Moridin_Nae'blis wrote:-harpies
basically i see all kinds of things about using them as screens and although the idea is fairly simple to grasp I guess I could just use like one scenario and some tips as to how to use them effectively and keep them alive.
Fast, inexpensive skirmishers are among the most useful units in Warhammer Fantasy. There are a tremendous number of uses for a unit like Harpies:
1) Screens: As skirmishers, Harpies can be spread out in a long, thin line that lets them obscure the troops behind them. As long as your enemy is not a Large Target or sitting on a hill or in the second floor of a building, they cannot see troops hiding behind the harpies. This lets Harpies create a long, thin veil to shield more valuable, precious troops from being shot to pieces.
2) Marchblocking: Since Harpies are fast, they can quickly dash towards an approaching enemy. By camping out within 8 inches of an opponent, they prevent them from marching and give a Dark Elf player more time to shoot, cast magic, get their own close combat troops in place, etc.
3) Warmachine/fast cavalry/character/shooter hunting: Harpies aren't spectacular in close combat, but multiple S3 attacks are effective enough versus fragile troops. With their speed, Harpies can tackle warmachines, fast cavalry, magic users foolish enough to hang out on their own, and shooting regiments (beware stand and shoot reactions though!) Even if the Harpies don't succesfully break or kill these troops, they can occupy and distract them long enough to benefit the rest of the Dark Elf army. After all, each of the things mentioned can be a real threat to Dark Elves, and so distracting them helps the rest of the force.
Moridin_Nae'blis wrote:hydra
Just anything you can tell me about the best uses for these guys (who they eat/how well they eat/keeping them alive/what to go after first) would be great because from what i've heard they are nasty disgusting beasts who leave trails of bodies that go all the way from the Chaos Wastes to the...south most point of the warhammer world)
There are a few good uses for the Hydra. He is great for dominating the support units that typically jockey for flanks in a Warhammer game. With his high unit strength, the Hydra can crash into enemy flanks, negate their ranks, and sway virtually any combat in your favor. Alternately, the Hydra can go straight up the middle with Dark Elf regiments and use Terror, breath weapon, and a whopping 7 Attacks to lend support to a Dark Elf regiment. Major things to watch out for are Warmachines, especially the nasty Flaming Dwarf variety which will negate his Regeneration Save. Also, don't expect the Hydra to be a one-man army. It's a strong unit, but will suffer against opponents with lots of static combat resolution (ranks, banner, outnumber, etc.) If you're using him in combat on his own, it should be against small units that don't bring much static combat resolution to the fray. Also, don't be afraid to focus on using that dangerous breath weapon, instead of going for combat.
Moridin_Nae'blis wrote:-assassins
never used em, always wanted to. What builds work, what units do they go good in, and are they even usefull after the initial pop
There are a few builds floating around. I think the most popular is the high-Strength rending star build. Equip the Assassin with rending stars and Manbane, and you have a character who tossess around a 3x multiple shots missile weapon that's hitting at very high Strength. In particular, the Assassin can bust Toughness 5 chariots with a single star (Manbane is Strength 6 against a T5 chariot, rending stars make that into Strength 7.)
Otherwise, gearing up the Assassin for piles of attacks (+D3 Attack gift, extra hand weapon) allows him to intercept and cut down enemy troops charging Dark Elves. This kind of defensive utility is very effective and useful for fragile dark elf regiments.
Once the Assassin is revealed, you can keep him with his parent unit to continue to bolster their combat effectiveness, or send him to where he's most needed. Remember how fragile he is, and so he should obviously be protected from threats he can't handle.
Moridin_Nae'blis wrote:-shades
once again, never used em, always wanted to. How can i make these most effective?
These guys are an excellent choice. Crossbows give them a solid shooting presence that can be combined with Dark Riders, crossbowmen, magic missiles, bolt throwers, breath weapons, etc. to scythe the enemy down. Most commonly, these guys will be equipped with great weapons and tackling anything and everything that comes close. With Hatred, they will be forcing lots of Strength 5 hits on the enemy. They can cut down warmachines or hit the flanks of enemy regiments in support of combined charges with other Dark Elf units. They can marchblock like harpies, but their reduced mobility and higher point cost makes this more risky. Like the Hydra, don't attack units with a lot of static combat resolution, and remember that they're extremely fragile. A single magic missile can eradicate an expensive unit, so take appropriate steps to protect them.
Moridin_Nae'blis wrote:-big monster mounts
same as the two above. I know they draw attention like the big baddies they are but how can i keep them alive and still have them make up for their points?
This depends on what type of monster mount, who is riding it, who you are facing, and what role you want from these guys. A Dragon-riding Dreadlord is a very, very different choice from a Pegasus or Manticore-riding Master. Just like with Shades and the Hydra, be aware of what you send them up against. Just because they're big and scary doesn't mean they can plow into the front of an enemy and automatically win. Use their superior movement to protect them from threats and hit the enemy where they are most fragile. Make good use of Terror against low-leadership armies, and use the excellent, excellent support units of the Dark Elves to hunt down warmachines and shooting units that could threaten such a huge point investment.
Happy hunting.
