I’m seriously thinking of starting a Mirkwood force. My goal would be about 600 points. I’m not looking for a “net list” but I’m trying to decide on the right troop types. I think a warband of rangers is probably required. But with Tauriel leading 10 rangers, and Thranduil as the general, I’ve only got 235 points left. Fitting both palace guard and warriors into the force starts to get hard. I like both. I like the idea of palace guard getting buffs from Thranduil, and I really like the elven glaives. So I want both troop types, but fear that I’ll have to choose one or the other. For those with experience with Mirkwood, which would you choose if you could only have the palace guard or Mirkwood warriors? For this exercise consider money to be no object.

Hi there

I would consider mirkwood warriors for a few new twicks...

I havn´t checked the current point cost of the models, however I do know that I would pick on mirkwood warriors.

I know that palace guard got that buff nearby thranduil, but up to what point that can be usefull? its extremely situational to stay within 3" of the king, and when that happens its pretty much 1 or 2 guys in the battleline, or more if you actually get models about to be trapped.

Having fight 6 only makes em good fighting:
a) other elves
b) heroes
c) monsters


Other than this, seems pretty redudant the buff to count on it all the time.

All things considered for what you´re getting it, you´re paying and extra half a mirkwood warrior in comparison to the same. Doesn´t seem much relevant, but then watch on paper the final army numbers.

And bodyguard on elves is not that much of relevance unless in some situations...


If you want to be a more movie like similar with mirkwood elves, do like myself and use the glaive models using regular shields and pick some galadhrim spears, it make em stand out pretty similar to the movie. And who dont like a higher Defence model with a spear that can act as an elven blade to win up tied up combats? (cant use as two handed though).

Definitely not ONLY Mirkwood Rangers. You'll be slaughtered.

That army will always be low on models. Ins nice the Palace guard are so much cheaper now.

_________________
BLACKHAWK 2010 2013 2015 DYNASTY

Yeah you gotta take the regular elf warriors. I heard in the new book the palace guard and maybe the rangers might be a point cheaper they close to double the cost of the warriors which leaves you with about half as big a force which is hard to win some, most scenarios. I like to think of the rangers and the palace guard as elites and I try to sprinkle a couple in to fill out points or when I don't miss out on too many numbers. I really think the Mirkwood cavalry are worth a look at too. Probably only one or two but I actually think they add a nice bit of versatility and some punch. Thranduil's new elk will help with that too. I always find that elves will do well if you can stack up your dice to win fights through shielding but you'll also need to stack up fights that you can win and you need to get kills in those fights. Thats usually your heroes but the cav can help fill in there. Mirkwood needs help in that department now that Thranduil doesn't get his crown and nature's wrath ((

_________________
Cheers,

P

If I remember Mirkwood Rangers are the same and Palace Guard are three points cheaper.

The regular Mirkwood troops are two more but have +1 defense and an elven blade compared with the old ones.

_________________
BLACKHAWK 2010 2013 2015 DYNASTY

Ooof that just might be RIP Mirkwood? The regular troops are, what, double old wood elves if you give them a bow?. Bringing down the rangers and guard is awesome, cause they're fun and at 3 points less almost worth taking more then one or two of? But that makes the regular elves awful I think.
Meh, maybe just take rangers and palace guard after lol.

_________________
Cheers,

P

I don't see a problem. Maybe it's just me. The new good armies seem pretty decent.

The idea is that they're Thranduils elite force brought to the walls of Erebor.

They are pricey point wise being just over ten with a shield but they are defense 6! That's fun. You can also outfit them with multiple weapons. Glaives are sick. Thranduil is a great profile. Legolas is back to normal with ocrist. Tauriel is good. Then you have quite a variety of captains even though they aren't the best.

Palace guard as I stated are cheaper. I don't think anything is 'the end' of Elves but they surely don't have a million tricks. But I feel it's always been that way with good vs evil.

_________________
BLACKHAWK 2010 2013 2015 DYNASTY

The D6 I feel like is alot worse now with the dwarves and all of the new evil stuff. Having to buy an elven blade and having to buy armor and having to pay extra for the glaive means I suspect your pay 3 point more, on average then you want to.
I am sure they're still fine but it makes them quite a bit worse I imagine and it wasn't a great list before, especially now that you can't take the cheaper Thranduil, you're going to be in a very similar place to high elves which isn't a great list either. Your heroes might be better, or at least more usable.
I think a lot more people will just take the old wood elves now :/ I've always considered converting a bunch of mirkwood rangers into old wood elves with spears and bows, maybe now's the time

_________________
Cheers,

P

The only Mirkwood warriors I find it diferent than the others will be Shield and Glaive.

As for you they become elves with D6, shielding, spear, elven blade (1 hand)
Pretty decent the elven blades as thx to that +1D, the´re aint so squishy anymore to S4 armies, dropping them like flies 50% of the times.

I still dont see why they didnt added throwing spear to them, as the soldiers in the movie they actually throw em.. (watch gandalf´s background when he mention about "azog trying to cut us off").

Yeah true, they're just so expensive. Elves are always pricey and low numbered but these guys, with a bow are approaching double a wood elf warrior, which is pretty scary. Especially if consider new Thranduil is quite a bit pricer then the wood elf heroes. I bet the average numbers for Mirkwood at 500 would be like 21-22? It does make the palace guard and mirkwood rangers way better comparatively but you're going to be drastically out numbered and as good as your heroes are other armies have cheaper tougher heroes that are just as good and will have more, just good or better troops, like the new dwarves for example.

_________________
Cheers,

P

I know this is quite irrelevant, but I do not think that anyone jumping around and moving as those mirkwood elves do in the movie could do that while wearing heavy armor, so I don't really like this new equipment.
Probably they choose to give the option for a glaive instead of a spear to avoid making a perfect copy of high elves.

Just a point, if you take the elf bow or glaive option on the mirkwood elves you replace the elven blade. This means your wargear options are also restricted. i.e. no bow/glaive or bow/blade. It also means you can't save a point on the shield guys by not buying the blade. The bow/blade restriction is a little surprising since the bowman models clearly have elven blades on them!

Hmmm yeah good point. Having to buy the blade sucks but I guess that does make the archers and glaive guys cheaper. That's a good point. I am guessing this is how the weapon options will be for everything moving forward so maybe once these rules are applied to everything thing it wouldn't feel as bad or if there is a change to elven blades? I wouldn't have guessed thats upcoming though, although I've always wanted them to be different. Going two handed is just... yikes.

I am pretty sure they actually built props of the glaives for the movies and the elves were going to have them but they decided against it at some point but not after GW did sculpts and rules.

_________________
Cheers,

P

It really only effects the archers since the glaive can count as an elven blade at the player’s discretion. As for the Archers they’d still be considered armed with a hand weapon. So they lose the duel-roll tie-breaker-bonus (and how often do elves really need that?), and I guess any special strikes from the sword. But they are otherwise unaffected. So I think they’ll be alright. They aren’t really supposed to be in combat when armed with a bow anyway.

Sort of. It also is just a point tax on all of them. I wouldn't, and I think most people wouldn't buy the blade for everyone. Maybe you take one or two but generally I think they're a waste of points much like elven cloaks. I looked at some of my older list and with new point I loose like three elves at 500 points, maybe it can be tweak to make it more optimized again but that's pretty rough.
I think the changes make them a better allied force though. Grabbing one of the heroes and a handful of rangers is quite a bit cheaper now. The rangers go great with the old wood elves with spears!

_________________
Cheers,

P