Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I have a bunch of very old (6th edition fantasy) unpainted Dark Elf models that I'd like to use again, but I've seen the Age Of Sigmar Legends Dark Elf army list and there doesn't seem to be an inventory or anything of the sort. Is this the norm for Age Of Sigmar?

Also do you think that the original Dark Elf fantasy army will always be supported in some form? I think that the Tomb Kings line seems to have been dropped entirely, so I don't want to Age-Of-Sigmar-Ify my old Dark Elf models by putting them all on round bases and modelling/converting them if they'll never be useable for Warhammer Fantasy again, and will be dropped in Age Of Sigmar in a few years too.

Tomb Kings got dropped at the very start. I don't think Dark Elves will be dropped but they might be made redundant if GW makes an army out of whatever Malekiths lot are called now.

Tomb Kings being dropped was honestly what I consider to be a "kirby era" way of thinking and approaching AoS that happened right at the start. I think the GW of today and certainly the AoS of today is a totally different beast.


As for what will happen to the Dark Elf range - nobody (but GW) knows for sure - that's the worst bit of news there is.

NOW
First up the Dark Elves got fractured into multiple Aelf forces. They are distinct armies, but can pick allies from each other, so whilst the range is fragmented, you can ally in what you need from other forces (remembering the points and unit count limits of course so at 2K points you can only have 400 points of allied models in your army)

Now of these fractured forces you've got:
Daughters of Khaine - fully fleshed out faction with a Battltome. Linked to Morathi who is a very key character, this force is likely to remain strong (and indeed at present is very competitive and has multiple viable builds - its doing grand).

Darkling Covens - has quite a large range of models and also rules in the Generals Handbook 2018. I think this force is safe and here to stay; it has a solid core and the rules continuing on suggests that GW has an interest in preserving them.

Order Serpentis - Unknown, they've got the drake riders, dragons and hydra. So some of the more iconic original Dark elf units, and they are heavy on fantasy/mythical mounts (something GW has been keen to promote in AoS). Personally I'd love to see them merge with the High Elf dragon group to bolster each other, but as of now no idea

Scourge Privateers - unknown, however one does appear on one of the new novels coming out in a few weeks, so I think GW wants to keep them around, Personally I was surprised that they were not rolled into Idoneth Deepkin as a surface allied force in their army and lore.

Shadowblades - the most "at risk" as the army only has a single unique model to its name (the other is a half kit). That said they do feature somewhat in the lore and i could see GW fleshing them out into the Inquisition of AoS Order.

Idoneth Deepkin - the surprise new "dark" Aelf force in the game and fully fleshed out and here to stay.



The new "Demon" Aelves that Malaceth is said to lead are unknown how they will fit into things. It's supposed that they will be a totally new force, however they could include any one of a number of the others into them (barring Daughters of Khaine) upon release. GW could also combine some of the Aelven armies much like they did Beasts of Chaos. However whatever their plans are they are keeping them guarded.



Personally I would say you could flesh out and aim for a Daughters of Khaine force quite readily and safely and be fairly safe if you focus on a Darkling Covens force. Other armies its very hard to say.

Daughters of Khaine have a fully fleshed out army with new, awesome, models to boot. Difficult to get their Leader models as the Cauldron of Blood is consistently out of stock.

Darkling Covens are your more traditional Dark Elf force with Sorceress on foot or dragon as your Leader models and the old Dark Elf Warriors are your troops. Also gets Blackguard and Executioners, which are some of the better elite infantry. They have Faction rules in the Generals Handbook as well as an easy to fill formation that gives you a nice once per turn bonus movement/charge/attack (from the Order battletome)

Scourge Privateers are the pirate elves with the scourge runner chariot and the sea monster thing. Leader is the Fleetmaster and is the cheapest Leader in the game (40 pts.) They also have a formation from the Order battletome.

Order Serpentis get the Cold One cavalry, the Cold One Chariot, Hydra, and Dreadlord on Dragon. They also have a formation in the Order battletome

Shadow Blades have only 2 entries, the Assassin and the Dark Riders. Dark Riders ally very well with Scourge Privateers.

I should say the Shadowblade Assassin - at only 80points- is a very versatile ally. Plus because it deploys in secret and then appears with one of your units during the game (you pre-select which unit, but you write it down and don't reveal it to your opponent until the you deploy or the unit is destroyed). That means it can get right into the thick of battle without any risk - a great bolster to killing infantry or taking out a hero

 Overread wrote:

Order Serpentis - Unknown, they've got the drake riders, dragons and hydra. So some of the more iconic original Dark elf units, and they are heavy on fantasy/mythical mounts (something GW has been keen to promote in AoS). Personally I'd love to see them merge with the High Elf dragon group to bolster each other, but as of now no idea

The two groups are fairly hostile towards each other. Order Draconis is more about being in harmony with their mounts(Aelven Steeds or Dragon) while the Order Serpentis has Beastmasters as part of it.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Order Serpentis and Order Draconis get an infantry unit added into them, whether it's some form of 'ranger' ala the Shadow Warriors/Shades or the like.

Scourge Privateers - unknown, however one does appear on one of the new novels coming out in a few weeks, so I think GW wants to keep them around, Personally I was surprised that they were not rolled into Idoneth Deepkin as a surface allied force in their army and lore.

The Idoneth are the "surface force" in their army and lore. They bring the aethersea with them. They don't need in-betweens--and honestly, the lore for them with the Scourge? That isn't a happy thing. The Scourge Privateers early on apparently were sacrificing beasts/slaves unknowingly to the Idoneth to prevent their ships from ending up floating into port with nobody on board.

They thought they were placating a deity or monster, not fellow Aelves.

Shadowblades - the most "at risk" as the army only has a single unique model to its name (the other is a half kit). That said they do feature somewhat in the lore and i could see GW fleshing them out into the Inquisition of AoS Order.

This is one of the reasons I've been pretty in for the concept of "Free Cities" books rather than Aelf, Free Peoples, etc.

Hammerhal or Tempest's Eye would be a great home for these.

Idoneth Deepkin - the surprise new "dark" Aelf force in the game and fully fleshed out and here to stay.

Less "dark" and more in line with how the Wood Elves and Sylvaneth work--they're forces of nature, focused on their own survival.

The new "Demon" Aelves that Malaceth is said to lead are unknown how they will fit into things. It's supposed that they will be a totally new force, however they could include any one of a number of the others into them (barring Daughters of Khaine) upon release. GW could also combine some of the Aelven armies much like they did Beasts of Chaos. However whatever their plans are they are keeping them guarded.

The "demon" bit seems to have been referring to what Morathi brought with her.

Demon is more how the units are described as looking - at least as I recall from the lore. They are not true demonic units, but certainly they are a far cry from the "angelic" aelf faction that it to come.


As for "Dark" with regard to the Idoneth, I meant that in so much as the Idoneth fit into the alliance pool which comprises the Dark Elves army of old factions.

What do you mean by 'angelic' elf faction? Autocorrect seems to have eaten part of that thought,

The high elves have gone to Hysh. They are rumored to now be angelic elves with wings made of light.

auticus wrote:
The high elves have gone to Hysh. They are rumored to now be angelic elves with wings made of light.

Ah. I thought Teclic mutated some of those into the fish elves, and the rest were wandering around in the big cities as their normal selves (and hence usable as various subfaction AoS armies)- Phoenix temple, lion rangers, swift hawks, etc.

Aelves are split into several different kinds.

Your basic Aelf is like a human, born from natural birth and dies a natural death (though longer lived etc...). So the vast majority of Aelves are just "normal" living Aeles. Even the Witch Aelves of Daughters of Khaine are perfectly normal*.

Now when Morathi and the other Aelven gods/demigods worked their magic and captured Slaanesh they started to save the Aelven souls he consumed from the Old World. These released souls are then captured and their number divided between the Aelven gods/demigods. Morathi took hers and made the Khinerai and the Melusai**. Whilst Teclis(sp) made first the Idoneth, who failed*** and fled to the seas.

The twisted nature of these new Aelves is as a result of their corruption and twisting by being within Slaanesh, though whilst they are twisted in body and partly in soul, they are not chaos tainted.

The other two factions we know of existing are the "high" aelf one which is angelic and Malarions who are more demonic in appearance - again they are not demons, just twisted by the warp influence.


*save for the fact Morathi has worked her magic to make the males of her people to be weaker from birth by design.

** but not the Bloodwracks as they are formed when a witch aelf is bitten by one of Morathis' hair serpents.

*** their souls are damaged and they have to harvest other souls to live, even their offspring are damaged at the soul