[Kirby]

So putting together the core of my lists to see what I need to buy and here's the first incarnation of the lowest points (will scale to 2500/3000 later). Logic behind everything can be found here.

Lords -
Lv4 Archmage w/Book of Hoeth, High Magic
Heroes -
lv2 Mage w/Silver Wand, Metal Magic

Core -
4x 10x Archers
10x Lothern Sea Guard w/Musician, Sea Master, Standard Bearer w/Banner of Eternal Flame

Special -
3x 5x Silver Helms w/Shields
3x Tiranoc Chariots
Lion Chariot of Chrace

Rare -
4x Repeater Bolt Thrower

Totals: 2250
4 warmachines
15 cavalry
4 chariots
52 infantry

 

[Tim/Steve]

So putting together the core of my lists to see what I need to buy and here's the first incarnation of the lowest points (will scale to 2500/3000 later). Logic behind everything can be found here.

Lords -
Lv4 Archmage w/Book of Hoeth, High Magic
book of hoeth is a good choice, I'm not so convinced by high magic- its not a bad lore but some of the new ones are devastating- I especially like shadow and death (and other like life)- taking a huge enemy deathstar down to T1 means all those archers could pincushion it, especially if you then drop their movement as well. If you can find the extra points I would upgrade this guy to Teclis.. but you need to be a little shameless. The extra D3 PD/DD is nice, especially on the defensive with the HE +5 dispel with Lv4s and the scroll he carries is now invaluable
Heroes -
lv2 Mage w/Silver Wand, Metal Magic
love the idea of a HE metal mage, I certainly intend to do the same. Where we differ is that I would only be taking him for searing doom- so a Lv1 with either a scroll of some sort or the jewel of the dusk would do just as well- what's your aim with this guy and does he need anything more then the signature spell?

Core -
4x 10x Archers
10x Lothern Sea Guard w/Musician, Sea Master, Standard Bearer w/Banner of Eternal Flame
I simply dont understand taking 10 lothians- they are expensive archers with worse bows and only +1 attack and armour save. Either take a unit of 20+ or just go with archers.

Special -
3x 5x Silver Helms w/Shields
great as distraction units, rubbish at actually doing anything. Even units of 5 DPs arent going to manage to do much of anthing in most games. Best use for these is probably to ran them into enemy S3 units and try to sit there indefinately... but with the majority of units having 3 ranks and a banner over them you'll be very lucky to stay in combat after the 2nd round of combat.
3x Tiranoc Chariots
If they could march I would take tiranocs as warmachine hunters... but as it is I cant really see a point for them. They are great at taking out flanking enemy units, but then your archers could do that just as well (and more reliably).
Lion Chariot of Chrace
an expensive tiranoc... again I cant see the use for them. Mine has been retired to the cupboard.

Rare -
4x Repeater Bolt Thrower
not quite as good as they were but still good choices
Totals: 2250
4 warmachines
15 cavalry
4 chariots
52 infantry

Basically this has tagged all my usual feelings about HE- that they dont really have the defensive units to keep the enemy at bay, and they dont have anything to really do any damage to the enemy. Seems to me that you will be able to trounce all the little flankig units enemy's employ, but those large block units will be a very different subject. Im guessing that you are hoping to kill them with flames of the pheonix while chewing away slowly with RBTs and archers... but hoping S3 weapons get the job done is not a great plan (flames may be cast irrisistably every turn, but the enemy will still dispel it in their turn).
I really would rely much more heavily on the special infantry choices- pheonix guard are simply supurb at blockling the enemy advance while white lions in particular are wonderful at striking back (swordmasters are good but I think the new rules see th lions taking the fore).