The recently released Wood Elf forces have been slightly re-balanced in a new Total War: Warhammer hotfix beta, put out earlier today. It’s an opt-in beta, so to join it you need to right-click on the game in your Steam library, open up Properties, then the Betas tab, and finally select Patch 5 Hotfix Beta from the drop-down menu.
After that, Steam should start downloading an update. Restart if that’s not the case. Wood Elf archers have been given a fairly substantial edge with this hotfix, boosting the range of on-foot bowmen (so, Glade Guard, Waywatchers, etc) by 20m, and increasing the damage output of most archery units by +4. Waywatcher recruitment prices have also been slightly reduced.
It’s confirmed in the announcement of this hotfix release that the ‘missing’ Waywatcher ability restored by modders was placeholder code, and not intended for the final release version. Though, if you enjoy the mod, it’s obviously fine to keep using it.
It doesn’t sound like there will be any changes to Wood Elf bowmen firing into trees, either: “[Wood Elves] do use the same physic based rules as our other missile units from the other races, so do need clear lines of sight. That being said they can very efficiently kite larger enemies into the forests and woods hampering the enemies movement by 20% whilst still being able to fire at them.”
Here’s the full set of changes.
HOTFIX PATCH NOTES
– Fixed a rare crash that could occur when continuing Campaign save games created on older patches.
– Increased the frequency of matched combat animations for Great Eagle units in Battle.
– Fixed an issue that could cause the Cloak of Isha Quest Battle to not have any trees in it.
– Sally out Battles for the Wood Elves will no longer load into Battle maps with mountainous/impassable terrain.
– Added missing Wood Elves playstyle icons for French and Spanish in the Front End for the Campaign.
– Updated the Italian and Korean localisation.
WOOD ELVES CAMPAIGN BALANCE PASS
– Reduced the colonisation cost for ruined settlements when playing as the Wood Elves in the Grand Campaign.
– Asrai Lookouts (Outposts) will now generate 50 income per turn.
– Adjusted the penalties when running at an Amber deficit:
> 0 to -10 Amber: Reduced rate of replenishment.
> -11 to -20 Amber: No replenishment, but do not suffer from attrition.
> -21 to -99 Amber: No replenishment and suffer attrition (no change from before).
WOOD ELVES BATTLE BALANCE PASS
Glade Lord (Includes mounted variants) + 20m Range
Glade Guard + 4 Missile Damage + 20m Range
Glade Guard (Hagbane tips) + 4 Missile Damage + 20m Range
Glade Guard (Starfire Shafts) + 20m Range
Glade Riders + 4 Missile Damage
Glade Riders (Hagbane Tips) + 4 Missile Damage
Deepwood Scouts + 4 Missile Damage + 20m Range
Deepwood Scouts (Swift Shiver Shards) + 20m Range
Waywatchers + 20m Range + 4 Armour-Piercing Missile Damage -100 Cost Reduction [1100] (Custom battle & campaign)
Waystalker + 20m Range
Eternal Guard – 50 Recruitment Cost (Custom battle & campaign)
Eternal Guard – 50 Recruitment Cost (Custom battle & campaign)
Wildwood Rangers + 2 Melee Attack + 7 Melee Defence + 5 Armour Piercing Weapon Damage
Wild Riders + 5 Charge Bonus
