Astride the straits of Lothern stand the three mighty gates that have guarded Ulthuan from invasion for centuries. All ships that attempt to pass within the great port-city must past first beyond the Emerald Gate, a sea-gate of vast proportions which closes off the entirety of the narrow passage between the headlands of Eataine. Beyond this ships sail on through the Sapphire gate, a second and even mightier sea-gate. Beyond these lies the Ruby gate through none but the Elves may pass.
The defenders of these gates are staunch and implacable in the face of any invader whether from the sea or across the land. Most would be attackers never make it as far as the shore, more commonly their vessels are torn apart by the massed war engines on the city’s gates as they approach. Very occasionally an enemy has passed beyond the towers and brought itself to bear upon the shore of Lothern. None have ever brought down the gates and so the invading crews disembark and hurry up the rocky beaches attempting to overrun the heathered plains that cover much of Eataine. At other times the survivors of some wrecked ship land rafts and boats upon the beaches in a vain effort to enter the city by force. As the would be conquerors surge from their vessels the Sea Guard of Lothern stand firm and resolute before them, arrayed in vast battle lines across the length of the shore.
1 MASTER OF THE GATES
The legions of the Sea Guard are commanded by the Masters of the Gates. In peace time it is the duty of these Elves to oversee all entry into the city and ensure a reliable watch is kept upon the gates themselves. In times of need it is the Masters of the Gates who lead the Sea Guard to battle as they drive the invaders from their homeland. The Master of the Gates is an Elf lord armed and equipped as normal. He fights on foot and may not be mounted.
0-3 WARDENS
Subordinate to the Masters of the Gates are the Wardens, each of whom attends to his allotted section of the gates or else patrols the port itself. It is the duty of the Wardens to ensure the Sea Guard are ready for duty and it is they that must raise the alarm when circumstances necessitate it. Wardens are High Elf heroes chosen in the normal manner. They fight on foot and may not be mounted.
Special Rules: Wardens must always lead units of Sea Guard and may never leave them. In addition Wardens are supremely skilled at marshalling their forces and so count as a musician, therefore allowing the unit they accompany to reform and so on.
CHAMPIONS
The Sea Guard are rightly famed for their skill at arms, and amongst their number are found many able warriors. Any unit of Sea Guard may include a champion selected in the normal manner.
MAGES
The army may include up to 1 Mage for every complete 1,000 points the army contains. The magic level of any given mage may not exceed the number of units of Lothern Sea Guard included in the army. So, for example, if you army contained 3 units of Sea Guard it could include Mages up to magic level 3 and so on.
0-1 Regiment of GATEKEEPERS OF THE RUBY GATE
If your army is worth 3,000 or more points in total it may include a single regiment of the Gatekeepers of the Ruby Gate, the last and strongest line of defence against invasion. It is they who permanently man the Ruby Gate and ensure that no non-Elf ever passes beyond to the Inner Sea. The Gatekeepers are an elite unit which may not exceed in number the size of any units of Lothern Sea Guard in the army. The regiment is described at the end of this list.
0-1 Regiment of GATEKEEPERS OF THE SAPPHIRE GATE
If your army is worth 2,000 or more points in total it may include a single regiment of the Gatekeepers of the Sapphire Gate, the elite force dedicated exclusively to guarding the Sapphire gate of Lothern, second of the mighty sea-gates that barr entry to the city. The Gatekeepers are an elite unit which may not exceed in number the size of any units of Lothern Sea Guard in the army. The Gatekeepers of the Sapphire Gate are described at the end of this list.
0-1 Regiment of GATEKEEPERS OF THE EMERALD GATE
If your army is worth at least 1,000 points it may include a single regiment of the Gatekeepers of the Emerald gate which may not exceed in number the size of any unit of Lothern Sea Guard in the army. The Keepers of the Emerald Gate are the first and foremost of Lothern’s defenders and as such must maintain a constant vigil against all danger. The Gatekeepers are selected as a normal regiment of Lothern Sea Guard at a cost of 22 points per model. The regiment is armed with halberds, shields, light armour and longbows.
3+ SEA GUARD OF LOTHERN
Your army must include at least 3 units of Lothern Sea Guard. At least half the regiments in the army must be Lothern Sea Guard chosen in the normal manner.
ELVEN ARCHERS & SPEARMEN
The army may include up to 1 unit of Elven Archers or Spearmen for every unit of Lothern Sea Guard it contains. Regiments of Elven Archers and Spearmen are not permitted to include Champions or other characters.
0-1 COASTAL PATROL
Your army may include a single Coastal Patrol, the highly trained horsemen given over to routinely scouring the barren coasts outside the city walls of Lothern. The unit is selected as a unit of Ellyrian Reavers. The unit may include a champion, who may be mounted or may ride in a chariot which must remain in skirmish formation with the unit.
REPEATER BOLT THROWERS
The shores of Eataine are littered with batteries of deadly bolt throwers and other engines of war with which the High Elves so devastatingly bombard approaching enemy. When called to fight on foot the Sea Guard will frequently bring with them the favoured Repeater Bolt Throwers. Up to 1 Bolt Thrower in every 3 may be equipped with an Eagle’s Claw at a cost of +5 points per model which increases their range to 60”. When firing at less than half range Eagle Claws gain a +1 bonus to their strength.
SPECIAL CHARACTERS
The army described here is specific to Lothern and so the special characters from Warhammer Armies: High Elves are not really appropriate for inclusion. Special characters related to Lothern, such as the Keeper of the Glittering Tower or the Captain of the Sea Guard, may be included in place of the appropriate characters in the above list.
ADDITIONAL TROOPS
Your army may include a single regiment of White Lions, Phoenix Guard or Silver Helms chosen in the normal manner. Note: You may only include one of these regiments, not one of each.
SPECIAL RULES
“Yield No Quarter!”
The Sea Guard are the most staunch defenders of Ulthaun and will never retreat from the field lest the enemy be permitted to breach the gates. For this reason Sea Guard (including Gatekeeper units) always make break tests against their unmodified Ld when beaten in combat. They suffer no penalty for difference or combat scores or suchlike.
"Fight them on the Beaches"
The Sea Guard have fought almost all the pitched battles in their history upon the shores of their homeland of Eataine. The Sea Guard in waiting as their foes cascade up the beaches and so the See Guard army must always deploy first. The invaders have the first turn, but may not march or charge in their first turn as they struggle through the shallows and across the rocky shores towards Lothern.
GATEKEEPERS
| Keepers of the Sapphire Gate | 19 points per model |
| Keepers of the Ruby Gate | 23 points per model |
Your army may include the elite Gatekeeper regiments as noted in the list above. Gatekeepers have the following profile:
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
| Sapphire Gate | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 8 |
| Ruby Gate | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 8 |
Equipment: Keepers of the Sapphire Gate are armed with halberds and
wear heavy armour. They carry shields.
Keepers of the Ruby Gate are armed with double handed axes and wear heavy armour. They
carry shields.
Options: Any of the Gatekeeper units may carry a magic standard. If you choose to do so they will always carry the standard appropriate to their status:
Emerald Standard of Lothern................15 points
A unit carrying the Emerald Standard of Lothern may only choose to stand and fight when charged. However such is the unit’s stubborn resilience that they cannot be broken in the first round of any combat and need not make a break test even if beaten.
Sapphire Standard of Lothern..................20 points
A unit carrying the Sapphire Standard stands so implacably against its foe that the regiment automaticaly rallies immediately after fleeing for any reason. It will make a single flee move then regroups instantly and may move from next turn onwards as normal. The unit is still destroyed if caught while fleeing from combat.
Ruby Standard of Lothern..................30 points
A unit carrying the Ruby Standard of Lothern remain intent upon driving all foes from their shores and will never budge an inch while the enemy continues to approach. A unit carrying the Ruby standard will not flee if beaten in hand to hand combat, but instead will be forced back 6”. The enemy unit may pursue as normal but not will destroy the Gatekeepers if it catches them. Instead the enemy charge the unit and combat is fought again next turn as normal. If the enemy unit does not pursue or fails to reach the Gatekeepers they may move as wish from next turn onwards.
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