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High Elf Realms · 140 points
Are High Elf Archers good?
High Elf Archers are decent but not outstanding shooters. They sat in the middle of my results, 10th of 29 at short range, and did their best work against light infantry.
Quick answer: it depends what you point High Elf Archers at
- Role
- Anti-light-infantry archers
- Good against
- Skaven Dregs (5.7, 4th), Skirmishing Empire Archers (4.1, 5th)
- Struggles against
- Knights of the Realm (1.1, 19th), Rat Ogres (1.6, 22nd)
- Range
- Loses some damage at range (66% kept)
Anti-light-infantry archers is the job High Elf Archers did best in my testing, and it is the yardstick I would judge them by, rather than their 10th-of-29 overall average.
How many simulations I ran
I ran 120 volleys with High Elf Archers: ten fresh volleys at each of six targets, at both long and short range. I then fired 1,800 more High Elf Archers volleys at fixed distances, after moving and into cover. Those main volleys were part of the 4,080 I ran across 29 shooting units, and these were the High Elf Archers results.
I stripped the High Elf Archers tests back on purpose, with no terrain, no magic, no characters and nobody deciding anything for the other side, which isolates the unit but is not a real game. With ten volleys per result, High Elf Archers (2.9) and Bretonnian Peasant Bowmen (2.9) finished level at short range, so I would not read anything into their order. Read the High Elf Archers results as a guide to roles and matchups rather than a forecast.
My verdict
I would use them into light infantry and skirmishers, where they managed 5.7 and 4.1 wounds at short range. Against Knights they struggled, at 1.1 wounds at both ranges.
Best and worst targets for High Elf Archers
High Elf Archers by target. Ranks out of 29. n = 10 volleys per cell
| Target | Long | Rank | Short | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knights of the Realm | 1.1 | 13th | 1.1 | 19th |
| Ironbreakers | 0.7 | 14th | 1.2 | 7th |
| Empire State Troops | 2.2 | 14th | 4.0 | 6th |
| Skaven Dregs | 3.4 | 11th | 5.7 | 4th |
| Rat Ogres | 1.4 | 20th | 1.6 | 22nd |
| Skirmishing Empire Archers | 2.8 | 5th | 4.1 | 5th |
Range and armour
At long range High Elf Archers kept 66% of their short-range damage. Their best long-range target was Skaven Dregs (3.4).
Against my two heavily armoured targets, Knights of the Realm and Ironbreakers, High Elf Archers averaged 1.2 wounds at short range. That puts them 12th of 29 for cracking armour.
High Elf Archers after moving and in cover
My main table is a clean volley in the open, so I also fired High Elf Archers at fixed distances, after moving and at targets in partial cover. At 22 inches after moving into partial cover, High Elf Archers averaged 0.80 wounds across the six targets, 4th of the 18 units I tested this way. Standing still in the open at 10 inches, High Elf Archers averaged 2.55 (9th of 18).
High Elf Archers: mean wounds across all six targets. Still or moved, open ground or partial cover. n = 60 volleys per cell
| Distance | Still, open | Moved, open | Still, cover | Moved, cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 inches | 2.55 (9th) | 2.23 (3rd) | 1.95 (9th) | 1.38 (4th) |
| 22 inches | 1.92 (7th) | 1.15 (4th) | 1.25 (5th) | 0.80 (4th) |
Ranks in brackets compare High Elf Archers with the other 17 units in the fixed-distance test.
High Elf Archers after moving into partial cover, by distance. n = 60 volleys per cell
| 6in | 10in | 16in | 22in | 28in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.40 | 1.38 | 0.63 | 0.80 | 0.63 |
High Elf Archers into State Troops only, including full cover. n = 10 volleys per cell
| Distance | Still, open | Moved, partial cover | Moved, full cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 inches | 3.5 | 2.1 | 1.1 |
| 22 inches | 2.4 | 0.9 | 0.2 |
How I set up the test
14 models could shoot in every matchup. My method page has the full setup.
How do they compare?
Other High Elf Realms shooters
- Sisters of Avelorn150 pts · 3.2 avg short, 2.1 avg long
- High Elf Shadow Warriors140 pts · 2.5 avg short, 1.7 avg long
Similar overall damage
- Bretonnian Peasant BowmenKingdom of Bretonnia · 2.9 avg short
- Cathay Crane GunnersGrand Cathay · 2.9 avg short
- Goblin archersOrc & Goblin Tribes · 2.9 avg short
My conclusion
Based on these results, I would use High Elf Archers for light infantry and skirmishers, and not for knights and other heavy armour, to get the most out of them on the battlefield.
FAQs
What are High Elf Archers best at shooting?
Skaven Dregs: High Elf Archers did 5.7 wounds per short-range volley against them in my tests. Their lowest number was against Knights of the Realm, at 1.1.
Are High Elf Archers better at long or short range?
Short range. High Elf Archers kept 66% of their short-range damage at long range, 18th of 29 for holding up at range. High Elf Archers averaged 1.9 wounds at long range against 2.9 at short range.
Are High Elf Archers good against armour?
Against Knights of the Realm and Ironbreakers, High Elf Archers averaged 1.2 wounds per short-range volley, 12th of the 29 units I tested.