2500 need help with my Dark Elves vs High Elves | The Eighth Edition For Life (EEFL) Warhammer Forum

khaine182
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2500 need help with my Dark Elves vs High Elves Jan 20, 2024 9:50:35 GMT knoffles likes this

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Post by khaine182 on Jan 20, 2024 9:50:35 GMT

Hi everyone,

I really need a little help with the formation of my Dark Elf army (2500 points) against High Elves. I've lost against the High Elf army several times and I know roughly what to expect, but this will be the first time I'm taking my Dark Elves into battle and I don't want to go down without a fight at least once....
I have many models, but I have come up with the following list (except chariots and harpies):

Lords:

Dreadlord (within the block of executioners)
- Great Weapon, Sea Dragon Cloak, Armor of Destiny, Dawnstone, The Other Trickster's Shard

- Morathi (instead of a lvl. 4 with dark pegasus)

- Tullairs (within the block of executioners)

Heroes:

Death Hag (bsb) (within the block of witches)
- Cauldron of blood

- Ogre Blade

- Witchbrew

Core:

5 Dark Riders
- repeater crossbows

- Shields

- Musician

27 Witch Elves
- Full command

10 Darkshards
- Shields

Special:

28 Executioners
- Full command

Rare:

War Hydra with Fire breath

5 Doomfire

High Elves could play with following Units:
Lord (Archmage lvl. 4)
Mage lvl. 2
1 Noble BSB on Horse
Block of Spearman
Archers
Silver Helms
Reavers
Block of White Lions
Block of Phoenix Guards
Shadow Warriors
2 Bolts Throwers

I would be grateful for input, I still have Black Guards, Spear Warriors, Swordsmen, Assassins, Cold Ones Knights, Darkshades, Manticor with Lord, Reaper Bolt Throwers (3), War Hydra for example.

Any ideas?
Thanks a lot in avance!!!

mcnuggs
Junior Member

Posts: 71

2500 need help with my Dark Elves vs High Elves Jan 25, 2024 16:55:12 GMT knoffles and jukei like this

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Post by mcnuggs on Jan 25, 2024 16:55:12 GMT

Hi there, and welcome to the forum!

As someone who has played this matchup a TON (albeit from the other side,) I have a few pieces of advice here.

I fully believe that the Dark Elf/High Elf matchup is Dark Elf favored, because the Dark Elves have an (arguably) easier time controlling the board.

In terms of your fast cav, take as many Dark Riders with Shields and Crossbows as you can morally agree to. I would say two minimum (I usually limit myself at two Reaver Knight units, but my DE opponent would typically ran 4+ units of Shield/Crossbow Dark Riders.) These guys absolutely hunt Reaver Knights and Eagles, and it isn't funny how effective they are. They shoot twice as many shots (the -1 isn't super impactful) and leave Reavers with a 6+ save (5+ goes to 6+ because of AP) whereas the Reavers fire 5 bows and the Dark Riders get a 4+ (they get to take shields, and bows have no AP.) These guys, as well as Doomfire Warlocks, will help you control the board. You can outmaneuver the HE and threaten their backlines with Doombolts (feel free to 6 dice the big version, you don't really mind miscasting, and that Silver Helm unit may just die to this thing) while the Dark Riders remove Reavers, Eagles, and Bolt Throwers (Dark Elves keep their re-rolls in combat because they have hatred! Dark Riders absolutely crush HE bolt thrower crew.)

Try to win the board state, and THEN engage with their units. You have the best "death star" unit in the game (Witch Elves with the Cauldron) which can definitely win any "fair" combat against something High Elves can field, unless they're on like a 3++ because of Shield of Saphery. If he's pulling that tactic with the White Lions, ignore them completely and chaff them up with your smaller units.

As far as your list goes, I really like the Dreadlord and Tullaris, but I don't think they benefits your list that much... the Executioners already have insane hitting power, and the points spent on those characters could get you stuff like Bolt Throwers, more Dark Riders/Doomfires, etc. I would focus on your Witch Elves as your "main" combat unit, and then use the 28 Executioners, 7x4, as a secondary combat unit for protecting flanks and hunting larger toughness/armor targets. And if he spends time shooting/casting at the Executioners, at least it's not going on your main unit of Witch Elves.

If you're taking Morathi, you can already dominate your magic phases. I would go full Dark magic, to cast with that juicy +6-8 (Level 4, +1 to cast Dark Magic, +D3 each time because Morathi is OP.) Similar to the Doomfires, you can use her flying movement to ensure that you never get charged (stay outside of the charge arc of scary units - make sure to pre-measure!,) and get big spells off. Try to get a big Arnzipal's Black Horror down the side of a unit, as long as it doesn't have BotWD.

Overall, this matchup is as bitter and bloody as our history. Good luck to you, and remember - camaraderie is just as important as strategy. Take this advice into consideration, but don't forget to have fun! It may take several games before you really figure out the feel of your army. Try to make small tweaks in between games, rather than redoing the list from the ground up. Let me know how your game(s) go, I'd love to hear about them!!!!

Last Edit: Jan 25, 2024 16:56:04 GMT by mcnuggs

khaine182
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Posts: 2

2500 need help with my Dark Elves vs High Elves Jan 31, 2024 8:33:22 GMT mcnuggs likes this

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Post by khaine182 on Jan 31, 2024 8:33:22 GMT

Hi mcnuggs,

thanks a lot for your input, that one and some ideas in my head had me changed my army list just hours before the battle.
Here is my final list and I am telling you, I was sooooo pleasently surprised!

Dark Elves - Army Book (2013-10) -V8.8.0. - Nograth - [2499pts]

## Standard [2499pts]

### Lords [475pts]
Supreme Sorceress [210pts]: Hand Weapon, Magic Items, BRB - Dispel Scroll, Lore of Shadow, Wizard Level 3
Supreme Sorceress [265pts]: Hand Weapon, Magic Items, BRB - Talisman of Preservation, Lore of Life, Wizard Level 4

### Heroes [535pts]
Death Hag [370pts]: Battle Standard Bearer, Witchbrew, BRB - Ogre Blade, Cauldron of Blood
• 2x Hag
Two Hand Weapons
Death Hag [165pts]: Witchbrew, AB - ChillBlade, Two Hand Weapons

### Core [630pts]
Dark Riders [100pts]:
• 5x Dark Riders: Repeater Crossbows, Shield
Light Armor, Spear
Darkshards [168pts]:
• 14x Darkshards
Hand Weapon, Light Armor, Repeater Crossbow
Witch Elves [362pts]:
• 1x Musician
• 1x Standard Bearer: BRB - Razor Standard
Two Hand Weapons
• 27x Witch Elves

### Special [734pts]
Executioners of Har Ganeth [344pts]:
• 1x Musician
• 1x Standard bearer
• 27x Executioners of Har Ganeth
Great Weapon, Heavy Armor
Reaper Bolt Thrower [70pts]:
• 2x Dark Elf: Hand Weapon, Light Armor

Reaper Bolt Thrower [70pts]:
• 2x Dark Elf: Hand Weapon, Light Armor

Reaper Bolt Thrower [70pts]:
• 2x Dark Elf: Hand Weapon, Light Armor

War Hydra [180pts]: Fiery Breath

### Rare [125pts]
Doomfire Warlocks [125pts]:
• 5x Doomfire Warlocks

So what happened?

First of all, we played Dawn Attack and my god, the Dark Elves won an outstanding victory for the first time. The High Elves were very well positioned as always.

Lord (Archmage lvl. 4, with the HE Book and within the PG Unit as a Deathstar)
Mage lvl. 2 on horse
1 Noble BSB on Horse with a Unit of Silver Helms
Block of Spearman
16 Archers
7 Reavers
30 Block of White Lions
30 Block of Phoenix Guards
2 Bolts Throwers

I was lucky with the dice and got to start the game

A very brief summary of the most important events:

I was able to take out his 2 level mage in the 2nd round with my Bolt throwers, my Doomfire Warlocks were able to take out his Reavers. My Dark Riders distracted his Silver Helmets and then later engaged him in close combat. My Witch Elves, along with the Blood Cauldron, were able to make the White Lions flee with a charge on them and the terror special rule. The whole unit flee directly out of the battlefield, very lucky me.

Much more important, however, was the conversion of my magic, a real game changer! With Lore of Life and a rolled 6, my level 4 Sorceress was able to cast the only spell that really does anything against a deathstar unit of Phoenix Guards + Mage + 3+ ward saves: The Dwellers Below. I was able to successfully cast this spell twice and thus decimate his block to a few PG, which then really no longer posed a threat. In addition, my mage was in the unit of my executioners, which was supported by my war hydra in the flank. Thanks to the quick victory of my Witch elves and a new formation, I was able to attack the Silver Helmets from behind, which finally forced the High Elves to give up.
A part from that, I found that a lvl 3 shadow sorcerer can actually be very helpfull and poses a real threat to the enemy, so now the enemy has to concentrate against three magic threats 1. lvl 4 Lore of Life (with the dwellers below spell) 2. lvl 3 sorcerer with the shadow lore and 3. Doomfire Warlocks who can do quite a good damage.

All in all we had a lot of fun, but I'm not sure if I'll be so lucky again in my next game (this Friday probably). This time, however, with 3,000 points and very likely with an HE dragon....

Thanks again for your input!