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High Sorceress - 330 pts
- Level 4
- Sacrificial Dagger
- Talisman of Preservation
- Lord of Death
- General

Master - 159 pts
- Armor of Darkness
- Dawnstone
- BSB
- Extra Hand Weapon

Sorceress - 160
- Level 2
- Darkstar cloak
- Lore of Fire

Warriors x30: Shields, Standard & Musician - 219
Warriors x30: Shields, Standard & Musician - 219
Corsairs x32: Standard, Musician, Extra Hand Weapons, Sea Serpent Standard - 360
Repeater Crossbowmen x12: Musician - 125
Repeater Crossbowmen x12: Musician - 125
Repeater Crossbowmen x12: Musician - 125

Cold One Knights x10: Standard, Musician - 294
Shades x6: Extra Hand Weapons - 102
Shades x6: Extra Hand Weapons - 102

War Hydra - 175

Not really sure where I want the characters, probably each of them in a Spear block? Also, my list of models is:

Converted Battle Standard Bearer (not a cauldron)
Sorceress x 2
Dreadlord w/ GW x 1
Assassin x 2
Spearmen x 80
Crossbowmen x 36
Corsairs x 60
Cold One Knights x 20
Reaper Bolt Thrower x 3
Hydra(non-GW) w/ GW beast handlers
Shades x 14

Would also like opinions on Lores, and especially magic items on the characters. Thanks!

Switch the lore on the level 4 to shadow. It is the best choice for dark elves.

The master adds nothing to the list other than the BSB upgrade and even then a CoB does it better. I would drop him for a peg lord.

The level 2 should be carrying a dispel scroll.

You are far too over invested in core. All you need is a block of 20 for sacrificing, 30 corsairs with the frenzy banner and a couple of units of 10 Crossbowmen and some harpies.

As for special, black guard are by far the best option. 2 blocks of 20 with musicians are all you really need.

I don't really run hydras, but they can be brutal

thedarkavenger wrote:


Switch the lore on the level 4 to shadow. It is the best choice for dark elves.

The master adds nothing to the list other than the BSB upgrade and even then a CoB does it better. I would drop him for a peg lord.

The level 2 should be carrying a dispel scroll.

You are far too over invested in core. All you need is a block of 20 for sacrificing, 30 corsairs with the frenzy banner and a couple of units of 10 Crossbowmen and some harpies.

As for special, black guard are by far the best option. 2 blocks of 20 with musicians are all you really need.

I don't really run hydras, but they can be brutal

Did you read my list of models to work with? You suggested a bunch of stuff I don't have (Black Guard, CoB, Peg Lord, Harpies). I understand there's some stuff I'll need to buy (CoB asap), but I would just like the best list I can make from what I've got.

 Griever wrote:

Did you read my list of models to work with? You suggested a bunch of stuff I don't have (Black Guard, CoB, Peg Lord, Harpies). I understand there's some stuff I'll need to buy (CoB asap), but I would just like the best list I can make from what I've got.

If black guard aren't in the running, just run lots of shooting with a single combat block. This can be achieved by running your corsairs, and taking lot's of crossbowmen. If you run the front rank as crossbowmen, and use spare warriors as the back rank then you should have the models.

But at the same time, it depends on whether you want the list to be competitive or fun.

Good list overall but if you run 60 warriors go horde and all in 1 unit you will really devestate people. I personally think 36 repeaters is too many. You really should buy a 2nd hydra for the points they are probably the best monster in warhammer atm. 175 pts 11 attacks, with a breath weapon, and regen good game. Shades have never turned out too well for me unless they have great weapons and i use 10 or so in the same unit, but they can be very effective. Look into blackguard like the other players were saying. They definately are worth the point value. Cold One Knights are ok but the stupidity can really hurt you. It's unlikely but i always like to put executioners or blackguard instead.

One thing for a 2500 battle though, horde of corsairs with sea serpent banner, and a bsb using hydra banner really hurts people all day long. 4 attacks front rank, if you go against a big unit you're looking at 60 attacks and more than likely you are striking first due to the DE high I.

What are you doing that your GW shades aren't getting murdered before they ever get to swing!?!

In 7E when chargers struck first and could clear the battleline, they were awesome but now they just die without swinging. Two hand weapons means that (against the right targets) they can shred much larger units.

I just have had some luck to say the least, but yes the hand weapons generally work a lot better. I try and position them near another GW unit that has some armour since I don't want anything important getting eaten. Really to field shades you have to expect them to be killed fairly quickly anyways. Questing knights(free points!), empire great swords, ect are great at getting owned by some shades. But when I know my opponent isnt going to be using anything slow, AHW is much better.

If my opponent wastes time chasing down 85 point shade units, I am delighted because he isn't using that part of his army (which has to be more expensive in point total, given how hard it is to pin shades down) to fight the rest of my army - which means I have a significant point advantage at the point of decision. Unfortunately, my opponents all have learned this, they no longer go after my shades unless I am clumsy enough to put the shades where they can get at them easily.

Or perhaps I should say, unless I am 'clumsy' enough... My opponents really hate shades, so they make great bait for traps...

Tookyflakes wrote:
I personally think 36 repeaters is too many.

You can NEVER have too many repeaters!

As for the list, I think it's pretty good. Here are a few things I think may make it even better.

Shadow all the way for your level 4!! Especially with an army that just screams to have Shadow Magic support.

You seem to be leaning towards a defensive BSB with your Master. I'll tell you now that a CoB will be much better at this. If this isn't an option though, I guess that's a pretty good build.

I'd personally run Dark Magic and a Tome of Furion on my level 2. Give it a go, it works awesomely!

Like tehdarkavenger said, dropping one unit of Spearmen for some Black Guard would be a very good idea. However, if this isn't possible I would recommend splitting them into a unit of 40 and one of 20. The 40 block can be used to do some damage, with help from Shadow Magic and the block of 20 is there to counter charge and support your battlelines where it's weakest.

Other than that, it's a very good list. Good job