High Elf Help

[Dominic]

I'm going to start up a high elves army, and while I have a pretty good idea on what units work etc. I was just wondering about recommended sizes and formations for the different units (especially swordmasters), just like should I have them in 8x3 or 6x3 etc.

Thanks

[BrokenWing]

If you're going to make a large formation, make it a horde. Otherwise stick to 6 or 5 across. I would highly suggest spearmen in nice big hordes of 40 though, because high elf spearmen are freaking awesome in 8th edition.

[miksaa]

I would go for small units, five or seven wide. If you use five you can go up against wide ranks and hopefully not be attacked by all models, on the other hand if you use seven you get all your attacks against wide and small ranks. But I would not use them in more then one rank deep.

[joescalise]

for my white lions and swordmasters, I like to go seven wide. That gives you the most attacks going against the standard 5 x4 unit. Just get used to your swordmasters not making it. Everyone targets them from the start and do not let up until they are all gone. For my horde I like to use seaguard, with the bow and spear they are deadly

[novatomato]

The trick to the High Elf elites, is to find a good balance between three things: Killing power, Survivability, and Affordability.

If you try to Horde these units, you will end up with more attacks, they also have the numbers to survive for sometime (though every death reduces their killing power), but at a minimum of 30 models the points cost is going to be really high.

At a small unit of ten or twelve they are cheap (comparatively speaking) and still pretty killy, but they won't last long at all.

So between these two you find you need three ranks minimum so they can actually hit the enemy lines if they aren't target priority #1.

With all that said I will reiterate joescalise, go seven wide and three deep. They are quite powerful when they hit, they have they ablative wounds available to make sure they do hit something and while not an el cheapo unit, they are not super costly either.

[miksaa]

@novatomato:

If you consider going for seven wide and three deep, I would instead recomend you to use three units that are seven models wide. For White lions I maybe could consider more ranks as they have only one attack to start with and have a built-in protection from missile weapons, so it doesnt hurt as much for them to be in ranks.

Sword masters will losses attacks if ranked and 21 models are a nice target for big blocks of archers while seven or even five models in up to four units can not be killed by one unit of archers in one turn.

The only reson for large squads of Sword masters is if you have some kind of magic or banner that can give them a good ward save or some kind of protection. But I would rather use Phoenix guards or White lions for these kind of "Death Star" units.

[joescalise]

you have to remember that High Elves die very easy and with out spells to help with that, they are going to die. You have to move as fast as you can to get there and then, they your elites can go through almost anything.

[novatomato]

@ miksaa
I rarely use High Elves, and when I do I prefer to use White lions so . . . . . well I guess thats how I come to my theory of units. I still stick by it though as I find the High Elves are fast enough to get to the enemy lines relatively intact, unless the opponent is playing a heavily shooty army (of which I see very, very few these days)