Silvermoon military question

[requiem225]

I have another question concerning Blood Elves... I have so many

I'm working on a character profile and wanted to know if the Blood Elves have a a standing military lore wise, or if they really only have the Blood Knights, City Guard, and Rangers/farstriders.

It would seem odd to me that they wouldn't but can't argue with lore if they don't.

[Terant]

As far as I'm aware, the Rangers are their standing army and have been for quite some time. They've never had need for large numbers of expendable soldiers; humans always filled that role until recently.

[requiem225]

As far as I'm aware, the Rangers are their standing army

If you can call the Rangers a "Standing Army"

[Xigo]

I'll agree with Terant here. Keep in mind, the only real foe the elves had to face were trolls until recently. All they needed were rangers to keep them at bay, and patrol the woods.

[McKnighter]

There's also some form of navy, as we see Sin'dorei ships from time to time. It seems more like privateers hired by the Kingdom to patrol their waters and ensure trade routes are secured.

[requiem225]

I would be inclined to agree but, based on the WoW-wiki, lore would elude to a greater military force.

"The unique title of ranger-general of Silvermoon. . . is given to the commander of the Farstriders .[3] The ranger-general is also the commander of all of Quel'Thalas' military forces."

This suggests that there may be some formal military of the Blood Elves, no matter how small.

[Sol]

The only real military organisations they had until recently were the Spellbreakers (who were more of a militant arm of the Magisterium than an army unto themselves) and the Farstriders, or Elven Rangers. The Farstriders were substantially thinned by the Third War, and the Spellbreakers were all but wiped out (although the city guard seems to use their techniques), and the Blood Knights soon rose up. Elven tactics don't lend themselves to stand-up fights and pitched battles, so the emergence of the Blood Knights - largely plate-wearing infantry - is probably a new and unusual thing for them.

But yeah, they don't have a 'standing army' in any sense, just a heap of irregular rangers, a knightly order, and the remnants of the Magisterium's military arm. As McKnighter says, they may have a navy, but I don't think they're a very substantial force. (Besides, the look of the blood elf ships we see in-game, they're probably supposed to be steered magically more than anything else.)

EDIT:

I would be inclined to agree but, based on the WoW-wiki, lore would elude to a greater military force.

"The unique title of ranger-general of Silvermoon. . . is given to the commander of the Farstriders .[3] The ranger-general is also the commander of all of Quel'Thalas' military forces."

This suggests that there may be some formal military of the Blood Elves, no matter how small.

I think that just means that the Ranger-General has command over the Blood Knights, the Spellbreakers, and warmages contributed by the Magisters in times of war. Elves inherently base their warfare on the assumption that they're smarter and faster than the other guys, and having a standing army of standard grunts in plate with swords and shields, as humans do, isn't particularly smart or fast.

[Grakor456]

The blood elves did have their own version of footmen during their campaign in Frozen Throne, they just weren't very good. Presumably the belves don't recruit many simple warriors because it doesn't fit into their particular strengths (being speed and an affinity for magic) so their primary standing army would consist primarily of archers, much like the nelven military.

[flammos200]

The blood elves did have their own version of footmen during their campaign in Frozen Throne, they just weren't very good. Presumably the belves don't recruit many simple warriors because it doesn't fit into their particular strengths (being speed and an affinity for magic) so their primary standing army would consist primarily of archers, much like the nelven military.

Actually! I've got a bit more info on that.

Apparently, so many Warriors(The footmen-like elves) died in the Third War, that they became too few to represent in WoW. Which is why only after their numbers grow are they playable again(in Cata). That's how the devs explained adding Warriors to Blood Elves come Cataclysm - the Warriors regrouped and generally grew in number.

[Holynexus]

If Blood Elven army had been more coordinated maybe they would have repelled Arthas..then again I only see the Rangers (Farstriders too maybe, or am I speaking of the same thing twice?) as being part of a standing army. However it's complicated, what with the military arm of the Magistraerum and BKs and all..can't they just all unite under one banner? Or do they have specific roles for each?

[flammos200]

It's just like with the NElves. Priestesses - Magisters. Sentinels - Blood Knights. Cenarions - Farstriders.

Just like in Kaldorei society with the Druids, Farstriders are not an official part of Silvermoon's military(Which is funny because they are the Elven Ranger Corps.). They're basically a PMC, in modern-day terms.

The Farstriders like things done the old-fashioned way, and go by more natural paths. This puts them at odds with the Magisters who overuse magic in their opinion, and with some of the Blood Knights, who they've been peeved at for stealing Light from a Naaru.

Their feud with the Blood Knights is well known, though the Farstriders also seem at odds with several of the Magisters.

Also, there were no Blood Knights prior to the Siege, and few Paladins. They did have Priests, tho', as well as Magisters and Farstriders. The problem was not the Scourge's numbers per se, but Dar'khan Drathir, the traitor. He's the real reason for which Quel'thalas fell.

If a real military force would be comprised, you'd have Farstriders and Blood Knights in melee and at range, with Magisters raining down the heavy artillery. /shrug. And Priests to provide on-the-field healing. As it stands, though, the Farstriders currently are ever-watchful against the Trolls(any Trolls, until Cata when they ally with the Darkspears and the Silver Covenant), the Blood Knights're Knights of the Silver Hand with extra pointy ears and the Magisters are waning in power, but still clinging to it with all they can muster.