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(Well... I guess this is the joint background forum, innit? It still deals with background, donnit?)

I'm buying up minis for a small dark elf retinue, and I'd like to have some sort of vague background theme to it. But I don't have any old dark elf army books (yet) and I'm largely going by the WFB Lexicanum (Strewth! Who wrote that?) and the Warhammer wikias. They're a bit sparse on some of the subtleties and technical points I'm looking for, which might not exist in the first place, but it couldn't hurt to ask, eh?

Black Guard and Executioners, fr'instance. One the personal guard and army of the Witch King, the other the guard and elite forces of the Cult of Khaine in Har Ganeth. How are they doled out for the use of other lords and cities? Particularly a handful for small retinues and raids rather than a company or regiment lent for a larger battle, if that's possible. A case of Malekith or Hellebron stretching out their hand and saying "they're yours - for now", or is there more autonomy?
For Executioners I read "when they aren't guarding the city they are away training how to better eviscerate their foes." Something like Knight Errantry or a Samurai musha shugyo?

From what I remember the Black Guard can only be deployed with Malekith's permission.

As for the Executioners, I am pretty sure you can... convince them... to tag along with a token of appreciation in the form of a thousand or so slaves to sacrifice to the Bloody Handed.

Malekith can send his Black Guard to watch over other nobles in order to ensure their loyalty, they are like his secret police force. So it makes sense for a Dark Elf noble leading a raid to have a few watch his back.
Executioners can probably be convinced to tag along with promises of slaves and slaughter. You don't worship Khaine by sitting in Har Ganeth doing nothing, after all.

Ta folks. That helps a lot.

 Iron_Captain wrote:
Malekith can send his Black Guard to watch over other nobles in order to ensure their loyalty, they are like his secret police force. So it makes sense for a Dark Elf noble leading a raid to have a few watch his back.

Given that my leader will likely be Malus Darkblade (I have the model from way back, when he was just a comic strip character that made a small impression on 6th ed) I'd say Malekith might be keeping an eye on him.

 Vermis wrote:
Ta folks. That helps a lot.

 Iron_Captain wrote:
Malekith can send his Black Guard to watch over other nobles in order to ensure their loyalty, they are like his secret police force. So it makes sense for a Dark Elf noble leading a raid to have a few watch his back.

Given that my leader will likely be Malus Darkblade (I have the model from way back, when he was just a comic strip character that made a small impression on 6th ed) I'd say Malekith might be keeping an eye on him.

I recommend reading the Elf ET novel - it has a few choice bits on Malekith's view of Malus and vice versa.

How would you rate that against the Darkblade novels? I tried to get into those and enjoy them, but I wasn't too successful.

One more wee question about black guard and executioners. For the purpose of slotting them into a set of rules, which would be considered more elite, heavier infantry?

(Maybe I should go buy an army book. There are a few going cheaply on ebay for some reason)