Protecting the silverhelms

[bomortensen]

Hi all,

I started my High Elves army about a year ago now and I feel that I'm really starting to get the hang of playing it.

In my last game vs. WoC, I sported a cavalry list and completely ran over my opponents troops. Granted, I has the best deployment and the dices were definitely with me and against him. I should say, however, that I'm playing for the fun and social aspects of the game and not tournaments.

There's one thing that I have had trouble with in my games where I field my cavalry list: my silverhelms takes a hell of a beating from shooting before they're in range of a possible charge. My cavalry list looks like this:

Archmage, L4, Book of Hoeth - 275
Prince, barded steed, Giant Blade, Dawnstone, Enchanted Shield - 257
Noble, BSB, Great Weapon, Armor of Silvered Steel - 144

15 Silver helms, Shields, FC - 375
5 Reavers w. bows - 95
26 Spearmen - 234
10 Archers - 100

10 Dragon Princes, FC - 320
20 White Lions, FC - 290
1 Frost. Phoenix - 240
1 Bolt thrower - 70
1 Great Eagle - 50
1 Great Eagle - 50

Against WoC, it wasn't much of a problem losing silver helms before I was able to make the charge since they're not that shooty, but if I play against i.e. my IRL mates Empire list (or just about any list with shooting in it) w. 2 great cannons, the Silver helms gets nailed completely by shooting and is always the main target until they're in combat. By then, I have lost 5 -7 helms at least to shooting.

Is there any way to protect the silver helms bus that I might have overlooked? I have thought of running the archmage on a steed with them, spamming High magic spells to give them the 4+ / 5+ ish wardsave, but I'm not sure if that's viable at all.

What would you do to protect them from pesky shooting?

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: For the record, I'm not one for using the BotWD banner since I find it quite overpowered and for tournament use only. But that's just me. I know it "only" protects the unit from magic and not shooting, though.

[Curu Olannon]

If War Machines are your biggest concern, Ironcurse Icon and deploying them super-wide (i.e. one rank) should go a long way If BS-based shooting is a problem, take more care to ensure cover during deployment and movement. Lastly, if magic is an issue you can go with MR if you refuse to take the BOTWD. In all of these scenarios mounting the Archmage to increase ward is helpful, but beware the fact that he`ll be very exposed in the first rank.

[bomortensen]

Hiya Curu,

Thanks a lot for your fast reply, it's greatly appreciated!

I haven't thought of using the Ironcurse Icon before. It would definitely help deploying them wide against warmarchines, I see that Does the archmages wardsave affect the wardsave of the ironcurse icon? Or is that two separate wardsaves?

Another question: is there any difference between having the archmage mounted in the first rank of the silverhelms and having him on foot in the first rank of i.e. the White Lions when it comes to survivability of him?

And last: what is "MR"?

Thanks again!

[Andros123]

Hi there.

I've also tried running the 15 Silver helm bus in some tournaments and as you said, they are the main target for most things. As Guru says, your should definitely give them the Iron curse item (and yes it stacks with ward saves given by your mages!).
The thing about having a mage with your silverhelms, is that it is a very offensive unit, whereas your white lions usually come into combat at a later stage in the game.

But if you give him the talisman of preservation and you manage to just get one High spell of, he will be having a 3+ ward save, which will keep him alive for most of the game, at least.

Finally, I don't think you should be to sad about your silver helms taking some damage. After all they have 2+ AS, they are core and not that expensive. No opponent will allow you to make it to their front lines with 15 s5 re-rollable + characters.

[aquietfrog]

Archmage can increase ward saves if he is using High Magic by spamming spells to get the Lore Attribute effect.

There's hardly any difference between mounted and on foot, except the Archmage gets a 6+ (5+ if with barding) armor save for being mounted. If your Silverhelms are deployed wide, there's probably a better chance to let him escape close combat if you are wide enough that he can not in base to base contact with the enemy due do having a 25mm wide base.

MR is Magic Resistance

[Curu Olannon]

Whether Shield of Saphery stacks with Ironcurse Icon or not depends on the ruleset you play. There are several ways to interpret it. Where I play, it stacks with any kind of ward save.

As for survivability, it`s just the same. Having an unprotected mage is just often something that`ll lose you the game. Fencer`s Blades and Talisman of Preservation can definitely help, though taken together you can`t afford the Book of Hoeth.

MR is Magic Resistance

[theviking]

Whether Shield of Saphery stacks with Ironcurse Icon or not depends on the ruleset you play. There are several ways to interpret it.

Really? I'm away from my books right now but doesn't the lore attribute say something like "increase ward save by one" or something like that? How could that be interpreted differently? If someone is fussing over the ICI, what about parry saves?

[Curu Olannon]

Whether Shield of Saphery stacks with Ironcurse Icon or not depends on the ruleset you play. There are several ways to interpret it.

Really? I'm away from my books right now but doesn't the lore attribute say something like "increase ward save by one" or something like that? How could that be interpreted differently? If someone is fussing over the ICI, what about parry saves?

Well technically you could argue that ICI gives you a conditional ward save and as such, only this is improved. Same for parry I suppose. Likewise, you could argue that since ICI is conditional it`s not a ward save per se. I`ve just heard it argued these ways and am aware that it could be an issue. I know that we play it "sensibly" here, with any kind of ward increasing and you get a general ward even if you have parry/ICI etc.