By writing this article I plan to give some advice on collecting a High Elf army from scratch to new players. I hope this article gives you some ideas and helps you on your way to becoming an all conquering warlord.
COLLECTING THE ARMY
I reccomend you purchase your models in sizeable chunks of about 500 points at a time. This method will allow you to test out your army on the field of battle before deciding what to invest in next. This article will take you all the way through collecting an army 500 points at a time.
500 POINTS - THE BARE ESSENTIALS
For the first 500 points of your army you will need to purchase the bare essentials of your army, the core troops. These regiments form the core of all armies and no warhost is without them. First on the list infantry. The backbone of all High Elf armies is a solid regiment of spearmen, so we will start the army by investing in a regiment of 12 complete with champion, standard bearer, and musician. High Elf spearmen can fight in three ranks when stationary, so should be able to hold up against most opponents, and their command group will give them a nice variety of bonuss in combat. The spearmen will come to a total of 150 points. Next, every High Elf army needs missile troops, so we will get a unit of 10 archers with longbows, which will come to a total of 120 points. Third, cavalry. Cavalry will act as your main attack unit, and supported by the spearmen, will be able to see off almost any enemy. For cavalry, we will have a unit of 5 silver helms with a standard bearer. Like the spearmen and archers, this unit can be expanded later, but for now it shall do. We will give the silver helms shields, heavy armour, and barding, which will bring them to a total of 140 points. Last, you need a general, and a perfect general for a 500 point army is a commander wearing heavy armour, carrying a shield, and riding a barded elf steed. He won't have any magic items yet, that will have to wait. Well now you have your first 500 points of High Elves. Using this force is fairly straight forward. The commander and the silver helms will charge the enemy, while the archers keep them under heavy missile fire. When combat is joined, the spearmen will march in to deliver the killing blow.
1000 POINTS - THE SORCERER AND THE BLADEMASTERS
Now designing the army get's really challenging. Special and rare units are introduced, giving you alot of options for army composition. However, we will start the next 500 points with another silver helm to add to the unit, and we will upgrade this one to a champion. Next is another 8 spearmen, bringing their total number up to 20, perfect for infatry regiments. Next we will invest our first magic item, a talisman of protection for the commander. this item should be able to protect him from blows which would normally harm him, as it confers a 6+ unmodifiable save. Now our core units have been boosted, we need to get another combat unit. This regiement will be chosen from the special list, and I think a unit of 12 swordmasters with command should be excellent. Their greatsword's +2 strength bonus means they can crush high toughness enemies such as dwarfs, orcs, and beastmen, and they will serve them equally well against low toughness troops as well. Next,, our army needs some magic capability, so we shall purchase a level 1 mage. We won't invest in any magic items for him yet, as it would be a waste when you could spend the points on more troops, but we will later on. The mage will come to a total of 85 points, and the swordmaster will cost 174 points. Finally we will get a repeater bolt thrower, which is capable of raining a deadly hail of death into the enemy.
1500 POINTS - THE SWIFT AND THE DEADLY
First we shall need to bolster our existing units. 2 more archers upgraded to a standard bearer and a musician we finfih off our archer unit, and a silver helm musician will complete our silver helms. An extra magic level for 40 points will be essential for the mage, and a banner of Caledor for the swordmasters will protect them from death magic. We will buy two more special units, a Tiranoc chariot for 75 points to add hitting power, and a unit of 6 ellyrian reavers with spears will add speed to the army and cost us 90 points. To finish off this turn we will add a unit of 10 Lothern Sea Guard with command, ready to be bolstered next turn. The army now has stronger magic power, more hitting power and some fast cavalry to perform flanking movements. The Sea Guard will act as another unit of spearmen with added bows, ideal in a defensive position.
2000 POINTS - READY FOR WAR
Now our army comes up to 2000 points, which means we are allowed a single lord character. Lords are true warriors, and the best generals around. We will invest in an Elf Prince riding a pegasus armed with a lance and wearing heavy armour and a golden crown of Atrazar (discount first wound suffered) and carrying a shield. He will be the armies new general instead of the commander, and will cost us 225 points. We will also get a power stone for the mage to boost his magical abilities for 25 points. As I said, the Sea Guard were to be bolstered, so we will get another 6, bringing their number up to 16, and if deployed in four ranks of four will be brilliant in a defensive battle. We will also get another reaver knight and use up our last rare choice with a great eagle to strengthen our flanking force. To finish the army off, we will purchase another bolt thrower to add much needed fire power. So here it is, the completed army.
THANDOL.............225 POINTS
An Elf Prince riding a Pegasus, armed with a lance, wearing heavy
armour and a Golden Crown of Atrazar, and carrying a shield.
DRAMELII.............102 POINTS
A commander mounted on a barded elven steed, armed with a hand
weapon, wearing heavy armour and a talisman of protection, and
carrying a shield.
IBNÈTHE.................150 POINTS
A level 2 elven mage carrying a power stone.
SPEARMEN............230 POINTS
20 elven spearmen armed with spears, shields, and light armour complete
with standard bearer, champion, and musician.
ARCHERS................165 POINTS
12 elven archers armed with longbows, complete with standard bearer
and musician.
SILVER HELMS.......220 POINTS
7 silver helm knights riding barded steeds armed with lances, shields, and
heavy armour, complete with standard bearer, champion, and musician.
SEA GUARD............270 POINTS
16 Lothern Sea Guard armed with bows, shields, and light armour,
complete with standard bearer, champion, and musician.
SWORDMASTERS..199 POINTS
12 Swordmasters of Hoeth armed with greatswords and heavy armour,
complete with standard bearer, champion, and musician. Unit carries the
Banner of Caledor.
REAVERS.................108 POINTS
6 Ellyrian Reavers riding elven steeds and armed with spears and light armour.
CHARIOT.................75 POINTS
1 Tiranoc Chariot drawn by 2 elven steeds and crewed by 2 charioteers armed
with spears and longbows.
BOLT THROWERS..200 POINTS
2 Repeater Bolt Throwers crewed by 2 elves each, all wearing light armour.
GREAT EAGLE..........50 POINTS
1 Great Eagle from Avelorn.
TOTAL POINTS................................1994

If you have the models for this army, please try it out and tell me if it's good or not and how it can be improved so new players have a well-balanced and flexible army. Thanks.
webmaster@highelves.20m.com