My suggestion for a list would be closely built around the battalion box.
You get 20 Corsairs, 28 Warriors (Spears or RXB), but only 12 Shields, and 5 Cold One Knights with one battalion box.
Because both Spearmen and Repeater Crossbowmen benefit from shields, it is a good idea to get some extra shields eventually (
regular DE shield sprues are available from GW). At first, the Repeater Crossbowmen can do without (it's probably ok to declare them to have shields, or just play them without).
Assuming a total of two battalion boxes, I would build at least 10-12 (up to 20) Corsairs with Repeater Handbows to use as Shades (they certainly work as Shade models), assemble 20 Warriors as Repeater Crossbowmen, and the rest as Spearmen.
Here's an example army, that could be built that way, step by step, in ~$100 chunks. All Shades are converted Corsairs (not much to convert there, really).
Rulebook and Armybook are assumed, because those are really the first step to play Warhammer.
Example 1000 pts Army
What to buy
$90 Dark Elf Battalion
$15 Sorceress (on foot)
What to play
250 Sorceress Level 3, Sacrificial Dagger (Dark Magic)
87 12 Warriors with Shields, Musician
165 16 Repeater Crossbowmen, Musician
200 15 Corsairs, Full Command, Sea Serpent Standard
210 5 Cold One Knights, Full Command
85 5 Shades with Additional Handweapons
Example 1500 pts Army
What to buy
$90 Dark Elf Battalion
$8 4x DE shield sprue
What to play
160 Sorceress Level 2, Sacrificial Dagger (Dark Magic)
267 36 Warriors with Shields, Full Command
105 10 Repeater Crossbowmen, Musician
105 10 Repeater Crossbowmen, Musician
320 27 Corsairs, Full Command, Sea Serpent Standard
335 10 Cold One Knights, Full Command, Banner of Murder
102 6 Shades with Additional Handweapons
102 6 Shades with Additional Handweapons
Example 2000 pts Army
What to buy
$40 Cauldron of Blood
$60 War Hydra
$8 4x DE shield sprue
What to play
315 Sorceress Level 4, Sacrificial Dagger, Pendant of Khaeleth (Lore of Shadows)
225 Death Hag BSB with Cauldron of Blood
260 35 Warriors with Shields, Full Command
105 10 Repeater Crossbowmen with Shields, Musician
105 10 Repeater Crossbowmen with Shields, Musician
270 22 Corsairs, Full Command, Sea Serpent Standard
335 10 Cold One Knights, Full Command, Banner of Murder
102 6 Shades with Additional Handweapons
102 6 Shades with Additional Handweapons
175 1 War Hydra
That's about $300 for a decent 2000 pts army core, which can be upgraded in any direction.
Bye
Thanee