# Fantasy Dark Elves, what to take?



## KhainiteAssassin (Mar 18, 2009)

with the new 8th edition, Im curious as to what others take in their Dark Elf armies. I havnt played them in a long time and sold some of my old ones, but Im thinking ill probably end up returning to my Dark elves since, though i like my WoC, they are... well bland.

Things im looking at for the new edition are:

repeat crossbowmen, what sized groups would people suggest getting.

How are shades and assassins in 8th (thinking im going to buy some mandrakes from the Eldar line but use them in fantasy even if i dont go through with my other idea of full on Deldar)

what lore sorcs would be good and why.

links to lists or battlereports would be welcome too.


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## Masked Jackal (Dec 16, 2009)

KhainiteAssassin said:


> with the new 8th edition, Im curious as to what others take in their Dark Elf armies. I havnt played them in a long time and sold some of my old ones, but Im thinking ill probably end up returning to my Dark elves since, though i like my WoC, they are... well bland.
> 
> Things im looking at for the new edition are:
> 
> repeat crossbowmen, what sized groups would people suggest getting.


10-strong for a small unit, 20-strong for a larger unit that can be used as a combat block later on.



> How are shades and assassins in 8th (thinking im going to buy some mandrakes from the Eldar line but use them in fantasy even if i dont go through with my other idea of full on Deldar)


Shades are awesome, basically ninjas that run around the backs of units and shoot them up, and take care of warmachines quite well. Assassins are very situational, and quite expensive.



> what lore sorcs would be good and why.


Shadow and Dark mostly. Shadow because it synergizes so well with the Dark Elf list, allowing all those S3 attacks to do damage, and for the elves themselves to be more survivable. Dark lore solves several common Dark Elf problems, but has limited range.

In addition to this, people commonly take Hydras, Cold One Knights and Black-Guard.


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## KhainiteAssassin (Mar 18, 2009)

thanks for the quick reply Jackal. mostly what I wanted to hear. Mandrake shades it is. and deciding on the crossbowman sizes is alot easier in my mind now.



Masked Jackal said:


> In addition to this, people commonly take Hydras, Cold One Knights and Black-Guard.


this hasnt changed since the last edition, so I know about it.

I still have a 20 man squad of double hand weapon Corsairs and a squad of 16 crossbowmen. (the ones I got from the starter kit)

how good are spearmen using that new rule for 10 men a line, steadfast was it (im terrible with names and too lazy to look it up)


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## Masked Jackal (Dec 16, 2009)

KhainiteAssassin said:


> thanks for the quick reply Jackal. mostly what I wanted to hear. Mandrake shades it is. and deciding on the crossbowman sizes is alot easier in my mind now.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Corsairs are a pretty decent unit, though they falter against high toughness or armor. Always take them with Sea Serpent Standard and they can do pretty well. Spearmen in horde formation is fun, but not super-good. They take casualties really really quick. However, once you get to higher-points games, a horde of 50 or 60 actually can do quite decently with the Banner of Murder. Smaller blocks should probably be put at 6 or 7 wide to maintain steadfast.


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## KhainiteAssassin (Mar 18, 2009)

Masked Jackal said:


> Corsairs are a pretty decent unit, though they falter against high toughness or armor. Always take them with Sea Serpent Standard and they can do pretty well. Spearmen in horde formation is fun, but not super-good. They take casualties really really quick. However, once you get to higher-points games, a horde of 50 or 60 actually can do quite decently with the Banner of Murder. Smaller blocks should probably be put at 6 or 7 wide to maintain steadfast.


what would be the decent sized group for spearmen with a sac dagger sorc?


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## Masked Jackal (Dec 16, 2009)

KhainiteAssassin said:


> what would be the decent sized group for spearmen with a sac dagger sorc?


20-30 is usually good for a bunker. Shadow Lore has a good enough range that you can stick the block behind the others, and do quite well. The exact amount you should spend really depends on points level. If you're in a really low points game, you might even use 15. :laugh:


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## KhainiteAssassin (Mar 18, 2009)

well im going to set up for 2000 points, for now. as thats more or less where my WoC are sitting at.


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## Masked Jackal (Dec 16, 2009)

Yeah, at that points level you're probably looking at a level 4 and a Cauldron of Blood as your only characters. 20 should be enough. Also, invest in an elite block or two. A horde of Witch Elves or 20 black-guard is good.


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## KhainiteAssassin (Mar 18, 2009)

Masked Jackal said:


> Yeah, at that points level you're probably looking at a level 4 and a Cauldron of Blood as your only characters. 20 should be enough. Also, invest in an elite block or two. A horde of Witch Elves or 20 black-guard is good.


yeah Ill re-create some new blackguard (loathe that model, love their rules) for a nice elite block. 

along with my hydra until I can get the new one. for a much better connected one.


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## Wingman (Jun 27, 2011)

I'm not a big fan of the CoB. I prefer to take several level 2 wizards with my dark elves because of the new miscast rules. For lores there is also the lore of metal which I feel is a massive help for Delves since we normally ahve trouble with high armour units, metal actually will use that armour against them. 

I like to take two units of 12 repeaters and a couple units of 20 spearmen since I normally don't suffer from prolonged combat. Shades are good to have for taking out warmachines in the back line put I hate to use assasins since the cost so much and normally die after they are revealed.


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## Masked Jackal (Dec 16, 2009)

Wingman said:


> I'm not a big fan of the CoB. I prefer to take several level 2 wizards with my dark elves because of the new miscast rules. For lores there is also the lore of metal which I feel is a massive help for Delves since we normally ahve trouble with high armour units, metal actually will use that armour against them.


You may not be a big fan of the Cauldron, but it is second only to a level 4 and War Hydras in level of competitiveness. Having more than one level 2 isn't really viable until higher points games, where you have enough allowance to take a COB anyways.



> I like to take two units of 12 repeaters and a couple units of 20 spearmen since I normally don't suffer from prolonged combat. Shades are good to have for taking out warmachines in the back line put I hate to use assasins since the cost so much and normally die after they are revealed.


20 spearmen isn't enough for a viable combat block, they just get chopped up in a couple rounds of combat. You'll need at least 30 for a mainline unit, and any of the elites bar Executioners are a better buy.


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## Alsojames (Oct 25, 2010)

May I suggest Incubi for making Black Guard?


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## DecrepitDragon (Aug 2, 2011)

I noticed nobody mentioned executioners.

That was probably wise.:suicide:


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## KhainiteAssassin (Mar 18, 2009)

DecrepitDragon said:


> I noticed nobody mentioned executioners.
> 
> That was probably wise.:suicide:


love those models, hate their shittyness compared to blackguard.


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## DecrepitDragon (Aug 2, 2011)

KhainiteAssassin said:


> love those models, hate their shittyness compared to blackguard.


So true I'm afraid. They can work as a flanker sometimes but their cost just doesn't justify that as a tactic when simple spearmen or corsairs could do a similar job for half the points.

Its a shame really.


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## Masked Jackal (Dec 16, 2009)

In favor of them, they are the biggest damage dealers Dark Elves have when blessed by Cauldron, and can do decently when they have the ranks to keep from losing too many guys to strike back. Unfortunately, not enough to live up to the Dark Elf name. If they had ASF base....


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