2000pts Cavalry Army

[masonatronic]

Hello, this is my current army list, and I thought I'd run it by you guys to see what your opinions were on running a cavalry army, particularly an all Glade rider core. So far as to how this army works, it capitalises on speed and manoeuvrability to avoid charges, focuses fire on the enemies fast or ranged units, and then hits hard with the Wild Riders to roll up a flank or to punch through their lines. The Acorn allows me to create a safe zone that I can withdraw to if things don't go as planned.

Want advice and general thoughts really, particularly with the characters and their potential magic lores. Fluff wise, I think I'd like to run beasts, but don't think I have anything to really take full advantage of their spells, besides the Amber Spear. Anyway, thanks in advance.

Spell Weaver - 380
Level 4, Elven Steed, Acorn of the Ages

Spell Singer - 125
Level 2, Elven Steed, Dispel Scroll

Glade Riders x 5 120
Musician, Trueflight Arrows

Glade Riders x 5 120
Musician, Trueflight Arrows

Glade Riders x 5 120
Musician, Trueflight Arrows

Glade Riders x 5 120
Musician, Trueflight Arrows

Glade Riders x 5 120
Musician, Trueflight Arrows

Sisters of the Thorn x 5 - 130

Wild Riders x 5 - 140
Champion, Standard Bearer, Shields

Wild Riders x 5 - 140
Champion, Standard Bearer, Shields

Wild Riders x 5 - 140
Champion, Standard Bearer, Shields

Waywatchers x 10 - 200

Waywatchers x 10 - 200

[Blackcat]

I like it to be honest. It covers all the things an all cavalry army needs. The only thing I would consider is getting a hail of doom arrow in their somewhere so you can nail a chaff unit first turn. Also Im not sure about the acorn of ages? It is really expensive. Although I guess you want the extra cover, am I right?

I bet your opponents get super annoyed playing against this list? It is so fast and should be night on un-catchable.

[Aezeal]

I think shooty armies will ruin you and you will annoy the hell out of melee armies.

The WW don't fit the theme btw (but they are great vs armor ofc).

I would consider warhawks.. just because they are flying monstrous cavalry, awesome models and just awesome to play with. They are a better anvil (better, not good) than other stuff in your army too so if you need to block a unit then side charge with WR they are the best choice (in cavalry).
I think you have more GR than core minimum. I would not do that, I think WR and sisters (and warhawks) are much better for their points (GR not that bad, but the rest better) so I would go minimum core (500 is 4 units of 480 points)
Do gladeriders need a musician? Don't they get all sorts of movement bonus already?
Consider taking hagbanes too just to deal with warmachines or a monster if you need too (flying monsters would be better dead since they can probably engage your army better than regular troops. GR will often be close to the enemy (rear or flank, short range and less often cover saves, so TF not needed as much)

IF you take the acorn (IF you insist) I would consider taking the moonstone too.

[Billthesurly]

As Aezeal said, your theme has a couple of infantry units in the mix. That simply won't do old boy. The posh cavalry types never get along with the foot sloggers - no matter their elite status. Their presence ruins the exclusive equine atmos n'cest pas?

I think he makes a good point. For your all "mounted" force I would certainly have some Warhawk riders in the mix. (The flyboys are the only ones who can look down their noses at the horsey set.) A couple of great Eagles would not go amiss either. Perhaps even with one of your characters kitted out as a warmachine hunter. The hail of doom is a must. Get one. You might also want to equip some of your GR with the armor piercing arrows to make up for the loss of the WW.

I have the figures to field such a force and have done so on occasion. It is great fun to play with however there are certain armies against which it will simply bounce off. Other armies (players) will be enormously frustrated against it because they will not be able to touch it.

Bonne chance.

[Aezeal]

Bill what do you think about music with the GR?

[Billthesurly]

Bill what do you think about music with the GR?

It's a MUST! Particularly with an all cavalry army containing a significant proportion of GR in it's core makeup. The extra +1 on the rally roll is a blessing moving us from a somewhat unreliable 8 to a solid 9. With a character in the unit it moves up to an almost taken-for-granted 10.

However, standards and champions in a GR unit are (IMHO) a waste of points.

Concerning the Wildriders - Champions I can see busting up for as it puts one more attack into a fairly small point of attack. But the standard? A five man WR unit is going to hit like a ton and will usually beat its opponent in straight up combat casualties. The paltry +1 for the standard really probably isn't going to make much of a difference. If there are any enemy figures left to fight back they are going to kill a significant proportion of a five man unit anyway.

Point being that the five man WR unit is usually a one-shot, fire and forget weapon. Don't expect it to last long after contact with the enemy if it is used against a main force unit. The standard is probably superfluous in this setting. For the price of three WR standards one can get something else tasty. Eagle perhaps?

All of this is of course conditional on what models our fellow Asrai has to work with.

[Aezeal]

Bill what do you think about music with the GR?

It's a MUST! Particularly with an all cavalry army containing a significant proportion of GR in it's core makeup. The extra +1 on the rally roll is a blessing moving us from a somewhat unreliable 8 to a solid 9. With a character in the unit it moves up to an almost taken-for-granted 10.

However, standards and champions in a GR unit are (IMHO) a waste of points.

Concerning the Wildriders - Champions I can see busting up for as it puts one more attack into a fairly small point of attack. But the standard? A five man WR unit is going to hit like a ton and will usually beat its opponent in straight up combat casualties. The paltry +1 for the standard really probably isn't going to make much of a difference. If there are any enemy figures left to fight back they are going to kill a significant proportion of a five man unit anyway.

Point being that the five man WR unit is usually a one-shot, fire and forget weapon. Don't expect it to last long after contact with the enemy if it is used against a main force unit. The standard is probably superfluous in this setting. For the price of three WR standards one can get something else tasty. Eagle perhaps?

All of this is of course conditional on what models our fellow Asrai has to work with.

I usually look at champions like this:
I pay 1/3 of the points for: 0 extra wounds and 1/5 extra attacks.. and then I decide I'd just rather fork out another 18 points and get a whole WR. (and this way champs are never really worth it except MAYBE on multiple wound guys where they give an extra attack.. at least some chance of actually using the extra attack long enough to be worth it. I think it would be nice if champs got a bit beefier again in 9th (they used to be a bit stronger (+1 A, +1 WS at least I think.. but I'd not mind the +1 S too to make them more distinct).

[razorfate]

Musician is a must for cavalary units.
Standard bearer is a must for elven armies ( because of the low toughness, high point cost)

[masonatronic]

Thanks for all the great responses, and glad most of you like the list.

The Hail of Doom Arrow did used to be in the army, but never seemed to do all that many wounds for points cost - maybe I was using it wrong, but the temperamental amount of hits, and the str 3 standard arrows did less than I expected. Compare that to the Acorn of the Ages, which guarantees to begin a psychological war with your opponent during deployment that continues throughout the game with ambushing Glade Rider core, and could result in a crazy 4 woods that offer me no penalty to movement, but drastically hinder my opponent. Bargain. The only downside, is, like you say, cost. It gives my opponent a very obvious squishy target in a MSU list. But that's something I can live with.

Shooting armies are tough, but they will always be difficult when you are t3 and have very little in the way of armour. The Ambush, the Acorn, and the speed of everything makes it less tough than you'd imagine - you just have to take the first volley on the chin and strike as hard and as fast as you can. If you can get Wild Riders to hit hard enough, you can comfortably roll up a flank.

The Waywatchers make use of my Glade Guard models, and frankly, I think they're amazing, as does anyone who has played Wood Elves recently. I won't lie, I also do really dislike the Warhawk models, but have never played with them.

I prefer Trueflight on the Glade Riders to ensure maximum mobility all the time - I don't like being afraid of going behind cover, or moving, or getting close - being able to always hit on 3s is huge, especially when I focus fire all of the riders of one unit, even if it takes 5s/6s to wound. Contemplating a shadows wizard for the Withering to help with that, but that's besides the point.

I'm quite happy to mix up the characters, or consider Warhawks if there are nice alternative models - I was thinking about Beasts lore, but at the moment I don't think I'd really take full advantage of what it offers, but with different characters, maybe it'd be more viable..