Hmm. Another month and my army stands at nearly 1000 points… “How could he do this?” I hear you say. “Why have his thumbs not fallen off and his hands spontaneously combusted? Hold on, wasn’t he nearer 500pts at the beginning of May..?”
Ok, ok, ok. Hands up. Big cheat. Blunderbusses have not trebled in points, there has just been a change of regime… As some (well, all) of you are aware, there is a gaming trip organised for March. One of the key points being “Armies to be painted.” Ah. Looking at the progress I’m making, there is no way I will finish my Chaos Dwarfs by then. I’m a slow painter, working 7 days a week and painting an army from a white undercoat… I will have even less time from September… I suddenly had that feeling that one of Sadoka’s victims have when she crawls out of the TV… It was time to admit that it wasn’t going to happen, so I began to scout round my other armies for a new contender…
I needed something easy (I mean Undead easy!) to paint with a high points cost. My Dark Elves and Bretonnians were discounted as they have not even been started, the Skaven were ignored as I’ve painted over 120 miniatures and am yet to break 750 pts… Then, from ancient drawers, dusty and hidden I heard a little “Cooooeeeee!” Yup. The High Elves fitted the bill.
For anyone who are unaware, my High Elves are what I affectionally refer to as my “Hissy Fit” army. I ordered them while I worked at Games Workshop as I couldn’t get the bits I wanted for my Skaven on staff discount. Although I like the miniatures and the background (although both have been slightly lack-lustre in 6th edition) I do despair of the army list.
The problem I had was simple. The High Elf list was written to complement the Dark Elf list (which was released first) as written by… Yep. You guessed it. Gavin Thorpe. Now, due to a well deserved uproar from Dark Elf players, ol’Thorpy admitted he had written a bit of a dog and some updates were rushed through. However, the High Elf list stayed the same: it is now in an unfortunate position. Dark Elves are cheaper and just as effective, Wood Elves are only slightly more expensive and more effective. Now, some of this is down to racial differences and an attempt to create a noticable difference between the three lists – but seriously, it leaves the High Elves a bit out on the limb… I also understand the fallacy of comparing points across armies, but honestly, between High Elf Citizen Levy and Wood Elf Glade Guardians and Eternal Guard there is no contest! If army lists were cars, High Elves would be Rover. Lots of potential, but with an execution that leaves a lot to be desired…
However, as many of you know, I do own a Rover 45… So High Elves it will be. I do understand that the High Elf list can be effective, but mostly only if you max out on certain things (Silver Helms and magic come to mind and not forgetting the obligatory Swordmaster unit), thus all the successful High Elf armies look rather similar: the so-called “Cookie Cutter” army phenomenon.
For those like myself who have faith in the famed Elven Citizen Levy (I know we are rare! 
), you face a conundrum… Sacrifice effectiveness for fluff? Yup. Why not? So, for June, what to paint?
Well, the original idea behind the force in the deep dark past was of a Caledor themed army. This would rule out certain units that one always sees in a typical High Elf force: Silver Helms and Swordmasters. I saw an army of the Citizen Levy of Caledor, backed up with support from the troops of Tiranoc, Ellyria and Nagarythe (as reflects the nature of these troops) with a proud (then normally by turn two, strangely absent) unit of Dragon Princes as the cream of the army. I may be stoic (how apt!) and return to this ideal, unit effectiveness be damned! If Dragon Princes refuse to lower their standard to the Phoenix King, then I refuse to compromise my army for the inadequacies of the current list!
Of course, this may involve a lot of losing. Ah well. Moral victory perhaps? Or hope a new reshuffled army book comes out before March… 
(Of course the problem with this is the reshuffle of the army list that may follow! Oops. Elves always striking first and Lion pulled chariots anyone? Personally, I’d prefer heavy armour, but it may give my 250pt Spearelves a chance to beat cheaper units of troops in combat… )
Therefore, this month sees 5 Dragon Princes awaiting paint. As befits the high status of these elite troops, I intend to pay a little more attention to these miniatures (although still paint them as quickly as possible). My army is one of cream, gold and lacqued red armour, providing a striking and dark contrast to the classical white, silver and blue High Elf Armies. The Dragon Princes will reflect this scheme, but will have more red armour and black horses (as opposed to the brown Ellyrian and Tiranoc horses) to help distance themselves from the masses in the army.
I’ve also found my digital camera, so real life willing, pictures of the army will be up later this month…
