Competitive 2k Grand Army

[Pash]

This is tweaked version of what i've been running for the OWL 2.0 online event recently. That event requires standards, which i've cut out for this version of the list. It's a slightly more tuned, slightly more barebones version. See what you guys think.

225 - Archmage, Sea Guard, Wizard Level 4, Elementalism, Warbow, Silvery Wand, The Loremaster's Cloak
90 - Handmaiden of the Everqueen, Horn of Isha, Light Armour
155 - Noble, Light Armour, Sea Guard, Battle Standard Bearer, Battle Banner
528 - Prince, Full Plate Armour, Shield, Pure of Heart, General, Star Dragon, Sword of Might, Dragon Helm, Seed of Rebirth, Opal Amulet, Talisman Of Protection
50 - 5 Elven Archers
151 - 5 Silver Helms, Shield, High Helm, Ring of Fury
151 - 5 Silver Helms, Shield, High Helm, Ring of Fury
151 - 5 Silver Helms, Shield, High Helm, Ring of Fury
357 - 20 Sisters of Avelorn, High Sister, Bow of the Seafarer
142 - 7 Sisters of Avelorn, High Sister, Ruby Ring of Ruin

[Ielthan]

I like that you've gone elementalism, increasingly think it may actually be the best lore for us. Did a bit of maths and realised plague of rust is the biggest combat buff any of our units can get in most situations, so it's not just for shooting, and also has a big range compared so other buffs (and not just for half a turn with high casting values like the high magic ones...).

I'm curious about the battle banner on the bsb, it seems a lot tbh for something that ideally will never come in use, also that BSB is very easy to assassinate if anything does get into combat with them. I know it's not popular, but maybe arcane protection is worth a look? If the points can be found, you could then switch loremaster's cloak for sacred incense to have more varied ranged defence too. I guess battle banner is a good failsafe if they are charged, I guess they then TMP out of charge arc and shoot again in your own turn?

Assuming the archers are a chaff dart (honestly I kind of hope that stops being a thing post faq/errata), maybe it's worth increasing them to 6 with a champion to be more of a speedbump? Then you can have them track behind the sisters blob so that if you do lose combat and fbigo/flee, you go through them, enemy unit (probably a dragon) hits the dart and gets challenged out, you have a turn to get out of jail with TMP.

Overall it's a very strong list, probably the best we can do at the moment in an uncomped setting. What would be your plan into the Bret netlist? Or one with the green knight? Also curious as to how you would tackle dwarfs with this list, would you bother engaging or just try and outshoot them to pick apart their linehammer star?

[Pash]

I like that you've gone elementalism, increasingly think it may actually be the best lore for us. Did a bit of maths and realised plague of rust is the biggest combat buff any of our units can get in most situations, so it's not just for shooting, and also has a big range compared so other buffs (and not just for half a turn with high casting values like the high magic ones...).

I'm curious about the battle banner on the bsb, it seems a lot tbh for something that ideally will never come in use, also that BSB is very easy to assassinate if anything does get into combat with them. I know it's not popular, but maybe arcane protection is worth a look? If the points can be found, you could then switch loremaster's cloak for sacred incense to have more varied ranged defence too. I guess battle banner is a good failsafe if they are charged, I guess they then TMP out of charge arc and shoot again in your own turn?

Assuming the archers are a chaff dart (honestly I kind of hope that stops being a thing post faq/errata), maybe it's worth increasing them to 6 with a champion to be more of a speedbump? Then you can have them track behind the sisters blob so that if you do lose combat and fbigo/flee, you go through them, enemy unit (probably a dragon) hits the dart and gets challenged out, you have a turn to get out of jail with TMP.

Overall it's a very strong list, probably the best we can do at the moment in an uncomped setting. What would be your plan into the Bret netlist? Or one with the green knight? Also curious as to how you would tackle dwarfs with this list, would you bother engaging or just try and outshoot them to pick apart their linehammer star?

Agree on the value of Elementalism, it's very good for us. POR is killer when you have so much shooting and it really helps pip those wounds. I've had the big unit of Sisters take on a mega unit of 7-8 Blood Knights with POR on them and the Horn up. They ended up winning the combat when they got charged, pushed the remaining few knights back and peppered them the following turn. This all while being in linehammer, sadly. Which is how you keep the characters out of combat and why the BSB can survive without much kit on him. I've taken off Stubborn on the big unit in favour of a couple more bodies. With the Battle Banner, I would hope that makes up some of the difference and will do in a pinch. Plus, it's one less reason to charge in, especially with undead units.

I've not had the Sisters have issue with being shot. Most of the time it's the bloody Pillar of Fire that does most of the damage to them Evasive and Loremasters is usually enough to keep most long-range solutions at bay.

The Archers are 100% chaff and I totally agree that the dart formation is something i'd be happy to see go. Volley Fire in generally should be tightened up but there you go. Good point about getting a champ in the for characters speed bumps but in order to do that, i'd have to forgo something on the Silverhems (shields, maybe) or drop a Sister. That doesn't feel like good value, so I think they'll just have to be a cheap drop and live with it.

In terms of facing up agains Brets... well, i'm about to find out I'm up against the lead player in OWL 2.0 next week and he's fielding Exiles with the Green knight but not Falconhorn at least! Here's what i'm up against:

275 - The Green Knight
279 - Baron, Lance, The Exile's Vow, Virtue of Heroism, General, Royal Pegasus, Charmed Shield, 2x Lucky Heirloom
300 - Baron, The Exile's Vow, Virtue of Knightly Temper, Royal Pegasus, Frontier Axe, Gromil Great Helm
135 - Outcast Wizard, Wizard Level 3, Dark Magic, Lore Familiar
165 - 6 Mounted Knights of the Realm, The Exile's Vow, First Knight, Standard Bearer, Musician
159 - 8 Mounted Yeomen, Feigned Flight, Shield, Light Armour, Warden, Standard Bearer, Musician
225 - 30 Yeomen Guard, Halberd, Warden, Grail Monk, Blessed Triptych, Standard Bearer, War Banner, Musician
259 - 4 Pegasus Knights, The Exile's Vow, First Knight, Standard Bearer, Banner Of The Zealous Knight
100 - Border Princes Bombard
100 - Border Princes Bombard

[Pash]

Is this a better or worse version?

It has given up magical attacks on the dragon, and dry-rolling 4 spells on Elements BUT instead it has a really chunky mid-threat unit of Helms with a ton of static res to go and pair up with the dragon or go wreck some other mid-tier units.

210 - Archmage, Sea Guard, Wizard Level 4, Elementalism, Warbow, The Loremaster's Cloak
90 - Handmaiden of the Everqueen, Horn of Isha, Light Armour
188 - Noble, Lance, Full Plate Armour, Pure of Heart, Battle Standard Bearer, Battle Banner, Barded Elven Steed, Charmed Shield
512 - Prince, Great Weapon, Full Plate Armour, Shield, Pure of Heart, General, Star Dragon, Dragon Helm, Seed of Rebirth, Opal Amulet, Talisman Of Protection
65 - 6 Elven Archers, Sentinel
260 - 8 Silver Helms, Shield, High Helm, Ring of Fury, Standard Bearer, War Banner, Musician
175 - 6 Silver Helms, Shield, High Helm, Ring of Fury
357 - 20 Sisters of Avelorn, High Sister, Bow of the Seafarer
142 - 7 Sisters of Avelorn, High Sister, Ruby Ring of Ruin

[Pash]

Here's the game vs the VC with much the same build as above, just with banners. https://youtu.be/RxazO-ctwo8

[Pash]

And here's another game, this time vs Bretonnian Exiles with a Monster Slaying Baron in tow. https://youtu.be/hN_xFIVIKgg