HIGH ELF MAGIC TACTICA
The High Elves are among the most powerful magic users in all the Warhammer world. In this article, find out how best to utilise these formidable spell casters on the field of battle.
hile lesser races grubbed in the dirt or pursued their crude lusts for precious metals and stones, the children of Asuryan turned their magnificent intellects towards nobler pursuits. The achievements of the High Elves over the ages have been many and magnificent, from their supernal mastery of the martial arts to their unparalleled seamanship, but perhaps their greatest accomplishment of all is their conquest of the Winds of Magic. For years, almost beyond counting, the High Elves have harnessed Aqshy, Chamon and the other winds of magic to their will, unleashing dread powers against their foes, or binding their awesome magical potential into items of truly staggering arcane power.
It is common for most High Elves to display some magical potential in their early youth, the ability to recognise the eddies and flows of the magical currents that gust around the world, for example. Those who possess an exceptional talent, however, are marked for great deeds and are invited to the magical realm of Saphery – there to learn how to wield their newfound powers for the benefit of all Ulthuan.
HIGH ELF MAGES
Because of the inherently magical nature of all Elves, and the High Elves in particular, it is hardly surprising to find out that on the battlefield, their magical prowess is truly awesome. The first observation players often make about High Elves is that they are excellent at "anti-magic." A fact that is entirely true, seeing that High Elf Mages receive +1 to all dispel attempts. However, that is not the only benefit. High Elf Mages can also choose from any of the eight Lores of Magic as well as the incredibly potent High Magic.
GRRRAAAH!Most Wizards try very, very hard to avoid Close Combat. Not so the Dragon Mages – they specialise in it. Okay, so they don't...but their Dragon's do! A Dragon Mage is best used very, very aggressively. Breathe fire over the enemy and cast recklessly dangerous spells on them for good measure. There are a few Magic Items you can buy to make your chances of survival a little better, though. Firstly is the Guardian Phoenix, which gives a 5+ Ward save. That's much needed for a Toughness 3 model with no save who is planning on getting into combat. Also, the Staff of Solidity (which ignores the first miscast) is well worth considering. |
DRAGON MAGES
Dragon Mages are powerful young High Elves who have turned aside from the path of wisdom and learning, and the labours of study in Saphery, to take to battle upon one of the mighty Dragons of Caledor. Impetuous and reckless to a fault, they unleash the full fury of Aqshy with no thought to their safety. Every time a Dragon Mage casts a spell, once the controlling player has rolled the dice, he automatically adds another Power Dice to the roll, whether the original score was successful or not. This usually raises the casting value – however it can cause Irresistible Force or Miscasts. It is perhaps unsurprising that many Dragon Mages die young and in battle.
HIGH MAGIC
A High Elf Mage who chooses to wield High Magic upon the battlefield is a deadly foe, capable of destroying the enemy with the blazing fires of Asuryan's vengeance as well as protecting his allies with shields of mystical energy.
SHIELD OF SAPHERY
The first concern of a High Elf Mage is always to the safety of his brothers and sisters who fight alongside him. The Elves are a dying race and any losses are hard to bear. The Shield of Saphery conjures a glittering wall of the purest magical energy that deflects the bolts, blades, and spells of the enemy.
Considering that the single greatest weakness of the High Elves is their vulnerability to ranged spells and weapons (along with their general lack of Toughness and Armour), the Shield of Saphery provides the canny High Elf player the chance to lessen the damage a unit suffers. Cast on an inoffensive 5+, the Shield of Saphery is a spell that every High Elf general would be glad to have within his army.
FEAR THE COMBOSlings and stones may break my bones, but bolt throwers kill me! The Curse of Arrow Attraction can make hitting almost a sure thing. Most High Elf players shy away from firing single bolts, but with the Curse of Arrow Attraction in play, there's no need. Use it to bring down lumbering monstrosities like Giants and enemy Dragons. They're Large Targets (+1 to hit), and the reroll makes it almost a certainty you will hit. Also, use it to fillet blocks of heavy cavalry (yes, I mean you, Bretonnian Lance formations). |
CURSE OF ARROW ATTRACTION
Elven Archers train long and hard to attain their enviable skill with longbows. By drawing on the tides of ever-shifting magic, a High Elf Mage can cause the air around their targets shift and flow, causing bolts and arrows that enter it to strike their targets with remarkable precision.
A spell that has remained unchanged from the previous edition of the High Elf army book, the Curse of Arrow Attraction can completely change the face of the following Shooting Phase. Any enemy unit targeted by this spell will soon find themselves literally drowning in white-fletched arrows as the High Elf player rerolls missed shots. Bear in mind which unit you wish to target with this spell right at the start of your Movement Phase. You will want as many of your missile units to have it within their line of sight as possible.
