History Headscratchers / TotalWarWarhammerII

* The recent lore claims that the High and Dark elves are separate facets of a greater whole, and the two need to patch up their differences for the greater Elven race to have any hope of surviving. This isn’t just a theory; In the End Times, it turns out that [[spoiler: Malkith is the true, legitimate phoenix king (though I have no idea by what criteria), and Teclis of all people goes to great lengths to put his burnt ass on the throne]]. Since this unity is still holding true in Age Of Sigmar, and that it even carries over into WH40k between the Craftworld and Dark Eldar, it’s safe to assume that Games Workshop is adamant about this theme.[[note]] It even shows up it ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammer'', where it's hinted at in the wood-elf flavor text.[[/note]] While I can’t believe that evil of the Druchii’s caliber could ever be necessary, I realize that this is a ''human'' perspective. Is there some elvish characteristic regarding their natures or souls that requires them to acknowledge their darker aspects? [[note]] or require exactly the right king for that matter?[[/note]] Am I somehow dooming the High Elves by wiping out the Druchii in the main campaign?

* I also question the above connections. Dark Elves are sadists, not berzerkers; they like to cause pain more than they like combat itself like a Khorne worshipper would. High Elves might scheme but most of them do so out of a sense of duty to their people, sincerely believing that they are the best person for the job rather than because it will help them. Tzeentch could certainly twist that but it's not inherently his area any more than all politics is. As for the Wood Elves Nurgle represents the corruption, decay and desecration of the natural. As such he is the LAST thing that would tempt them.

Of all the races in Warhammer, the High Elves are [[OnlySaneMan the least invested in pointless and self destructive behavior]], even moreso than the other "good" factions.[[note]] The Dwarfs [[RevengeBeforeReason mindlessly throw themselves at one grudge after another]], the Empire [[WeAreStrugglingTogether is constantly deadlocked in fueds and byzantine politics]], the Britonnians [[HonorBeforeReason are in love with nigh-suicidal quests]] and [[TheDungAges carelessly squander peasant lives]], the Lizardmen are [[PrinciplesZealot so obsessed with "the great plan"]] that [[LawfulStupid they're out of touch with reality]], and the Wood Elves [[NatureIsNotNice are borderline psychotic]]. [[/note]] That doesn't even include the "evil" factions where YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness, WeHaveReserves, and TheSocialDarwinist, are not only applied but actively enforced. In fact, [[ExplosiveBreeder baring the obvious exceptions like the Skaven and the Orcs]], shouldn't the High Elves have one of the highest populations in setting, seeing as [[GoodIsNotDumb they're the most organized and level headed]], yet [[GoodIsNotSoft still badass enough to defend their interests]]?

* The recent lore claims that the High and Dark elves are separate facets of a greater whole, and the two need to patch up their differences for the greater Elven race to have any hope of surviving. This isn’t just a theory; In the End Times, it turns out that [[spoiler: Malkith is the true, legitimate phoenix king (though I have no idea by what criteria), and Teclis of all people goes to great lengths to put his burnt ass on the throne]]. Since this unity is still holding true in Age Of Sigmar, and that it even carries over into WH40k between the Craftworld and Dark Eldar, it’s safe to assume that Games Workshop is adamant about this theme.[[note]] It even shows up it WarHammer TotalWar, where it's hinted at in the wood-elf flavor text.[[/note]] While I can’t believe that evil of the Druchii’s caliber could ever be necessary, I realize that this is a ''human'' perspective. Is there some elvish characteristic regarding their natures or souls that requires them to acknowledge their darker aspects? [[note]] or require exactly the right king for that matter?[[/note]] Am I somehow dooming the High Elves by wiping out the Druchii in the main campaign?
** The Total War: Warhammer series is ''explicitly'' an alternate continuity to the main canon, so the End Times and Age of Sigmar have little to no bearing on it. In that light, no, you wouldn't be dooming any of the Elven races by having them destroy any of the others.
** Indeed, the End Times/Age Of Sigmar lore is (thankfully) not canon to Total War: Warhammer. They're running off of the lore from before that nonsense, in which the Druchii are a bunch of unrepentant shits the world would be better off without and Malekith is a greedy tyrant who was rightfully rejected by the Phoenix Throne and just can't accept that. The relationship between the High Elves and the Wood Elves is a different matter. The Asrai have become a bit...[[{{Understatement}} odd]] after all that time in Athel Loren but ultimately they are still opposing Chaos and fighting to preserve the world and other stuff the Asur would approve off. While likely too different to reunite at this point the High Elves and Wood Elves might well benefit from more friendly relations.

** The game totally avert the case. Especially if you capture the Shrine of Asuryan as the Dark Elves as it will show that [[spoiler: it become corrupted and might show that Malkith isn't the true phoenix king after all]], perhaps for the sake of alternating the story itself.

* No real in universe reason, there's nothing in the lore that would preclude the Dark Elves from global recruitment. It's simply a case of GameplayAndStorySegregation for the sake of balance. In any event, based on a screenshot, it seems that as of the mortal empires update the Druchii will be getting an encampment stance, and presumably global recruitment as well. At least in the mortal empires campaign.

* I can see that from a gameplay standpoint but I'm still puzzled as to the in-universe reason.

* I can see that from a gameplay standpoint but I'm still puzzled as the in-universe reason.

* Presumably it's simply a case of gameplay balance, the Dark Elves can already recruit units far from their home provinces through the use of Black Arks, and a good deal faster and cheaper than global recruitment at that.

** Presumably it's simply a case of gameplay balance, the Dark Elves can already recruit units far from their home provinces through the use of Black Arks, and a good deal faster and cheaper than global recruitment at that.

What gives with that? It made sense with the undead, their troops are mostly mindless or bestial so can't make the journey by themselves, but why can't the Druchii manage?

** Indeed, the End Times/Age Of Sigmar lore is (thankfully) not canon to Total War: Warhammer. They're running off of the lore from before that nonsense, in which the Druchii are a bunch of unrepentant shits the world would be better off without and Malekith is a greedy tyrant who was rightfully rejected by the Phoenix Throne and just can't accept that. The relationship between the High Elves and the Wood Elves is a different matter. The Asrai have become a bit...[[{{Understatement}} odd]] after all that time in Athel Loren but ultimately they are still opposing Chaos and fighting to preserve the world and other stuff the Asur would approve off. While likely too different to reunite at this point the High Elves and Wood Elves might well benefit from more friendly relations.

** They are technically declining, as all the Elder Races are, losing out to the breeding-like-bunnies humans, but they are doing better than most. Likely this is helped along by their remarkably casual attitude to sex. Plus they'd be more inclined to breed just for the sake of numbers than either of the other two Elven races or the Dwarves (who tend to actually love their children) and while the Lizardmen breed like that normally they are hamstrung by following the half-understood plans of the Old Ones about when they can reproduce.

** Indeed, the End Times/Age Of Sigmar lore is (thankfully) not canon to Total War: Warhammer. They're running off of the lore from before that nonsense, in which the Druchii are a bunch of unrepentant shits the world would be better off without and Malekith is a greedy tyrant who was rightfully rejected by the Phoenix Throne and just can't accept that. The relationship between the High Elves and the Wood Elves is a different matter. The Asrai have become a bit...[[{{Understatement odd}}]] after all that time in Athel Loren but ultimately they are still opposing Chaos and fighting to preserve the world and other stuff the Asur would approve off. While likely too different to reunite at this point the High elves and Wood Elves might well benefit from more friendly relations.

** The Total War: Warhammer series is ''explicitly'' an alternate continuity to the main canon, so the End Times and Age of Sigmar have little to no bearing on it. In that light, no, you wouldn't be dooming any of the Elven races by having them destroy any of the others.

* The recent lore claims that the High and Dark elves are separate facets of a greater whole, and the two need to patch up their differences for the greater Elven race to have any hope of surviving. This isn’t just a theory; In the End Times, it turns out that [[spoiler: Malkith is the true, legitimate phoenix king (though I have no idea by what criteria), and Teclis of all people goes to great lengths to put his burnt ass on the throne]]. Since this unity is still holding true in Age Of Sigmar, and that it even carries over into WH40k between the Craftworld and Dark Eldar, it’s safe to assume that Games Workshop is adamant about this theme.[[note]] It even shows up it WarHammer TotalWar, where it's hinted at in the wood-elf flavor text.[[/note]] While I can’t believe that evil of the Druchii’s caliber could ever be necessary, I realize that this is a ''human'' perspective. Is there some elvish characteristic regarding their natures or souls that requires them to acknowledge their darker aspects? [[note]] or require exactly the right king for that matter?[[/note]] Am I somehow dooming the High Elves by wiping out the Druchii in the main campaign?

** They are technically declining, as all the Elder Races are, losing out to the breeding-like-bunnies humans, but they are doing better than most. Likely this is helped along by their remarkably casual attitude to sex. Plus they'd be more inclined to breed just for the sake of numbers than either of the other two Elven races or the Dwarves (who tend to actually love their children) and while the Lizardmen breed like that normally they are hamstrung by following the half-understood plans of the Old Ones about when they can reproduce.

** They are technically declining, as all the Elder Races are, losing out to the breeding-like-bunnies humans, but they are doing better than most. Likely this is helped along by their remarkably casual attitude to sex. Plus they'd be more inclined to breed just for the sake of numbers than either of the other two Elven races who tend to actually love their children.

** Quite the contrary, most lore seems to indicate that the Druchii are doing ''better'' than the other elder races in terms of population. The Dark Elf army books all tend to state that the Druchii are thriving in comparison the rest of the elves, which is notable as the army books for the High Elves tend to always emphasize their decline. A single throwaway line in one source book even mentions that a single Dark Elf border fortress had a garrison force of ''eighty thousand troops''. This seemingly ample population would also explain how they are able to afford throwing away lives so casually. Their numbers do tend to fluctuate DependingOnTheAuthor but they never seem to be in any danger of dying out like the High Elves are said to be. Why this is the case is anyone's guess.

** The High Elven population never really recovered from the twin disasters of [[CivilWar The Sundering]] and [[ElvesVsDwarves The War of Vengeance]]. The Asur also seem to have problems with their fertility and breed too slowly to properly restore their numbers. The Dark Elves, for whatever reason, don't really seem to suffer this problem. Couple these factors with frequent raids and invasions by the Druchii and numerous other antagonistic forces and it's easy to understand how the Asur are diminished. It should be noted however that the exact severity of the High Elf decline is open to interpretation, with [[WordOfGod Games Workshop]] themselves basically stating that their are as many elves as the plot demands.

** Quite the contrary, most lore seems to indicate that the Druchii are doing ''better'' than the other elder races in terms of population. The Dark Elf army books all tend to state that the Druchii are thriving in comparison the rest of the elves, which is notable as the army books for the High Elves tend to always emphasize their decline. A single throwaway line in one source book even mentions that a single Dark Elf border fortress had a garrison force of ''eighty thousand troops''. This seemingly massive population would also explain how they are able to afford throwing away lives so casually. Their numbers do tend to fluctuate DependingOnTheAuthor but they never seem to be in any danger of dying out like the High Elves are said to be. Why this is the case is anyone's guess.

** Quite the contrary, most lore seems to indicate that the Druchii are doing *better* than the other elder races in terms of population. The Dark Elf army books all tend to state that the Druchii are thriving in comparison the rest of the elves, which is notable as the army books for the High Elves tend to always emphasize their decline. A single throwaway line in one source book even mentions that a single Dark Elf border fortress had a garrison force of ''eighty thousand troops''. This seemingly massive population would also explain how they are able to afford throwing away lives so casually. Their numbers do tend to fluctuate DependingOnTheAuthor but they never seem to be in any danger of dying out like the High Elves are said to be. Why this is the case is anyone's guess.

I don't recall reading any lore that indicates that the Druchii are dying out, even though they should be suffering attrition at a far greater pace than the Asur. Aside from the fact that they're pressed up against the Chaos Wastes with hosts of Slanneshi demons knocking at their door, they are so engrossed in self destructive behavior that it's a wonder we even need to fight them at all.