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Dark Elves

Grade: 1b
Source: Town Cryer #12 (PDF)
Setting: Lustria

Dark Ones of Naggaroth​

Many dare not speak of the High Elves’ evil kin, the Druchii, or the Dark Elves as they are better known. They are a race for whom pain and pleasure have been pushed to the ultimate extreme. They leave destruction and despair in their wake and are more greatly feared than the barbaric Orcs and no less so than the tainted forces of Chaos and Undeath. To the victims of the Dark Elves it is the fortunate to whom a quick death is gifted for this twisted folk roam the Known World in search of slaves. The slaves of the Dark Elves are either worked to death in their mines, ripped apart on the altars to Khaine, their dark God, or tortured mercilessly by the Brides of Khaine, the Witch Elves. Dark Elves take a perverse delight in inflicting pain upon others just to see their victims suffer.

Despite their dire reputation for cruelty they are only rivalled as explorers and adventurers by their High Elven cousins. It is the lure of the precious, arcane artefacts of the Slann that bring these foul creatures to Lustria, travelling stealthily in their Black Arks and penetrating deep into the jungle. Dark Elves are adept at stealth and ambush and are well suited to the overgrown realm of the Lizardmen – most warbands don’t even know they’re being attacked until it is too late.

Special Rules​

Kindred Hatred: The Dark Elves have been fighting the High Elves for many centuries. The wars between these two races have been very long and bloody affairs. Dark Elves Hate any High Elf warriors including High Elf Hired Swords.

Excellent Sight: Elves have eyesight unmatched by mere humans. All the Elves in a Shadow Warrior Warband can spot Hidden enemies from twice as far away as other warriors (i.e. twice their Initiative in inches).

Black Powder Weapons: Dark Elves may never use black powder weapons as they find them too crude, noisy and unreliable.

Choice of warriors​

A Dark Elf warband must include a minimum of three models. You have 500 gold crowns to recruit your initial warband. The maximum number of warriors in the warband may never exceed 12.

High Born: Each Dark Elf warband must have one High Born to lead it – no more, no less.

Beastmaster: Your warband may include one Beastmaster.

Fellblades: Your warband may include up to two Fellblades.

Sorceress: Your warband may include one Sorceress.

Corsairs: Your warband may include any number of Corsairs.

Shades: Your warband may include up to five Shades.

Cold One Hounds: Your warband may include up to two hounds if it also includes a Beastmaster.

Starting experience​

A High Born starts with 20 experience.

Fellblades and a Sorceress starts with 12 experience.

A Beastmaster starts with 8 experience.

Henchmen starts with 0 experience.

Dark Elf Skill Table​

CombatShootingAcademicStrengthSpeedSpecial
High Born✓✓✓✓✓
Sorceress✓✓✓
Fellblades✓✓✓
Beastmaster✓✓✓

Dark Elf Special Skills​

Dark Elf Heroes may use the following Skill table instead of any of the standard Skill tables available to them.

Fury of Khaine​

The Dark Elf is infused with an intense raging thirst for blood and is a whirlwind in hand-to-hand combat, moving from opponent to opponent. The Dark Elf may make a 4" follow up move if he takes all of his opponents Out Of Action. If he comes into contact with another enemy this starts a new combat. This new combat takes place in the following turn and the model counts as charging. May not follow up in the opponent’s turn.

Powerful Build​

The warrior is strongly built for an Elf and is capable of feats of strength. A warrior with this skill may choose skills from the Strength table. The Sorceress may never take this skill and no more than two warriors in the warband may take this skill at any one time.

Fey Quickness​

Few can ever hope to match an Elf’s inhuman quickness and agility. An Elf with Fey Quickness can avoid melee or missile attacks on a roll of 6. If the Elf also has Step Aside or Dodge this will increase to a 4+ in the relevant area. For example, an Elf with Fey Quickness and Step Aside avoids melee attacks on a 4+ and missile attacks on a 6.

Infiltration​

The Dark Elf with this skill is always placed on the battlefield after the opposing warband and can be placed anywhere on the table as long as it is out of sight of the opposing warband and more than 12" away from any enemy model. If both players have models which infiltrate, roll a D6 for each, and the lowest roll sets up first.

Master of Poisons​

The Dark Elf is proficient in concocting different poisons. If the Hero doesn’t search for rare items, he may make D3-1 doses of Dark Venom instead. There is a chance of getting none, as the hero doesn’t have access to a stable workplace. The poison must be used in the next battle and cannot be sold or traded to other warbands as the Dark Elves guard their secrets very carefully.

Dark Elf equipment lists​

The following lists are used by Dark Elf warbands to pick their weapons:

Dark Elf Equipment List​

Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons​

ItemCost
Dagger1st free/2 gc
Axe5 gc
Sword10 gc
Spear10 gc
Halberd10 gc
Beastlash***10 gc
Double-handed weapon15 gc
Dark Elf Blade (weapon upgrade)*+15gc

Missile Weapons​

ItemCost
Repeater Crossbow35 gc
Crossbow Pistol35 gc

Armour​

ItemCost
Buckler5 gc
Shield5 gc
Helmet10 gc
Light armour20 gc

Miscellaneous Equipment​

ItemCost
Dark Venom*15 gc
Sea Dragon Cloak**50 gc

* Heroes only.
** Heroes and Corsairs only. *** Beastmaster only

Shades Equipment List​

Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons​

ItemCost
Dagger1st free/2 gc
Axe5 gc
Sword10 gc

Missile Weapons​

ItemCost
Repeater Crossbow35 gc

Armour​

ItemCost
Helmet10 gc
Light armour50 gc

heroes​

1 High Born​

70 gold crowns to hire

Dark Elf Leaders are typically drawn from the Dark Elf nobility and lead the warband in search of gold, slaves and arcane artefacts to bring home to Naggaroth. They are cold and ruthless killers and they command the respect of their troops through assassination and terror. They have attained their position of leadership by eliminating rival nobles who stand in their way and through their remarkable cunning, they are dangerous foes who embody the merciless traits of the Druchii race.

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Weapons/Armour: A High Born may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Dark Elf Equipment list.

SPECIAL RULES​

Leader: Any models in the warband within 6" of the High Born may use his Leadership instead of their own.

0 – 1 Beastmaster​

45 gold crowns to hire

Whereas the High Elves have a great affinity with Dragons and Griffons and other noble creatures their malevolent kin have infamous Beastmasters, Dark Elves of particularly cruel renown who breed many vicious beasts and lead them into contact. Unlike the High Elves who treat their beasts as companions, the Dark Elf Beastmasters are very spiteful masters.

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Weapons/Armour: A Beastmaster may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Dark Elf Equipment list.

Special Rules​

Cold One Beasthound: The Beastmaster may be accompanied by up to two Cold One Beasthounds, these are bought as henchmen and follow all rules for listed for them.

0 – 2 Fellblades​

40 gold crowns to hire

The Fellblades are elite warriors of the Dark Elf armies and are often linked to the household of a particular Noble family. Fellblades live a life of strict martial training, each specialises in a particular weapon and fighting style. Killing is a way of life for these warriors. Enemies can expect no mercy from them. Fellblades accompany raiding parties to Lustria as paid guards or to further hone their killing skills.

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Weapons/Armour: Fellblades may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Dark Elf Equipment list.

Special Rules​

Melee Specialists: Fellblades live by a strict code of close quarter fighting. Fellblades may not use missile weapons of any sort.

0 – 1 Dark Elf Sorceress​

55 gold crowns to hire

Dark Elves are strange in that apart from the fell Witch King there are no other male sorcerers, all the other practitioners of magic in the Dark Elf race are female. It is rumoured that any males who do develop an affinity for magic amongst the Dark Elves are immediately put to death to fulfil some dark prophecy. Dark Elf Sorceresses are mysterious, raven haired beauties who are grudgingly respected even from the powerful High Born and their services are high in demand.

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Weapons/Armour: The Sorceress may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Dark Elf Equipment list but they may not cast spells if wearing armour.

Special Rules​

Wizard: The Dark Elf Sorceress is a wizard and uses Dark Elf Magic.

henchmen​

(Bought in groups of 1-5)

Corsairs​

35 gold crowns to hire

The Dark Elves are cruel and fierce fighters. This is especially true of the Corsairs – the Black Ark Raiders. They are skilled with sword and axe, as well as the repeater crossbow, the distinct missile weapon of the Dark Elves. Whenever a Black Ark explores the coast of Lustria the Corsairs are the first to launch raiding parties.

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Weapons/Armour: Corsairs may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Dark Elf Equipment list, in addition they may wear Sea Dragon Cloaks even though they are not heroes.

0 – 5 Shades​

30 gold crowns to hire

The stealthy Dark Elf Scouts rely on their repeater crossbows to harass and snipe at the enemy, rather than engaging them head on as ambush is the preferred style of fighting. Shades are young and inexperienced scouts that see the expeditions to Lustria as a valuable training opportunity.

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Weapons/Armour: Shades may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Shades Equipment list.

Special Rules​

Natural Stealth: The first thing that Dark Elf Scouts master is the art of moving without being seen or heard. If a Dark Elf is Hiding, enemy models suffer -1 to their Initiative value for determining if they can detect him.

0 – 2 Cold One Beasthounds​

30 gold crowns to hire

The Dark Elves capture and breed many exotic creatures to fight for them and fights between pets are often staged as a form of entertainment amongst the Dark Elves. One such animal was discovered in Lustria. Distantly related to Cold Ones, the Cold One Beasthound lives in swamps and bogs. Cold One Beasthounds are larger than war dogs and of similar build but are in all other respects reptilian. Rows of sharp teeth fill its maw, and when provoked, the Cold One Beasthound is a very aggressive beast. The Dark Elves capture and train these creatures to fight in battles all over the Warhammer world.

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Weapons/Armour: Cold One Beasthounds are animals and do not need any weapons save their claws and massive jaws.

Special Rules​

Animals: Cold One Beasthounds are animals and all animal rules apply to them, they never gain experience.

Beastmaster: Cold One Beasthounds are nasty viscous brutes that are barely kept under control. If the Beastmaster dies the beasts will immediately escape from the warband and they are removed from the warband roster. If the Beastmaster is unable to participate in a battle, then neither will the beasts.

Stupidity: Cold One Beasthounds may use the basic Leadership of the Beastmaster if they are within 6" of him. They may never use the Leadership of the warband leader, nor may they benefit from the Beastmaster’s increased Leadership if he is within 6" of the leader.

Scaly Skin: Cold One Beasthounds have tough scaly skin, and are considered to have a 6+ armour save. This save cannot be modified beyond 6 due to strength modifiers but any result of ‘no save’ on the Critical Hit chart will negate the unmodified 6+ save.

Fear: Cold One Beasthounds cause Fear.

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