Skeleton/1.03.24

Skeletons are basic infantry units.

Dark Elves
Skeletons are inferior to Dark Infantry for combat but it's the Skeleton's missile resistance that makes it worth producing. This allows it to sponge common piercing missile attacks seen from both archers and towers, allowing the rest of your army to advance towards the enemy without fear of being shot down before they make combat. It's a good idea to build at least one Gravestone, so as to free the Tombs for other purposes (researching, producing spiders). Note that unlike the Undead, the Dark Elves can't use full benefits from summoning instant Skeletons through destroying as many Gravestones as needed in base defence emergency situations, because they can't upgrade them to powerful advanced units.

Benefits from Black Ward research.

Undead
Being the basic fighter of the Undead, its true strength lies in its ability to instantly upgrade to a stronger unit (Wight or Wraith), provided you have the tech and resources to do so. On its own it is worthless, although it has some merit in overwhelming arrow towers since it is nearly invulnerable to piercing attacks. It's a good idea to build at least one Gravestone, so as to free the Graveyards for other purposes (e.g. producing some cavalry). Moreover, destroying a Gravestone creates an instant Skeleton ready to be upgraded, should the situation demands it.

Benefits from Weaponsmith and Dark Mithril researches.

Quotes

 * Ready: "Arise from the earth!"
 * Select: "Master?" "From dust we come." "To dust we go."
 * Order: "No pain." "No memories." "Only darkness."
 * Deathblow: "Feed the worms!"