Is the High Elf Army Worth It in Warhammer? Warhammer Old World High Elves Core Unit Analysis

If you’re considering fielding a High Elf army in Warhammer, you’re probably wondering which core units are actually worth it. In this breakdown, we’ll take a deep dive into each option to figure out which ones truly shine on the battlefield in this edition.

Spoiler alert: some are absolute trash, while others are pure gold.
I’ll even explain how to equip them properly—so you don’t leave any Druchii standing!

High Elf Spearmen: Do They Still Have a Place in Warhammer?

High Elf Spearmen have changed over the years, and unfortunately, they’ve lost much of their effectiveness. Though they still serve a role in a High Elf army—mainly decorating the shelves of Oldhammer enthusiasts.

Equipment: They come with a spear, shield, and light armor, giving them a 5+ save. Which, combined with T3, is… well, garbage. They also have the Shield Wall ability, which helps resist panic in general, but High Elf armies tend to field fewer units with high Leadership and panic rerolls anyway.
Ranked Attacks: They no longer strike in three ranks like before. Now, they only attack in two ranks when charged from the flank or rear.
también. Pegan un ataque de WS4 S3. O sea, es como disparar con pistolas de agua.

In practice, any unit that charges them will tear them apart, even with their two-rank attacks. In a semi-competitive High Elf army, they’re a 100% no-go for me.

Making way for…

High Elf Archers: The Best Core Choice?

If you’re looking for a functional core unit in a High Elf army in Warhammer, archers are a much more interesting choice.

Range: They shoot up to 30 inches, allowing them to attack without moving. With BS4, they’ll almost always hit on a 4+.
Cost and size: A unit of 5 costs only 50 points, making them expendable. They work well in both small and larger units, thanks to Volley Fire, which gives them more positioning flexibility without losing shots.
Bonus: They come with Armor Bane 1.

I wouldn’t give them a standard bearer or light armor (I’ll explain why later). I also wouldn’t pay for the veteran upgrade since High Elves already reroll panic checks thanks to their special rule.

If you’re using them for redirecting, consider taking a musician. If you think they might end up in close combat with an enemy character, getting a champion could be worth it to make them waste an extra turn.

Sea Guard: A Viable Option in a High Elf Army?

Lothern Sea Guard seems like a versatile unit on paper, but it doesn’t truly excel at any role. Despite their charisma in the lore, their actual performance in real games is underwhelming.

Heads up: after holding and shooting (which they can do even if you charge from very close), they can then reform their ranks (removing 5 models from the front line, basically), causing your charge to fail. It’s a common trick you need to be aware of if you face Sea Guard. Beyond that, even with shields or a veteran upgrade, they don’t improve enough to be worth it.

If you’re a romantic, you might still want to include them anyway.

Elyrian Reavers: How to Equip Them Properly?

This unit is too expensive to spam, but they’re definitely playable. Depending on the rest of your army, it’s worth considering if they can fill a specific role and only paying for what you’ll actually use—if you upgrade them too much, they become overpriced.

Scout Option: Be careful—using it means losing the +1 to start the game if your opponent doesn’t have scouts (since you count as the last to deploy).
Equipment: They can take a shortbow or a spear. I’d always keep the spear and only add the bow if needed—never replace it.
Skirmishers: Always a good choice to improve mobility and shooting. For me, along with the spear, it’s the only upgrade I’d always take.
Command Group: I wouldn’t add a champion or a standard bearer. The musician is optional, depending on whether their main role is to flee and regroup.

Are Silver Helms One of the Best Cavalry Units in Warhammer?

Silver Helms are a highly iconic and well-loved unit, even among players who don’t use High Elves. They have limited customization options: just their unit size, command group, and shield. The shield is a must-have since it improves their save from 4+ to 3+ for just one point. Unlike archers, who go from nothing to a weak 6+ save that the dumbest enemy will destroy, Silver Helms actually benefit from the upgrade.

A unit of 5 makes sense, but an 8-model unit in a single rank can be a better way to conserve points—your opponent has to kill 7 of them to claim the unit’s points.

The command group mostly comes down to personal preference.

Champion: I wouldn’t take one, as it can backfire if you’re hunting down a lone character with the whole unit.
Standard Bearer: I’d skip it too—+1 combat resolution isn’t worth the risk of giving away extra points if things go south.
Musician: I don’t think it’s really necessary, but this one is more debated among players.

Sisters of Avelorn

You can pick a unit of Sisters of Avelorn as a core choice if you include a character that unlocks them (Handmaiden of the Everqueen). I have seen some competitive players using blocks of 40 of these. They’re really good, and if they also count as core… well, you get the idea.

Now that we know which units are solid, how do we fit them in to hit the 500-point core minimum? I’ll leave the post in related links below.

🔹High Elves

🔹 Optimizing 500 Points in Core Units | High Elves

If you think there’s an error in the post, feel free to reach out at theoldwarrior@theoldwarrior.com, and I’ll review it. Hope you enjoy ToW!