Loremaster's retinue - new ish player

[level9red]

Hello Ulthuan,

I've been lurking for a while enjoying peoples battle reports and army blogs and this will be my first post.

So after years of being on the very fringes of warhammer and 40K, mostly buying a few models and the latest army book/codex (for Imperial Guard or High Elves), I have decided to invest the time and energy in properly getting an army together. I figure that the most likely way of keeping up momentum when I get bogged down with my painting, which I've never been very good at or enthusiastic about, is to try an army blog. So I will try and update this every few days or once a week, work and other commitments allowing.

So I have a sort of list which I'd like to try out for a bit, though it will probably change a bit as time goes on. It's based around a Loremaster (who I want to try as they seem cool characters) and his retinue who trot about the world on what ever particular quest takes his fancy at the time. The list includes Caradryan and a small unit of Phoenix Guard who have turned up, without explanation obviously, and who seem to want to assist the Loremaster and act as his bodyguard for reasons best known to them and Asuyran. So without further ado here is the list:

Lords:
Loremaster with the Book of Hoeth - 290

Heroes:
Caradryan - 170

BSB with Dragon Armour and Enchanted Shield - 110

Mage level 1 with Dispel Scroll - 110

Core:
15 Archers with musician - 160

15 Archers with musician - 160

5 Reavers with spears, bows and musician - 105

5 Reavers with spears, bows and musician - 105

5 Reavers with spears, bows and musician - 105

Special:
21 Swordmasters with full command and Banner of the World Dragon - 353

21 Swordmasters with full command and Banner of Eternal Flame - 313

11 Phoenix Guard with full command - 195 (all four characters in here)

Rare:
8 Sisters of Avelorn - 112

3x Bolt Thrower - 210 (as separate units)

Total:2498

So I've tried to put some shooting in but have also toyed with the idea of a no shooting list with a larger block of phoenix guard and caradryan on ashtari and another frost phoenix. But I'd like to try the current one first, if only because I have most of the models, even if some arn't made and certainly arn't painted.

Once I have the models all made I hope to get out and actually have a game or two, though I have no idea what my local environment is like, and will try my hand at a battle report. The painting will take a bit of time as I'm not particularly quick. I have played around today with a paint scheme for the archers a photo of which is below:



The next bits I think I need to do are finish building my reavers, I have 10 made of 15, and try and paint a swordmaster to get an idea of the colour scheme on them.
Anyway, thats probably enough for now, it feels a bit rambling so hope it's intelligable. I'd really appreciate any thoughts on the concept, the army list and colour scheme.

Thanks for reading.

Level9red

[John Rainbow]

First off welcome to the throng!

The list isn't bad but I think you can make some improvements. The Loremaster might want a ward save really and I think you are also missing a few tricks in not tooling up your other characters and using the item slots they have available. I agree with you that the PG unit seems small and in my opinion I think you should scrap that unit. The characters can go just as well in one of the other units (BotWD protection is very worthwhile) and I think you should use those points elsewhere i.e. on a 4++ for the Loremaster and maybe on a lvl.2 upgrade for the mage along with maybe the Reaver bow or something on the BSB to make him a bit more useful.

[level9red]

Hello John,

Thanks for the welcome, and for the suggestions. I've thought about a ward save for the loremaster before, so will probably stick one in. I'll have a think about the other characters. In terms of the phoenix guard I'd thought of having just one unit of swordmasters and a bigger one of phoenix guard, say 25, but given I have the models for two units of swordmasters, and forgot to check ebay in time for the phoenix guard I was watching, I'll scrap them for now and go with two swordmaster units. Part of me wonders about an anointed rather than caradryan, thought ideally both! But will have a redraft and see what comes out.

level9red