Eshin Scouting Party

For 2013 I’m thinking that I will be leaning more heavily on my Dark Elves. It’s a ‘harder’ list, but so much more fragile. Its power comes, I believe, mainly in an opponent either not having a balanced list or not understanding how to play against it. Shooting armies eat it alive. Here is the list at 2000, and what I took to Waaagh!PACA. I call it Death-Metal ;).

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

I find the list to be a ton of fun to play, as it’s not just about chaffing and choosing combats. Every move, every angle can be important in a game with this army. As BS shooting isn’t very good, even with the high 4+ ballistic skills and the ability to put out 77 shots and 3 breath weapons. The main path is through the magic, weakening key units and then slamming the hydras. Early game the Hydras make an excellent distraction, giving them opponent something to move towards while the Dark Riders get around flanks and take out the units that are a threat to them. With the bulk of the points in the characters, warmachines can be a big problem. There have been games I’ve won where all I’ve done with the Hydras is back up, but they are the main focus of what make the army “hard.”

Talking with fellow gamers, I’ve discovered that this list is very reminiscent of what was being played back in 7th, though without the dragon and shade-star. I’ve not seen anyone running it recently. I took the idea from a Reno player [insert blog link] who plays fast cavalry Wood Elves. I thought it looked like a lot of fun to play. I don’t play good armies so I branched out and found that Dark Elves can do something similar. The wood elf army has a good amount of magical shooting, but suffers in the magic casting department. I thought, and still feel, that the magic of the dark elves makes up for the missing magic items. Not nearly as reliable though. The hydras give a nice source of “push” for players who reform into long lines or to pop through weakened units. Dropping breath weapons on a fully ranked unit can also be nice.