DARK ELFTactics

Basic tactics

Firstly don’t forget to use eternal hatred. Many battles have been lost due to the fact that players have forgotten to use hatred. Being able to reroll all faieled to hit rolls in close combat is almost priceless. This is especially true for uits with killing blow. Re-rolling failed rolls means more chance for sixes.

Also dark elves are quite fast, they can’t run circles around the enemy but they still have some extra movement.

While most dark elves are quite skilled compared to normal men they lack the defences of other races. Because of this they are particularly vulnerable to template weapons (though not as vulnerable as the wimpy high elves). It is worth giving all your units as much armour save as possible.

Magic is essential to dark elves. Their wizards are literally living artillery. But a word of warning, miscasts are especially deadly, to lessen the effects keep your wizard out of other units and hope you roll a seven. Soul stealer is a really powerful spell. It can grant the wizard up to double their wounds and is especially deadly on hoard armies (skaven and gobos).

Here are a few tips I have learnt. Don’t vs. gun lines, dark elves are really susceptible to gun lines, most warriors have their armour obliterated from strength 4 armour piercing bullets. If you are unfortunate to have a friend that uses gun lines at you try to screen your units and send harpies to dispatch war machines and capture fleeing troops. Never spend tons of points on heroes, a good cannon shot is perfect for killing a points heavy dread lord. And finally include lots of core units. Fully upgraded black ark corsairs are almost as good as som special troops.

Specific units

Warriors

Warriors are the back bone of your army. They excel in close combat and their repeater crossbows are deadly to even armoured dwarves. It’s worth mentioning always give them shields if you can afford it. 5+ armour save is twice as good as the normal 6+.

Pros

Cheap and easy to use. Good at shooting. Obvious sacrificial dagger fodder.

Cons

Crossbow men do cost quite a bit if you have an army full of them. Easily killed. Probably going to die

Corsairs.

Black ark corsairs are deadly in close combat if you give them and extra hand weapon and nit to bad at shooting if you give them a hand bow, they have 4+ armour save against shooting and can be given the sea serpent banner to give them frenzy. One word of warning it is a waste to make them into a horde because they lose lot’s of supporting attacks. On the other hand a hoard of thirty corsairs with the sea serpent banner and full command can dish out 51 ws4 s3 attacks a turn. Combine that with killing blow from the cauldron of blood and let the slaughter begin. muahahahah

Pros

Will kill most things.

Cons

Will get killed by everything else and quite expansive.

Black guard.

Black guard are really strong fighters with approximately 16 ws5 s5 attacks. Unfortunately they have a maximum of twenty troops per unit not only does this make them horrible hoard troops but it means that they can’t be given really large numbers to survive a firing line.

Pros

Strong and skilled. Will kill most core and some special. Can be upgraded with Kouran. Immune to psychology means that they will fight until the last man (or elf) is dead.

Cons

High price. Bad horde unit. Bad armour saves. Cannon fodder

Executioners

Basically the image of executioners is not fanatic butchers but guys who just kill swiftly and quickly on one shot. They have great weapons so you can make them strength six (use hand weapons for enemies with lower initiative but use great weapons against enemies that always strike first, are heavily armoured or also have great weapons). Executioners have killing blow so they are epic general hunters. Charge a unit of executioners at a lone general (human sized) and roll a six to wound. Their low armour is a worry so give them the blood shield blessing from the cauldron of blood or the glittering robe spell. Another

thing to mention these guys would be great on a horde. All six to wounds automatically kill and if they don’t they reduce armour save by three. Deadly

Pros

Awesome horde. General killers, cut through vampire lords like a hot knife through butter. tullaris upgrade :D

Cons

A bit pricey. Low armour. As much cannon fodder as a big pink sign that says “shoot me”

Witch elves

If you want to kill a hoard and anything else for that matter send in witch elves. They have tons of attacks that wound on 6+ and can be upgraded with gifts of khaine. Sent them to kill anything that has low armour save. I’m thinking beast men, marauders and the odd giant or three.

Pros

Tons of attacks. Tons of poisoned attacks. A unit of ten could deal out 21 attacks a turn. Cost about as much as black ark corsairs

Cons

No armour and definite cannon fodder

Cold one knights

At the price of an arm and a leg these guys would kill heaps. Get ten and a dread lord and m0ost monster riding generals will rust their armour in fear. It is a good idea to give them pearl of infinite bleakness to get rod of stupidity and bless them with the cauldron of blood and they are really deadly cast okhams mind razor and they become the ultimate dragon killer (plus if they charged that turn their lances make them strength ten.

Pros

Really strong. Affordable compared to other special cavalry

Cons

Not as good as other special cavalry. Will drop like flies when facing war machines and template weapons.

Cauldron of blood

Yup it’s a big pot of blood. And not just that it’s magical. It has the most powerful crew known and can bless other units with special abilities. Imagine a unit of witch elves with 5+ ward save or a horde of frenzied black ark corsairs with killing blow. Basically it will weaken your units’ weaknesses or strengthen their strengths. Have two and you can do it twice each turn.

Pros

Hard to kill and strengthens allies

Cons

Name one

Harpies

Easily said use these to kill war machine crews and catch fleeing enemies. Nothing more

Pros

Fast . very fast

Cons

Weak. Very weak

Dark riders

These guys will reach the enemy at least a turn before the rest of your army. use them to kill small units and perform flank attacks. You should also always shoot if you can. And it’s a good idea to give them shields.

Pros

Fast. Can shoot. Good skirmishers. Core units

Cons

About as expansive as cold one knights when upgraded. Points better spent on something else

Hydra

It’s a dragon,

No it’s a daemon

No its … AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!. Yup that is the last thing someone says when they see a hydra. The hydra will smash through tons of troops before dying. It has tons of attacks high strength and toughness. Five wounds. good armour save and regeneration. Causes terror and benefits from hatred. And now for the final drop dead feature. It only costs 175 points. One of these bad puppies (well more of a hell hound than a puppy) can even stand it’s ground against a high elf prince on a star dragon. So Imagine having two of them.

Pros

Will kill anything. Cheap as dirt

Cons

Everything fodder :P

Reaper bolt thrower

It is a giant crossbow and it shoots giant bolts. It can cause giant amounts of damage and you can get a gigantic two for one rare choice. Aim these at monsters or use the multi fire to kill off cavalry.

Pros

Good range and power. Negates armour save

Cons

Expansive for what they do

Malekith

This guy is the Darth Vader of Warhammer. He has black armour welded to his body (like Vader), he has a cool sword (like Vader), he uses magic (like Vaders force), he used to be a high elf (Vader used to be a jedi), and if he suddenly turns good and destroys all the dark elves I will eat my Warhammer army. Despite this he is an epic lord hunter. He is arguably one of the best all rounders in the game. Also one of the most expansive in the game. I would be advised you to only use him if you are playing super high point battles.

Pros

Kill anything. Hard to kill (unlike everything else in the book)

Cons

Costs enough to cause another global financial crisis. Will draw everything (although this does have the benefit of protecting the rest of your army(

Morathi

Morathi is pretty much the oldest elf in the world. She is the mother of the witch kin and she doesn’t look a decade over 300. She is the most powerful sorceress in the army she is not that bad in combat and her beauty occasionally lowers the opponents WS. It is recommended to use her to obliterate the enemy by casting a barrage of spells. By casting soul stealer anddark magic Morathi gains tons of W and lot’s of power dice.

pros

Good wizard and not that bad in combat if you cast soul stealer each turn Morathi is really hard to kill

Cons

If your opponent concentrates all their fire on her in their first turn she will most likely die L

Malus Darkblade

Malus is another of the really powerful characters that will destroy tons of enemies. If you use the power of tzarkin on him he becomes almost as strong as the witch king. (4 ws7 s5 attacks with no armour saves and he has toughness 5) but be careful because he might destroy a unit of your cold one knights.

Pros

Strong and tough when you give him the power of tzarkin. Cheap for what he can do

Cons

Has only two wounds. Can kill your own units.

Crone hellebron

She is the ultimate glass cannon. She has 6 ws7 s1 attacks and can ride a manticore. Place her in a unit of witch elves and watch the carnage begin. She has heaps of special abilities and makes all witch elves core units if he is the general. Yu can also put her with a cauldron of blood for a mega killing and blessing frenzy.

Pros

Strong attack. Only way to have a 100% kainite army

Cons

No defence, no defence and oh yea, no defence

As you can see the dark elves have heaps of potential and are arguably one of the best armies on the game. To those who play dark elves may the lord of murder be with you and those who don’t. I hope you keep rolling 1’s and misfires