Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

If I took Eltharion and a Dragon Mage, that gives me 6 casting dice. I was thinking of using the Banner too, putting it in with Dragon Knights. So that gives me +D3 Casting dice. Is that enough casting dice to be effective? I probably want a third Mage for if and when the Dragon Mage gets cut down in combat, but I can take a Noble, too.

The other option is an Archmage. If I take a third mage I never know what to do with it. Maybe just put it in with some Archers. I do not know how useful it is to put it on a chariot and run around.

I think that 6 +1d3 dice is a good number for a friendly game (I find people that take 3+ wizards is a friendly game quickly find that they can't find people to play with them, no one likes Howler wind, Conflag, bound conflag, repeat), if it's a tourney list I would add more.

Here's a thought. If I put Eltharion in with a squad of say Swordsmen I can use his leadership to hold the line. Put the banner in the same squad. "oooooooooo". The other option of course is to just take a Prince and two mages. I really like that banner, although the other ones are nice too.

My take on HEs is that there are 2 'best' options for magic.

1: Archmage, dragon mage (give hime the 5+ ward save item for heavens sake), arcane banner. Items to suit. Then a BSB.

2: Prince, BSB, 2 mages, primarily defensive.

Eltharion is the spanner in the works. Great combat, great Ld, and a level 2 mage. I'd go him on foot, another level 2 mage scroll caddy, a BSB and another noble.

See here for an all infantry eltharion army at work...
http://warhammer.org.uk/PhP/viewtopic.php?t=41597&highlight=deep+purple

I generally take option 1.
Works quite well if the archmage can pick his own spells and the dragon mage gets 3 spells.

Not sold on option two. Would rather have one lvl 4 defensive mage with scrolls, bsb, and two nobles.
more killy power, more defensive magic, just better use of points overall.

Option 2 is just the usual setup for characters here in the Oz tournament scene.

Combat lord
BSB
2 mages

Of course there are racial variations (i.e. lizzies SMP).

I'm playing a 5000-8000pt game tomorrow (hopefully somewhere around 7000). at 8200pts, I'm taking:

Teclis 475pts

Mage 140pts Scroll Caddy
Mage 201pts
Barded Steed, Level 2, Sigil of Asuryan, Silver Wand
Mage 140pts Scroll Caddy


Dragon Mage 430
Warrior Mage, Reckless, Level 2, Guardian Phoenix, Gem of Sunfire/or Staff of Solidity.

I really wish you could take multiple items from the same category--a staff of solidity seems a wise choice, given a Dragon Mage's recklessness. But the Gem would provide a single turn of some bad-assed Fire Based Magic. Thoughts?