How does this look for a wood elf army? Keep in mind, I want it to be competitive, but I'm not planning on going to tournaments with it. Just a little fun with friends.

Gandalf the Grey 170
Legolas w/armor and cloak 105pts
2 Sentinels 50pts
16 Wood Elves 112pts
17 Wood Elves w/spear 136pts
14 Wood Elves w/bow 126 pts
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699 points, 51 models, 17 bows (including Legolas), 6 might

Does this look pretty good? I was planning on forming up a battle line (if no terrain) with normal WE in front and archers/Legolas/Sentinels behind and everyone protected by Blinding Light. As the enemy closes in, the archers will fall out to either side, providing continued fire and eventually flank support as the spear support take their spots right behind the front line. Legolas and the sentinels would stay in the line to boost the fight, and Gandalf would have the extra spear guy just in case but mostly would be annoying the enemy with his spells from behind the main line (or maybe on one of the flanks). The sentinels would be useful to Gandalf to try to move an enemy warrior into a good Sorcerous Blasting spot for maximum knockovers.

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God bless you!

Forth Eorlingas!

My suggests
1. Naked wood elves? Give them weapons
2. Remove Legola's cloak
Your strategy seem good thought...

Thanks for the fast reply!
The weapon-less wood elves are there to provide cover for the archers and a front line to be supported by spears when I do get into close combat. What weapons would be useful to them (besides shields which they can't get ). I wouldn't be able to use elven blades most of the time anyways because they'll be supported by spears. Unless you think the spear-wielders should fall out to the sides to support the archers in combat instead...

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God bless you!

Forth Eorlingas!

You need to get elven blades...
They are useful believe me...
But don't take too many...
Just take some elves with elven blades and some more spears

I like it. A good balance between thematic and competitive.

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"There are few left in Middle Earth like Aragorn, son of Arathorn." - Gandalf, Many Meetings

Wood elves need spears and/or throwing daggers. A few elf blades can be useful too.

Legolas cannot get armour in the Thranduil's Halls list.
Try this:

Legolas w/ armour
galadriel (casting one, so you get blinding light)

17 w/ throwing dagger
17 w/ spear
14 w/ bow
2 sentinals

695 points (grab five spears for the archers or throwing weapon elves)
52 units, 17 bows (19 shots), 6 might

I much prefer Gandalf to Galadriel, especially for his versatility (immobilize, sorcerous blast, etc.).
But with the 15 points saved from Legolas (no cloak or armor), taking out one spearman, and the extra point (699 originally), I gave all the naked wood elves weapons. How does this look?

Legolas 90pts
Gandalf the Grey 170pts
2 WE Sentinels 50pts
14 WE/bow 126pts
8 WE/elven blade 64pts
8 WE/throwing dagger 72pts
16 WE/spear 128pts

700pts, 50 models, 6 might

_________________
God bless you!

Forth Eorlingas!

Looks a good list but I ain't no expert with Wood Elves. Seems solid enough.

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Gimli: Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an Elf.
Legolas: What about side by side with a friend?

Your final looks good and I think you'll find it effective once you get used to some of the tricks of playing them. You may want to try a game or two with Saruman the White replacing Gandalf. Still themed and he has some interesting twists.

As a heads-up, you'll want to think in advance how to identify those WE w/ daggers from the WE w/ blades so you and your opponent are clear and don't get any hard feelings.

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Wait ye the finish! The fight is not yours.
Beowulf

http://TacticsInMiniature.com

your army is good, but if you want to do something about their low defense then here's a list you could try

the wizards:
-saruman

thranduils halls:
-legolas
-sentinal
-2 we/ spear

Lothlorien:
-galadrim captain
-13 galadrim warriors w/ shield
-14 we/ spear
-13 we/ bow

700 pts, 46 units, 8 might, 14 bows (excluding legolas)

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"make me lunch... worthy of Mordor"

These have to have blades or spears...and since they can't use their blades with shields, best to give them spears. You can't save points dropping the blades.

The original list posted in this thread is a variation of probably the best possible Wood Elf 700pts list. This is a tournament-winner type list. The better variation swaps Gandalf for Saruman, drops Sentinels and boosts on elf numbers along with throwing daggers for the whole of front line.

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Coordinator of the Great British Hobbit League

Agreed. When I played the Baltimore GT a few years back (when GW still cared about LotR in the US) my 500 point list was Thranduil, Saruman, one Sentinel, max bows and the rest of the Wood Elves split about 60% spears 40% throwing daggers and elf blades. I know a lot of people talk down about the blades, but when you're facing heavy armor of Uruks and Morannon and such you need some extra punch cracking them open. I tied second for battle points and it proved very flexible in every game.

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Wait ye the finish! The fight is not yours.
Beowulf

http://TacticsInMiniature.com

Quite a good army. I might swap Gandalf out for Radagast. Theme-wise this would be a perfect army. Then maybe try and free up some more points so you can give the front wood elves daggers you don't need to bother with blades but daggers are nearly essential on wood elves.

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"War does not determine who is right, only who is left."
- Bertrand Russel

I think the rules only say that they can't use it as two-handed weapon when carrying a shield

p.s. sorry for the late reaction

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"make me lunch... worthy of Mordor"

Right, so there is no point to having a blade when carrying a shield. Why not trade it for a spear for free? You don't lose anything, and you gain tactical flexibility.