Is it possible to create a viable balanced HE army?

[Wildling04]

Agreed. It's pretty close to what I run as well, though with a second eagle instead of a third BT. This gives me just a few extra points to fatten up the WL or Spears.

[Seredain]

Cheers chaps!

That's a really nice list, quite similar to what I usually run.
I'm not that sure if the talisman of loec is such a good idea on a BSB, as you generally want to keep this guy alive and when you use the talisman you lose half of his wounds. I would probably give him the mask of the merlord instead for additional protection.

I've never bothered with the mask because if an enemy model can be stopped by a 4+ armour save, it's not likely to survive 3 ASF attacks at Str6. Something that is likely to survive that is also likely to crush your squishy noble even if he has AoC and GP. ToL allows the BsB to take out more powerful combat characters, finish off wounded monsters, or just add those crucial kills to an important combat. Also, I don't often have him running around on his own since the spears need his high-strength attacks, so the extra protection isn't really necessary (also hence no shield).

As LA says, you should always find a space for this item - best 10 points you could spend!

[Angel]

I see how you are reasoning now, and it makes sense too

I usually run the talisman on a swordmaster champion so that he can sacrifice himself to kill enemy heroes.

[SpellArcher]

sorcery on bsb

Something always has to give an in this case it's the Reaver Bow. I don't know about you guys but I find it amazing. Those annoying enemies running around on a couple of wounds at the end of the game? To Reaver Bow they are free VP's.

a second eagle instead of a third BT

I too omit the third RBT, though that's due to some of the comp over here. A side-benefit is that it is also seen as more friendly, though with a magic bow you don't lose much firepower.

As LA says, you should always find a space for this item - best 10 points you could spend!

I leave this out also. It's part of my 'be too friendly for your own good' strategy.

[Wildling04]

The reaver bow is probably a good tradeoff for the BoS. 3 shots that can't be dispelled!

[Seredain]

sorcery on bsb

Something always has to give an in this case it's the Reaver Bow. I don't know about you guys but I find it amazing. Those annoying enemies running around on a couple of wounds at the end of the game? To Reaver Bow they are free VP's.

a second eagle instead of a third BT

I too omit the third RBT, though that's due to some of the comp over here. A side-benefit is that it is also seen as more friendly, though with a magic bow you don't lose much firepower.

As LA says, you should always find a space for this item - best 10 points you could spend!

I leave this out also. It's part of my 'be too friendly for your own good' strategy.

I've already left my Battle Banner at home with this list: that's as far as my sense of charity is willing to go! Reaver bow is indeed amazing. And it's even better when you can shove it on a noble who, via ToL, can still be a combat monster.

You're right about it grabbing points at the end: so often I've found an enemy mage wandering around and offering a perfect target.

The reaver bow is probably a good tradeoff for the BoS. 3 shots that can't be dispelled!

Yep! That's a key thing. That and the fact that it turns a decent shooting phase (3 RBT's and 10 archers) into a crushingly deadly one, for not that many points. Another thing in the elves' favour is that they can pack all this firepower into a very small space - makes it much easier for your relatively small army to defend it and to pick it's ground well, forcing opponents to bottleneck etc. Other armies have to spread missile units out all over the place and that means they often can't focus it on one point in the enemy army in order to shatter it. 3 RBT's and RB focussing on one section of an army can ruin it while you dance around/delay/deploy away from the other half. This is especially true since 2 out of my 4 main combat units can deploy in or behind woods. I can deploy my entire army in an area into which my opponent can only squeeze a small proportion of his troops, and in that area I can focus all of this firepower. Really deadly. Throw Arrow Curse and Ring of Fury into the mix and you're talking serious punishment!

So, only one item but I find it really tips the balance. Not at all friendly

I have to have banner of sorcery in there somewhere, though, and it makes sense to put it on the swords. They've the gem of courage to past a fear test and I almost never commit them to a combat they won't win convincingly (shooting and magic tip the odds), so as long as they get into a fight successfully I can usually just let them get on with it. Panic attacks aren't a problem since I shoot up/magic/cavalry charge all the crossbows etc facing them before they get shot up. Lions and spears need their banners more to fulfill a defensive role I find.

[SpellArcher]

Reaver bow is indeed amazing. And it's even better when you can shove it on a noble who, via ToL, can still be a combat monster.

I really rate that BSB build. I started with Gem of Courage, Guardian Phoenix, Sword of Might. I still rate that as great for buffing a spear block but the magic item allowance is too precious. I'm now running Radiant Gem as I can't fit it on my Lord. If I didn't have a BSB model I love too much to lose I'd likely swap to your build.

I have to have banner of sorcery in there somewhere, though, and it makes sense to put it on the swords. They've the gem of courage to past a fear test and I almost never commit them to a combat they won't win convincingly (shooting and magic tip the odds), so as long as they get into a fight successfully I can usually just let them get on with it. Panic attacks aren't a problem since I shoot up/magic/cavalry charge all the crossbows etc facing them before they get shot up. Lions and spears need their banners more to fulfill a defensive role I find.

Banner of Sorcery is essential to my medium phase. When you have the Archmage though I think it's what turns a decent phase into a powerful one.

I looked at Gem of Courage as a cut-price Standard of Balance on Swords. Lion on Spears and Balance on Lions do make a lot of sense, perhaps something has to give when you have three blocks? You also have the Archmage's Ld9 which makes a difference.