Total War: Warhammer 2's 'elite' High Elves detailed

Creative Assembly has revealed more details about the fancy High Elves, one of Total War: Warhammer 2’s angry factions. Get the skinny on their leaders, dragons and troops below.

The High Elves are a tricky bunch. They use diplomacy as a weapon, making other factions fight or agree to deals that aren’t in their best interests. They’re not to be trusted. On the battlefield, don’t be fooled by their silky hair and slender appearance: they’re beasts.

“The High Elves are an elite force who, warrior-for-warrior, can outmatch almost any other race in the Warhammer World,” writes Creative Assembly. “Over the long millennia of their existence, they have mastered every style of fighting—whether you seek phalanxes of spears, unstoppable cavalrymen, dead-eyed archers or peerless charioteers, you will find them here.”

Like all the factions in Warhammer 2, they have two different starting positions, depending on the leader that you choose at the start of the campaign, and those leaders have very different abilities. Tyrion, for instance, is a peerless warrior and defender of Ulthuan and its Everqueen. His brother Teclis, on the other hand, is physically frail but strong in magic, and sees the entire world as his charge.

The Elves are blessed with a great deal of cavalry, but the most notable part of their roster are the flying beasts. Pick the Elves and you’ll be able to field six different types of flying monsters, from dragons to eagles. In Warhammer 2, flying units are considerably more versatile, too. Dragons, for instance, can spew fire while flying above the battlefield instead of dropping into melee immediately.

I’m still all about the Lizardmen though, I must confess. I got to play with them for a few hours in May, and there’s nothing like watching a bunch of dinosaurs with solar cannons strapped to their backs charging at a bunch of terrified enemies.

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.