Sylvaneth warscroll batallions

[Scrags]

Hey all!

So I know batallions like Gnarlroot, Winterleaf, and Dreadwood used to be very popular but with the increased costs to them are they still worth running?

Just starting my Sylvaneth collection and I have 1 of each tree lord, a branch wytch and wraith, and a boat load of dryads. Obviously I'm planning on adding at least 4 squads of Hunters (weapon loadout TBD, most likely will magnetize) but I didn't know if there always a specific wargrove that I should be working on filling out. 

 

Thanks!

[Freejack02]

It seems like Dreadwood is the most popular/powerful battalion left, but it's been a while since I tried to play a Gnarlroot. If you have the Spites for DW, it's still very good. 

[Scrags]

23 minutes ago, Freejack02 said:

It seems like Dreadwood is the most popular/powerful battalion left, but it's been a while since I tried to play a Gnarlroot. If you have the Spites for DW, it's still very good. 

OK cool thats fair. I'm guessing that Battalions aren't totally necessary? It's my understanding that while Sylvaneth are pretty balanced in the broad scheme of things we seem to be a little weak in the current meta if only because Mortal Wounds are becoming ever more prolific. My thought was we could make up the difference by getting extra special rules out of the Warscroll Battalions. With this points increase I'm still just trying to feel out if the Battalions are worth their points or if just MOAR BODIES are the way to go

 

Good to know that Dreadwood is still pretty good though! I assume it's mostly from the ambush abilities you get at the start of the game? I never though of Spite Revenants as being that good on paper but maybe I'm wildly underestimating the unit.  

[Freejack02]

1 hour ago, Scrags said:

Good to know that Dreadwood is still pretty good though! I assume it's mostly from the ambush abilities you get at the start of the game? I never though of Spite Revenants as being that good on paper but maybe I'm wildly underestimating the unit.  

I believe they are only played because they are necessary in Dreadwood... 

[Scrags]

49 minutes ago, Freejack02 said:

I believe they are only played because they are necessary in Dreadwood... 

Yeah thats fair. So I feel like Hunters are going to be the mainstays in our armies. (Might be obvious to most Sylvaneth players but I'm still learning the ropes :P) From what I've hear they're more cost efficient than stock Treelords and the versatility is nice. Is there an average to the "acceptable" number of squads of Hunters to run? If so what combination. Since the points increase I feel like Greatbows have lost some of their value and given how ease it is to take "Order" Allies our shooting might be better found through different avenues.

 My sort of "gut instinct" is 3 melee units and 1 ranged. 

[Mike Burgess]

I personally find the big battalions prohibitively expensive to justify. The effects are very powerful but you are normally giving up a lot of bodies on the table for these effects. A weakness of most popular Sylvaneth builds is the low model/wound count making it tough in objective based games, running a battalion makes this issue worse.

I have been trying the 90 point free spirit battalion for the extra artefact, low drop count and hero phase move which can catch people out, this worked pretty well. Just got too frustrated with the consistency of Durthu to continue with it long-term. Here is the list:

Allegiance: Sylvaneth
Treelord Ancient - General, Gnarled Warrior, Artefact: Ranu's Lamentiri, Verdant Blessing
Spirit of Durthu  - Briarsheath 
Drycha Hamadreth  - Regrowth
10 x Dryads 
5 x Tree-Revenants 
5 x Tree-Revenants 

3 x Kurnoth Hunters  - Greatbows
3 x Kurnoth Hunters  - Scythes
3 x Kurnoth Hunters  - Scythes
Free Spirits 
Total: 1990 / 2000

[Scrags]

10 hours ago, Mike Burgess said:

I personally find the big battalions prohibitively expensive to justify. The effects are very powerful but you are normally giving up a lot of bodies on the table for these effects. A weakness of most popular Sylvaneth builds is the low model/wound count making it tough in objective based games, running a battalion makes this issue worse.

I have been trying the 90 point free spirit battalion for the extra artefact, low drop count and hero phase move which can catch people out, this worked pretty well.

Nice! Yeah I'm glad to hear that the Battalions are still relevant in the meta but it sounds like just more bodies is viable if not better in some instances as well. I hadn't thought about the Free Spirit Battalion but I'd be very curious to try it. 

10 hours ago, Mike Burgess said:

Just got too frustrated with the consistency of Durthu to continue with it long-term.

Oh shoot, sorry to hear that. What has the issue been? Survivability? 5" move speed?

[Mike Burgess]

On 4/20/2018 at 9:13 PM, Scrags said:

Nice! Yeah I'm glad to hear that the Battalions are still relevant in the meta but it sounds like just more bodies is viable if not better in some instances as well. I hadn't thought about the Free Spirit Battalion but I'd be very curious to try it. 

Oh shoot, sorry to hear that. What has the issue been? Survivability? 5" move speed?

With such a high points investment you need consistency.  Any unit that has a low quantity of attacks with very high rend or damage, a slight variation in averages on your dice rolls can have catastrophic implications. Failing to hit or wound with 2 out of 3 of those attacks (which isn't very unlikely!) quickly takes you from 18 damage to 6. Especially if someone manages to debuff him to -1 to hit/wound.

I would say movement is not a problem with our allegiance ability and survivability is excellent, although obviously still having terrible match-ups again armies with high mortal wound output.

I would far prefer Durthu having 6 attacks that do 3 damage than 3 attacks that do 6!

 

[Scrags]

7 hours ago, Mike Burgess said:

On 4/20/2018 at 3:13 PM, Scrags said:

 

With such a high points investment you need consistency.  Any unit that has a low quantity of attacks with very high rend or damage, a slight variation in averages on your dice rolls can have catastrophic implications. Failing to hit or wound with 2 out of 3 of those attacks (which isn't very unlikely!) quickly takes you from 18 damage to 6. Especially if someone manages to debuff him to -1 to hit/wound.

Ah yeah that makes a lot of sense. Don't think we have a ton of ways to give us more attacks on those big treelord models. Do you have any thoughts on Dryads? I want to take them in large blocks, maybe even going so far as to utilize the Winterleaf battalion, but I'm afraid of that bravery 6.... 

Also, thoughts on Hunter load out? I was going for scythes initially for the -2 rend and 2" range to better utilize the save re-roll gimmick without suffering from the "only pile in 1 inch". 

[Freejack02]

10 hours ago, Mike Burgess said:

I would far prefer Durthu having 6 attacks that do 3 damage than 3 attacks that do 6!

True, but that would lessen the impact of his Guardian Sword ability (D3 extra attacks). I used to run him with a Loremaster in a Gnarlroot, and it does make him incredible. Not sure if he fits in well with the newer point values though. 

Also Damned terrain with Alarielle's command ability would be quite useful.

[Mike Burgess]

6 hours ago, Freejack02 said:

True, but that would lessen the impact of his Guardian Sword ability (D3 extra attacks). I used to run him with a Loremaster in a Gnarlroot, and it does make him incredible. Not sure if he fits in well with the newer point values though. 

Also Damned terrain with Alarielle's command ability would be quite useful.

Absolutely agree with all these points, he’s a beast if all the attacks get through and if you can buff him to almost guarantee that then he can do some serious damage!