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My last games i've been running witch elves with a cauldron on the field. A choice that is rather expensive and risky if the cauldron dies. So i'm looking for an alternative to my core choice. I have also been running with the hit and run tactics with Dark riders. What is another good choice?
When wielding witch elves and cauldron you steal so much points from the other choices, special, rare etc .. And I want to use my black guards and executioners sometime
I often play games between 1500-2000p

Well filling up on Dark Riders work nice, their fast, can shoot and can threaten alot on of things.
Next could be either Dark Shards or Corsairs. DarkShards beeing the more Defensive choice.
Then we have Bleakswords and Dreadspears. Not optimal choices but they work quite well if you are looking for a bunker.

I find a block of 30 Darkshards with the Flaming Banner is a good multi-purpose unit. I can shoot a decent amount of shots, bring ranks when I need to. makes a decent bunker for a wizard, and is reasonably durable with a 5+/6+ save. It's not the super-unit that Witches Elves and a Cauldron of Blood are but I like having a good shooting phase.

I think the DE Sweedish comp has correctly valued most units, including core. Without any support, corsairs with two attacks a 4+ I find to be more effective, while the other units are more situational. Add dark riders to taste.

I like smaller units of witch elves with or without a Hag on foot with Witchbrew. With Witchbrew, just one rank is pumping out 30 poisoned attacks, and the unit if far, far cheaper than the COB death star.

For a core choice, that's insane.

Without a Witchbrew Hag, a unit of 14 is only 174 points w/ Std + Mus. That's a steal considering it's damage output, and it's actually decently reliable and very expendable if required. I've been playing with 1-2 units like this, and I'm fine just throwing them into any combat. They are ideal to take on Ogres, Skaven, Goblins, Zombies, etc. If they die, they die - but they're going to cause significant damage and make it easier for my real hammers to clean up.

Ten witches solo dump 30 attacks. Witchbrew brings it up to 40.

But I wouldn't waste Witchbrew on such a small, fragile unit. I save it for the big blocks. Nothing says 'tear it all up' like 28 Executioners plus Tullaris and a Brewhag. 44 S6 KB attacks, PLUS Tullaris (four more) and the Hag (five S4 Poison... barring a magic weapon).

29 Witches with Hellebron tear up things pretty well too. 56 S3 Poison, plus 7-10 S10. Shreds anything without a decent save, and hammers smaller units of armored stuff FLAT. (Falls sort against large units or armor, or units with good wards, but you can't have everything).

I don't particularly like rolling more than about 30 dice for any one moment. It slows the game down. For me, a full darkrider core is amazing. 30+ vanguarding models can give you some intense board control.

But if you are going to use alot of DR, make sure you take one unit of shades to scout and protect those key vanguard moves.

That's the great thing about Dark Elves. We can do so much, and do it WELL.

Dark Rider core is quite fun too. Not the same fun as the Big Superfrenzy Blocks, but fun nonetheless.

+1 Vulcan.

DE can do alot of things well enough to be entertaining and thought provoking. My other army is Ogre Kingdoms, and it is very one dimensional. Nice when I want to play smashmouth, but very little subtlety and nuance.