[Lazy_Perfectionist]

Blah blah: I just won a medium game versus Nefeilheim. I'm still not quite certain how I won after managing to lose over 20 commanders in one battle. However, maybe it had something to do with my stealthy raiding teams of ~8 shades led by a dark servant.

Tip: Want stealth raiding forces? It's not impossible, even with a complete absence of stealthy national troops. With your high death gem income, conjuration 2, and lesser magical items (construction 2), you can easily summon an army of Shades, led by a Dark Servant. A Rod of the Leper King will give your Dark Servant undead leadership +50, for a mere 5 gems. For 20 gems, you can get that Dark Servant, Rod, and eight shades. If you're taking on only PD, a Horror Helmet will help reduce your casualties.

If you also want to thug out that Black Servant, and limit yourself to equipment available early and cheap, the Barkskin amulet complements your zero protection nicely. While the Pendant of Luck might be better, its often hard to acquire the necessary astral gems early on.

If you've got the spare nature gems (and I always do) the Berserker Pelt will keep him from routing, and still be better protection. The Raw Hide Shield isn't much, either. But it will make your Black Servant even harder to hit, with a boost of four to your defense.

The Serpent Kryss is worth considering despite its low stats. It's length is zero, making it easy to dual wield, its got Death Poison (35 in Dom2, currently ??), which, combined with difficulty of hitting a Black Servant, just might actually have the time to work. Of course, putting anything in your hands eliminates the Life Drain affect.

For pure scouts, the Bane Venom Charm is interesting, and I'm curious whether there is any synergy between it and the Foul Air global.

If you're a noob like me, and outfitting your undead, remember, you don't have to worry about disease.

Later, if you wish to continue raiding, you can get a Spectral Mage with summon Spectre. Unlike the Black Servant, this leader is also partially amphibious. Also, the Harvester of Sorrows can bring you some much heavier stealth, with built in fear, ethereal, flying, and life drain. And is quite accessible with any Pretender, requiring only D4.

Also, while Shades, Shade Beasts, and Spirits, and Ghosts are not very impressive, there are a couple things worth explaining, aside from them all being stealthy and ethereal.

Shades have steal strength, handy against low MR units.
Shade Beasts have only weak poison, but are only size 1, fitting six to a square, easily outnumbering most forces. Larger races, such as Niefelheim, can suffer three times the posion damage of armies composed of the standard size two units.
Ghosts have both fear and chill, an interesting combination, if your opponent doesn't have any great morale options, especially considering the PD which doesn't have anywhere to flee, though do usually have +2 morale from dominion and home provinces.
The Spirits have paralyze, which is is tied to the target's size. They're also size one, but since Paralysis isn't cumulative... How does paralysis work, by the way? Is it against defense or MR? Anyways, Dispossessed Spirits aren't likely to kill anything, or survive a magical sneeze, but at 15 for 4 gems, make for an excellent way to tie up enemy units & break formations while your real warriors strike.

Edit: Also, starting units on patrol can handle 150% tax rate, but not 170%.