Help a newbie with a 2500pt army

[Doober]

So I am planning on dropping a whole bunch of money on a 2500pt army and this is my proposed army list so far. Any thoughts or suggestions? The guys I will be playing with usually play Orcs and Goblins or Warriors of Chaos. They are also really good, so I am mostly looking to get as competitive an army as possible so I don't get destroyed every time.

Naestra & Arahan 1
Forest Dragon

Glade Captain 1
BSB, Great Weapon, Armour of Silvered Steel, Hagbane Tips, Luckstone

Core

Eternal Guard 15
Champion, Musician, Standard w/ Lichebone Pennant, Shield

Glade Guard 10
Musician, Hagbane Tips

Glade Riders 10
Standard w/ Gleaming Pennant, Musician, Trueflight Tips

Special

Deepwood Scouts 10
Musician, Hagbane Tips

Warhawk Rider 3
Wind Rider

Wild Rider 5
Champion, Musician, Standard w/ Gleaming Pennant

Sisters of the Thorn 5
Champion, Musician, Standard w/ Gleaming Pennant

Rare

Great Eagle 1

Waywatchers 10

[NonnoSte]

Hi,
I would say that starting with a Dragon is not the easiest of the start.

Anyway, if you intend to go this route, your list has a couple of issues.
First thing, you can't have the same Magic Item more than once in an army, so I'd leave the Gleaming Pennant just to Wild Riders.

units of 5 Sisters do a good job with the Banner of the Eternal Flame as Regen hunters, so you could think about it.

Lastly, I would advice against 10 strong units of Glade Riders if not for precise purposes like late game bunkers for mounted characters. either you go down to 5 with mus and champ or you ditch them at all.
With the spare points, you should buy more bodies to the Eternal Guard unit. As it is, it will last just a couple of round in a grind and it could not be enough for your Dragon to intervene.

[razorfate]

I'd advice to bring a spellweaver instead of the dragon. Magic is essential for our army and a level 4 spellcaster is necessary to dispel enemy spells. Also dispel scroll is mandatory in my opinion.
Unit champions will be useful in WoC matches becuase the chaps characters have to challange whether they want it or not.

[Phil Rossiter]

I agree with the guys, except you might be OK with a lvl2 w/scroll, though there's not a lot of reason not to upgrade to lvl4.

Dragon could actually be quite good vs WoC.

[henrypmiller]

I would swap the 10 glade rides and make a smaller unit (5-7). With the extra points add to the eternal guard. they should be at least 20 strong if not more. Give them the standard of discipline. LD 10 stubborn is much better than LD 9 stubborn and only for 15 points!

Like the others said, the Dragon is tough to play with (speaking from experience). The spellweaver is an easier option and if you can fit them both in then do it! I would recommend a spellsinger if not a weaver. Heavens is good for the dragon build.

But personally, I think you should play with what you like and learn to make it work.

You don't need a musician on the scouts or Glade riders. Skirmishers and fast cav. can reform as many times as they like during the movement phase and still shoot.

If you are going with just 1 unit of riders any excess points could be used to bulk them up.

[Doober]

thanks for all the input!

Oops! I don't know how I left this off, but this is supposed to be my Lord.

Highweaver
Elven Steed, Asrai Longbow, Obsidian Lodestone, Dispel Scroll, HoDA

I was thinking about having the dragon just so there is something to attract a lot of attention and give me the ability to use it as an anvil type unit (I think that is how I've seen it described.)

I had the musicians in the Glade Riders and Scouts in the event that I needed to flee, but if you can use a free reform after fleeing, I guess they have no use for musicians then, right?

[Doober]

So here is my revised list. Assuming this, do you recommend I drop the Forest Dragon? If so, do I drop Naestra & Arahan altogether, or just put them on an Eagle? What would you recommend replacing them with?

Lord

Highweaver 1
Elven Steed, Asrai Longbow, Obsidian Lodestone, Dispel Scroll, HoDA

Hero

Naestra & Arahan 1
Forest Dragon

Glade Captain 1
BSB, Great Weapon, Armour of Silvered Steel, Hagbane Tips, Luckstone

Core

Eternal Guard 25
Champion, Musician, Standard of Discipline, Shield

Glade Guard 10
Musician, Hagbane Tips

Glade Riders 5
Standard, Trueflight Tips

Special

Deepwood Scouts 10
Hagbane Tips

Warhawk Rider 3
Wind Rider

Wild Rider 5
Champion, Musician, Standard w/ Gleaming Pennant, Shields

Sisters of the Thorn 5
Champion, Musician, Standard w/ Banner of Eternal Flame

Rare

Great Eagle 1

Waywatchers 10

[Phil Rossiter]

I'd give the Dragon a go, WoC are not easy to deal with. If he fails, swap out for more Waywatchers and Wild Riders maybe.

The cavalry units are a bit small to protect the mage but Protection Counters should be enough to keep her alive.

[Aezeal]

Sisters on dragon and lvl 4 (maybe even w/o items), drop BSB and find some points somewhere else. A combat BSB is wasted points at least for the combat part.. chaos lords will eat him for breakfast.