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Conquering Ulthuan and Beyond: The Ultimate Strategy for Malekith

The best strategy for Malekith, the Witch King of Naggaroth in games like Total War: Warhammer II and III, revolves around a blend of aggressive early expansion, shrewd diplomatic maneuvering, and leveraging the unique strengths of the Dark Elves. It prioritizes crippling your High Elf neighbors early, securing your provinces in Naggaroth, and then strategically expanding outwards, focusing on both economic development and military dominance. The core is mastering a balanced approach that doesn’t overextend your armies while capitalizing on the Dark Elves’ powerful units and slave economy.

Early Game: Crippling the High Elves

The first few turns are crucial. Malekith’s starting position offers both opportunities and challenges. Your primary goal should be to eliminate or severely weaken the High Elf factions on Ulthuan as quickly as possible.

Securing Your Starting Province

Begin by consolidating your starting province. Focus on building the appropriate economic structures to generate income and research technologies that boost your economy and military. Prioritize military buildings that allow you to recruit early-game units like Darkshards and Spearmen. Don’t underestimate the power of early raiding armies to generate income and disrupt enemy development.

Attacking the High Elves

Your immediate target should be the nearest High Elf settlement, typically located on Ulthuan. Early aggression is key. Use Malekith’s powerful starting army to quickly capture or raze these settlements. Don’t hesitate to engage in risky battles if necessary, as crippling the High Elves early is paramount. If you can secure a foothold on Ulthuan early on, the rest of your campaign will be significantly easier. Utilize agents like assassins and sorceresses to weaken enemy armies and settlements before engaging in direct conflict.

Dealing with Rebellions and Public Order

Keep a close eye on public order in newly conquered territories. Implement buildings that boost public order, such as the “Public Baths” and “Shrines of Khaine.” Garrison your armies in conquered settlements to quell any potential rebellions. Dark Elves rely heavily on slaves for their economy, so make sure to actively manage your slave population and redistribute them to provinces where they can be most effectively utilized.

Mid-Game: Expansion and Consolidation

Once you have a secure base in Naggaroth and a foothold on Ulthuan, shift your focus to consolidating your power and expanding your territory.

Expanding Across Naggaroth

Now is the time to conquer the rest of Naggaroth. Prioritize taking control of resource-rich provinces and establishing trade routes with reliable allies. Consider confederating with other Dark Elf factions to strengthen your overall position. Be mindful of the Chaos invasions that will inevitably come. Prepare your defenses and position your armies to repel these threats.

Utilizing Black Arks

Black Arks are a unique and powerful asset for the Dark Elves. Use them to raid coastal settlements, support your armies in battle, and establish new colonies far from your main territory. Black Arks can also significantly boost your economy through slave acquisition and raiding.

Diplomatic Maneuvering

While the Dark Elves are generally considered to be untrustworthy, strategic diplomacy can be beneficial. Forge alliances with factions that share common enemies, such as other Dark Elf factions, or factions that are geographically distant from you. Be wary of making too many enemies, as you will quickly find yourself surrounded by hostile forces.

Late Game: Domination and Victory

In the late game, your focus should be on achieving your ultimate victory condition, which typically involves conquering specific territories and eliminating key enemy factions.

Building a Powerful Economy

By the late game, your economy should be thriving. Maximize your slave production, develop your provinces to their full potential, and establish trade routes with as many factions as possible. Invest in technologies that further boost your economy and military.

Unleashing Your Elite Units

By now, you should have access to the most powerful units in the Dark Elf roster, such as Black Dragons, Harpies, and Executioners. Use these units to crush your enemies on the battlefield. Make sure to support your elite units with powerful mages and heroes.

Eliminating Key Factions

Focus on eliminating the most powerful and persistent enemy factions. This may involve launching large-scale invasions, employing agents to sabotage their infrastructure, or simply outmaneuvering them on the campaign map. Don’t underestimate the importance of strategic alliances in achieving your final victory.

Master the Seas

Dark Elves are masters of the seas. Utilize your Black Arks and naval fleets to control the oceans and deny your enemies access to vital trade routes. Consider launching naval invasions to conquer coastal settlements and disrupt enemy supply lines.

FAQs: Mastering Malekith

Here are some frequently asked questions to further refine your strategy:

What is the best starting technology for Malekith? Focus on economic technologies that boost your income and slave production. “Maritime Infrastructure” is a great early choice, as it helps with raiding and trade.
How should I manage my slaves? Distribute slaves strategically. High-income provinces benefit most from slave labor. Be mindful of public order and ensure sufficient garrisons to prevent slave revolts.
What is the best army composition for Malekith? A balanced army that includes Darkshards (with shields), Spearmen, and a few units of Cold One Knights for flanking is effective early. Later, transition to Executioners, Black Guard of Naggarond, and Black Dragons. Include a powerful Sorceress for magic support.
How do I deal with Chaos Invasions? Position strong armies in strategically important locations, particularly near potential invasion sites. Prioritize defending your most valuable settlements and infrastructure. Use agents to weaken Chaos armies before engaging in direct combat.
When should I start expanding into Ulthuan? As soon as you’ve secured your starting province and have a strong enough army. The earlier you start, the easier it will be to cripple the High Elves.
What is the best way to use Black Arks? Use them for raiding, supporting land armies, establishing colonies, and recruiting powerful units. Park them near coastal settlements to quickly replenish troops and income.
How important is diplomacy for Malekith? While diplomacy is challenging, forging alliances with other Dark Elf factions or factions distant from you can be beneficial. Avoid making too many enemies early on.
What are the best buildings to construct in my provinces? Focus on economic buildings that boost income and slave production, such as slave pens, mines, and trade ports. Also, prioritize buildings that improve public order and defense.
How do I prevent slave revolts? Maintain high public order by constructing public order buildings and garrisoning armies in provinces with large slave populations. Consider using the “Sacrifice to Khaine” rite to reduce slave unrest.
Which heroes are most important for Malekith? Sorceresses are essential for providing magical support to your armies. Assassins are useful for weakening enemy armies and settlements. Masters are valuable for boosting income and trade.
What are some effective early game tactics? Utilize guerrilla tactics with Darkshards to harass and weaken enemy armies. Use Cold One Knights for flanking maneuvers. Prioritize targeting enemy generals to break their morale.
How do I deal with High Elf sea power? Build a strong naval fleet to counter High Elf ships. Use Black Arks to raid their coastal settlements and disrupt their trade routes. Consider building ports in strategically important locations to project your naval power.
What are the benefits of confederating with other Dark Elf factions? Confederation allows you to acquire their territories, armies, and heroes, significantly strengthening your overall position. However, be prepared to manage their provinces and deal with any public order issues.
What victory conditions should I prioritize? Focus on achieving the short victory conditions first to secure a solid foundation. Then, work towards achieving the long victory conditions, which typically involve conquering specific territories and eliminating key enemy factions.
What makes Malekith a unique faction leader? Malekith’s unique skills and abilities, combined with the Dark Elves’ powerful units, slave economy, and Black Arks, make him a formidable force on the campaign map. His ability to quickly snowball and dominate the early game makes him a rewarding, yet challenging, faction to play. His storyline and campaign goals are intrinsically tied to claiming the Throne of Ulthuan and bringing ruin to the High Elves, making for a satisfyingly dark playthrough.

What is the best strategy for Malekith?