3 Branchwraiths vs 3 treekin

[JohnnyP]

In units of 3 ( or 6) which is more viable for the same points cost?

[irishfarmer]

In units of 3 ( or 6) which is more viable for the same points cost?

Maybe I am misunderstanding the rule (which could very well be) but I don't think that you can have a unit of 3 branchwraiths. I think you can only upgrade one of them in the unit. Perhaps I may also be misunderstanding the direction of your question. Are you thinking of having three units of Dryads and then upgrading one in each to branchwraiths, and comparing the value of that to just having a unit of Treekin?

[JohnnyP]

I think your refereing to Nymphs which are the unit champions of the dryads...
In 8th edition unless im very much mistaken units can form there own unit. Therefore you can have a unit of three branchwraiths which can disperse as nessesary.
I'd say its pretty even stats wise... with TK being more durable but less quick/manouvrable and no access to sprites. Also a lot cheaper £££ wise to convert some dryads... 2x6 Branchwraiths (1300 of your army) for potentially £20? A pretty good deal although two units of 6 would be a bit of a points drop... But my question still stands which would you say is the better option?

[irishfarmer]

I think your refereing to Nymphs which are the unit champions of the dryads...
In 8th edition unless im very much mistaken units can form there own unit. Therefore you can have a unit of three branchwraiths which can disperse as nessesary.

Yep I see my error. So then what you are arguing is that these are character models who could be able to form up a unit together... Never occured to me to try it since I was under a misunderstanding. Is there a metal/finecast piece for them?

I also like the idea that they can be upgraded to wizards...though its pricey.

[Nogami]

I don't know if you can just make your branchwraith a single unit without dryads.
But if you can, there is a major difference : the treekins count as special points while the branchwraith as heroes.
So if you have some remaining hero points i will prefere the branchwraith to make an attacking unit, but in defense i think the scaly skin is really a good thing...

If you make a game with branchwaiths instead of treekins, i will be interested of the report !

[WizzyWarlock]

Not too bad an idea, especially with some Beast weaver support. A Wildform gives them the same S & T as Treekin, but even better, a boosted Savage Beasts would make them very very nasty.

[Cariddis]

For each Branchwraight your opponent kills he'll gain 65 points, meanwhile he must kill the WHOLE Treekin unit to gain the points. That's risky IMO.

[Ethelite]

Pretty interesting, but where actually is it written in the RB? Also what formation would they have?

For each Branchwraight your opponent kills he'll gain 65 points, meanwhile he must kill the WHOLE Treekin unit to gain the points. That's risky IMO.

65 Ain't that much, and think u get half the point of the unit if u leave a "normal unit" below 25% or so now? + treekins always die whole anyways haha

Also, if that kind of unit is possible, i guess an opposing player would have to distribute his attacks on every wraith, must probably losing some of them in the process (ie. like in a challenge but without the overkill bonus), whereas u normally chip out all of them into the normal unit. Again tho less wounds total, but bigger mobility and higher WS and I. I'd probably give one of the wraiths the k6 s2 poison atacks bonus too, cos if u have lucky rolls, it'll be a killer on monsters (poison generally is lol).

[JohnnyP]

Some great feedback so far guys thanks!

- Theres no "official" branchwraith model though the Drycha model is labelled as Drycha/B.W on there site.
- I would certainly include a beastweaver in any list with them to be honest. Do tree spirits count as beasts for the +1 to cast? Id assume treekin and treeman do but not so sure with branchwraiths and dryads...

-And that had'nt really occured to me that they would get the points for each one which is a bit of a disadvantage i guess... But i think theyd see more combat with the higher movement Id probably go for either one unit of 3 or a unit of 6 with only one spirte each maximum and no wizard upgrades.

-I will hopefully be able to try this out soon and get a battle report up! Ofcourse feel free to try it and let me know if its worth it...

(I'd still include treekin in the list as they were my favourite models ever since 7th edition not design wise per say but there's just something about fielding monstrous infantry...And them being for wood elfs... (bring on the stag knighss/solo bear units/Bears with dryads on them!!) )

[JohnnyP]

Pretty interesting, but where actually is it written in the RB? Also what formation would they have?

Well im not sure of the page number of hand but I'm pretty sure its under characters just and the gist of it is they can form there own units but with no look out sir/ + randomised shooting etc... and base size permitting of course... And just as with infantry I'm assuming for formation.
Unless of course Iv'e lost the plot and actually read that on a wish-listing forum or something like that but I'm pretty sure you can with 8th though unfortunately is all theory hammer thus far so I haven't been able to actually try this out/see it happen but I understand its quite successful with goblin players...

[Moose123]

Put Your spellweaver on a unicorn and in with the branchwraiths=coolest unit ever!

[popisdead]

Are single characters skirmishers? Are 3?

Moonstone them for more wackiness.

[JohnnyP]

Are single characters skirmishers? Are 3?

Moonstone them for more wackiness.

No they don't count as skirmishers and the 3 would just be rank and file as well unless they already all share the skirmish special rule... Moonstone could be a game changer if you could get a unit of 6 dryads behind enemy lines first/second turn in

[popisdead]

So then you could add a unicorn moonstone caster in hopes of getting Call of the Hunt as well.

[Moose123]

Yes! And a second unicorn caster for savage beast!
Goodbye any unit near a forest turn 1

[Soltari]

Do tree spirits count as beasts for the +1 to cast? Id assume treekin and treeman do but not so sure with branchwraiths and dryads...

No, BW is infantry so no +1 to cast

I think 3xBW vs 3xTK are only better, when you have The Savage Beast of Horrors or Pann´s Impenetrable Pelt on them. Without these spells, that target your characters, are TK better.

[CauCaSus]

I'd love to moonstone a wild rider noble and four branchwraiths into my opponents table half.

My only gripe is the range of any beast spells that my lvl 4 wants to cast on that unit.

[popisdead]

Crap now I need to buy a second unicorn :/

[JohnnyP]

Put Your spellweaver on a unicorn and in with the branchwraiths=coolest unit ever!

Finally a way to have glamour weave kindred join a "unit of dryads" in a roundabout/expensive way!... Makes for an outstanding bunker for a Beastweaver though and it would look amazing one question though with the transformation spell what will happen to the unicorn whilst he remains transformed??

[thunderbow]

The thing with the Branchwraiths you're onto is perhaps the best attempt at Savage Beast spam unit I've ever seen/read about. It sounds very very interesting, I might as well give it a try when I get back into WHFB (after the school year's done ). However, have you thought of putting all those BWs and what not in an actual unit of 8 (that's the minimum number of 'em, right?) dryads just for the -1 to hit and Look out Sir?

[eichhornchen]

Put Your spellweaver on a unicorn and in with the branchwraiths=coolest unit ever!

Finally a way to have glamour weave kindred join a "unit of dryads" in a roundabout/expensive way!... Makes for an outstanding bunker for a Beastweaver though and it would look amazing one question though with the transformation spell what will happen to the unicorn whilst he remains transformed??

Hello there,

Transformation of Kadon only works 1. on the wizard casting it 2. if he/she is on foot.
But I do like the idea of teleporting Branchwraiths very much. And as Ethelite wrote, any attack on a hero-only unit needs to be distributed which would indirectly protect the unit. Just don't attack a Banner of the World-Dragon unit with it...

Eichhörnchen

[JohnnyP]

Hello there,

Transformation of Kadon only works 1. on the wizard casting it 2. if he/she is on foot.
But I do like the idea of teleporting Branchwraiths very much. And as Ethelite wrote, any attack on a hero-only unit needs to be distributed which would indirectly protect the unit. Just don't attack a Banner of the World-Dragon unit with it...

Eichhörnchen

Thanks for clearing that up though i really should have remembered that... Indeed some good ideas are coming in! Not really sure there's much we could do there other than eternal guard blocks and swarms of wardancers... Or more reliably MASS glade guard fire. At least we only get it half as bad as Deamons.