Most human wizards take on an apprentice as they get older - someone to undertake the more laborious and dangerous tasks that the practice of magic inevitably involves. These apprentices are carefully chosen and trained in the arcane arts so that they may eventually become wizards in their own right.

In the case of the Light College, however, things are done a little differently. Light Magic is extremely thin and diffuse, and is notoriously difficult to concentrate into a form which can be controlled. This means that Light wizards must master many difficult rituals in order to channel magic energy into their spells. To compensate for this the College has many Acolytes whose incantations draw the Light Magic together and concentrate it in one place. The Light Wizards select only the most promising Acolytes to train as apprentices.

In battle a Light wizard may be accompanied by a group of five Acolytes whose function is to gather Light Magic forces by means of incantation. The Acolytes are always grouped into a special mystical formation, a pyramid or triangular shape with the Light Wizard at its tip. At the start of the battle these Acolytes are arranged behind their master, two directly behind the wizard, and three directly behind them, forming a triangular shape or wedge with the wizard in front.

So long as this formation is maintained the Light wizard may draw one extra magic card from the deck after the Winds of Magic have been dealt. This card can be used by any wizard on that side in the usual way, and represents the additional energy drawn from the Winds of Magic by the chanting Acolytes.

If the Acolytes' formation is broken due to casualties, then the incantations of the remaining Acolytes are to no avail; no additional Magic Card is taken. If the formation is changed because of, for example, hand to hand fighting or terrain, then no extra card is taken until the normal formation is resumed.

The Acolytes always move with their wizard. This prevents the wizard moving on his own as an individual and it also prevents him joining other units. In effect, the Light wizard becomes the leader of a small unit. Should the wizard be slain, magically moved, or otherwise separated from his Acolytes, then the Acolytes will continue to fight as a small unit of troops. The unit may change from triangular formation to any other formation, including a single or double line, taking half their movement to do so.

The same penalty applies when the unit wishes to resume its triangular formation. The wizard is always positioned in the centre front of the unit in the same way as a normal leader. Once in hand to hand combat Acolytes may lap round from rear ranks in the same way as ordinary troops, see the Warhammer rulebook for details.

There are several advantages to taking Acolytes in addition to the obvious benefit of drawing one extra magic card. Their presence shelters the wizard from bowfire in the same way as any other character who forms part of a unit (see the Warhammer rulebook). This means that any foe wishing to shoot at the wizard and his Acolytes must shoot at the Acolytes so long as all five are still alive. If Acolytes are slain so that there are no longer five, the Wizard still benefits because any missile hits on the unit will be randomised between him and the surviving Acolytes.

If any Acolytes are slain the remaining individuals can form a bodyguard. In hand to hand fighting the Acolytes are not particularly powerful, but still give their wizard an extra edge that can make all the difference.

Acolytes have normal human characteristics - they are not yet sufficiently advanced along the path of arcane study to warrant the characteristic bonuses associated with wizards and other characters. Acolytes come equipped with a hand weapon.

Points value: 25 for 5 models.