Druchii.net

Greetings Tyrants!

Time for another topic of the week! This week is a light-hearted, easy topic: your favourite unit in the entire army. More importantly, we want to know why. Is it because it's a rank and file unit? Or a skirmish unit? Or a single character? Do you love this unit because of the models? Or is there a particular part of the fluff that you fancy from this unit?

What is the unit that you love the most, and perhaps consider the most iconic unit in the Dark Elf arsenal?

For me it is the model range, I think so many of ours are/were amazing. Picking a single personal favorite is pretty tough, probably the metal executioners and in a rank'n'file formation, I think it looks the best. However, I'm not sure that they are iconic in a sense, that title probably lies with witch elves.

Easy: Go Navy! so corsairs.
To be more specific, I like best RHB corsairs because my unit is made of the present models, while my AHW corsairs is made of the previous, metal models. In addition, RHB corsairs work better in smaller units, which I favor.

Now... I was really tempted to reply: sorceresses! .

So many to choose from. I love my dark elf dragon lord (he's an old citadel miniature sitting atop a partially converted old citadel dragon), as well as my executioners, witches, blackguard, dark riders, crossbowmen, corsairs, cold one knights...heck, I love them all.

If I had to pick, though, I think the winner would have to be my warriors. Back in the 7th edition army book, when warriors used to cost just 6 points a model, I loved fielding my 60 strong block in 12 ranks of 5 and watching my opponent's jaw just drop. Led by a supreme sorceress and holding the standard of discipline (for that lovely leadership 10), they simply would not budge, come rain or shine. I loved the models too - My warriors are the original dark elf warriors and a block of 60 of them just... looks... awesome

Game wise, I never left home without my Peg Masters.
However the Cold One models are some of my favourite sculpts and have evolved version by version. But I am going to have to go as the models I first brought for Dark elves, Mengil and the Manflayers.

Executioners of Har Ganeth (metal) because I love their fluff as silent disciplined elite killers who train their whole lifes to perfect their deadly blow. Besides the fluff I think they are the coolest rank and file models ever produced by Games Workshop.

Wow. Excellent question, one I've never really considered. My gut reaction is to say that the Witch Elves are the most iconic DE unit in my mind, so that's probably true. Regardless of the edition and the rules, my army almost always had at least a few of them. I've sold off most of my old Marauder witches, but I had them all the way back then even.

My favorite minis of the line would actually probably be the "Raptor" looking Cold Ones from a few editions back. The new ones are nice too, but I don't actually own any of them. What I really like is to use the Raptor Cold Ones with the riders from the fatter "battle cattle" plastic Cold Ones from the next edition.

I've said before, all the best "bad guy" types are covered in the DE army. We have pirates (corsairs), ninja (assassin), dinosaurs (cold ones), big bad monsters (manticores, hydras, dragons), psycho hot chicks in skimpy armor (witches), executioners, evil slave masters, callous leaders with no regard for their underlings, what's not to love?!

I've said before, all the best "bad guy" types are covered in the DE army. We have pirates (corsairs), ninja (assassin), dinosaurs (cold ones), big bad monsters (manticores, hydras, dragons), psycho hot chicks in skimpy armor (witches), executioners, evil slave masters, callous leaders with no regard for their underlings, what's not to love?!

+1

Samurai (executioners), spartan hoplites (spearman), gladiators (sisters of slaughter) and even Medusa herself.

Tough call. Sisters of Slaughter would have to be my current favourites, because they're incredible models with incredible rules, but which aren't an auto-include in most forces and which really require a lot of skill to get the best results. Yes, they're basically recast Wyches from 40K Dark Eldar, but without the parasitic aspects of their sci-fi kindred. The idea of a unit of undisciplined but incredibly talented warrior-women simply looking for a true challenge, and capable of making fools out of most opponents' infantry units, fits right into the fluff around the Dark Elf sense of superiority. They love to fight, they're incredibly good at it, and they're wild hedonists in the way that only those who regularly face death ever can be.

Furthermore, I won't deny that I enjoy watching my opponents react to their death stars being unexpectedly taken apart by masked ladies with whips. Chaos players in particular seem to struggle with that, at least in my area.

As far as iconic units go, I have to say Corsairs. Game-wise, I never leave home without Corsairs, but that's more of a Core tax issue than a favourite unit (despite my love of the cloak-wearing reavers). Going back to 5th/6th ed, when I started with Dark Elves, they were my out-and-out favourites alongside the Black Guard. In 8th ed, they're survivable, cheap enough for a large unit, and although they lost the Slavers rule, they can easily bunker a sorceress for easy access to decent buffs. Last but not least, they epitomise the Dark Elf race in the minds of our inferiors (i.e. everyone): striking unpredictably, without mercy, and with all the fury and ferocity of the wind and waves.

I struggle to choose my favourite miniature. On one hand I think the Witch Elves should win, being so very iconic and stylish. I was impressed by the miniatures from the start. But over time I started to love the basic spearmen more and more. It's a really nice mix of fantasy and traditional warfare. They have an air of cruel discipline about them.
On top of that, they look impressive in group. But there's also an incredible depth to that unit lore wise. If you think about it, the spearmen haven't changed a lot in their look for centuries nor in their arms. While the heraldy may have evolved a bit, they still are generally the same as they were millennia ago.

And this is where their depth comes from: when you see a dreadspear, you see an icon that's been part of the Druchii before they were Druchii, all the way back to the first Chaos invasion which was held back at the hand of Aenarion. You see a descendant of Naggarythe, a soldier who once stood by the side of Aenarion with shield and spear. By the tip of their spear the fate of the world was decided. Caledor's Vortex wouldn't exist if it weren't for these spearmen to protect his ritual. The Dreadspear is a citizen and soldier forged in the heat of the war against Daemon's, blessed and cursed with Aenarion's madness for war.

But the depth of their history is much deeper. The distinction between the High Elves and Dark Elves were first marked, not just by politics, but by attire. Where the High Elves would prance about in their finest whites to contrast their eyes (ohh, and also mourn, but really it was about their eyes), the soldiers of Naggarythe wore black or purple robes underneath their chainmail and armour. It's our Dreadspears that stood by Malekith's side that conquered the Old World and initiated the era of colonisation. It is by their sacrifice and effort to fight alongside Dwarfs that the alliance between the two races came to exist which heralded an era of unprecedented wealth and trade.
It were Dreadspears that guarded Malekith on his quest where he found the circlet of iron. It were dreadspears that carved Naggaroth out of that land. Dreadspears cleared the land for the Watchtowers to be constructed.

In fact, few units have such a rich history. Most of our other units didn't exist until long after the Sundering:
- Warlocks, which were cursed later on by Malekith
- Witch Elves, although the cultists did exist, the Cult was still "illegal" and "covert" until it became enstated in Naggaroth. There were no Witch Elves in their current role, though there were Hags and cultists. Hellebron and her followers would come into the picture during the war that lead to the Sundering.
- Executioners. Were not founded until later.
- Cold One Knights and Chariots, as the Cold Ones were found on Naggaroth
- Shades, outcasts from the cities of Naggaroth
- Corsairs, only came to be after Naggaroth
- Bloodwrack Medusae, were cursed covens of Ghrond.
- Sisters of Slaughter, came into existence on Naggaroth.
The Dark Riders would, perhaps, be the only unit that also found its origins in the war against Daemons but they were employed as an intelligence and messaging force.
The dreadspear is the corner stone of our army with a history older than Malekith.

But a Dreadspear is more than just the history behind that trooper. When you see a dreadspear, you see a Naggaroth citizen, much like a Spartan. The Druchii culture isn't bloated with job diversity. Most labour, from farming to construction, is performed at the hand of Slaves. It seems all the dirty work is left to forms of life considered beneath them. Politics, religion, knowledge and magic, trade and all possession is in the hands of Dark Elves. There is but one craft that all Dark Elves really take upon themselves: that of battle and murder. And they take it in all forms: from arenas, soldiery, piracy, even as religion.
All of this shows us one thing: the "normal" citizens of Naggaroth are the soldiery, the pirates, the gladiators. Where a high elf spearmen is a paid job, hired to protect the citizens of the homeland, a dark elf spearmen is the citizen.
As such, the Dreadspear isn't just a soldier, but also represents the norm of Druchii culture.

Anyhow, I ramble. But this is why I love my Dreadspears. Those prancing high elves don't hold a candle to our dreadspears.

Wow Daeron, you are a true patriot

I think my favorite is the Cold-One Knights. I love the look of the model, and the idea behind it. That Dark Elves were able to mount this seemingly mountable beast and bend them into submission. I think is says a lot about the culture of the Elves themselves. Than in a barren wasteland even though they were defeated they were truly defeated. The idea that the rose up an conquered a new land and began to rebuild a culture lost. I think the Cold-One Knights have a lot to say about that. As they were the at the top of the foo chain before the Druchii came and not like all lower beast they serve the true kings.