Source: Town Cryer #12 · Setting: Lustria
Many dare not speak of the High Elves’ evil kin, the Druchii, or the Dark Elves as they are better known. They are a race for whom pain and pleasure have been pushed to the ultimate extreme. They leave destruction and despair in their wake and are more greatly feared than the barbaric Orcs and no less so than the tainted forces of Chaos and Undeath. To the victims of the Dark Elves it is the fortunate to whom a quick death is gifted, for this twisted folk roam the Known World in search of slaves. The slaves of the Dark Elves are either worked to death in their mines, ripped apart on the altars to Khaine, their dark God, or tortured mercilessly by the Brides of Khaine, the Witch Elves. Dark Elves take a perverse delight in inflicting pain upon others just to see their victims suffer.
Despite their dire reputation for cruelty they are only rivalled as explorers and adventurers by their High Elven cousins. It is the lure of the precious, arcane artefacts of the Slann that bring these foul creatures to Lustria, travelling stealthily in their Black Arks and penetrating deep into the jungle. Dark Elves are adept at stealth and ambush and are well suited to the overgrown realm of the Lizardmen — most warbands don’t even know they’re being attacked until it is too late.
Special Rules
Kindred Hatred: The Dark Elves have been fighting the High Elves for many centuries. The wars between these two races have been very long and bloody affairs. Dark Elves Hate any High Elf warriors including High Elf Hired Swords.
Excellent Sight: Elves have eyesight unmatched by mere humans. All the Elves in a Dark Elves Warband can spot Hidden enemies from twice as far away as other warriors (i.e. twice their Initiative in inches).
Black Powder Weapons: Dark Elves may never use black powder weapons as they find them too crude, noisy and unreliable.
Choice of Warriors
A Dark Elf warband must include a minimum of three models. You have 500 gold crowns to recruit your initial warband. The maximum number of warriors in the warband may never exceed 12.
- High Born: Each Dark Elf warband must have one High Born to lead it — no more, no less.
- Beastmaster: Your warband may include one Beastmaster.
- Fellblades: Your warband may include up to two Fellblades.
- Sorceress: Your warband may include one Sorceress.
- Corsairs: Your warband may include any number of Corsairs.
- Shades: Your warband may include up to five Shades.
- Cold One Hounds: Your warband may include up to two hounds if it also includes a Beastmaster.
Heroes
High Born
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 9 |
Dark Elf Leaders are typically drawn from the Dark Elf nobility and lead the warband in search of gold, slaves and arcane artefacts to bring home to Naggaroth. They are cold and ruthless killers and they command the respect of their troops through assassination and terror. They have attained their position of leadership by eliminating rival nobles who stand in their way and through their remarkable cunning — they are dangerous foes who embody the merciless traits of the Druchii race.
Weapons/Armour: A High Born may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Dark Elf Equipment list.
Special Rules
Leader: Any models in the warband within 6” of the High Born may use his Leadership instead of their own.
Beastmaster
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 8 |
Whereas the High Elves have a great affinity with Dragons and Griffons and other noble creatures, their malevolent kin have infamous Beastmasters — Dark Elves of particularly cruel renown who breed many vicious beasts and lead them into contact. Unlike the High Elves who treat their beasts as companions, the Dark Elf Beastmasters are very spiteful masters.
Weapons/Armour: A Beastmaster may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Dark Elf Equipment list.
Special Rules
Cold One Beasthound: The Beastmaster may be accompanied by up to two Cold One Beasthounds, these are bought as henchmen and follow all rules listed for them.
Fellblades
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 8 |
The Fellblades are elite warriors of the Dark Elf armies and are often linked to the household of a particular Noble family. Fellblades live a life of strict martial training, each specialising in a particular weapon and fighting style. Killing is a way of life for these warriors — enemies can expect no mercy from them. Fellblades accompany raiding parties to Lustria as paid guards or to further hone their killing skills.
Weapons/Armour: Fellblades may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Dark Elf Equipment list.
Special Rules
Melee Specialists: Fellblades live by a strict code of close quarter fighting. Fellblades may not use missile weapons of any sort.
Dark Elf Sorceress
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 8 |
Dark Elves are strange in that apart from the fell Witch King there are no other male sorcerers — all the other practitioners of magic in the Dark Elf race are female. It is rumoured that any males who do develop an affinity for magic amongst the Dark Elves are immediately put to death to fulfil some dark prophecy. Dark Elf Sorceresses are mysterious, raven-haired beauties who are grudgingly respected even by the powerful High Born, and their services are high in demand.
Weapons/Armour: The Sorceress may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Dark Elf Equipment list, but they may not cast spells if wearing armour.
Special Rules
Wizard: The Dark Elf Sorceress is a wizard and uses Dark Elf Magic.
Henchmen
(Bought in groups of 1–5)
Corsairs
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 8 |
The Dark Elves are cruel and fierce fighters. This is especially true of the Corsairs — the Black Ark Raiders. They are skilled with sword and axe, as well as the repeater crossbow, the distinct missile weapon of the Dark Elves. Whenever a Black Ark explores the coast of Lustria the Corsairs are the first to launch raiding parties.
Weapons/Armour: Corsairs may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Dark Elf Equipment list; in addition they may wear Sea Dragon Cloaks even though they are not heroes.
Shades
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
The stealthy Dark Elf Scouts rely on their repeater crossbows to harass and snipe at the enemy, rather than engaging them head on — ambush is the preferred style of fighting. Shades are young and inexperienced scouts that see the expeditions to Lustria as a valuable training opportunity.
Weapons/Armour: Shades may be armed with weapons and armour chosen from the Shades Equipment list.
Special Rules
Natural Stealth: The first thing that Dark Elf Scouts master is the art of moving without being seen or heard. If a Dark Elf is Hiding, enemy models suffer −1 to their Initiative value for determining if they can detect him.
Cold One Beasthounds
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
The Dark Elves capture and breed many exotic creatures to fight for them and fights between pets are often staged as a form of entertainment. One such animal was discovered in Lustria. Distantly related to Cold Ones, the Cold One Beasthound lives in swamps and bogs — larger than war dogs and of similar build but in all other respects reptilian. Rows of sharp teeth fill its maw, and when provoked, the Cold One Beasthound is a very aggressive beast.
Weapons/Armour: Cold One Beasthounds are animals and do not need any weapons save their claws and massive jaws.
Special Rules
Animals: Cold One Beasthounds are animals and all animal rules apply to them; they never gain experience.
Beastmaster: Cold One Beasthounds are nasty, vicious brutes barely kept under control. If the Beastmaster dies the beasts will immediately escape from the warband and are removed from the warband roster. If the Beastmaster is unable to participate in a battle, then neither will the beasts.
Stupidity: Cold One Beasthounds may use the basic Leadership of the Beastmaster if they are within 6” of him. They may never use the Leadership of the warband leader, nor benefit from the Beastmaster’s increased Leadership if he is within 6” of the leader.
Scaly Skin: Cold One Beasthounds have tough scaly skin and are considered to have a 6+ armour save. This save cannot be modified beyond 6 due to strength modifiers, but any result of ‘no save’ on the Critical Hit chart will negate the unmodified 6+ save.
Fear: Cold One Beasthounds cause Fear.
Equipment Lists
Dark Elf Equipment List
* Heroes only. ** Heroes and Corsairs only. *** Beastmaster only.
Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Dagger | 1st free / 2 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc |
| Spear | 10 gc |
| Halberd | 10 gc |
| Beastlash*** | 10 gc |
| Double-handed weapon | 15 gc |
| Dark Elf Blade (weapon upgrade)* | +15 gc |
Missile Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Repeater Crossbow | 35 gc |
| Crossbow Pistol | 35 gc |
Armour
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Buckler | 5 gc |
| Shield | 5 gc |
| Helmet | 10 gc |
| Light armour | 20 gc |
Miscellaneous Equipment
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Dark Venom* | 15 gc |
| Sea Dragon Cloak** | 50 gc |
Shades Equipment List
Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Dagger | 1st free / 2 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc |
Missile Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Repeater Crossbow | 35 gc |
Armour
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Helmet | 10 gc |
| Light armour | 20 gc |
Skill Table
| Combat | Shooting | Academic | Strength | Speed | Special | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Born | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Sorceress | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Fellblades | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Beastmaster | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Dark Elf Special Skills
Dark Elf Heroes may use the following Skill table instead of any of the standard Skill tables available to them.
Fury of Khaine
The Dark Elf is infused with an intense raging thirst for blood and is a whirlwind in hand-to-hand combat, moving from opponent to opponent. The Dark Elf may make a 4” follow-up move if he takes all of his opponents Out Of Action. If he comes into contact with another enemy this starts a new combat. This new combat takes place in the following turn and the model counts as charging. May not follow up in the opponent’s turn.
Powerful Build
The warrior is strongly built for an Elf and is capable of feats of strength. A warrior with this skill may choose skills from the Strength table. The Sorceress may never take this skill and no more than two warriors in the warband may take this skill at any one time.
Fey Quickness
Few can ever hope to match an Elf’s inhuman quickness and agility. An Elf with Fey Quickness can avoid melee or missile attacks on a roll of 6. If the Elf also has Step Aside or Dodge this will increase to a 4+ in the relevant area. For example, an Elf with Fey Quickness and Step Aside avoids melee attacks on a 4+ and missile attacks on a 6.
Infiltration
The Dark Elf with this skill is always placed on the battlefield after the opposing warband and can be placed anywhere on the table as long as it is out of sight of the opposing warband and more than 12” away from any enemy model. If both players have models which infiltrate, roll a D6 for each, and the lowest roll sets up first.
Master of Poisons
The Dark Elf is proficient in concocting different poisons. If the Hero doesn’t search for rare items, he may make D3−1 doses of Dark Venom instead. There is a chance of getting none, as the hero doesn’t have access to a stable workplace. The poison must be used in the next battle and cannot be sold or traded to other warbands as the Dark Elves guard their secrets very carefully.
Special Equipment
Beastlash
Cost: 10 + 1D6 gc · Availability: Rare 8
The Beastmaster makes good use of his whip to goad his hounds and creatures into combat.
Range: Close Combat · Strength: As user −1
Beastbane: The Beastmaster wielding a Beastlash causes Fear in animals. Any animal charged by or wishing to charge a Beastmaster with one of these weapons must first take a Fear test.
Cannot Be Parried: The Beastlash is a flexible weapon and the Beastmaster uses it with great expertise. A model attacked by a Beastlash may not make parries with swords or bucklers.
Whipcrack: When the wielder charges they gain +1A for that turn. When the wielder is charged they gain +1A that may only be used against the charger; this additional attack will strike first. If simultaneously charged by two or more opponents they still only receive a total of +1A.
Dark Elf Blade
Cost: +20 gc upgrade to sword or dagger · Availability: Rare 9
Dark Elf Blades are forged in the city of Hag Graef, the Dark Crag. They are fashioned from Blacksteel, a rare form of steel found deep within the mountains around the city. Dark Elf Blades have wicked protrusions and serrated edges, which inflict serious damage on an opponent.
Any Dark Elf can upgrade a sword or dagger to a Dark Elf Blade by paying an additional 20 gc at the time of purchase. Weapons upgraded to a Dark Elf Blade retain all of their abilities (i.e. swords can parry, daggers grant an armour save of 6).
Critical Damage: When rolling on the critical hit chart a Dark Elf Blade will add +1 to the result.
Wicked Edge: A roll of 2–4 on the injury table is a Stunned result.
Sea Dragon Cloak
Cost: 50 + 2D6 gc · Availability: Rare 10
Dark Elf Corsairs use special cloaks fashioned from Sea Monsters that dwell deep in the ocean depths. These cloaks are tough and resilient and offer Dark Elves a very good amount of protection.
Scales: 5+ armour save in close combat, 4+ armour save against missiles.
Dark Elf Magic
The Dark Elves are as accomplished practitioners of magic as their arch enemies the High Elves but whereas the High Elves essentially use magic defensively and for the power of good, the Dark Elves utilise the evil powers of Dark Magic — a very destructive force indeed.
The Sorceress begins with one spell chosen at random from this list. She may learn additional spells instead of skills on future advances.
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Doombolt |
| 2 | Word of Pain |
| 3 | Soul Stealer |
| 4 | Flamesword |
| 5 | Deathspasm |
| 6 | Witch Flight |
1. Doombolt
Casting difficulty: 9
Whispering an ancient incantation the Sorceress conjures a bolt of pure dark energy and unleashes it from her outstretched hand. The bolt of doom may be targeted at any enemy model in line of sight. The Doombolt has an 18” range and causes a Strength 5 hit. If the target model is wounded, the next closest model within 6” is also hit on a 4+, at −1 Strength than the previous hit. The bolt will keep leaping until there are no more targets within range or until its Strength drops to one. Each model can only be hit by a bolt once per turn. Take armour saves as normal.
2. Word of Pain
Casting difficulty: 8
The Sorceress calls the curse of the Witch King down on his enemy reducing their willingness to fight. The spell may be cast at an enemy model within 12”. The victim must re-roll all successful hand-to-hand or missile attacks and all to-wound rolls. If the victim wishes to charge, he must pass a successful Leadership test first. Lasts until the beginning of the next Dark Elf turn.
3. Soul Stealer
Casting difficulty: 9
At the Sorceress’s touch, the essence of life is drained from her enemy and absorbed into her body giving her renewed strength and vigour. Once successfully cast, the Sorceress must make a to-hit roll against a model in base contact. If the attack is successful and her opponent is struck, he suffers a wound with no armour save possible. The Sorceress feeds on this life-force and adds one wound to her profile. The Sorceress can never have more than one extra wound from the use of this spell, and the extra wound is lost at the end of the battle.
4. Flamesword
Casting difficulty: 8
Summoning Dark Magic the Sorceress engulfs a weapon in twisted black flames. The Sorceress may choose the hand-to-hand combat weapon of a member of her warband within 6” to be engulfed in flames. A weapon with these flames acts as a normal weapon of its type, but also adds a +2 bonus to the user’s Strength. Hits inflicted from the weapon ignore armour saves. Lasts until the Sorceress’s next shooting phase.
5. Deathspasm
Casting difficulty: 10
The Sorceress channels Dark Magic into her enemy, causing him to writhe in excruciating pain. The Deathspasm has a range of 6” and must be cast on the closest enemy model. The affected model must roll on the injury chart. If successfully cast, the casting Sorceress is immediately knocked down.
6. Witch Flight
Casting difficulty: 7
The Sorceress bends the winds of magic to her will and flies through the air. The Sorceress may immediately move anywhere within 12”, and may count as charging. If she engages a fleeing enemy in the close combat phase she will score 1 automatic hit and then the opponent will flee again.