves close together. The banner having an increased range coupled with the F6 and terror causing abilities should force enemies to be unable to strike as a coherent group. When coupled with your armour options the warriors could go as far as Mithril armour, shields and spears for a F6, D7, terror causing unit that can fight in a concentrated block.
While resistance to magic is apt, due to the SBG's magic being less deadly to groups of normal warrior's I decided to remove that and save on their points cost.
I translated their fighting skill into F6 and bonuses on their chosen weapons while increasing the ability of the banner.
This should keep costs down while allow you to form more capable blocks of elves. Even a skirmish line should be more handy due to them being able to has F6, D6, Terror and wield two handed weapons with no penalties. Throw in a banner bearer with a shield and you are sorted.
I might add in something special about their horns, afterall the splendor of a Noldor division, with it's resplendent banners and clear ringing horns was something that struck fear into the hearts of sauron's minions.
Maybe;
Horn's of Delivery:
The clear trumpet of the Noldor's musicians was often the first announcement of their arrival. As the Noldor battleline marched without fear like a ray of sun into the orc lines the horns and trumpets of the elves rang with the sound of hope and freedom.
In addition to the usual bonuses for a hornblower/drummer/musician Noldor elves upgraded to this role reduce the courage of all evil models within 12" by 1.
coupled with evil's naturally low courage and the ability for your battle line to cause terror you would suddenly have an effective way to cause failed charges and reduce the odds.
Now, this is a little more bread and butter than many suggestions and it's an abstracted way of looking at Tolkien's elves but you are right... The game mechanics do not represent the difference in fighting ability against wounding ability that would allow elves to be represented fairly...
But that's games workshop for you and their insistence to make strength and toughness more important in a fight than finesse and agility.... which goes to show how little they know about armed (or unarmed) combat.
What do you think?