Well, D.net is having issues and this sub-forum is way too inactive, so here's a list.

The general depends on who/what I'm facing.

Not many points spent on characters because, less points in characters = more points in fun stuff (troops, chariots, ect).

The HS will probably take dark magic. She'll probably stay near the crossbowmen, as they can take out most stuff coming for her. The Noble will flank for units like the spearmen and witches, since he can negate ranks.

The spearmen provide static CR and a fairly durable unit, with 4+ saves in combat (using handweapon/shield). Crossbowmen provide shooting support, which is usually sent onto faster stuff with low armor saves. They also provide a decent combat unit when ranked 4*3 and can defend the cauldron if need be. Dark Riders fill rear/flank charging, baiting, harassing duties. They also pressure people and help me control the battle field.

Chariots are really good with the cauldron, they can reroll failed impact hits. They will usually tag-team with spearmen and/or eachother. Witches take down lightly armored infantry and are kept cheap to help negate the fact that they can be baited easily. I'll try and pin down stuff with dark riders hitting the unit's flank to help them get into combat.

The cauldron helps out my units' main weakness, low strength. It also acts as a decoy and another battle field control item.


Comments, Ideas, criticisms and other such stuff is welcome; provided you back it up.

Looks good. :thumb:
Just one question: what is an ES (on your Noble)?

IMO this list tries to have all, but still isnt particulary strong in anything. magic for example, that high sorceress will need at least one, if not 2 support sorceress´ since 6PD (how do you get 7?) wont get you very far. it´s not bad but as you are having a high sorceress then you want to get your points back there.

troops look ok, maybe I would change one of the warrior units for something else. long time since I looked in the DE book so I dont know if the cauldron is worth it´s points.

well good luck anyway :)

ES is enchanted shield, but that's a typo and it's just a regular shield. Fixed now.

Tyrion: Darkstar cloak gets me the 7th PD. My magic is actually pretty strong for around here, my combat is also quite good with the chariots, witches, and the cauldron helping them out.

The list works in teams:
1) 16 Warriors, 10 witches, chariot w/o noble, 5 DR w/rxbs
2) 16 Warriors, 10 witches, chariot w/o noble, 5 DR w/rxbs
3) 12 Warriors, chariot w/ noble, 5 DR w/banner

The DR units w/rxbs will often be mage/warmachine hunting early on though.

I don't really know what I would get instead of the warrior unit if I dropped it, any ideas anyone?

The Cauldron is worth it's points if the list works with it.

You need more shoots. Personally i hate the cauldron for his prohibitive price and poor reach, so what I would do is eliminate it and add one unit of shadows and bolt throwers. Infantry are good, but i prefer executioners over witches (and if you like the culdron, they work better, repeating wound rolls to obteain more killing blows)

Thanks for the reply.

I don't know that you really need more shots... I mean, more would entice the enemy to come after you, which is always good, but on the flip side of that, it going to narrow down your CC phase, which you want to keep. You spent to points on the cauldron after all...

The witches are better suited for the cauldron, and do better justify the points spent on the bucket o' blood. Also, the Executioners are really best at flanking an enemy and doing some serious damage with their high str attacks, but... I would think the three chariots and magic phase be enough to deal with high toughness or high armour opponents. spears hold them down, chariots flank. Just make sure you control the movement the way you want it to be controlled- the dark riders should be able to do that. If you aren't good at controlling movement, this list will not work, in my opinion.

Ok i must recognize that i saw not the crosbows on DR :lol: . Of course i refer to shoot troops with mobility (DR and shadows), i don´t like the shoot elves on foot or who arent skirmishers caus they are too slow for my tipical battle plans (yeah i am a rare guy, you can say it) . But you are right, don´t need mor shoots.

With regard to discussion exec/witches, i choose the first cause i hate frenzy troops for their lack of control and their propency to be attracted to traps with ligth cavalry or something similar and i absolutelly love any kind of troop or character with killing blow ; anyway against, for example VC the witches absolutelly rocks. Wait I forgot the faculty of the cauldron to done them the ward save, definitelly include them but excecutioners too!

And no i´m not crazy. :wacko:

Now it makes sense, you missed 20 shots. And I would like to get some exes in but I already have 4 special units. 2 chariots, chariot, witches, witches

R-G: IMHO almost all dark elf lists need to control the movement phase. The DR, cauldron, and shooting helps me with that. Dark elf shooting is hell to light units like fast cavalry. The cauldron scares people, and draws mage/warmachine hunters (though it doesn't go down easily at all). Magic helps to an extent too.

I agree that most lists gotta control movement, but I think for this one it is even more essential. You can only stray so far from the cauldron before you lose the benefits of it, and the witch elves have frenzy, meaning the enemy may try to control their movement. I was basically saying you gotta have good reasons for the enemy to come to you, like the shooting and dark riders. you will most likely need to neutralize any high damage shooting (cannons and the like) to make sure the enemy doesn't have any reason to hang back and just try taking shots on an army with little armour. At the same time, you've paid for the shooting, so you have to utilize it, trying to slow down the opponent's infantry so you can pepper them with more shots.

I'll marchblock the heavy cavalry and the infantry, while shooting fast, light stuff. It isn't infantry blocks that worry me, this list can handle them fine, it's skirmishers and anything that can out-maneuver me. Non-HE/Bret MSU cavalry is also going to be difficult.

The cauldron's range is actually quite a lot of the battle field. Deployed the full 12" out, in the center of the field; it covers 36" from my side and 48" wide. If the enemy tries to avoid it (and they don't have a crazy amount of shooting), I can control movement that way.

ah, I for some reason didn't think of deploying the cauldron out- probably because I just feel like it would be risky... lemme look over it's rules again

*rereads cauldron rules*

I guess it can survive if you throw it out front. I personally would probably put a cheap screen in front of it, maybe crossbowmen just so they can do something while standing there, to make sure the cauldron isn't taken down on turn one or two by heavy shooting. It is possible, me thinks.

Thanks to the revision, there is randomization of hits between the cauldron and the gaurdians. That's effectively a 3+ wardsave for the gaurdians. Then they have a 4+ ward against missles. Someone did the math, only one gaurdian dies to 100 BS 3 long-range bow shots.

The crossbowmen might go infront of it if there is a whole lot of shooting, they deploy 8/4 so they can easily cover it.

right, I knew about the randomization, but I did some rolling and was able to pick off a cauldron attendant with alot less than 100 shots... but, maybe my dice just got lucky. I still think it would be wise to throw the crossbow elves in front of the cauldron, but then, if you're sure on its durability, maybe you shouldn't place anything in front of it, as it will soak up alot of enemy fire that won't do a thing against it (alot of players don't know all the new rules from the revision, it seems), thereby covering the rest of your troops from the deadly missle shots. You know, I'm beginning to like the cauldron more and more...

Did you count the cauldron as a large target? It's a common misconseption that it is.

Hehe, converting more people to using the cauldron.

100 shots hit on 5's with BS 3 and at long range, that's 33 hitting. 2/3 of those hit the cauldron, 11 shots through. Half of those are saved, 5 or 6 through, Half wound, that's 2 or 3 dead. So his math was a little off, still, how many armies can rattle off 100 shots a turn? If they can I'd rather have them hitting the cauldron instead of the rest of my fragile army.