DARK ELF FORMATIONS | Every Lord's BEST Army | ULTIMATE Campaign Battle Guide| Total War Warhammer 3

One point in favour of artillery for any army, especially early game, is they can force the enemy army to start advancing on your. For Dark Elves this isn't as important as you're meant to play aggressively, but it will mean you engage faster, and their archers have to set up as well giving yours an easier time. So maybe take one Bolt Thrower early game and swap it out for monsters later.

Been waiting for this one for about a year lol

would love to use these formations with manfred von carstein the best dark elf lord thanks elven

Do someone have good vampire counts formation and unit composition for armies

Really enjoyed this. I like the start out with high elf formation theme, then build toward more advanced tactics with dark elf army. (side note: Guilty as charged! lol! I find myself wanting to play DE's more defensively like HE's which I think is limiting and misses out on some of the Dark Elf experience). Roleplay wise the aggression suits the DE's and it's looks more fun seeing the army builds you used. The point you made about just using a few dark shards with shields and the rest being without shield (cheaper upkeep) is a good catch! Seeing the formation gives good visualization that it's not necessary to give them all shields. The variety sprinkled in here and there is cool. The hot take away is that the player could then just continue to tinker and explore different potentials. Thank you for a pathway to make the leap in battlefield approach with Dark Elves from High Elves light.

I also appreciate the stay coastal focused comment. I think playing different factions can lead to unintentional player biases in approaching the meta game. Some things seem to work well across factions in general but it's a useful reminder to play to a faction's strengths. I find I tend to get sucked into controlling and painting areas/regions of the map and can lose focus with DE's on the coastal advantages, hence I can get drawn inland a bit.

It would be interesting to see how you would play the Greenskins. I think you've proved you can handle challenges of many factions with Empire, Dwarf, DE and other videos, but I am curious if you would consider a Greenskins video series (Zerkovich has done some great work there; but I think you would bring a fresh pointy eared perspective). Still, there'd be no fire mages, dragons or strong ranged. Maybe dump a can of green paint on Imrik and Michaela and then start the Waaaaggghhhh? On second thought, I can not ask you in good faith to give up dragons and fire mages. Carry on and keep up the great work! : D

Commenting for the algorithm. The quality of your content deserves far more views.

Kislev

I don’t think that using black ark corsair like that is efficient. They should be keep running until they are out of ammo.

Missed your videos, man! Glad to have you back <3

IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS, LETS GOOOOOO

My dark elf armies usually just devolve into a few heroes, 4 hydras and shades... enemy clumps up around the hydras and then get shot to pieces. I just find it endlessly satisfying :P

Love these videos you do bro.

Lizards when?!

I bought every single WH game and DLC. I only play Dark Elves.

As usual awesome content. Thanks man.

I was hoping for something less ranged focused. Then again this is coming from someone that enjoys Slaanesh & beastmen on the battlefield.

I don't play Dark Elves. I'm just here because you give great info about their strengths and weaknesses helping me to counter them or somewhat find an answer for their obstacles.

I was waiting for this to start the DH campaign lol thanks a lot

Are Blackguards worth it? I feel like DE infantry sucks I prefer to get Sisters of Slaughter as front line tbh

Awesome video! I always had trouble versus some high elf armies due to the range difference. Not anymore :)

Finally a new formation guide video.

kinda dissapointing. The formations seem half cooked at best

The only two reasons why I would use spears and darkshards over shades are: I lack a recruitment slot to build the shades building or I can't afford them. Stalking units can win battles even if severely outpowered.
Of course I would wait to get a black ark for the slot, except the Blessed Dread I don't think the other DE faction can get one before turn 10

this isn't WH2 which means melee units are viable now. If I went against enemies like Empire or High elves who are ranged heavy and can outrange me, I'd go with a melee-oriented army and outflank them. It is way easier and more convenient than doing all this stuff. Darkshards are great for early enemies like Lizardmen, Norscans, and WoC, who have big armor values and often field large monsters.

Love the video! Would you consider a lizardmen guide? Unsure how to play a race that doesn't have exceptional ranged infantry

Dear Mr Plot Armor,
any comments/ recommendations for Medusa? They get sn absurd amount of kills in my campaigns. I think they are worth using!

Finally got the time to watch the video:) really good information, man. Can't wait for more races coverage!

Not to criticise too harshly but constructively (as your videos are very well made and helpful) but I would say that checkerboard formations are useful in very difficult battles but limit the tactical flexibility of the player if they get used to depending on them too much. Also they are a missile based so limit the use of other types of tactical formations. It would be nice to see such formations as echelon or refused flank, or tercio, full melee builds, heavy cav or monster builds etc. I know your videos are mainly targeted at campaign gameplay but it would be useful to mention the weaknesses of this formation and why it wouldn't be used in multiplayer (blobbing and magic) but overall enjoyable video!

Love this stuff. Keep it coming!

This is great! Oddly enough I was just looking for an army build for Dark Elves a few days ago! Your other vids have been immensely helpful with the ranged factions. Any plans to look at any of the rush factions (VampCounts, Chaos, Orcs etc.) or any of the weird hybrid ones like VampCoast?

love the vid, would this mostly translate to warhammer 2?

Will you do a Vampire Coast guide in the future?

Your channel has helped me after 100s of hours of play. thank you!

Would love to read your thoughts on Medusa's. They seem like such a cool unit and their recent changes are super interesting - I'm wondering if they will pull their weight even in a more non-traditional flavored army

Hmm, you play DE very differently to me. I usually have something like 6 infantry, 6 ranged, 2 RBT, 2 Hydras, 2 flanker units (eg Scourgerunners, Dread Knights, Black Dragons, Medusae, Manticores), changes depending on what name of power I get. I play defensively so I have the vigor advantage.

If the enemy is also playing defensive and has a range advantage (which is typical), I move the RBTs up on single target mode and a sacrificial unit or two, and target the enemy artillery. So long as they don't have loads of cannons you should win the artillery duel and can switch to multishot mode to force the enemy forward. When enemy archers get into range of the front line, I charge the infantry forward and have the ranged move up right behind them to shoot those archers.

If the enemy is playing aggressive I use flying units to get into range of enemy artillery and archers in order to halt their movement while they shoot, separating them from their infantry. When their artillery is isolated I take them out with fast flanker units. With the enemy coming into range piecemeal instead of all at once, it's easier to shoot the hell out them.

Lol I thought I was the only one crazy enough to keep my first army without disbanding them. Eventually I move them to a garrisoned black ark to “retire” after getting the first few provinces. Keeps them safe

I only play TWWHM2. The first building i build in my black arks is amin tier2, then the growth building, then main tier 3, then max growth, then main, then shades. barracks stay level 1. for skill level - campaign movement- 3 into recruitment discount - 1 into any - 1 into the obligatory 2nd tier blu skill - lightnin strike - 3 into unkeep - last skill. this way you max out unkeep for black arks

Would love to see one for wood elves

hey guys, i got a small proble. im plaing curently as Alith Anar and despite breaking all pacts 12 rounds ago and not involving allies in the war (with Yuan Bo) , I still lose reliability. How to deal with this? does the fact of stationing troops in the future enemy's territory matter? help

i had no clue shades could be this useful I always seen them as a weird missle unit that I didn't know how to use but this video has enlintened me to wacky game that warhammer 3 is, good vid the strategy works def a sub from me.

Hey, somebody else plays dark elves, crazy. Tip for arks, only build the growth building until T4. They start with a barracks, so upgrade it as the ark tiers up bc it costs no surplus. But the jump in power from T3 to T4 black ark is insane, get there as fast as possible. Delaying getting black guard, hydras, and all heroes off the arks for the sake of shades you can build anywhere anyway is never worth it. If you're playing Dark Elves right (rebellion management, lots of raiding/sacking, using diktats, rushed construction), you don't need the upkeep reduction on shades early. If you do it right you can get two black arks T4 about the same time Naggarond (or whatever main settlement) itself hits T4.

Really good video .. underrated faction imo.

Is this on easy mode? I've never seen the high elves just stand there and let you hit them

I am.playing Warhammer 2 with Dark Elves an currently at the transsition from mid to late game and my front lines are made exclusivly of Black Guard supported by Dark Shards and Shades as flanker units . They will will just demolish everything in front of them. One of my favorite units. I never played Warhammer 3 so dont know if anything was changed about their stats.

I put my artillary on the flanks with infantry backing um up, giving them a juicy target to throw themselves out of position for, before all my darkshards.

Do these formations work on PVP battles?

Best TW Video ever ❤