Slaves Any One?

Post by **Lord Thalack** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 10:21 am

There already has been a lot of discussion about this. Personally I find it a good idea as long as the unit of slaves you can use is limited. like max. 1 unit per 2000pts.

About the quotes change the first [quote] to [quote="name here"]

Bye
Lord Thalack

The word of pain · Post by **The word of pain** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 10:55 am

It's a good idea, simply because it fits the fluff of the Dark Elf Army. The problem would be writing rules that make them belivable on the battlefield, without having to make them too different from standard rules.

Metallurgist · Post by **Metallurgist** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 12:48 pm

I didn't vote, because 'yes' or 'no' is both not my opinion, as Lord Thalack already before me. It would be cool, be fluffy and add flavour to the army (all very positive points), but they'd have to be restricted, and not be too useful - but not worthless either.

I think balancing DE with access to slaves is a delicate thing.

-Metallurgist

Sureal · Post by **Sureal** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 2:33 pm

There should be too many units, as GW wouldn't allow that, but it's still a ice idea, so I voted 'yes'.

They'd have low stats, no armour and most likely strike last - but they'd make good shields. What about some rules allowing us to kill them and thus lowing the enemies morale (like lord yeurl).

Sureal · Post by **Sureal** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 2:50 pm

If you want to quote me, it'd be like this:

Sureal wrote:Blah blah blah

Sureal · Post by **Sureal** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 3:02 pm

It was the best I could come up within a small amount of time (I changed my signature quite alot.)

Dragnipur · Post by **Dragnipur** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 3:23 pm

did we not have slaves? long ago? i can remember somthing about them...

Sureal · Post by **Sureal** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 3:23 pm

Magic

.

Actually, just go click on 'profile' at the top of the screen, scroll down a bit and you'll see a space to put your signature.

Sureal · Post by **Sureal** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 3:30 pm

Your welcome

.

Dragnipur · Post by **Dragnipur** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 4:08 pm

Mhhh, the thing i recall having read about DE slaves and slavemasters came from chronicles or something alike. Still, i like the idea: Drug those worhtless slaves, or torture them into soulles husks, and goad them over the field of battle, meanwhile taking all the missile-punishment. Druchii-style

Post by **Langmann** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 4:52 pm

While I agree with druchii being made better and more detailed, slaves for some reason do not make sense to me.

The druchii are supposed to be a fast overland raiding army. Thinking beyond the 6'x4' board, slaves would seriously slow the druchii down as they would require constant supervision, generally move slower than druchii, and would spread disease in camp. Plus you would need some sort of baggage train to feed all those bodies, even druchii slaves need food. This, I think would slow the druchii down and leave them seriously open to harrasing and counterattacks.

Now this is different from when returning from a slave raid, the druchii would, I imagine beat the slaves along for a quick retreat, but this is after the raid is over...

SO I can see the druchii massing a unit of slaves to attack deep into the heartlands of the empire or bretons, using them as fodder much like the Lord Yeurl.

I guess I can say I am undecided.

Someone persuade me.

Whaledawg · Post by **Whaledawg** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 5:46 pm

But if u have slaves, u have to take them with u. As u raid u aquire them.
Thats y i dont buy the "we're too fast and mere mortals slow us down" argument. We allready have slaves, their moving with our armies a great deal of the time and it would seem to be useful to put them on the battle field ocassionaly.

I think their more appropriate than harpies, which aparently r just marauding beasts that u get to control for some reason. No body trains them, they dont like us, and they have horrible table manners. I dont see y we have harpies fighting for us other than the fact that we need flyers.

Think about it

Walkerd · Post by **Walkerd** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 10:45 pm

Gee, I am the only no vote so far.

I believe DE's should not be using slaves fro two reasons.

1) A cheap cannon fodder option is not needed and not balanced for the army list at the moment. Elves are expensive, the idea GW has is to not have access to cheap units within Elven armies. If there should be a new unit for beastmasters it should be some sort of.....beast. Cold One hounds or some such not slaves.

2) Nothing in the fluff supports it, in fact the fluff would be opposed to it. Slaves are mentioned twice in short stories. Lord Yeurl killing the slaves he has taken to make the battlefield more broken. The other is as a sacrifice to the harpies. Both stories imply the slaves are chattel, a form of wealth, manpower what ever. Oh, there is the story about hunting armed slaves.

Why would DE's arm their chattel. Can you imagine arming your cows? Your dogs? Slaves are tools not people. DE's fight, not slaves.

Oeric · Post by **Oeric** » Sun Oct 27, 2002 8:00 am

i think that we should get to choose what slaves we want, but they have -1 to each stat (attacks go down to a minimum of 1) except wounds and toughness and no armour, -2 to ldrship but plus one to the minus if a beastmaster is in the squad. also because it's the corsairs that go and get the slaves, you are allowed a maximum of 1 slave choice per unit of corsairs.

For example a high elf slave would be:

ws 3
bs 3
s 2
t 3
w 1
i 4
a 1
ld 6, 7 with a beast master in the squad
sv -

unit size 10+

weapons: hand weapon

any ideas for points???

Elvenknight · Post by **Elvenknight** » Sun Oct 27, 2002 8:59 am

What I just thought of.

You set up armies as normal. Slaves MUST go at the front of the DE army. The DE has two turns in which he can only move the slaves. The oposing force can't move foward more than 7" and can only attack the slaves. After 2 turns the DE army shoots the slaves. The DE player rolls a die for every slave still alive. On a +3 the Slave dies. Any slave that lives automatically becomes allied with the oposing army.

BTW I voted Yes

Ezeraal · Post by **Ezeraal** » Sun Oct 27, 2002 1:19 pm

I'm voting no. While it is in the fluff that DE do have slaves, i just do not see why they would deploy them when fighting. As has already been mentioned, they are objects used for sacrifice, torture and other such nasty things.

Alright, so DE may collect slaves, but why sail hundreds of miles to raid the coast for slaves, only to have them fight and get killed before you can bring them home to, um, get killed.

Ultimately slaves are just ablative armour, and this option for DE appears to be contrary to the ethos of manoeuvrability.

Sureal · Post by **Sureal** » Sun Oct 27, 2002 1:55 pm

Whilst going raiding or whatever, the general would most likely have slaves to lok after him, as would any nobles in there. If the dark elf is feling threated s/he would gladly safrifice them.

You may take 5 slaves for every noble or scorceress, and 10 for high born or high scorceress, slaves are a rare choice (as no sane druchii would sacrifice all of his slaves!)
Slaves are skirmish and always strike last.
Should you wish, you may shoot at the slaves, if you do you cause panic tests as if they belonged to your oponent (this rule does not affect chaos or undead or skaven).

Just an idea

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Slaves Any One?

Is this a good Idea?

uhm...

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