New Dark Elves pictures...

Not sure if this has been posted yet, but here are some pictures of the upcoming Dark Elves. Very nice in my opinion...

http://loserstudio.blogspot.co.uk/


What do you guys think?

 

Ehh... I'm not a fan of Dark Elves, but from these pictures, I think the new models are... ok. I like the Kharibdyss, but the Hydra on the other hand looks a bit tame. I like the Bloodwrack Shrine, but the Cauldron looks very slinky. The dancing kit (Witch Elves / Sisters of Slaughter) look ok.

There's also a small rules round-up at Plastic Krak: http://plastickrak.blogspot.fi/2013/09/dark-elves-rules-leaks.html

ASF for Dark Elves as well? That's scary...

 

That hydra looks about as sharp as our Cold Ones. I'm not a huge fan of the old hydra's looks, but I'm not sure this new one is an improvement. Though it does make me glad I've got two Reaper hydras. They actually look like a flightless, multiheaded dragon. I'm curious to see if they have tweaked it's stat line though. 180 pts is still too cheap for something as resilient and fighty/killy as a hydra.

The Cauldron multi kit looks interesting, but it is the rules that will make or break it. Same with most everything else pictured.

Battles against my DE playing friend could get interesting if ASF is an army wide rule. ASF and Hatred seem sort of redundant in the re-roll to hit department.

 

Rumors have it that the hydra buys the breathe as an upgrade (I'll guess 30 points, like the chimera), and that the regen got the slaan nerf (you roll at the end of each turn for wounds lost).
That makes the hydra more expensive and less survivable.

Back solving for unit costs from the battle report list, warriors of any type are coming in at ~12 points each, 11 for a witch elf. No more cheap bunkers for DE. I'd say that dark elf armies are shrinking in size; which is a good thing for 5 point skinks, or 7 point skirmishers. DE infantry is just as easy to kill, but will have fewer on the table.

 

Those infantry prices sound a little more appropriate (especially from an HE perspective). I'm anxious to see how the new rules will stack up once they are released. It might put some life back into my gaming group.

 

I really hope that the Dark Elves army wide ASF rule isn't true. Never really liked that rule with the high elves. Having a unit or two with that rule makes sense, but when it's applied to the whole army it gets silly, IMHO.

 

The models look good, I don't know how much I like bringing a couple of twisted stairs to the battlefield though...

As for rules:
ASF army-wide..no not a fan. A more naturally defensive army as High Elves I can understand, but even then; not a fan.
ASF on the charge for dark elves would be a different story. Dark Elves are an aggressive army, so being able to strike first on the charge would seem logical. It is thé way for them to deal damage before their squishy T3 units get crushed by anything left standing.

From what I read so far, DE will get a lot more focus on poison, killing blow and Multiwound. Offensive abilities, in short.
That's ofcourse nasty, but I think it's ok. It will make for a very different playstyle with each of the elves
High Elves: Defensive
Dark Elves: Offensive
Wood Elves: Guerilla

Ofcourse, you will be able to take a somewhat defensive DE list. Same way we can take an all-skink list. Some type of lists just suit their armies better. Us lizardmen, for instance, have a slann as a central point. DE are naturally aggressive.
Dark Elves will need something to protect their T3, expensive units though. As they will be fragile and few(er).
Skinks and Salamanders naturally love expensive, fragile troops.

I've thought a while of starting a new army (or trading my Dwarves away for it), and I always come back to either Wood- or Dark elves. But I'll guess I'll wait just a little longer before commiting..

The Hunted

 

DE initiative is quite high, especially on their Special troops. ASF doesn't really buy them much compared to Hatred. They are generally attacking first and have a re-roll in the first round of combat. If combat goes beyond one round, most Elves are in trouble regardless of who attacks first. I would much rather see them with poison, killing blow, etc. than ASF.

 

What is up with the price of the Witch Elves? Here in Canada they are running $70 for a unit of ten. That is insane. I've never seen a unit of 10 infantry cost that much money.

I was interested in picking up a couple of boxes for my Slaanesh warriors unit, but I don't think I can justify that expense.

Is the the most expensive 10 model infantry kit GW has ever produced? Is there a precedence for it?

 

Witch Elves were ridiculously expensive before their new sculpt and associated price gouge. That is the only precedent I can think of. Unless you count Games Workshop's usual customer hostility and greed. Lets not forget the obvious.

 

After taking a closer look at the Hydra, I have to retract some of what I said before. It isn't a stupid looking as our Cold Ones. It was just the paint job that made the heads look that way. The chesk spikes, however, remain stupid and unnecessary.

 

Sad part is you probably need a unit of at least 30 to make it viable. That's $210 for a single unit here in Canada. It was always an expensive hobby but that seems over the top.

I remember when I got my Necron Battalion for $


Does any other company make a good equivalent of for Witch Elves? Shame Avatars of War haven't got around to it yet.

 

Apparently, the book has been leaked in it's entirety. Here are some chosen tidbits:

http://plastickrak.blogspot.fi/2013/09/dark-elf-rules-leaked.html

The new chariot seems to be floating (or it has tiny tiny wheels under the chariot), not very durable, but fast fast fast, and the accompanying Harpoon Launcher spells yet more trouble for monsters. If it hits and wounds (S7, D3 Wounds), roll D6, the monster is then moved straight towards the chariot that many inches. If you rolled more than 3, the monster takes one extra wound with no armor saves allowed.

Also, the new DElves seem to have two new (?) units with a Ward Save of 4+ (although, with Sisters of Slaughter it is only in effect when in close combat and that's where you want them to be anyway). Also Cauldron of Blood gives 6+ Ward, or, in some cases, 5+.

I was too lazy to try to read the small text on the pictures to try to see what the spells and magic items do. Maybe if someone else's eyes are not already hurting, they can do it. Still, one of the Signature spells is +1S and an ability to gain Power Dice back. Yay.

 

Sadly, it looks like Lizardmen got shafted and all the good stuff went to Dark Elves. All the new units are viable, well-costed and balanced by clear weaknesses (the one dud might be a Medusa on foot - and even that's a mere 90 points, Trogolodon take note). Army-wide ASF and Murderess Prowess are beneficial to everything, hugely beneficial to some things in particular (Executioners), and have no associated disadvantage (Predatory Fighter, take note). More stuff got moved into Core, with actual decisions to make (Witch Elves aren't clear cut - Spearmen cheaper, Swordsmen better defence, Crossbowmen have ranged potential, Corsairs have extremely good saves but more pricey, etc). There are two new Lords that offer clear alternatives to Dreadlords, etc.

Now I play both armies, and the Dark Elf player in me is extremely pleased. The Lizardmen player looks at Ripperdactyls, Bastiladons, Carnosaurs and Trogoldons, then at Sisters of Slaughter, Warlocks, Scourgerunners and Kharbidys and is very sad indeed.

 

I'd say we (lizards) came out ahead in the magic item department.
The sac knife only works half the time, and the point value of the guys you're killing is higher. I don't think it's as useful as it used to be.

The lore of darkness is awesome; but keep in mind that dark elves have a lot less lores to choose from, and Wandering Deliberations is really growing on me. Dark Elf wizards aren't cheap, and I can see some pretty bad combo's when rolling up spells.
As for the new units, I've repeatedly had Rippers and Bastiladons be my best performers.
I can still spend $35 on 24 core models (188 points); where as dark elves really got shafted $60 for 10 models.

Most important, the unkillable stubborn dreadlord is dead.

-Matt

 

Apparently, Dark Elves can now choose from any of the 8 BRB lores...

 

Someone give me that GW design department email address...

I want to let them know what I think about our new units compared to other books...

And yes I know its futile to do that but it will make me feel better

Seriously Carnosaur, Trog and Rippers are so meh, Basti I suppose is ok because its cheap. Couldn't they just have made the Rippers T4 with LA on riders to 3+ Asv, already I would feel better about them delivering their attacks(limited target choices because of Initiative and low defense)

Kudos to all who try to find ways to make these units work, but why should we be trying so hard. You'd think GW would make new releases a bit better to stimulate sales.

Anyway...end of rant. The new DE book looks like its going to be good, with nice viable choices.

 

I know I personally would make a straight swap of all our magic items for all of theirs. They have some pretty fancy stuff.

Imagine sacrificing skinks for power dice! Plus the Cloak of Twilight might be pretty nasty on a Oldblood Cowboy.


I'd love a crack at the Slann casting from their lore as well

 

If the interwebz is true...good chance seeing that the book is out already thus may be very true, the DE keeping Ring of Hotek and it getting even stronger, MR3 and lets enemy mage miscast on some condition. That hurts because we lost Cupped Hands. They also have the spite something or other which does S6 hit to enemy wizard when they miscast.

Their 100 point banner is pretty good too. Another thing that stings is that so many of their units may take magic banners. Why oh why were we nerfed to only TG??