Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Dark Elves

This is the tactica for the Total War: Warhammer version of the Dark Elves.

Why Play Dark Elves

• Because you'd like your elves to take their arrogance to the next level and just start murdering people for the crime of not being elves.
• Because you believe that everything looks roughly 1000 times better when covered in spikes.
• Because you enjoy the inherent power fantasy that comes from playing a big spiky asshole out to conquer and enslave.
• You like a versatile unit roster with some serious killing power.
• Because being the good guy is just so boring sometimes.

Pros

• AP for Days: If you're playing Dark Elves and having a hard time with armoured troops, you're playing them wrong. A large chunk of the roster has majority AP damage, so armor should be the least of your concerns.
• Mobility: You're not as good at it as the Asrai, but with a ton of good light cav and infantry like Witch Elves and Sisters of Slaughter, you are able to get around the battlefield pretty damn fast. Light Cav tactics are a favorite among Dark Elf players.
• Powerful Lords: When it comes to lord options, you are spoiled for choice. Most of their lords are at the very least decent and some like Malekith can carry an entire army to victory if given the time.
• Decent Defenses: You're no tank faction, but with a lot of your elites having high melee defense, leadership and armor along with the debuffs they can bring to the table, they can hold out for a decently long time.
• Flexibility: Thanks to Murderous Prowess, you can play offense unlike a lot of factions can. You can also play Defense, kite, heavy monster focus and all around can use whatever tactic you can think of with these guys.
• DLC isn't as important: You still have some good units in your DLCs, but out of all the core races you are probably the least reliant on them. You can run base game Dark Elves and win pretty consistently.

Cons

• Limited Range: Their ranged units aren't bad, in fact Darkshards are extremely good for their cost, but they don't shoot very far. Even some gunpowder units will outrange you, and most factions will get one or two shots off before you get in position.
• Unreliable Heavy Cav: The Stupidity of Cold Ones Knights in this game got translated to Rampage, meaning if they take too much damage, you lose control and they charge forward to probably die if you're facing a smart opponent. Similar to the Lizardmen, but unlike them, you don't have a way to make them stop. Even Malus, who specializes in Cold Ones and had a rule that allowed them to ignore stupidity, can't get rid of rampage.
• Lack of Healing: You're the only Elven faction with no multi target healing. The only thing you have is Soul Stealer, which only heals the caster. Combine this with you low health pools, and your units will die a lot faster than their tanky statline might lead you to believe.
• Expensive: Not as much as High Elves, but still pretty pricey. Expect to be outnumbered most of the time.

Universal Traits

• Murderous Prowess -

Lords

Legendary Lords

• Malekith -
• Morathi -
• Hellebron (DLC) -
• Lokhir Fellheart (FLC) -
• Malus Darkblade (DLC) -

Generic Lords

• Dread Lord (Melee) -
• Dread Lord (Ranged) -
• Supreme Sorceress (DLC) -
• High Beastmaster (DLC) -

Heroes

• Death Hag -
• Sorceress -
• Khainite Assassin -
• Master (DLC) -

Units

Infantry

• DreadSpears -
  • The Hellebronai (RoR) -
• Bleakswords -
• Black Ark Corsairs -
• Witch Elves -
  • Sisters of Singing Doom (RoR) -
• Sisters of Slaughter (DLC) -
• Executioners -
  • Blades of the Blood Queen (RoR) -
• Black Guard -

Missile Infantry

• Darkshards -
  • The Bolt-Fiends (ROR) -
• Black Ark Corsairs (Repeater Handbows) -
• Shades -

Cavalry

• Dark Riders -
• Dark Riders (Crossbows) -
  • The Raven Heralds (ROR) -
• Doomfire Warlocks (DLC) -
  • Slaanesh's Harvesters (ROR) -
• Cold One Knights -
• Cold One Dread Knights -
  • Knights of the Ebon Claw (ROR) -

Chariots

• Cold One Chariot -
• Scourgerunner Chariot -

Artillery

• Reaper Bolt Thrower -

Monsters

• Harpies -
  • The Crows of Khaine (ROR) -
• Feral Manticore -
• War Hydra -
  • The Chill of Sontar (ROR) -
• Kharibdyss (DLC) -
• Bloodwrack Medusa (DLC) - Combination monster and short rate direct fire artillery.
  • The Siren of Red Ruin (ROR) -
• Bloodwrack Shrine (DLC) - A medusa with a Go Cart.
• Black Dragon -