Again please C&C and I will amend this document as necessary, and apologies for the wall of text.
I have left points off of everything as I am not sure what the specific legal mumbo jumbo is.
TO DO: Math-hammer (Let me know if there is a demand for this and I'll stick it in. I am fine with math, I just haven't done it for the specific scenarios here yet.)
Units that can take magical banners
- BSB
- Glade Guard (and scouts)
- Eternal Guard
- Wild Riders
**Royal Standard (Fear and MR 1 in 12")**
Although this banner can only be fielded by the BSB, its a very expensive banner to take. The +1 MR is definitely a defensive bonus, while the addition of fear to the unit can be arguably both an offensive and defensive bonus.
Because of the defensive bonuses this banner can work well with heavy bunker units, in particular, Eternal Guard. Combined with the Rhymers Harp, this gives a typically character heavy unit a 4+ ward save against magic attacks.
The BSB could also be placed in more 'interesting' locations such as wardancers or scouts or other combat unit, giving that unit access to fear. The MR that comes with this could also act as a deterrent to the enemy casting spells on the unit.
[Personal] I feel that this banner is best used on the BSB in an eternal guard block if you would ever take it (see Lichebone Pennant). In general this banner is overpriced.
**Gaemrath (Unbreakable for one turn)**
This banner is really just an "OH S**T" banner for keeping you alive just that little bit longer. Note that it was FAQ'ed that this banner can also be used during the enemy's turn.
The most common use that I can see for this banner is for when things do not go quite as planned, for instance you managed to fail a charge with a supporting unit and you need to stick around just that 1 turn longer, but you are overwhelmed with static combat res (obviously the banner doesnt stop you losing wounds).
[Personal] I feel that this banner would be best used on either the wild riders, but also feel that they have better options available to them. This would leave space for the BSB to take another banner if desired, or even just to move points out of characters and into army selection.
**Faoghir (removes 1D6 from the enemies flee rolls)**
Obviously you want to put this on something that will be chasing down units. There are two schools of thought here. The first is that you might put this banner on something that will chase down units and chase them down hard, essentially guaranteeing your catching of the enemy. Something like Wild Riders. The second notion is that you might place this banner on your BSB on a slower (read normal charge: 2D6) unit that will get into combat and punch stuff up. Either way, you want to place this banner on something that will overrun stuff.
This banner can work nicely in multiple charge scenarios with for example an eagle and an eternal guard unit. The eternal guard holding the banner can elect to reform while the eagle can chase the fleeing enemy down on their reduced movement.
[Personal] I think that this banner would be most beneficial on a unit that could potentially run down more than one unit in a game, so I would have a preference for using it on something like the wild riders. Having said that though, improving the chances to cut down that one pivotal enemy unit could be crucial. Also if you are playing against a particular army that doesn't flee (Demons etc) dont use this banner.
**Saemrath (Marchblock distance 12")**
This banner is best placed in a position where you can maximise the number of march block tests that you have to cause the enemy to make, essentially slowing their movement down. This makes the banner best suited on something that can stay out of trouble and likely in the back lines of the enemy. The better units for this banner would be a mounted BSB (horse with Glade riders or eagle), or scouts.
[Personal] I dont rate this banner too much, due to the BSB re-rolls for leadership that everyone in my meta seems to take all the time. But against a low Ld army this could still potentially work.
**Aech (Stand and shoot at any range)**
The benefit of this banner is maximised on glade guard. This banner allows safety in moving a unit of GG up, supporting a flank of the bulk of your army, and when things get a little too close then you have a nice extra shot of arrows to put in someones face. The extra banner that you add is also useful for when you roll the Blood and Glory scenario as this is a banner that is almost always useful.
[Personal] I would run this on a small (10ish) unit of GG that sits next to a treeman / treekin etc, providng strong S4 supporting arrows.
**Rampagers Std (Reroll charge)**
Very expensive and really only worth putting on something that NEEDS to make its charge. What this does do is improve the average dice roll that you have if you dont reroll decent dice (read 8+ on 2D6). Consistency is always nice.
[Personal] Do we have something that needs this banner ? hehe. But really, the improvement in consistent rolling is nice, but expensive. In general I think that I would prefer to take other banners, but mainly because this means no magic gear and I rarely hide characters in EG units, which means he would have bad defense.
**Wailing Banner (Terror)**
Make them flee, make them fleeeeeeeee!! This banner has similar drawback to that of Saemrath, in that BSB rerolls of the enemy can be a pain, but if you can work this on units outside that bubble, such as chaff and warmachines, then this significantly increases your threat range. Causing a unit to flee and then charging another unit almost doubles your effectiveness on that charge turn.
It is also worth noting that we already have a few terror causers in the army with the treemen and dragon, but this does provide another source of terror.
[Personal] Based on the last point, I have a preference for taking this banner on Wild Riders if anything. Putting it on a BSB when on an eagle is another potential option (of a few) but it gets risky doing this.
**Rangers Std (Strider)**
On a wood elf army where we have forest strider, this banner is not too fantastic and there are other ways to spend your points. The banner would prevent some damage like anraheir's curse, but its hard to warrant a banner for these small things specifically.
**Razor Std (Armor Piercing)**
This makes it easier for you to get past the armour of the enemy and take down some of those harder to wound units that are out there. This is one of the few choices that Wood Elf have to deal with armor (another is arcane bodkins).
[Personal] In my experiences, I have found that this works best on wild riders. S5 AP1 on a charge makes them just that little bit punchier to run through units (but you have to remember you have the banner! ).
**War Banner (+1 Combat res)**
Helps you win fights! This is another good banner choice for wild riders as you want to punch through the enemy and get onto another unit as fast as possible. It is possible that the razor std would add more combat res through damage too, but its all about how you are going to use your units. Not a particularly good choice for eternal guard. Although it would help you win fights, you are stubborn (normally on Ld 10), and can stomach another round of combat, especially against horde units.
Worth noting as well that the WE book war banner is cheaper than the BRB war banner as well, which allows all units that can take a magical banner access to this banner.
[Personal] You could also potentially place this banner in a Glade Guard unit. But it might be worthwhile to do and discourage some enemy chaff from charging your supporting GG. You wouldnt be able to be as upfront as you would be with the Aech banner though. If you wanted to have a standard to increase your Blood and Glory fortitude score, then this might be a nice banner to add to get a little more out of the standard bearer.
**Banner of Swiftness (+1 movement)**
This banner is relatively more effective on units that do not move far. This banner makes it easier to charge and just navigate your way around the board in general with the unit.
[Personal] I never use this banner on cavalry, as I think the M9 to M10 is overkill given that we have only fast cav and can get anywhere on the board, I feel that if you need that 1" on cavalry, you're doing something wrong. The rest of the army doesnt really need to move that much in my experience, but it might be interesting in scouts / waywatchers for getting an extra inch in where it matters.
**Lichebone Pennant (Magic Resistance 1)**
If you are not concerned about fear, this banner trumps the Royal Std, giving you MR1. The effects here for MR1 are the same as in royal standard, but now you have more flexibility on where to put it. Also cheap!
[Personal] Although there are more choices for where this banner can go, for instance the glade guard can hold this banner, I feel that the main uses are the same as the Royal Std. I would personally rather spend the points on a standard and banner elsewhere in the glade guard scenario.
**Std Discipline (+1 Leadership, cant use general's Ld)**
This banner provides a means of acquiring Ld 10 without having a lord in the unit. This is most ideal for eternal guard, but they have several good choices already. This standard is sometimes useful if your general is a spellweaver or a noble, as it can provide your army with a LD10 inspiring presence.
As another use, it makes a good banner to put on a Scout bunker that runs a Spellweaver general in said Scout unit. This effectively makes the Spellweaver a Leadership 10 General for so long as it stays in the Scouts.
[Personal] I think the strength of this banner is apparent in other armies where units with this banner can have a leadership value that is greater than that of the general. Elvish leadership is amazing as it is. Suggestions welcome on how this banner can be objectively useful. Wild riders could use this, but I think you would much prefer to take another banner.
**Banner of Eternal Flame (Flaming attacks)**
This banner provides all the bonuses of flaming attacks. Most notably is the removal of regeneration from the enemy. A second minor advantage is that you cause fear to cavalry units. Combining these things together often mean that the best place for the BoEF is on a larger glade guard unit. This maximises your chance to score a wound that removes regen before other units pile attacks into the same enemy target. Adding a reform before you are charged on this large GG unit means that you get rank bonuses to your combat res, and potentially cause fear to the charger !
[Personal] I would always have a unit of GG with this banner in every game that I play, providing a method for removing regen is imperative in an all comers list. Again, if you wanted to have a standard to increase your Blood and Glory fortitude score, then this might be a nice banner to add to get a little more out of the standard bearer.
**Gleaming Pennant (1use, reroll leadership test)**
If you have a BSB around, then there are better choices for banners. This banner does improve the safety of a unit where you are taking a standard for combat res anyway as the banner is really cheap. Taking a standard specifically for access to this banner is probably not worth it and the points could be better spent elsewhere.
**Scarecrow Banner (Cause fear to flyers)**
[Personal] In an allcomers list, I would take the gleaming pennant over this banner anyday. Could be useful if the enemy loved warhawk riders though Welcoming generic strategies for this banner !
Edit: Thanks Moll
Edit: Thanks GWH
Edit: Thanks Shandrakor