Introduction
One of the single most significant changes to the meta since the release of Clash of Kings 2022 has been the dramatic rise in popularity of the Greater Air Elemental and, by association, the Forces of Nature and Sylvan Kin.
When the Clash of Kings 2022 book dropped, here is what I wrote about the Greater Air Elemental in my -/28 Forces of Nature Army-Tiered Review:
The simple addition of Crushing Strength (1) made the Greater Air Elemental a force to be reckoned with, as a well-orchestrated Surge into the Flank or Rear can reliably Rout most units the enemy can muster. It can also be fielded as part of the Nature’s Wrath Formation in the Forces of Nature army, which gives it Regeneration (5+) and the Aura (Brutal – Airbound & Waterbound only). The Aura affects itself as well as the two Hordes of Air Elementals included in the Formation. If anything, I’d say I underestimated the Greater Air Elemental in my initial review, and that it belongs in the elusive S Tier.
I am clearly not the only Greater Air Elemental Stan in the Kings of War community. Using the U.S. Kings of War Masters to illustrate this point, in 2022 there were a total of fifteen Greater Air Elementals fielded across six Forces of Nature and two Sylvan Kin armies.
To clarify, every single Forces of Nature and Sylvan Kin army included at least one Greater Air Elemental. Some, but not all, of the Forces of Nature armies opted for the Formation. Compare this to 2021 in which there were not only zero Greater Air Elementals, but zero players using Forces of Nature and Sylvan Kin!
Many perhaps expected or hoped to see a “nerf” on the Greater Air Elemental in the forthcoming Big Red Book. I, myself, would have loved to see it become a Limited [1] unit so that it could not be spammed or taken as Allies. Alas, this is not the case, as the Greater Air Elemental remains unchanged. What, then, can be done in the face of such power?!
How It’s Used
In order to counter a Greater Air Elemental (or three), you must understand how your opponent is going to use it (or them). Marching your units across the field of battle without this understanding is almost guaranteed to ensure your demise.
First, the Greater Air Elemental is going to be advancing behind a screening unit. My preference is a Regiment of Forest Shamblers, as their Scout special rule allows them to get into good positions early on. Another popular choice is a Regiment of Earth Elementals, as their De 6 and -/15 Ne make them very difficult to Rout in one round of Melee. I’ve even seen players using a Regiment of Woodland Critters. These are certainly not as survivable as the other options, but they are more maneuverable with the Fly and Nimble special rules. In any case, these units all share some key characteristics – they have a depth of just 40mm, enabling the Greater Air Elemental to be close to the front of your lines yet be protected from Charges, and they are of a lower Ht than the Greater Air Elemental, enabling it to Charge over the top if the opportunity arises. In fact, with the Forest Shamblers and Earth Elementals being Ht 3, they also afford the Greater Air Elemental, at Ht 5, Cover.
Second, the Greater Air Elemental is going to project different levels of threats. With Sp 10, Fly, and Nimble, there are times when it can simply declare an advantageous Charge, no Surge necessary. In a recent game against Dwarfs, I did just this. After advancing during Turns 1 and 2, I was able to Charge into a Troop of Sharpshooters in my opponent’s backfield on Turn 3. This neutralized a shooting threat and also put the Greater Air Elemental into an excellent battlefield position for Turns 4 – 7.
Alternatively, and more dangerously, the Greater Air Elemental can move 10” and then be Surged. This can be a threat when the battle lines are still advancing but is an even bigger threat once those lines have closed, and gaps for the Greater Air Elemental to hop into open up. As the controlling player, there are few things more exciting than Surging your Greater Air Elemental into the Rear of your opponent’s most expensive/important/powerful unit.
How to Counter It
There are several different strategies that can be employed to counter the Greater Air Elemental, depending on your army and playstyle. In certain matchups or scenarios, it might be more about mitigating how much damage the Greater Air Elemental(s) will cause your army, rather than preventing it entirely. Having played with and against Greater Air Elementals in competitive events for several months, I have gleaned some insight. I will run through the major strategies, as I see them.
Shooting
If the Greater Air Elemental has any weakness, then it’s De 4. This makes it susceptible to all forms of ranged attacks, whether or not they have Piercing. While the Greater Air Elemental will usually be in cover – cowering behind a screening unit or lurking in difficult terrain – with Ht 5 it will almost always be within Line of Sight. 24”+ ranged attacks are obviously preferable here, as it means you take shots without being inside of its Charge range. With a -/18 Ne, however, it does take some serious concentration of firepower in order to take it down. In that regard, it’s only worth targeting if you have the potential to Rout it in 1-2 turns.
Surge
The old adage, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” comes to mind when facing a Greater Air Elemental. Having Surge in your army list forces your opponent to play much more cautiously with their Greater Air Elemental. It can also add a certain level of insurance where even if the Greater Air Elemental finds itself wreaking havoc in the middle of your battle line, you have the ability to turn and Surge to pin it in place and/or Rout it.
War Engine Greater Air Elemental Hunter
Back in Second Edition, competitive lists often included three (or more) powerful War Engines. In response, most players included a “War Engine Hunter” in their army. This role would be filled by a fast Individual with a respectable Damage output in Melee. The Shade, the Seductress, the Elven King on Horse with the Shardblade [1], etc. As War Engines mostly fell out of fashion in Third Edition, combined with the new Yielding special rule, so too did many of those Individuals. However, there is a compelling reason to put them back into your list in order to protect your battle line from a Greater Air Elemental. After a Greater Air Elemental has been Charged by an Individual, assuming it does at least one point of Damage, it becomes significantly less of a threat. Without Fly and Nimble it will be hard-pressed to Charge a new target. On the Countercharge, it will be unlikely to Rout the Individual with only 10 Att and Crushing Strength (1). This will give you the opportunity to grind it out or bring in another unit to finish the job.
Target the Surge Caster(s)
Sometimes that Individual you included for pinning the Greater Air Elemental is also well-suited for going after the Surge caster(s). A Seductress won’t do much to a Tree Herder, but she will lay the smackdown on a Druid or Elven Mage. Sometimes your ranged attacks will be better suited to targeting the Surge caster(s). Taking out the Surge Caster(s) can be a difficult task, but absolutely take advantage of that opportunity if it arises.
Make Sure your Battle Line is Airtight (Ba Dum Tss)
Before your battle lines engage, it is imperative that you are intentional and meticulous in your movement phase. Use blocking terrain to anchor your line whenever possible. Keep less than 50mm between your units and keep them in a flush line so as to prevent the Greater Air Elemental from sneaking into a Flank. Use your measuring tape/stick and a blank 50mm to confirm exactly where the Greater Air Elemental(s) could go, and talk this process through with your opponent. Yes, it will eat away at your clock. But, failing to do so can lead to a “gotcha” moment and you will be kicking yourself for it afterward.
Don’t Engage, Play the Scenario
Charging recklessly into the jaws of the enemy is often the worst mistake you can make against the Greater Air Elemental. This will leave your opponent spoiled for choice as to which unit(s) to hit in the Rear and Rout. Advancing intelligently, as outlined above, and then not engaging can sometimes put your opponent in a tough situation.
You see, many of the lists that employ multiple Greater Air Elementals have below average Unit Strength and total number of Scoring units. Take, for example, the lists Bryce Clark and Marc Taylor piloted to third and ninth place, respectively, at the 2022 U.S. Kings of War Masters:
Both of these lists are undoubtedly strong, but Unit Strength 20 and 21 are not impressive. If you only ever allow those units to Charge you in the front, their effectiveness drops significantly. In certain scenarios, though it might be counterintuitive to your approach against other armies, sitting in a “stand-off” while you secure the conditions to win is the best way to go.
If you Choose to Engage, Layer Up
Layering your units vertically, rather than spreading them horizontally in a long battle line, can offer you protection even if/when you choose to engage. Again, this will require you to be intentional and meticulous in your movement phase. Use your measuring tape/stick and that spare 50mm base to ensure there is nowhere the Greater Air Elemental(s) could land in between or behind your units. Again, talk through this process openly with your opponent to avoid miscommunication or contention. This can be accomplished with most armies, but will certainly be easier with a “Horde/Trash” build or an “MSU” build.
Conclusion – Be Willing to Trade
One of my favorite things to do during a game when my opponent realizes they cannot prevent an impending Flank or Rear Surge from my Greater Air Elemental is to solemnly proclaim, “The Greater Air Elemental is inevitable.” Sometimes I even cackle maniacally. Does this make me a bad person?
The truth is, sometimes you can’t prevent the Greater Air Elemental from claiming a victim, but you can choose who that victim will be. As with more traditional hammer units, an effective strategy is to make a favorable trade. Give the Greater Air Elemental(s) a target to Surge into, but make sure you have a unit prepared to Charge the Greater Air Elemental(s) in return. Even if this isn’t a positive trade in terms of points or Unit Strength, it is often worth making simply because the Greater Air Elemental is just that darn good.
