Dark Elves Moving Forward

Moving forward into 2013 I think it going to be interesting. I enjoyed Waaagh!PACA so much I’m seriously thinking of shelving my Skaven and sticking with the Dark Elves moving forward. If I’m to do that I’m going to need to find a 2500 point list that works. Originally when I built this list I built the 2000 points I played at Waaagh!PACA, shown below for summary:

As a reminder my list can be found here:

http://theverminlord.blogspot.com/2013/01/eshin-scouting-party.html?m=1

Sorceress, Death Magic, Level 4, Dark Pegasus, Tome of Furion, Pendant of Khaeleth, Lifetaker
Sorceress, Metal Magic, Level 2, Dark Pegasus, Dispel Scroll, Terrifying Mask of EEE!
Master, Dark Pegasus, Battle Standard Bearer, Repeating Crossbow, Heavy Armor, Sea Dragon Cloak, Charmed Shield, Warrior Bane, Dragon Bane Gem, Black Dragon Egg
4 units of 6 Dark Riders, Musician, Standard Bearer, Repeating Crossbows
2 units of 6 Shades
2 Hydras

To this I added a Dreadlord, second Master and another unit of Dark Riders to make 2500. The magic items on the BSB went to the other Master, and the BSB picked up the Banner of Eternal Flame, and the Dreadlord picked up the reverse wardsave along with stubborn and the rest of the unkillable lord build, leaving my Sorcerers as a Level 3 (still with +1 spell) and a 4+ ward save.

What I’ve learned at Waaagh!PACA and through the 2000 point preparations is that I don’t need the Banner of Eternal Flame and I want the charmed shield on my BSB. So scratch the second master. Next I learned that the Death caster is a requirement, more so than a leadership 10 general, so scratch the dreadlord. So keeping the fifth unit of dark riders that leaves me with a lot of points.

What I’m thinking of adding are more tools, like the Metal caster, to take on the stronger targets. Great Weapons on shades allows them to charge warmachines or slower monsters. Instead of GW I'm considering XHW and 6+ armer. I’m also thinking that Assassins might bring a good oomph to the list. Manbane and throwing stars allows for up to Strength 7 shooting, but most importantly wounding warmachines on 3 and pushing through tougher monstrous cavalry (wound Mournfang/Juggernauts/chocobos on 2s and give-3 or -4 to armor).

2500 would be something like this:

Sorceress, Death Magic, Level 4, Dark Pegasus, Tome of Furion, Pendant of Khaeleth, Lifetaker
Sorceress, Metal Magic, Level 2, Dark Pegasus, Dispel Scroll, Terrifying Mask of EEE!
Master, Dark Pegasus, Battle Standard Bearer, Repeating Crossbow, Heavy Armor, Sea Dragon Cloak, Charmed Shield, Warrior Bane, Dragon Bane Gem, Black Dragon Egg
4 units of 6 Dark Riders, Musician, Standard Bearer, Repeating Crossbows
2 units of 6 Shades, XHW
2 Hydras
Assassin, extra hand weapon, manbane, rending stars, cloak of twilight
Assassin, extra hand weapon, manbane, rending stars, hand of khain

This does drive the points of the shades up over 100, and while the Assassins are in the list to almost 300. But as I can always dive or shoot the Assassin out of the unit, I think it’s a risk worth taking. If my opponent is playing lots of shooting it makes them choose between another high priority target. If their list doesn’t have shooting, than it won’t matter if the unit cost is higher. I also can use my skaven Assassins, so it fits the theme nicely.

Extra Hand Weapons doubles their attacks does give them a better chance of doing something before dying. 28 points is so much easier to spend in a skaven army. There just isn’t anything that cheap in the Dark Elf book.