Many people complain that Dark Elf players always choose the same troop types, their elite warriors. Although the Dark Elves are a race of elites a method of creating better composed armies is needed for Dark Elves. The following lists are my suggestion to help make a "real" Dark Elf army, typical of what would actually be fielded by the Naggorothi in different situations. There is a list for each of the Dark Elf cities as well as lists for the garrisons of the Watch Towers and the troops used during raids.
Army selection must still comply with the Dark Elf Army list. For example Karond Kar has a lot of choice for monsters but they are still only allowed 0-25% of their total points from the monsters section.
You may notice that there is a maximum army size you can make for each of the lists. Naggarond can field a 3,000 point army easily but Ghrond struggles to reach 2,500 points. This represents the sizes of the various cities and watch towers. The raiding force can generally go between 2,000 and 3,500 points. I am still experiments with these lists but they are generally finished now.
For two players who both have Dark Elf armies these lists can be used to simulate raids between cities, where each player takes a force from a different city or one player defends against a raiding force.
Please note that these are suggestions on how to create army lists. I do not intend for these lists to become mandatory. The lists can be modified to suit a players need, but an explanation as to why certain troops were taken should be given. For example a Hag Queen and the Cauldron of blood could be taken for an army from Clar Karond but this would be exceedingly rare. Clar Karond does have a few Hag Queens but they are not as active as their counterparts to the north.
I have attempted to make these lists as flexible as possible. Each force has a lot of choice for troops and characters. The regiments sections are ordered where the first troops listed are the ones most often taken and the last troops listed are rarely taken. For situations or army types not covered here you can use list merging (see below) or create your army using the basic army list.
Another thing that can be attempted is the merging of two lists. One that I have tried is a Hag Graef raiding party. This force would be representative of one of the raiding parties sent to attack the High Elf city of Arnhelm using the passages in the Underground Sea to strike from behind. There would be many Scouts and Dark Riders and very little infantry.
The following quick list is formed based on the above assumptions.
Dark Elf General
0-1 Hero
0-1 Sorcerer
0-1 Assassin
0-3 Units of Scouts
0-3 Units of Dark Riders
0-1 Unit of Dark Elf Warriors (armed with RxBows)
0-1 Unit of City Guard
0-1 Unit of Cold One Knights
A full invasion force could be based around this or the regular raiding party. In addition to the given troops, more infantry and heavy support would be added. For example, an invasion force from Karond Kar would borrow troops from the other Dark Elf cities.
One special note, Armies from Ghrond may choose a Sorcerer Lord as the general. It is still illegal for other armies to do this except of Naggarond, which may have Malekith or Morathi as general.
NaggarondGeneral
May choose Witch-King, Morathi, Kouran, Dark Elf General or Hag Queen.
Characters
0-1 Master Assassin
0-2 Heros
0-2 Sorcerers
0-3 Assassins
0-5 Champions
0-1 Battle Standard Bearer
Regiments
0-1 Unit of Black Guard
0-2 Units of City Guard
0-1 Units of Cold One Knights
0-5 Units of Dark Elf Warriors
0-1 Units of Dark Riders
0-2 Units of Witch Elves
0-2 Units of Slave Warriors
War Machines
0-2 Bolt Throwers
0-1 Cauldron of Blood
Monsters
0-1 War Hydra
0-1 Giant Scorpion
0-1 Gigantic Spider
0-1 Dragon
Har Ganeth
General
May choose Tullaris, Dark Elf General or Hag Queen
Characters
0-1 Master Assassin
0-2 Heros
0-2 Sorcerers
0-2 Assassins
0-4 Champions
0-1 Battle Standard Bearer
Regiments
0-1 Unit of Executioners
0-1 Unit of City Guard
0-3 Units of Witch Elves
0-4 Units of Dark Elf Warriors
0-1 Units of Scouts
0-2 Units of Slave Warriors
0-1 Unit of Cold One Knights
War Machines
0-1 Bolt Thrower
0-1 Cauldron of Blood
Monsters
0-1 Manticore
Ghrond
General
May choose Crone Hellebron, Dark Elf General, Hag Queen or Sorcerer Lord.
Characters
0-1 Master Assassin
0-2 Heros
0-3 Sorcerers
0-2 Assassins
0-3 Champions
0-1 Battle Standard Bearer
Regiments
0-2 Units of Witch Elves
0-2 Units of City Guard
0-2 Units of Dark Riders
0-2 Units of Dark Elf Warriors
0-1 Units of Scouts
0-1 Units of Slave Warriors
War Machines
0-1 Bolt Thrower
0-1 Cauldron of Blood
Hag Graef
General
May choose Kaledor Maglen or a Dark Elf General
Characters
0-1 Master Assassin
0-3 Heros
0-2 Sorcerers
0-1 Assassin
0-4 Champions
0-1 Battle Standard Bearer
Regiments
0-3 Units of Cold One Knights
0-1 Unit of City Guard
0-3 Units of Scouts
0-2 Units of Dark Elf Warriors
0-1 Unit of Dark Riders
0-3 Units of Slave Warriors
War Machines
0-1 Bolt Thrower
Clar Karond
General
May choose a Dark Elf General or up to 3 Dark Elf Heros (to represent the three Dark Lords of Clar Karond).
Characters
0-1 Master Assassin
0-3 Heros
0-1 Sorcerer
0-1 Assassin
0-4 Champions
0-1 Battle Standard Bearer
Regiments
0-4 Units of Black Ark Corsairs
0-1 Unit of City Guard
0-3 Units of Dark Elf Warriors
0-1 Unit of Dark Riders
0-1 Unit of Scouts
0-3 Units of Slave Warriors
War Machines
0-4 Bolt Throwers
Monsters
0-1 War Hydra
Karond Kar
General
May choose Beastlord Rakarth or Dark Elf General
Characters
0-1 Master Assassin
0-3 Heros
0-1 Sorcerer
0-1 Assassin
0-4 Champions
0-1 Battle Standard Bearer
Regiments
0-3 Units of Corsairs
0-1 Unit of City Guard
0-1 Unit of Harpies
0-2 Units of Dark Elf Warriors
0-2 Units of Slave Warriors
0-1 Unit of Scouts
0-1 Unit of Dark Riders
0-1 Unit of Helldrake Riders
0-1 Unit of Cold One Knights
War Machines
0-3 Bolt Throwers
Monsters
0-3 War Hydras
0-5 Giant Scorpions
0-5 Gigantic Spiders
0-2 Dragons
0-4 Swarms
0-1 Any other monster type
Watch Tower
General
Dark Elf General
Characters
0-1 Hero
0-2 Sorcerers
0-1 Assassin
0-2 Champions
Regiments
0-2 Units of Dark Elf Warriors
0-2 Units of Dark Riders
0-1 Unit of Scouts
0-1 Unit of Cold One Knights
0-1 Unit of Witch Elves
War Machines
0-1 Bolt Thrower
Raiding Force
General
May choose Dark Elf General or Hag Queen
Characters
0-1 Master Assassin
0-2 Heros
0-2 Sorcerer
0-2 Assassins
0-4 Champions
0-1 Battle Standard Bearer
Regiments
0-3 Units of Black Ark Corsairs
0-2 Units of Dark Riders
0-2 Units of Scouts
0-2 Units of Cold One Knights
0-3 Units of Warriors
0-2 Units of Witch Elves
0-1 Unit of Helldrake Riders
0-1 Unit of Slave Warriors
Monsters
0-2 War Hydras