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So I'm writing lists trying to optimize my army to get the most out of it without going over the top. My biggest problem is a lack of actual game experience, so I don't quite know what unit builds work and which don't.
My biggest concerns are with Witch Elves, Corsairs and Cold One Knights. I suppose character builds would be nice to know as well, but those don't really cost me money.

So how should I gear up and run Corsairs?

How should I run Witch Elves?

How should I run Cold One Knights?

Corsairs work best in a frenzied unit of 30 in my experience. 25 works alright, but the extra 5 models gives you a nice bit of extra bulk, as well as completing the horde rank (you won't often get them all to attack due to losses on the way in, but when you do it's something special to behold). Handbows have some nice theory behind them, but I've always found the extra hand weapons to be better most of the time. With Corsairs, what you're really after is getting the front rank into combat- the other 20 models are pretty much just there to make sure the front rank gets in unscathed, and to sometimes add some supporting attacks. When Mindrazored, the difference between 40 S8 attacks and 60 S8 attacks with hatred isn't really all that big.

I've tried the big Witch block, but after a lot of games it just never seemed to do as much as the Corsairs. The poison and I6 is nice, but tbh it doesn't really matter all that often. The Corsairs are a lot more survivable, a little less good in combat (which is easily fixed with magic), and more importantly they contribute a nice 350pts to your core tax, whereas Witches have to come out of your special.

What I do really like with Witches Elves is running 2 small darts of 6-8 (6 because every model in the unit can still attack on character assassination runs, and 8 because every model can still attacks a monster on a chariot base) and using them to either run into units to try and Killing Blow characters, monsters to try and poison them up or just run them into the front of an enemy unit and Mindrazor them- if it goes off, then your 80pt unit puts out 24 S8 hatred attacks which will dent just about anything, but more often than not it draws out your opponent's dispel scroll at which point you lose the unit, but then when the Corsairs roll in there's scroll any more...

With knights, I feel like you need to to go big or go home. There's just too much stuff that can hurt small amounts of them, especially as the rise of Ogres (specifically Mournfangs) has led to a lot of Metal support mages, and even a decent Fireball will knock a chunk out of a small unit. I've had good results from a unit of 10 with full command, the ASF banner to give them some staying power in combat and maybe the Ring of Hotek on the champion.

Seldom seen on the table, but very effective is spearmen hordes. 60 spearmen with shields and the banner of murder packs a whallop. You're looking at anywhere from 28 to 40 attacks (with hate and armor piercing), but with the cheaper cost than corsairs, you can afford stupidly large units. This lets you be steadfast against enemy hammers, or strip steadfast vs enemy anvils.

I'd say that the big advantage of the dark elf book is that none of the choices are weak.
The shooting units you can field in small numbers, the harpies, dark riders and witch elves work as throw-away units. Black guard are actually useful going 3 wide to bunker wizards. The other infantry needs to be pretty good sized to be useful. I'd go with 24+ for the infantry fighting blocks, less than that and they won't arrive combat ready.


-Matt

I run 40-hordes of Witch Elves. They are a crazy kind of chainsaw, but you need to support them properly. At a raw minimum, you need to make sure you have a Cauldron of Blood providing the 5+ ward save. I also splurge a little and get a BSB Death Hag with them with the ASF banner just so you are almost always getting re-rolls, though this is a questionable expense and I admit it. The Armor Piercing banners also help them a lot.

Cold One Knights, I run a block of 10 in my 3k list with just full command. I use them as a flanking or support force, since I go with a lot of fast units in my Dark Elf lists. A 14" march can put them in a flank quickly, and they have the good armor to take all but the most dedicated shooting to take them out.