​Hi All,

Below are my thoughts on implementing a politic mechanic to the Dark Elves, using the Tower of Zharr mechanic as a base that is adapted to the Noble Houses for each major Dark Elf settlements.

This could be a mechanic implemented in a future DLC / patch or even in a mod potentially (if so this could post could gauge if this worth making).

I am aware that other factions are higher up on the 'needing help list', and that this likely won't be considered by CA to implement for a while, but I would like to see if this mechanic is a path worth considering applying down the line.

The mechanic would hopefully go from districts in the Chaos Dwarf version:

1. Sorcery District
2. Military District
3. Industry District

To cities / houses in Dark Elves in a way like this:

1. ​Ghrond / "House of Morathi" (replaces sorcery) with a focus on Magic / Research and associated with Morathi
2. Naggarond / House of Malekith (replaces military)  with a focus on Politics / Military and associated with Malekith
3. Clar Karond / House Fellheart (replaces industry) with a focus on Black Arks / Slaves and associated with Lokhir
4. Har Ganeth / House Anlec (new 'district') with a focus on Religion / Rituals and associated with Hellebron
5. Hag Graef / House Uthorin (new 'district')  with a focus on Construction / Resources and associated with Malus
6. Karond Kar /House Khar (new district') with a focus on Beasts / Raiding and associated with Rakarth
   

The mechanic would use Slaves as a resource purchase for each 'seat'. Although you could easily add a 'political influence' resource to the factions too.

To make things easier I have also come up some examples of bonus's in the mechanic, going from highest to lowest tier. The specifics can obviously be changed, along with pricing to balance out the bonuses per tier.

Note that I use the following symbols to note:

• (* = identical bonus as Chaos Dwarf mechanic)
• (** = very similar to Chaos Dwarf mechanic with a slight tweak or moved from another location)

Tier 4: (cost 10,000 slaves per seat)

6x seats to enable confederations for all 6 factions 

• It seems fitting that there's 6 major cities that all somewhat correspond with each lord (I know that each lord don't always start in them, or even specifically own them in lore. But they do match fairly well in both theme / lore) and it gives a way to confederate the lords end game (even when killed off).
  

Tier 3: (cost 5,000 per seat)

Ghrond

1. +3 uses for a Doombolt army ability
2. * +3 magic reserves per seat
3. Bonus for Completion: *-10% winds of magic cost for all casters

Naggarond

1. *minus 1% unit upkeep per seat
2. ** spawn army of Dark Elves after sacking
3. Bonus for Completion: ** -1 local and black ark recruit duration faction wide 

Clar Karond

1. +25% slaves gained from ports and black ark slave pen buildings
2. ** -10% slave requirement for buildings, -5% slave used by buildings
   
3. Bonus for Completion: *-50% turn cooldown for black arks ritual, (or minus 20% black ark building cost if playing as Lokhir)

Har Ganeth

1. -10% slave cost for all rituals
2. +1 dark conduit army ability use for all armies (without ritual)
3. Bonus for Completion: -50% turn cooldown for rituals (except black arks)

Hag Graef

1. ** -2% construction cost per seat
2. +10% slave income from industry buildings (factionwide)
3. Bonus for Completion: +100% trade resources obtained from all resource buildings, +50% tariff income

Karond Kar

1. -15% upkeep for all beasts
2. +1 army ability use for a summon Kharibdyss ability 
3. Bonus for Completion: **+3 control all provinces

Tier 2: (cost 2,500 per seat)

​Ghrond

1. -20% miscasts chance
2. +2 uses for Doomfire Warlock abilities
3. +20% magic item drop chance
4. Bonus for Completion: ** +2 Preferred corruption (all provinces)
   

Naggarond

1. +20% success rate (all heroes)
   
2. -15% upkeep for black guard
   
3. +100% allegiance points 
4. Bonus for Completion: +30 relations to all factions

​Clar Karond

1. *-1 construction turns for all buildings
2. +2 uses for black ark abilities factionwide
   
3. +20 growth per turn for Black Arks
4. +2 Black Ark Recruit Capacity
   

​Har Ganeth 

1. +10% weapon strength (Har Ganeth Executioners + witch elf / sisters of slaughter)
2. -15% upkeep Har Ganeth executioners
   
3. infinite uses for khainite assassin and death hag unique abilities
4. Bonus for Completion: +100% effect of slave edicts

​Hag Graef

1. +10% range for reaper bolt throwers
   
2. +15% speed and +10 attack for cold one units
3. -20% upkeep for shades
4. Bonus for Completion: +5 lord and hero recruit ranks

​Karond Kar

1. +50% income and slaves from raiding
2. +10% income from sacking and looting
3. -30% recruit cost for beast units
4. Bonus for Completion: +1000 siege supplies when under siege

Tier 1: (cost 1,250 slaves per seat)

Ghrond

1. *+2 reserves per turn, +5 reserve capacity
2. +2 hero capacity for Sorceress's
3. *Random crafted arcane item every 3 turns
4. +10% spell mastery (all casters)
5. Bonus for Completion: **+20% research rate 

Naggarond 

1. +2 hero capacity for Master heroes
2. ** +6% replenishment
3. * random crafted weapon every 3 turns
4. * +15% movement after winning battle
5. Bonus for Completion:  *Immediately cause wall breaches when besieging

Clar Karond

1. *random rare follower every 3 turns
   
2. *+25% settlement building income
   
3. **+20 relations with DE and +50 from trade tariffs
   
4. **+100 slaves per turn
5. Bonus for Completion: -5% slave decline faction-wide
   

Har Ganeth 

1. *Random crafted talisman every 3 turns
   
2. +2 hero capacity for Death Hag heroes
   
3. +20% missile resistance for Witch Elves + Sisters of Slaughter
   
4. +10% range for medusa units
5. Bonus for Completion:  +2 turn duration for rituals (except black arks as it would be a nerf)

Hag Graef

1. +10% AP missile damage for missile units
2. +10% resources gained from buildings
   
3. *Random crafted armor item every 3 turns
   
4. +2 hero capacity for Khainite Assassin heroes
5. Bonus for Completion: -5% construction cost factionwide

Karond Kar

1. Stalk ability for cold ones + harpies + Feral manitcores
   
2. * random crafted enchanted item every 3 turns
   
3. +10% weapon strength for all beasts
4. +5 recruit rank for High Beastmasters (make them desirable to use early game)
5. Bonus for Completion:  +10% post battle loot and slaves

Please no more avenues for cheap buffstacking, thank you.

If you want a mechanic based on courts and internal relations, make it something that can have as much negative influence on the player as positive. Dark Elves are a backstabby bunch barely more coherent than the Skaven after all.

I'd rather have a Court and intrigues mechanic based on Dynasties for both the HE and the DE. 

I agree, Dark Elves need a few changes and new additions. Just look at Malekith. And then compare him to Karl Franz. Karl Franz has many cool and unique mechanics. Malekith also deservers his own unique mechanics that make him worth playing. Right now, I am asking myself why even bother starting as him when I can start as anyone else and have better campaign mechanics and/or better climate preferences. 

I have just a few wishes:

More Climate Preferences for Dark Elves (Morathi, Crone and Malekith have only 3). 

Unique Mechanics for Malekith

More Slaanesh mechanics for Morathi, more Slaanesh units and lore of Slaanesh would be super cool!