elendor_f wrote:I think the quick answer is because GW didn't care to make them!
Well obviously, but I'm talking more "in-universe" here
elendor_f wrote:Although actually the only army with proper animated Constructs is the Tomb Kings of Khemri, perhaps they wanted to keep it as a unique thing for them.
They for sure didn't have a problem with Eldar using the souls of their dead to have extra soldiers in 40k, I imagine for Fantasy it could have worked.
That's a good point, I didn't even think of the TK! Yet another in-universe reason why the Asur should have been able to make them. It would fit the GW conception of elves with the Eldar having constructs as well, however the 40k constructs are a specific bi-product of the soulstone system the Craftworld Eldar use. As far as I'm aware, the WHFB High Elves don't have that.
elendor_f wrote:However there is an interesting comparison here between the Craftworld Eldar and the Asur. The empire of the Eldar had already fallen very long ago (in the 40k timeline), while the Asur are a declining force, but in a much better condition. This leads me to conclude that the Asur have not been pressed that hard for survival to consider building magical Constructs, either using soulgems or otherwise.
The Asur know they are in a decline, and one that can't be reversed unless they do something about it. They also view life (especially their own) as sacred, and although highly militarized by necessity, are not a martial society as such. The citizen levy is a fairly recent system and one that shows that the Asur are willing and capable of radical changes in order to ensure their survival. War constructs would fit this mentality perfectly, and would allow the Asur to lord their superiority over lesser races even more ("Oh, you have crude and ugly cannons that make loud noises and explode? Well, we have beautiful pieces of art that are more skilled than your finest warriors. How does it feel to be so bad that you can't even fight art?")
elendor_f wrote:I can perfectly imagine High Elves being absolutely horrified by the perspective of their own war machines exploding in their face and killing them, like the Human/Dwarf/Skaven weapons, and same with disturbing the dead like Vampires, Tomg Kings and Necromancers do.
A similar thing happens with magic, the Asur value control and restrain and using the Winds of Magic in a balanced (but powerful) manner.
I'd also like to see elven magical warmachines, now that you mention it. Less devastating than the Warp Lightning Cannon, but ones that don't explode either. Kind of similar to how Tau plasma weapons are less powerful than Imperial designs in 40k, but don't overheat. Like a S7, d3 wound magical attack thing, or something similar (just off the top of my head, having nothing but RBTs is kind of repetitive)
Rhelyk wrote:The Asur of the Warhammer Old World were always more subtle with their magics, using magics in the creation process and infusing them into the traditional weapons, or using magic to create regular weapons and armor with unusual materials. They seemed to be more concerned with perfecting a proven item than creating something new (at least until the skycutters came about)and it's one of their intentional faults: stubbornly traditional and slow to adapt. Elves live for thousands of years in Warhammer, they have a mind-boggling amount of time on their hands to practise their archery or swordsmanship or perfect their craftsmanship, they don't NEED to create shortcut like the shorter lived races do
While I agree that those are very valid points for not adopting gunpowder etc., it is IMHO less relevant to them not fielding war constructs. Asur ARE traditional and live for a long time, but their numbers are few and they are (and have been) at war almost their entire history (against the influence of Chaos, if nothing else). Crafting constructs and infusing them with magical life (not the unlife used in Necromancy, but rather just animation) would fit their sensibilities. Less elven lives risked in battle, they get to create something beautiful and practice their magic, which they are rightfully proud of. They can still be on a 1v1 level far superior to humans, for example, but they would have MORE free time, not less, to pursue their interests if they didn't have to prepare for defense of their home all their lives.
Rhelyk wrote:I do still like the idea of High Elves using arcane constructs, so much so that
my Vanguard army uses an arcane construct instead of a treeman.
That whole warband is really cool, and if I ever field Forest Shmablers or Awakened Guardians, I will use constructs as well
Rhelyk wrote:It's especially odd that HE don't have them considering how long Eldar have had wraith-constructs. Hopefully when GW gets back around to the HE in AoS they add in some crazy constructs or war golems or something befitting a highly magical society.
That would be neat, although if only from a miniature perspective, since I don't play AoS. It's rather difficult to find any Nova Construct models for any reasonable price to use, as I'm not a huge fan of the Warmachine elven jacks
Rhelyk wrote:One of my favorite settings for elves is the High Elves/Blood Elves from World of Warcraft, who use arcane constructs regularly as guards and also just have floating magical planters and paintings and animated brooms. The last expansion with the Nightborne city/society was really incredible and while I'm not the biggest fan of the drow aesthetic, the experience of wandering through their enormous city that is just infused with magic from top to bottom is something I recommend to any elf fan
Boo, World of Warcraft! Warcraft 3 for life
I do like the aesthetics though, so common ground there