The Realm of the Wood Elves is a DLC expansion pack for the real-time strategy wargame Total War: Warhammer. The DLC adds the Wood Elves as a playable faction in two campaign storylines – The Old World and Mortal Empires – as well as a special mini-campaign, The Season of Revelation.  Aside from the faction, TRotWE adds a new currency, new victory conditions, playable lords, maps and more. Expansion received positive notes from the critics, who praised the army roster of the Wood Elves, unique gameplay mechanics of the new race and more.

New race – new gameplay mechanics

The Wood Elves – the new race introduced in the DLC – feature unique units and abilities. The core of their army is made of fragile yet powerful infantry, supported by cavalry charges of mounted warriors. Their archers possess great accuracy and range of fire, keeping the enemy forces at bay. TRotWE adds two new legendary Lords – Orion, the King of Athel Loren, and Durthu, a Treeman Elder. 

Amber, the Wood Elves’ currency, can be spent on summoning woodland monsters to fight. It also provides additional in-game bonuses.  The new settlements include the Oak of Ages, which provides buffs to an entire faction. Should it be destroyed in battle, the player immediately loses. 

The other new force introduced in the DLC are the Argwylon. A sub-faction of the Wood Elves, these units are masters of the forest spirits and use various monsters in battle. Just like their core faction, they rely on Amber for summoning and other purposes.  The settlements and the importance of the Oak of Ages remain the same as for the Wood Elves.

Elven tales

The Realm of the Wood Elves introduces the race into the storyline, making them a playable faction in The Old World and Mortal Empires campaigns. The DLC adds another special campaign, The Season of Revelation, which focuses solely on the Wood Elves and their sub-faction, the Argwylon. The campaign goals include creating and sustaining the Oak of Ages settlement and winning the battle at the Silver Spire.  

Reception

TRotWE received positive reviews from the critics, who noted the excellent mechanics of the new playable race. The critics praised the roster of units of the faction and the changes they introduced to the gameplay.

Key features:

• New race! The Wood Elves introduce a breath of fresh air into Total War: Warhammer’s gameplay.
• New factions! The Wood Elves and their sub-faction, the Argwylon, each possess unique and interesting features.
• New units! Take on the enemy armies with Elven ground units, archers and cavalry, or spend precious Amber to summon unique monsters.
• New Legendary Lords! Orion and Durthu are powerful and may tip the scale of battle in the players’ favor.
• New campaign scenarios! Use the forces of the Wood Elves in the main campaign or play through a storyline dedicated solely to them.