| “ | The strength of these spiteful warriors is borne out by the horrific power of their weapons. | „ |
Shades (Greatswords) are a 
Dark Elves missile infantry unit introduced in Total War: Warhammer II.
Recruitment[]
Unlocked with: House of Exiles or House of Exiles (Black Ark)
Description[]
The ancestors of the Shades once ruled Clar Karond but were betrayed and exiled by their peers. Now the outcast clans have become utterly at home in the wilderness of the Blackspine Mountains, moving as silently as ghosts through petrified forests and razor-sharp rocks. Their lives are vicious, even by the harsh standards of Dark Elves. Every day is a battle for survival with the dread beasts of the mountains; every night a gauntlet of drum-driven king-sacrifice and death duelling. The Shades' hardiness makes them valued additions to any raiding fleet, and many Dreadlords expend much wealth in enticing them to their cause. When the army attacks, the Shades infiltrate the enemy battleline. From this position, they can harass the foe with volleys of dark-fletched bolts, or strike out and slay war machine crews with glinting blades.
Attributes[]
- Missile Infantry
- ▲ Armour-Piercing: The damage of armour-piercing weapons mostly ignores the armour of the target, making them the ideal choice against heavily-armoured enemies. They are often heavier and attack at a slower rate though, making them less efficient against poorly-armoured targets.
- ▲ Anti-Infantry: Anti-infantry units have an advantage against targets that are smaller than a horse. This advantage can be a damage bonus against small targets, superior weight used to smash through lighter enemies, or an explosive attack from range that effects a large area.
- ▲ Vanguard Deployment: This unit can deploy in an expanded deployment area, allowing it to start the battle within striking distance of the enemy - or somewhere unexpected.
- ▲ Stalk: This unit can move hidden in any terrain.
Unit Abilities[]
Passive Abilities[]
Strategy[]
This variant will slightly outperform the dual weapon variant in melee, but overall campaign logistics may require more frequent use of dual weapon shades when recruiting on the move. Nonetheless, in terms of maximizing killing power in a 20-unit stack, these are the best that the Dark Elves have to offer.
On campaign, aggressively seek the "Shadowdart" name of power (revered) on the lord you wish to command an army of shades, which gives them a shocking +35% range.
