|
  hile
lesser races grubbed in the dirt or pursued their crude lusts for
precious metals and stones, the children of Asuryan turned their
magnificent intellects towards nobler pursuits. The achievements
of the High Elves over the ages have been many and magnificent,
from their supernal mastery of the martial arts to their unparalleled
seamanship, but perhaps their greatest accomplishment of all is
their conquest of the Winds of Magic. For years, almost beyond counting,
the High Elves have harnessed Aqshy, Chamon and the other winds
of magic to their will, unleashing dread powers against their foes,
or binding their awesome magical potential into items of truly staggering
arcane power.
It is common for most High Elves to display some magical potential
in their early youth, the ability to recognise the eddies and flows
of the magical currents that gust around the world, for example.
Those who possess an exceptional talent, however, are marked for
great deeds and are invited to the magical realm of Saphery —
there to learn how to wield their newfound powers for the benefit
of all Ulthuan.
Because of the inherently magical nature of all Elves, and the High
Elves in particular, it is hardly surprising to find out that on
the battlefield, their magical prowess is truly awesome. The first
observation players often make about High Elves is that they are
excellent at "anti-magic." A fact that is entirely true,
seeing that High Elf Mages receive +1 to all dispel attempts. However,
that is not the only benefit. High Elf Mages can also choose from
any of the eight Lores of Magic as well as the incredibly potent
High Magic.
|
Grrraaah!
Most Wizards try very, very hard to avoid Close Combat.
Not so the Dragon Mages — they specialise in it.
Okay, so they don't...but their Dragon's do!
A Dragon Mage is best used very, very aggressively.
Breathe fire over the enemy and cast recklessly dangerous
spells on them for good measure. There are a few Magic
Items you can buy to make your chances of survival a
little better, though. Firstly is the Guardian Phoenix,
which gives a 5+ Ward save. That's much needed for a
Toughness 3 model with no save who is planning on getting
into combat. Also, the Staff of Solidity (which ignores
the first miscast) is well worth considering.
|
|
Dragon Mages are powerful young High Elves who have turned aside
from the path of wisdom and learning, and the labours of study in
Saphery, to take to battle upon one of the mighty Dragons of Caledor.
Impetuous and reckless to a fault, they unleash the full fury of
Aqshy with no thought to their safety. Every time a Dragon Mage
casts a spell, once the controlling player has rolled the dice,
he automatically adds another Power Dice to the roll, whether the
original score was successful or not. This usually raises the casting
value — however it can cause Irresistible Force or Miscasts. It
is perhaps unsurprising that many Dragon Mages die young and in
battle.
A High Elf Mage who chooses to wield High Magic upon the
battlefield is a deadly foe, capable of destroying the enemy with
the blazing fires of Asuryan's vengeance as well as protecting his
allies with shields of mystical energy.
The first concern of a High Elf Mage is always to the safety of
his brothers and sisters who fight alongside him. The Elves are
a dying race and any losses are hard to bear. The Shield of Saphery
conjures a glittering wall of the purest magical energy that deflects
the bolts, blades, and spells of the enemy.
Considering that the single greatest weakness of the High Elves
is their vulnerability to ranged spells and weapons (along with
their general lack of Toughness and Armour), the Shield of Saphery
provides the canny High Elf player the chance to lessen the damage
a unit suffers. Cast on an inoffensive 5+, the Shield of Saphery
is a spell that every High Elf general would be glad to have within
his army.
|
Fear the Combo
Slings and stones may break my bones, but bolt throwers
kill me! The Curse of Arrow Attraction can make hitting
almost a sure thing. Most High Elf players
shy away from firing single bolts, but with the Curse
of Arrow Attraction in play, there's no need. Use it
to bring down lumbering monstrosities like Giants and
enemy Dragons. They're Large Targets (+1 to hit), and
the reroll makes it almost a certainty you will hit.
Also, use it to fillet blocks of heavy cavalry (yes,
I mean you, Bretonnian Lance formations).
|
|
Elven Archers train long and hard to attain their enviable skill
with longbows. By drawing on the tides of ever-shifting magic, a
High Elf Mage can cause the air around their targets shift and flow,
causing bolts and arrows that enter it to strike their targets with
remarkable precision.
A spell that has remained unchanged from the previous edition of
the High Elf army book, the Curse of Arrow Attraction can completely
change the face of the following Shooting Phase. Any enemy unit
targeted by this spell will soon find themselves literally drowning
in white-fletched arrows as the High Elf player rerolls missed shots.
Bear in mind which unit you wish to target with this spell right
at the start of your Movement Phase. You will want as many of your
missile units to have it within their line of sight as possible.
|
High
Magic