To outsiders, the forest realm of Athel Loren is a brooding and malicious place. The creak and groan of living wood echoes from its dim interior, the canopy seems to absorb all light, and half-seen spirits dart between the twilit bowers. To enter is to place your fate in their hands.

Campaign playstyle

The Wood Elves campaign offers a uniquely different campaign experience to the other playable races of Total War: WARHAMMER. Their major infrastructure is housed in the Wood Elf settlements of Athel Loren, though they are capable of expanding outwards, capturing settlements and building limited outposts, known as Asrai Lookouts, in their stead. The heart of the campaign is The Great Oak, a unique 5-tier building related to the new Wonder victory condition.

The Oak of Ages

The vast, ancient bowers of The Oak of Ages mark the spiritual heart of Athel Loren and the source of its sacred power. In the Grand Campaign, The Oak of Ages is a unique 5-tier Wonder building sited in Athel Loren which the player must grow over the course of the campaign. As the Wood Elf player advances it to each new tier, they will receive increasing bonuses to their campaign.

Wood Elf Settlements and Outposts

The Wood Elves are capable of capturing any province in The Old World, regardless of its race origin. However, these settlement locations can only ever house Asrai Lookouts with very limited building options, turning them into army replenishment stops, recruitment stations (with access to the global recruitment pool but at local recruitment pricing), or as centres to exploit any regional trade resources. Major building chains will need to be built in the regions of Athel Loren itself, the only true home of the Wood Elves. Settlements in Athel Loren have 10 building slots, providing space to explore the Wood Elves’ extensive building trees.

Wood Elves infrastructure

The Wood Elves have unique tech trees and buildings, and as a highly developed and somewhat aristocratic race, the Wood Elf Council presides over matters social and military. This Council has a number of Offices to which characters may be appointed, and is subtly connected to the Wood Elves’ infrastructure. Certain buildings unlock Offices for example: if the Wild Heath building is unlocked in the tech tree, it can be built in a settlement, thereby unlocking the Herald Of The Hunt office. If one of the player’s Lords is appointed to this role, he will periodically call a Wild Hunt. This gives the Herald and his army a series of very significant bonuses for the turns in which the Wild Hunt event is active, heightening their marshal prowess and encouraging aggressive actions. Players are advised to explore these interconnections in order to get the most out of their Wood Elf campaigns.