Aelfric

If the Bladelords get the old -1 to hit from missile attacks and have shining company, then they're going to be fairly safe until they get into combat. If the champion is also a wizard, then Protection of Hysh will make them even more survivable before getting into combat and Speed of Hysh would get them there even faster. If they really are choppy, then they should be able to deal with most units when they get there, depending on the size you take them in. 80 points for 5 would put them on a par with Phoenix Guard, which I would pay if they were as described as above. Who knows what buffs the new heroes might be able to give them. I'm feeling confident about them.

I'd also like to know how to give Wardens -2 rend on their pikes. They have no rend normally and only get -1 if they're charged. I can't see any other way of improving on that.

They are not my first port of call when the models are released - That will be Fox-spirit and Rooriders - but if their rules justify the points then I may get some. If they get run and charge, they'll have a definite role in the army.

Khinerai are one wound and five in a box. Admittedly, they are 80 points but Stoneguard are 100 points, so maybe 80 points is possibe.

And I thought 25 was more than enough! Are you aiming for a Bossfist? 40 Ardboyz are now beginning to feel rather paltry . Brutes are lovely models and I really enjoyed painting them, but I have always found it hard to motivate myself to paint multiples of the same unit, no matter which army they are for. Maybe in a couple of month's time, after painting other stuff, I may feel more energised to add some more. I have been considering a second Mawcrusher.

I hope so! To be honest, I've run out of impetus on painting for Ironjawz. I'm up to my ears in Brutes and Ardboyz, I doubt I'll need a third Megaboss or a fourth Warchanter and I have enough Goregruntas to keep me happy for the moment. I need new models to paint!

We did get some Hag-related lore in the WD with the Troggoth Tome Celestial and the army they show-cased did include a Hag. It gives me hope that She will keep Her warscroll, and one day they may make a plastic version. She is very popular! It's also a lovely model to paint.

Thanks, hadn't thoughtof that! there's an archer in there, so can just make the champion as normal - job done. The others can be alternatives later down the road.

I find the Battletome rather scant on detail of why things are; it gives a cursory overview without going into a great deal of substance. As @Aloth_Corfiser says we know precious little about how the 4 nations we have any information about are governed. The Cathallars are shown heading the Auralan Legions on page 20, but no real indication that they are in command. They are currently the only non-Temple hero, so possibly there by default. We have more heroes on the way that feel like they may be more military commander material. The Cathallars feel, to me, more like they fill the role akin to doctors attached to regiments. I can't find anything that specifically refers to them in a commanding role. I think we're going to have to rely on future novels to glean more in-depth information on Lumineth society. It is partly what they're there for, after all. On another note, I've just ordered a second box of Sentinels, amongst others, and am unsure whether to add them to my 1st unit to make 20 or to have them as 2 units of 10. So, I would be grateful to hear people's preferences on Sentinel unit size from a game perspective. One alternative is to make them all archers and kitbash a leader, but haven't come up with a possible starting model on that one yet. All ideas welcome, thanks.

Perhaps, in BR:Teclis, we discover that Teclis has used some souls from Slaanesh that could not be brought back to the living to create an undead Aelf faction loyal to him in order to overthrow Nagash. If Malerion turns out to be Destruction or Chaos, that would only leave one Grand Alliance left to infiltrate and Aelven mastery of the Realms will then be complete. It's ineffable.

What we need is the "Municipality of the Proletariat" Battletome, with Heroes of the revolution who each take it in turns to be General for a round leading the people in their efforts to throw off the shackles imposed by Sigmar and his armoured enforcers.

Now that would be irony (though Nurgle are appearing in BR: Teclis so ...... maybe?).

So Blightlords it is, then.

It's a nice looking list. Can you let us know how it pans out? Just one quibble. For Stoneguard to be battleline, you have to be from Ymetrica and unfortunately, this means you can't take the Enduring Command Trait - you are required to take Almighty Blow from the Ymetrica Great Nation rules. It's one reason why I like Illiatha; There is no specified Command Trait, so you can pick from the lists.

It could just be that the Kurnothi are the descendants of Wanderers who didn't abandon Ghyran to live in Azyr, but continued to fight with the Sylvaneth against Nurgle.

Will this be based on a 5-course meal perhaps? Hors deuves to sweetmeats?

I keep looking for the White Rabbit.

Well, I wasn't thinking in terms of slaves to be honest, more along the lines of where people's allegiences lie. Master can be interpreted in various ways, which means there is no definitive answer to the relationships between Teclis, the Lumineth and the Realm-spirits. The advantage to this is that we have greater freedom within the lore when defining our own paricular forces. Although Teclis is a God, as far as I'm aware there is no evidence of the Lumineth actually worshipping Him in the way that Sigmmar is worshipped. It feels more like aknowledgement coupled with deep respect, rather than unmitigated devotion. We also have no idea about the relationships the spirits have with each other. What does a mountain spirit, for example, think of the river spirit as the river erodes the mountain? Is there a heirarchy with Celennar at the top, or are they more egalitarian? There is so much that is unexplained, which is annoying in part, but also freeing for different interpretations. Perhaps the novels will provide some answers in the future.

The Battletome doesn't give any depth or detail on the workings of individual Temples and how they differ from each other. I haven't read the first Lumineth novel, so not sure if that gives more information. I will probably have to get a copy. I am intrigued, though, about a short passage on page 29 which relates to the first mages chosen by Teclis to form the Temples - "each of his (Teclis) disciples goes forth into Hysh and takes a new master - not Teclis but one of the major features of the Landscape itself". It seems to imply that each Temple's loyalty is to the particular Spirit to whom it is pledged, and not to Teclis. Therefore, logically, one could infer that each Temple would differ from the others in some ways, depending on the personality of the individual spirit. It's all implicit, though, not explicit.

You're right that Ymetrica is more closely tied than other nations to a particular elemental type, in this case the Mountain, but it is also true that Alarith Temples are more closely tied to the Nation of Ymetrica because Ymetrica is home to many Mountain Spirits. If Illiatha has more Wind spirits than other Nations, then the Wind Temples will be more closely aligned to there than elsewhere. I was thinking in terms of the Temples, not the Spirits, when I phrased my sentence.

How about a Knight-Azyros?

Well, it's only an exception because we only have one Temple. We'll have to wait and see if the other Temples are more aligned to one particular Nation, like the Alarith, and if so which ones. It would feel slightly odd if Ymetrica turned out to be the most popular for all the Temples.

So, is the Geldprince missing a piece of anatomy? perhaps the mirror broke slightly before he escaped.

I'm hoping the Wind Temple will be related to Illiatha. I expect Tyrion will eventually get His own Battletome featuring the Tyrionic Great Nations, with four Martial Disciplines to match Teclis' Temples. The Vanari will be the military core for both Armies. There may even be some 1 in 4 shenanigans between the two books.

We already knew Teclis was off to Hyish - there were bound to be battles. We knew OBR and Fec and the Free Peoples were involved. The article has told us nothing new and spoiled nothing as far as I can see. Teclis' true purpose, and its success or failure, is still unknown. GW will tease, but they won't spoil.