Tactics for Dark Elves
Written by Tuomas Pirinen (Yes the bloke from White Dwarf)
The eyes of the Witch King Blazed with white-hot flames. The Dark Elf Lords that had gathered before him trembled in fear, for they knew their master well. Few survived his displeasure, and none his wrath.
"I have created massive change in the Cosmic Balance." hissed Malekith the Lord of North. "We are stronger than ever before. And yet you bring me reports of failures! Defeats! Humiliations!"
"This shall be your reward." snarled the Witch King. Several Assassins leapt from their hiding places, weapons raised."
I can explain their errors." Said a calm voice.
All eyes turned to the great archway which led to the Throne Room. A lone figure, hooded and robed, stood there, his hand resting on a hilt of an ancient longsword. For a moment there was a silence. Then the Lord of Gallows, Malekith, said "Speak."
Dark Elves are in many respects the best elves you can get. They have frenzied troops, (high WS+Many attacks=good combo) excellent special units and a good mixture of equipment and steeds. As your general Dark Elf goes: 8 points, Hatred against High Elves and an Obedience test when there are High Elves on the field. Remember that the Goblins fear your elves unless they outnumber you 2:1. Useful for DEs, since their infantry regiments tend to be rather large.
Dark Elf General
Normally the General of the army is amongst the most fearsome H-T-H fighters the list can
offer, but with Witch Elf Heroes and quite a few special Charaters plus exceedingly
powerful monsters, a Dark Elf Lord is in my eyes a leader: LD 10 + 3 Magic Items chosen
carefully, combined with thoughtful positioning and the 12" range of LD give the DE
army the backbone and resilience their low T otherwise prohibits. A good combo of items
for a defensive Dark Elf General might include: the Crown of Command, Sword of Fortitude
and the Horn of Urgok. Then again you can do the regular thing: give him a Magic Weapon,
Armour and some kind of protection form magic and Monster. Very original, isn't it?
Dark Elf Battle Standard
I sometimes wonder how any Elf will volunteer to carry the BattleStandard. T 3, 1 W and
the unhealthy attention the enemy show toward this unfortunate individual are a nasty
combo. I use him / her to give some unit two magic standards and try to protect him from
any missile fire and spells. For inside units only.
Dark Elf Heroes
Standard Elven Stuff. LD 9 is good for leading units, but 3 A is not that much in todays
average WH field. I use them to carry items that help my units, like the Ruby Chalice. I
must say that I greatly prefer the Witch Elf Heroes.
Dark Elf Champions
As with any army, Champions are compulsory characters for each H-T-H unit. The other
option is to save a few points and use Assassins in infantry regiments instead of
Champions. Free choice of equipment, poisoned weapons, great in H-T-H, and a special
method of attacking. And they cost only 8 points more.
Witch Elf Characters
All the adavantages of the regular Characters, plus frenzy and poisoned weapons. How can
you go wrong here?
I see Witch Elf Heroes as your main H-T-H fighters. Remember that all their attacks have +1 on their S. Imagine a hero with a halberd... Give them something that emphasizes their greatest advantage: multiple attacks: Good choises include the Destroyer, anything that raises Strength, Dragon Blade, Strength potion and a Multi-Wound causing weapon. For an Ultimate Infantry Killer, mount her on a War Hydra and buy an allied regiment on 40 mm bases to give some protection from missiles. Just be sure that somebody else fights the challenges.
When part of a Cold One regiment, consider giving them a Dark Steed instead. Higher speed may give your opponent some nasty surprises if you declare independent charges. Let's you get into frenzy a bit earlier, also.
Sorcerers
Expensive Elf Sorcerers with a Special rule for drawing Dark Magic first. As if somebody
wanted it anyways... Dark Magic is not the thing that can win this game for you. The
spells are expensive to cast, and while destructive, not especially powerful when compared
to other spells of similar cost. I urge you to take Book of Ashur: It will allow you to
use far better spells. I personally favour Grey, Tzeentch and (believe it or not) High
Magic. Crown of Sorcery is also a good buy for some of your Characters,as you really need
to broaden your choice of spells somehow. The Ring of Volans is also good, if somewhat
risky. I always take allied wizards if possible. These guys simply cost too much when
compared to their effectiveness.
Assassins
My alternative to the regular Dark Elf Champions. Only a few points more, free choice of
equipment, poisoned weapons, disguise and first strike. And they are compulsory in my eyes
for each and every infantry regiment that is going to melee. Give them all kinds of
equipment, some suitable magic item (like a Strength potion) and a couple of different
weapons (Halberds against high T opponents, additional Hand Weapons against Skaven and the
like.)
Their BS 9 means they will hit (almost) always, so buy repeater crossbows for them.
The Black Gem of Gnar is also an excellent choice for them, since they can pretty much choose their opponents.
Cold One Knights
It seems that the gyms of the Naggarond are closed and thus you have your basic Elven
Knights: WS 5 and I 7. No more S 4. Cold Ones, on the other hand, are harder than ever
with their increased armour save (no barding to slow these guys down!). S 4 and 2 A of the
Cold Ones put them to the Heavy cavalry category in my eyes.
Weaknesses:
Relatively high point cost, though every point is usually well used. T 3 and 1 W mean that
if they are not getting their (very respectable) Armour Save, you are going to see some
dead elves. Stupidity. Spells that ignore armour.
Uses:
I use two kinds of Cold One units: Support units and Chargers. The Support units are used
in the same way as trolls: they move fast and increase the Combat resolution. A small unit
(5-7) Cold Ones with a Champion and a Standard can support your infantry very well, as
long as the footsloggers provide the Rank Bonus, these guys will inflict the wounds. These
units are relatively cheap and will draw much fire from your main units.
Chargers are an entirely different affair: 10+ Cold Ones, with Battle Banner / Blood Banner / Banner of Might, accompanied by a Champion and a couple of primed Witch Elf Heroines. Any army with basic T of 3 is virtually defenseless against them. Expensive.
Remember that their effective M 7 means 3D6" when pursuing (or fleeing!)
Dark Riders
The best light cavalry unit by far, Dark Riders can Skirmish, get a free march
move, are Fast Cavalry, can Move and Shoot without penalty, and can Fire and Flee on top
of it!
Weaknesses:
Spells, very accurate bowfire and tough H-T-H fighters are their doom. But these can be
dealt with. Even though they get all their special rules for just 1 point, they are still
expensive troops.
Uses:
As a missile screen, you could give their champion the Ruby Chalice, making hitting them
with bows / Bolt Throwers almost impossible. Anything advancing behind them is quite safe
from any normal missile fire.They can also be bought spears and used as a non-skirmishing
unit to charge enemy archers ASAP. Their free march move allows them to charge the enemy
on turn 1! Also, small units can be used to race towards enemy lines, harrass lightly
armoured troops with their Repeating Crossbows and stop any enemy attempts to make march
moves.
I do not deploy my Dark Riders on the extreme flanks as the Dark Elf army book suggests. It is far too easy to lose them if they are forced to flee. Unit sizes vary from 5 to 12.
Executioners
WS 5, S 4, heavy armour, D3 W per hit and 2-h weapons. They hit very, very hard, but they
hit last. A difficult choice. If you take them, include Tullaris also.
Weaknesses
Very expensive. Highly Specialised. Assault troops will cut them down before they can
strike back. Low T.
Uses
Almost any other troops with 2-h weapons are easy prey for them because their high I
allows them to strike before other troops with such weapons.
Chaos Dwarf armies are usually armed with 2-h weapons more than anybody else (Chaos Dwarf Axemen and Bull Centaurs) and besides, the Bull Centaurs got 2 W, so the Executioners are good troops against them: High S negates the good T and armour saves of the Big Hats. The Dragon Ogres with multiple wounds are also a good prey if and only if they have 2-h weapons.
Heed me well: against troops with fast and good Shock Troops like the Savage Orc Boar Boyz, they will be cut down before they get a chance to fight back. Think very carefully whether you really need these very expensive and highly specialiced troops.
When you take them, give them the Standard of Shielding. This gives them 4+ save (of which 6+ is UM), and consider Banner of Might also. Becauseof their ability to cause multiple wounds, monsters and other creatures with multiple wounds should be their targets. Also, they can be used as guardians for defended obstacles. Since your enemy can hit you only with 6's, you can strike back with relative impunity.
Black Guard of Naggaroth The clone-warriors of the Phoenix Guard, troops with heavy armour, halberds and WS 5+ I 7.
Weaknesses
They are not actually bad troops, but you pay far too many points when compared to their
usefullness. S3, even with halberds just doesn't cut it today on the WFB field.
Uses
Against foes with WS 2 or lower, as these can hit the Black Guard only with 5+. Against
High Elves and medium infantry. I'll be honest with you: I don't use them. You can have
Witch Elves for 12 points per model. Why should you buy 15-point Black Guard?
Dark Elf Crossbowmen
Dark Elves with the much-vaunted Repeater Crossbows and light armour.
Weaknesses
The regulations of Naggaroth order every elf with a Crossbow to wear light armour. Mighty
fine, but that is 2 points wasted for each model. The Repeater Crossbow has S of only 3
and range of 24" inches. With their special rules they are not bad weapons, but pure
archer units are defensive weapons, and 24" range is not enough for this role. No
H-T-H ability. Surprise Suprise.
Uses
I must say that I personally never field them: I can get City Guard, Black Ark Corsairs,
Scouts and Repeater Bolt Throwers, easily more effective and useful missile troops.
Dark Elf Warriors
Well, every army must have one or two of these regiments. Basic elves, hand weapons, light
armour, option for shields. There is absolutely nothing unique about them.
Weaknesses
T 3, S 3, low armour save, no real options, high point cost.
Uses
They enable you to field 2 Repeater Bolt Throwers for each regiment over 10 models strong.
May be used as a missile screen if you are not allowed to field allies, as they are your
cheapest regiment. If you want my advice (if not, why are you reading this?): Leave them
home.
Dark Elf City Guard
Mixed ranks, spears, Repeater Crossbows, option to raise the armour save to 5+. An
economical defensive unit: both spears and repeater crossbows (despite their short range)
are good when defending against T 3 low Armour Save troops.
Weaknesses
S 3, T 3 are not good news, and neither is the high elven point cost.
Uses
As basic infantry that can both shoot and fight againts weaker regiments.
I generally field a unit with four ranks, deployed on a hill, with alternating ranks: first ones with Crossbows, second with spears, third with Spears and fourth with Crossbows. Deployed on a hill, they will get a good field of fire, fight rather well in H-T-H and get +1 combat resolution for higher ground. If you are planning to play defensively, consider them. Good place for your lower level Wizards.
Witch Elves
For 12 points you get frenzied elves with poisoned weapons, additional hand weapons, and
an option for magic standards. Compulsory troops.
Weaknesses
T3 and low armour saves mean that missile fire, spells, War Machines and fast-moving shock
troops will be their bane.
Uses
This is your main infantry assault unit. With Frenzy, poisoned weapons, additional
hand weapons and the option for Cauldron of Blood support make them lethal. Skaven,
Humans, other Elves, or indeed anybody with T 1-4 and armour save under 3+ will fall like
a grass under a blooded scythe. Always, always take a character with the Ruby Chalice if
you are expecting any kind of enemy arrow / crossbow fire.
It is very common to see 50+ Witch Elves in my armies, either as one big block (ala Skaven) or two units with at least 20 ladies. Favoured Standards include Banner of Might, Banner of Defiance, and the Standard of Shielding (with Cauldron of Blood, you get 2 6+ unmodified saves for each Witch Elf.)
These ladies come with the "Longsword Seal of Approval". Build the units carefully and they will not let you down. And one more thing: I do not buy them light armour (steel bikinis!). 12 points is just right for me.
Dark Elf Scouts
BS 5, Infiltration, no penalties for rocky terrain, all for a 2 point increase to the
basic cost of an Elf. How can you go wrong?
Weaknesses
T3 and missile weapons with S of only 3. No real H-T-H ability, except against High Elves.
Uses
Depending on the size of the battle, I field 2-4 units of 5-8 scouts. 1unit is not enough,
and is easily defeated by the enemy flyers and fast cavalry or War Machines, while 2 units
gives you a chance to deal with the enemy War Machines and Chariots with a reasonable
certanity of success. Remember also that they do not have to Skirmish. If you see a
big juicy Missile unit with only one rank, and you have reason to believe that you might
rout them if you charge... . They shoot 2 bolts with their weapons. Their BS 5 is
sufficient.
Black Ark Corsairs
Basic Elves with a few evil twists: option for additional hand weapons, every regiment may
carry magic weapons, 5+ Save that is not modified by Strength and on the top of it, every
10+ strong regiment allows you to buy 2 Repeater Bolt Throwers.
Weaknesses
Weapons that totally ignore armour saves. Troops with very high armour saves. High T
troops. Very high point cost. S of only 3.
Uses
The unlimited number of regiments allow you to guard flanks, advance and shoot, and
besides, each and every regiment can carry a Magic Standard.
I always, always give them additional hand weapons, and against anybody with T 3 and 1 W I buy the Repeating Crossbows. I use the Corsairs very much like the Empire detachments. I generally use two 10-strong regiments that flank my main infantry unit, preferably with my General in it, raining missiles upon my foes, engaging skirmishers and allowing me to take 2 Repeater Bolt Throwers for each regiment. Such regiments often get the Banner of Wrath which increases their hitting ranged attack power even more.
If I field them as a regular multi-rank unit, I use them to stop enemy shock troops and hope that their Dragon Cloaks will hold. You can actually keep the Standard in the front rank since there is a good chance that the banner-bearer will not be cut down.
They have H-T-H ability, they have missile power, they have it all!
Dark Elf Spearmen
Elves, spears, light armour... No wonder the Elves are a diminished people...
Weaknesses
Elven Spearmen are not good troops, regardless of race. S 3, and very high point cost are
not a useful combination. Compulsory light armour boosts their PV up even more.
Uses
Against low S, low T infantry they will hold their own. Regiments of 10+ models allow you
to field Repeater Bolt Throwers. But still... there are better options on this list, even
for defensive armies.
Harpies
"Flying Beastmen" with WS 4, S 4, T 4 and 2 W.
Weaknesses
LD 6 and inabilty to follow heroes. Taking Terror / Fear tests. Remember: even if you are
allowed only one regiment in your army does not mean that they are a "must take"
unit. Dwarf War Machine Crews for example are quite tough, can be invisible, and besides -
the Dwarfs often bring the Master Rune of Dismay with them, and with LD 6 you are bound to
lose the check. So consider whether you really need them.
Uses
Good at harrassing War Machine Crews, skirmishers and missile units. With their T 4 and 2
W they can also be used as a missile screen. A long line of harpies can be deployed almost
anywhere, and stop that Wood Elf Scout regiment shooting at your Witch Elves.
The Cauldron of Blood
Very Cheap war machine (well, a moving altar, really), since it comes with 2 Witch Elves
and a Witch Elf Champion, it is actually very cheap. The Cauldron gives any Witch Elves
within 18" an UM 6+ save against death, and triple attacks for the first combat
round. If you can keep it going, virtually nothing can survive an onslaught of a Witch Elf
unit with triple attacks (thats 4 attacks for RNF, 6+ for champions, 9+ for Heroines and
13 (!) for Crone Hellebron!) A word of Warning: Armies with lots of long-ranges attacks
will not cease their shooting until your precious Cauldron Guard are history. Cauldron is
also very suspectible to attacks from powerful Flying Creatures and Heroes on Flying
Mounts. The guardians have only 3 W in total, after all!
It is at it's best against Chaos, Skaven and the Chaos Dwarfs, who often have a hard time eliminating it without suitable long-range attacks.
Repeater Bolt Thrower
The actual army you are fielding pretty much dictates how many of these excellent devices
you should bring to battle. Against most enemies it is worth to bring all the Repeaters
you can. Aim them at 1 W regiments of any description or armour save (these devices allow
none.), and watch how your enemies die in troves. Knights are particularily good targets
with their high point cost and useless armour.
Can't recommend them enough, even though there are plenty of ways to deal with them.
The War Hydra is the main attraction of this list. With 5+ save that is not modified by
Strength, good statistics (WS 4 and LD 8!), plus the best Breath Weapon in the game, the
War Hydra is a sore temptation for every Dark Elf General for 225 points (other races have
to pay same points for a far weedier version!). If you are planning to go head-to-head
against another assault army with lots of infantry, this creature will be an excellent
tool. It can easily cause 6-10 casualities in one round, as it is allowed to use it's high
S Breath even in H-T-H. But remember: War Machines and numerous missile troops will
cut it down, and it yields 3 victory points for the enemy once it dies.
The Dark Pegasus may be puny, but they are also only 50 points each. In large clusters they are a very good buy for routing enemy War Machine Crews.
Manticores are another admirable choice against war machines that cause hard headaches to Dark Elf Lords. While expensive (200 points), they are also exceptionally hard, and cause Terror and thus can scare away multiple War Machine Crews at once.
A Rat Swarm or two might be a good buy to slow down and hold enemy regiments, even though they are expensive.
The things that the Dark Elves lack are good wizards, cheap sacrificial troops and war
machines with a strong punch.
Skaven and Undead Wizards, Goblin Wolf Riders and such fill the last small gaps in the armour of the Dark Elves.
While all Dark Elf Special Characters refuse to change their beloved equipment, they
all can serve as the General of your army!
The Witch King of Naggaroth
Now let's be fair. Malekith is an Elf with T 5, S 5, 4 A, LD 10, lvl 4 wizard, immune to
psychology and causes fear. But he also has a very poor choice of equipment, he rides a
Chariot that has nowhere to hide in an average Dark Elf Army, and missile troops, War
Machines and Greenskins with their 'Eadbang banner will cheerfully cut him down. You might
buy an allied Chariot regiment to follow him, or field him against Chaos that rarely has a
lot of missile support, but there are better uses for your points in a DE army.
He is also the only Dark Elf allowed to ride on a Cold One Chariot. I can just see him parading the streets of Naggarond. The ego of that Elf...
Beastlord Rakhart
An Elven Hero with the ability to subdue monsters. He is, however, prone to dying if
confronted by such a beast! Also, he rides a Dragon. That's 450 points, and it is not easy
to cause enough damage to justify that cost. Rakhart must place his faith in his Whip of
Agony. For very large battles only.
Morathi, the Hag Sorceress
She would give you some badly-needed magical support since she can use Slaaneshi Spells
along with the Dark Deck, but... It is not a good Idea to be prancing around with a Dark
Pegasus if you are a lvl 4 Sorceress.
Her compulsory items are also very badly chosen. What is this fixation that the Elven Wizards have with Swords?
I might consider her leading a unit of allied Ogres or Trolls so she could be safe from missile fire, but otherwise, she is too vulnerable.
Kourin, Captain of the Black Guard
There is not much "Special" about Kouran. He can be your general and carries an
additional sword with his magic weapon.
The second cheapest General you can get. If you want to save points in this aspect, he is the best choice, though you'll have to field a unit of Black Guard to get him.
Crone Hellebron, The Hag Queen
With Deathsword, Frenzy, Parrying Blade, and enough sense to ride a Manticore, She is
very, very powerful in H-T-H, at least as long as her enemies die before they can strike
back.
She attacks with S 10 along with her manticore, can have up to 13 (!) attacks if the Cauldron of Blood is near, and doesn't even cost that many points! BUT: She has only light armour, and thus missile fire, war machines, heroes with the Sword of Swift Slaying and Strength potions are deadly against her, and so are spells, Amulet of Fire or no. Yes folks, She can give it, but she cannot take it.
Again, think very hard before you include her in your army.
Tullaris of Har Ganeth
Tullaris is, along with Shadowblade, my favourite Dark Elf Special Character. He is a S
and T 5 (!) Elf with Black Amulet and an Axe that kills opponents outright on a roll of 6!
He also causes D3 W per hit, making him a virtual mincing machine. If you are buying a
unit of Executioners, buy Tullaris also.
Shadowblade, The Master of Assassins
Against other Elves and Humans I always, always take Shadowblade. He will have an excellent chance to slay somebody important (preferably the Highest level Mage) with his S potion and poisoned weapons (thats 4 WS 10 attacks with S 7 causing D3 wounds!). He may well be killed, but even then he will bring destruction to your foe with his Heart of Woe. He also can slow some immortant regiment for a turn or two, and with his hatred and admirable fighting skills, High Elves will soon learn to dread him. Cheap, useful, decisive. Join the Temple of Khaine and find the Answer!
Dark Elves are a Fantasy "Special Ops"-force. They have staggering numbers of troops with unique abilities, and perhaps the best mixture of Fast Assault, Skirmish, and Missile Forces. On the down side, they are Elves, which means that they are expensive.
My solution is to form the backbone of my army from infantry with very strong support of Cavalry and special troops. This gives me enough numbers to survive any War Machine/missile hits. Having said this, Dark Elves are not Skaven. They can not survive a prolonged War of Attrition. Thus I also have Repeater Bolt Throwers, Scouts and Dark Riders to deal with any long-range attacks.
This is perhaps the most important thing when playing with the Dark Elves: you must find the right balance. You have the troops for every situation, but they cost so much that you cannot afford to miscalculate what troops you need and how many of them are required. Learning this trick is hard, but once mastered, this army is a positive joy to play with.
One way of building the units is "a Shackle". The idea is to support some big, important unit with a smaller one that serves as a Flank Guardian / Missile Screen / Missile Support. Here are few examples: Cold One Knights with Dark Riders. Against Armies with heavy missile support with high armour save modifiers, infantry shielded by the Black Ark Corsairs is an option worth considering. Witch Elves and Harpies: Harpies will act as a moving missile screen with their T 4 and 2 W.
Here are some overall plans from my twisted mind
The Poisoned Blade
The Dark Elves are the best army in taking the battle to the enemy. Their Scouts and Dark Riders are a front-line problem right from the beginning of Turn 1. Harpies and Dark Pegasi and other cheap flying monsters are an excellent addition to all this. If facing other elves or Humans, you can add Shadowblade too, and thus there is a very real chance that you can tie up or destroy a substantial part of the enemy force on turn one. If this succeeds, you can use your own Repeater Bolt Throwers and other such attacks to soften the enemy before engaging them with your Cold Ones and Witch Elves. Having crippled the enemy missile forces / Wizards with your lightning attack, the foe is at your mercy. This works wonderfully against the Empire, Bretonnia, High Elves and the Wood Elves.
The Death Night
An army based on the Witch Elves appeals to me greatly - I very often concentrate some 50%
of my points on them. On such armies, I generally field 2 Witch Elf Units, and use all the
other troops as support. These two Great Blooded Scythes are a terrible opponents. With
front ranks full of Witch Elf Characters followed closely by the Cauldron of Blood, they
can take on any enemy and go head-to-head with even Chaos and Skaven. But even with this
army, you should not forget the support troops, or more numerous opponents will still
overwhelm you. So Repeaters, Scouts and such are called to war once again. If I want to
really emphasise on attacking I will buy a large regiment of Cold One Knights on the top
of it all. If this tactic succeeds, it will cause a crushing victory against your foes.
The Bloodied Bastion While I do think that a basic offensive strategy with tactical variations is the best choice for DEs, sometimes it pays to defend. On such armies, my troops include a City Guard Regiment or two, some Black Ark Corsairs, and one good H-T-H regiment as the reserve. Also, I have numerous small regiments of Scouts and Dark Riders, along with heavy flying support (a Manticore or two, plus a Harpy regiment some 16 strong), so I will have mastery of the Skies. Also, I will purchase each and every Repeater Bolt Thrower that my regiments allow. My Scouts and Dark Riders stop the enemy from marching, and pour fire upon them. My flying creatures protect the Bolt Throwers from enemy attentions, and they on their turn keep the continuous barrage going. Once the enemy crawls within range, the Corsairs and the City Guard open fire, and my reserve unit charges in, scattering the pitifully few survivors.
The Witch King rose from his Throne, eyes blazing. "Yes! Now I see it!" He turned his baleful gaze on the assembled Generals. "My armies march within an hour!". Hurriedly the Dark Elf Aristocracy hastened to fullfill his wishes.
Accursed Malekith turned again to face the stranger, but he was gone. "Why did he do it?" muttered the Dark Lord. But cold silence was the only answer.