‘Warhammer: The Old World’ How To Play The Wood Elf Realms

Today take a look at the basics of how to play Warhammer: The Old World’s Wood Elf Realms- the defenders of the forest!

The Wood Elf Realms are one of the core armies in Warhammer the Old World. They are a classic to both Warhammer Fantasy and Fantasy in general. Representing a lineage that goes back to Tolkien, these are magical but often slightly refined, though more hostile to outsiders, Elves who live in the woods. A classic race and one of the oldest in the fantasy world, they are one of the major ties to a more traditional fantasy setting and bring a lot interesting Celtic influences into the game.

So below we will offer some tips on how to play The Wood Elf Realms and get started with the army.

What Are The Wood Elf Realms?

The Wood Elf Realms are a splitter group from the original High Elves.  Based around the forest realm of Athel Loren they were colonists in the early years of the Warhammer timeline who left Ulthuan. When they elven race sundered they began to go their own way, and as they High Elves of Ulthaun fragmented the elves of Athel Loren, known as the Asrai, effectively became their own nation. While they are mostly based in Athel Loren they do live in many of the other woods and deep forests of the Warhammer World.

However the Wood Elves are not just Elves. They have made alliances with the spirts of the woods, and are aided by tree spirts and animated woods. They also command the various beasts and animals of the forest. This is an army in tune with nature and the forest, that strikes from the shadows and uses the land to help them in their battles.

Wood Elves are one of the most isolationist and reclusive faction in the game. They often care little about what happens outside of their forest homes and do little to try and effect the outside world. They respond to any incursions into their lands fiercely and with extreme prejudice. Their most deadly enemies are the Beastmen, with whom they have been waged a secrete war for years.

Why Play The Wood Elf Realms

Do you like high fantasy and Tolkien? Ents and Legolas? What about Celtic legends and influences? How about shooting, lots and lots of shooting. If so Wood Elves might be the army for you.

Wood Elf Strengths

• Magic. Decent casters with a nice unique lore.
• Shooting. Just… a lot of shooting, and with lots of options.
• Fast. This is a fast army with lots of skirmish.
• An evasive army, that can dodge attacks.

High Elf Weaknesses

• Most of the army has S and T3, making them pretty fragile.
• Expensive units.
• Very little armor on most units.
• Vulnerability to magic attacks.

Signature High Elf Rules

• Elven Reflexes – This rule, found on most units, gives them a bonus to initiative on the first round of combat.
• Tree Spirt- A large section of the army are Tree Spirts. These units kind of form their own sub-faction and can’t join or be joined in units by non-tree spirts.
• Woodland Ambush – A classic Wood Elf rule that allows them to set up an extra piece of terrain, a wood, on the table.
• Enchanted Arrows- Almost every shooting unit has accesses to Enchanted Arrows, allowing you to buy upgrades to your shooting and tailor your army.

Wood Elf Armies of Infamy

• Orion’s Wild Hunt  – An army that focuses on very fast moving and hard hitting cavalry, but has little defense. The ultimate glass cannon.
• Host of Talsyn – An army that focuses infantry with a more defensive nature.

Key Wood Elf Units

Here are some of the most important Wood Elf Units for you to know about:

Wood Elf Nobles

Glade Lords and Glade Captains, these are the best fighting characters you can get in the army. If you want someone to wield a big sword and stab things these are your best best. They’ve got good access to items and lots of ranged options. They have access to several mounts and can ride both a dragon and some cool options like the Great Stag that is very fast.  They get Strikes First and are very deadly in combat. A decked out Lord on a Dragon is the centerpiece of many armies and very powerful.

Wood Elf Mages

Spellweavers and Spellsinger, these are your main casters in an Wood Elf army. They have access to great items and good spells. Not a whole ton to talk about here, but these are good casters with some tricks.

Treemen Ancients/Treemen

Treemen are… well they are Ents. These are big tree people monsters than go around and hit things hard and are pretty tough. There is also the Ancient version. This dude is a character that is also a wizard. While they can’t get magic items, they can get Forest Spites for a bit of other buffs. If you want a fun fighting wizard this is a nice guy.

Wood Elf Archers

These come in two versions, Glade Guard and Deepwood Scouts. Glade Guard are you basic core shooting infantry for Wood Elves. Which are better than just about any other basic ranged dudes, but are pretty pricey. Deepwood Scouts are better ranged troops, but harder to get. If you are taking infantry, these are actually likely what you want, since the combat characters aren’t super amazing.

Wardancers

Wardancers are the best combat infantry the Wood Elves get. They are a very light infantry, but hit hard. In combat they can chose from a set of dances to preform for various buffs, letting them be very flexible. They are a bit hard to support properly, and very fragile, but can do some damage if used right.

Glade Riders

The quintessential light cavalry unit. They can skirmish and shoot, and have a ton of rules. They can also kind of fight in combat, but aren’t great and are very fragile. You mainly want to avoid things with them. A solid choice to fill up core for a fast army.

Wild Riders

A super fast unit of combat cavalry, these guys are the hardest hitters in the list. They are fast, have good attacks, and most importantly a LOT of attacks. They are however very much a glass cannon with low saves, and due to Frenzy can be baited out. Used correctly this unit will win games. Used poorly it will faff off into no where.

Sample Wood Elf Realms Army

Characters- 431 pts

Glade Lord- 281 pts
– Hand weapon
– Light armour
– Shield
– General
– Elven Steed
– Ogre Blade
– An Annoyance of Netlings
– A Befuddlement of Mischiefs
– Wild Rider Kindred

Spellsinger -150 pts
– Hand weapon
– Level 2 Wizard
– On foot
– Oaken Stave
– Battle Magic

Core Units- 767 pts

10 Glade Guard -148 pts
– Hand weapon
– Asrai longbows
– Hagbane Tips
– Lord’s Bowmen
– Standard bearer
– Musician

10 Glade Guard -148 pts
– Hand weapon
– Asrai longbows
– Hagbane Tips
– Lord’s Bowmen
– Standard bearer
– Musician

9 Glade Guard -135 pts
– Hand weapon
– Asrai longbows
– Hagbane Tips
– Lord’s Bowmen
– Standard bearer
– Musician

10 Deepwood Scouts -168 pts
– Hand weapon
– Asrai longbows
– Hagbane Tips
– Lord’s Bowmen
– Standard bearer
– Musician

10 Deepwood Scouts -168 pts
– Hand weapon
– Asrai longbows
– Hagbane Tips
– Lord’s Bowmen
– Standard bearer
– Musician

Special Units -298 pts

9 Wild Riders -298 pts
– Hand weapon
– Hunting spear
– Light armour
– Shields
– Wild Hunter
– Standard bearer [War Banner]
– Musician

Tips For Playing Wood Elf Realms

Wood Elves are the quintessential glass cannon army. They have lots of shooting, and some combat units that pack a real punch. However they can be a very difficult army to play. They are generally weak and don’t have a lot in the way or armor or saves. Simply put they can’t take a ton of hits. To play them well you’ll need to be canny, and make sure you are landing hits, not taking them. They can shoot apart enemy units, and hit targeted units, but can’t always just plow into the enemy without care.

The army does have a lot of tricks and things it can do to avoid the enemy. This is an army that needs a bit of skill to use. Played poorly they will get torn apart in short order. So you’ll need to really think about what you do. Wood Elves might be the hardest army to play, but can be very rewarding.

~And remember, Hail to Orion, King of the Woods!

Abe is that rare thing, an Austin local born and raised here. Though he keeps on moving around, DC, Japan, ETC., he always seems to find his way back eventually. Abe has decades of experience with a wide range of tabletop and RPG games, from historicals, to Star Wars to D&D and 40K. He has been contributing to BOLS since almost the start, back when he worked at and then owned a local gaming store. He used to be big into the competitive Warhammer tournament scene but age has mellowed him and he now appreciates a good casual match. He currently covers Warhammer: The Old World, as well as all things Star Wars, with occasional dabbling in other topics. Abe mourned over loss of WFB for its entire hiatus, but has been reborn like a gaming phoenix with Warhammer: The Old World.

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