“Mercy is for the weak. Pity is for fools. We are the Druchii and we were born to rule a world bathed in blood.”
From the black spires of Naggaroth, where the sun rarely touches the frostbitten peaks, come the Druchii, the Dark Elves. Masters of sorcery, cruelty, and bloody conquest, they are the exiles of Ulthuan, twisted by betrayal and centuries of hate. Every word they speak is edged like a dagger, every warrior trained in suffering and domination.
The Dark Elves are the blade in the dark, the shrieking war cry in the night, and the cold steel that ends a thousand lives without regret. If you crave an army that blends vicious speed, deadly elegance, and sheer sadistic flair, then welcome to Naggaroth, you’ll fit right in.
A History Drenched in Blood: The Rise of the Druchii
Long ago, the elves of Ulthuan split in a cataclysmic civil war known as the Sundering. At its heart was Malekith, son of the first Phoenix King. Denied his rightful crown, he turned to darkness, setting off a conflict that shattered the elven race. When the war was lost, Malekith and his loyalists fled north to the frozen wastes of Naggaroth, where they built a new empire that was cold, cruel, and magnificent.
Here, the Dark Elves thrive on conquest, slavery, and assassination. Their society is a knife’s edge of ambition, where the only law is power and the weak are butchered or bled dry. Every noble dreams of their rival’s death. Every sorceress plays a thousand-year game of betrayal.
And yet, they are not mindless beasts. They are cultured, brilliant, and utterly ruthless.
Play Style: Speed, Precision, and Relentless Aggression
On the tabletop, Dark Elves are a fast, lethal army that rewards cunning and cruelty. They’re not built to slog through grinding battles. They strike fast, hard, and mercilessly, breaking the enemy before they know what hit them.
• Glass Cannons: Many units are fragile but devastating. You must hit hard, hit fast, and never let up.
• Elite Infantry & Cavalry: High weapon skill, initiative, and deadly rules like Murderous Prowess make every hit count.
• Brutal Magic: The Lore of Dark Magic specializes in pain, hexes, and battlefield control.
• Terror and Panic: Monsters, Hydra breath weapons, and fear-causing units can shatter enemy morale.
• Combined Arms Warfare: Mix of fast cavalry, assassins, artillery, and war beasts makes for a highly flexible force.
They’re not forgiving, but in the right hands? They are glorious.
Key Units: The Arsenal of Naggaroth
Everything in a Dark Elf army is designed to kill beautifully and painfully.
• Darkshards: Core crossbowmen with repeater crossbows. Ranged death in elegant black armour.
• Witch Elves: Frenzied priestesses of Khaine that drown the battlefield in a sea of poisoned blades.
• Black Guard of Naggarond: Malekith’s elite bodyguards. They are stoic, brutal, and utterly fearless.
• Executioners of Har Ganeth: Greatsword-wielding psychopaths trained to kill in a single blow.
• Cold One Knights: Heavy cavalry riding monstrous reptiles, armoured like tanks and deadly on the charge.
• Hydra & Kharibdyss: Monstrous war beasts that spew fire or tear enemies apart with writhing tentacles.
• Repeater Bolt Throwers: Precise, flexible artillery that can skewer ranks or snipe key targets.
• Dark Riders: Fast, mobile cavalry that are experts in harassment and exploiting gaps.
• Shades: Stealthy scouts and snipers who strike from hidden places before fading into shadow.
Dark Elf armies hit like a scalpel dipped in venom and leave nothing but silence and blood.
Legendary Characters of the Druchii
Malekith – The Witch King of Naggaroth
Cursed by ancient fire and encased in enchanted black armour, Malekith is the ruler of the Dark Elves and a being of immense magical and martial might. Brilliant, cruel, and absolutely driven, he rides a black dragon and wields the mighty Destroyer. He believes the world is rightfully his, and he’s willing to burn it to prove it.
Morathi – Mother of Malekith, Queen of the Shadows
Morathi is the founder of the Cult of Pleasure and one of the most powerful sorceresses in history. Her beauty hides a soul steeped in blood, seduction, and manipulation. She weaves plots that span millennia, and no man or god is beyond her grasp.
Hellebron – The Hag Queen of Har Ganeth
High priestess of Khaine, the God of Murder, Hellebron leads the Witch Elves in orgiastic bloodshed. Each year, she bathes in the Cauldron of Blood to restore her youth, emerging as a whirlwind of murder and hatred. In her wake, only screams remain.
Lokhir Fellheart – The Krakenlord of Karond Kar
A swashbuckling terror of the seas, Lokhir leads the Black Ark Bloody Reaver and lives for slaughter and plunder. With his tentacle-faced helm and whip-sword, he is a pirate king, a slaver lord, and a nightmare on every coast.
Why Collect the Dark Elves?
Collecting the Druchii is like being handed the keys to a bloodstained kingdom of shadows. From a modelling perspective, they offer elegant, sinister designs from flowing robes and baroque armour to twisted monsters and majestic ships. Their colour palette ranges from ice-cold blues to blood-drenched reds, with endless room for creativity.
Tactically, they demand precision and nerve. Every unit has bite, but poor positioning will see them crumble. This is an army that rewards ambition. If you plan smart, strike ruthlessly, and never hesitate, you will absolutely dominate.
And narratively? The Druchii are endlessly rich—tragic exiles, cruel tyrants, and agents of their own twisted destiny. Whether you’re raiding coastlines, unleashing cultic bloodbaths, or waging a war of vengeance against Ulthuan itself, your campaign will be written in shadows and steel.
“We are the Druchii. We do not forget. We do not forgive. And we do not fall.”
So sharpen your blades, ready your spells, and sail forth from the Black Arks for vengeance is eternal, and Naggaroth will have its due.
(Warhammer Fantasy) Faction Guide: Dark Elves
