The Old World - Dark Elves

Hot on the heels of the High Elves, their black-hearted kin... and the second army for my planned TOW narrative campaign. The army was bought as two job lots off Ebay, and so it was more you 'get what you get' situation, vis units and the actual models. I have since added a few units that were missing, like the Cold One Knights, the Lord on his Black Dragon (wyvern, winged fell beast, whatever you want to call it - a design I much prefer to the old black dragon, and cooly, in flight) and the massive Hydra...

Painting work began on this army in 2020 as a pandemic project, as something to fight my high elves, but stalled out and all my painting time was given over entirely to Napoleonics. It was waited in the box for a few years, some units done, some mostly done, some still in bits or sprayed black, until the release of the Old World. This inspired me to dig them out and see what work still needed completing to get them into fighting shape, not too much it turned out. That's been the last six week's project ... finishing units and re-basing everything. It still isn't done. I have two more Sorceress' on order, one to mount a dark steed, and a Beastlord on Manticore being 3D printed (very very slowly). I also need some Shades... this army seriously lacks scouts and skirmishers... I'll get to them eventually, for now they are on the wish-list, and models is an issue.What to use?

The Army of Zar Nadun is about ready for some first engagements though. The 'Invasion of Tor Helethion' campaign is almost ready to begin... the mighty Black Arc has set sail for Ulthuan's shore... corsair vessels are about to unload their bloodthirsty crews onto the island's shores. First games will be a test/learn the rules deal... so we'll keep it small, maybe a border patrol clash at 500 pts, with scouts, fast cavalry, light infantry only... the first recce troops meeting before the main combat forces arrive and escalate the Dark Elf attacks...we'll see... one army left to complete, the daemonic allies.

Dreadlord on his, erm... 'black dragon'... he'll be the overall commander of the invasion force.

Other heroes, Sorceress, BSB, Noble (or alternative Dreadlord) and assassin.
More wizards required, and on the way...

An old model, but still good... the Throne of Blood and Hag Queen.
Mine will have to be immobile on the battlefield as a house rule.

Core units. 20 Spearmen. 

20 more Spears, might use them as one big block of 40....

12 Crossbows

10 Crossbows

10 more Crossbows... again, actual usage/deployment flexible.

6 Dark Riders, currently the army's only scouts... busy guys...

24 Witch Elves, banner is the mutilated corpse of a High Elf...

28 Corsairs, as light infantry, these will have to be in the vanguard of this invasion,
maybe in smaller units for harassing missions.

The heavy hitters, 9 Cold One Knights, full command.
One model (helmetless one) can be another Noble if required.

The support, first Cold One chariot.

Second Cold One chariot.

Hydra... got to have one, perhaps two...

Not technically in the army list, but who cares, I have one (and no rider for it), so
it'll be another war beast... Manticore and beastmaster... fits fine to me...
don't know why it ain't an obvious option.

Repeater bolt thrower battery.

Taken as Allies, 9 chaos warhounds, and two beastmasters to drive them on.
Expendable...very expendable... Back in the day, Dark Elves could take warhounds as part
of their menagerie. That menagerie of beast seems a bit limited these days...
more gribbly monsters!! Taking a Beastlord should unlock all manner of foul things from the deep places of the world...

A note on painting scheme here: These were done to be the opposite of my high elves. So where they are in clean sea colours of white, aqua blues, light blues and silver, these are: black, dark purples, dark blues, metallic black and metallic blue. I also like my dark elves' skin blue, just because its different to other elves... and all hair is white (unless you're a witch elf with snakes/tendrils for hair, which are green). Ruthless, cold-hearted evilness bleaches your hair...