Unpacking the Woodies - stocktake and review

Hey hey hey,

So back from an Awesome Joel-con where I came 5th despite only losing 1 game (random lore meant I rolled shadow vs High Elves...) - heck I even beat my own army using Lizards (first time ever) and beat Nick Hoen (meaning next year's NZTC team name will be "The team with the guy who beat Nick Hoen by 186vps"). Event was ranked purely on the amount of VP's you claimed each game. VERY COOL way of doing it - especially for small events. Really changes the dynamic of the game as you have to keep pushing for points.

Best Moment: rolling Death game 1 vs Gregs Ogres. T2 Purple Sun his bus...BSB + 6 guts die. Panic test failed = remaining 2 and lvl4flee back through the vortex and all die! Chikka boom!

My list for the Joel-Con 
Lvl4 (random lore)
Archlector: HA, GW, 4+ ward, skavenslayer helm
BSB: 2+ armoursave, warriorbane
2x engineer
Captasus with sword of might and dragonhelm
34 Halberds: FC - 6 archer detach
2x5 knights: M
4 Demis: M, SB
Stank
Helblaster
Helblaster
2000ish points

Anywho: Wood Elves 

My first army started in the deep dark days of 2006. I have periodically used them throughout 8th - at least once every 3 months. I took them to an event, lent them out for 2 events (wrote the lists) and almost took them to the Warhammer Achievements event that was cancelled due to numbers (sadly).

What this means is that my Woodie army has been kept "up to date" and some of the painting has been refreshed...and some of it hasn't!

So my review of the Woodie book is by way of a Stock Take of my army:

Mounted Mage and BSB

By some chance of luck back in 7th I used to run 2 lvl2's on steeds and would deepwood sphere "bomb" people for fun. Now they have been dug out and will make a very nice mounted lvl4 mage and BSB - which seem to be the "obvious" way to run them given the bunker options.

Painting: needs re-basing and slight modification to new paint scheme

Waywatchers and Waystalkers

Can't see myself ever fielding less than 2x10 TBH. Digging these guys out I have 10 painted to current standards and can field another 12 (including a rank filler). The best thing about the last armybook update was the wealth of character models they released. New Armybook = look at all the Waystalkers! (rules query - if scouted they HAVE to be deployed by themselves due to the order (unless meeting engagement or dawn attack)???

Painting: 10 done, 10 to be updated, Waystalkers to be updated.

Glade Riders

The awkward stepchild of the old book. I used them when I first started playing (due to them coming in the battalion box set) and by some stroke of luck the Achievements event meant that fielding 2x5 fo these guys with full command was a really good option - meaning I have 10 ready to go! I dont love ambush, but in the context of the army I think 2x5 with poison is a solid investment.

Painting: removing the obvious command means only 2 need to be updated.

Eagle Dude and warhawks

Win the award for "survived storage the worst". Not touched since 7th. I used to run 4, but ripped the rider off one to make an eagle rider for a list I wrote for Vermintide 2012. Both options I think are "better" than the old book - warhawks especially...however the lack of dropping "something"/fly over attack really annoys me. KB on the charge is cool...but not 135pts thrown away on a chance cool.

Painting: warhawks to be updated if I ever field them.

Drycha and Orion

Yeah they are cool I guess. I really like Orion's new rules...not his cost! Dumbest thing about them is that I have the Ariel model around here and she failed to get new rules...sexism if you ask me.

Painting: Drycha to be updated, Orion needs his crown glued back on and Ariel will continue to be a shelf ornament fairy.

DRAGON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I LOVE DRAGONS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously I do. Forest dragon is STILL officially on 50mmx50mm = awesome = I'll be buying the Black Dragon (mounting on 50x50mm) so I can run DOUBLE DRAGON! OMG that alone made the armybook delay worth the wait.

Painting: Sisters need to be assembled and painted...black dragon needs to be purchased and painted ASAP. Current dragon needs re-basing.

Eternal Guard

HA MY LONG TERM INVESTMENT IN 40 OF THESE GUYS PAID OFF...kinda. I absolutely love the new models...but not as much as the old metal ones. I think they are the best core choice in the new book because they offer that something that nothing else does - an anvil + they are the only unit that really takes advantage of the Forest Stalker rule. Avoidance armies only work if there is something for the opponent to focus on. It used to be the Treemen (HA!). Ws5, ASF i5 ldship 9 stubborn anvil that strikes in extra rank, re-rolling 1's to wound (poison due to venom thicket) with 5+ as for 12ppm on a core choice = amazing. 30 with full command are looking like a staple for me.

Painting: haven't really seen the table since 7th = need re-basing and the cloaks changed to new scheme + glue standard bearer back together!

Wardancers/Shadowdancer

New breath of life for these guys. s3 sucks, but remove rank bonus and ASF KB is awesome! Really "synergise" with the Eternal Guard anvil in the venom thicket "tactic"...Shadowdancer or separate unit? I prefer the unit due to cost, but I think the Shadowdancer in the Eternal Guard/Rangers could catch some people out.

Painting: Got lots of use in 8th. Only 4 models to update

Wildriders

The best hammer in the new book. 3x5 with banners seems like a given. Frenzy is meh...but keep near the BSB blaa blaa blaa.

Painting: I've got 2 unassembled horses + the headless one in gladerider pics + the 2 wildrider horse heads without bodies + some Orion hounds as rank filler I think I've easily got 3x5 with banners! CHIKKA BOOM!

GladeGuard
(no pic cos I got millions and couldnt be bothered setting them up)

I personally think these guys lost the 2nd most in the book. The arrows are cool, but s3 with move and shoot penalties = either trueflight or your mobile avoidance gunline just became a static very expensive gunline. 600pts gets you 30-38 archers with the new arrows in 3 units with musos and the odd banner. That is not much...s3 will be their downfall. Personally I would just rely on the Scouts, Waywatchers, HODA,  and Glade Riders to do the shooting.

Painting: Skirmish movement trays need to be made up

Other Characters and stuff

Branchwraiths got a huge boost. Cheaper and gained lvl1 life built in. 1 of these guys in Rangers or Eternal guard and you can buff them up nice...if you want to. Obviously that also means chucking in a GW welding guy and the BSB, and a lvl4 and a shadowdancer for luck = DEATHSTAR!!!!! ok - not an "every game" idea, but I am keen to try branchwraith + Eternal Guard.

The tokens are from the Warhammer Achievements event which required bringing some for a mission. Now they will be very convenient High/Dark magic tokens.

Painting: finish basing the tokens.

Forest Spirits

Yup...straight into storage.

STUFF I DONT OWN...yet

Sisters of Twilight: the Brolock apology. I will be looking to get 2 boxes of these ladies so I can use them as either my caster for DOUBLE DRAGON lists, or character bunkers for "normal lists". This unit will need to have glitter on it somewhere.

Eagles: Ok - I have eagles...but I want to get the Hobbit Eagles. Nothing has changed. 1 or 2 of these guys = awesome.

Rangers: Not going to bother. In the book purely because they needed a double kit for the Eternal Guard.


Conclusion: This book is the "Apology" book. 

Yay new book! I'm aiming for Panzershrek for these guys (if I can get and paint up some Sisters in time)...but my real goal is to get a Double Dragon list rocking for an event just because.

Personally I would have preferred old forest Spirits and old Glade Guard with every other new change...but alas Matt Ward needed to apologise for the High Elves and Dark Elves. Still a good book...I just dont see it changing the meta other than people taking magic missiles with their Empire armies...oh wait banishment council...