Stealthy units can move without being seen on the strategic map. This allows them to try to infiltrate hostile territories. Patrolling units and the inherent patrol effect from province defense can however discover them.

Almost all nations will have some access to stealth through scouts – either national ones (such as Bangar Log's Markata Scouts) or generic independent ones (Scout) – to hang out in enemy provinces and reveal what is happening there. Some nations have stealthy commanders (such as EA Ulm's Warrior Chiefs and Shamans) and stealthy troops for them to lead (such as Steel Maidens).

Notably, all "elves" (Vanir, Tuatha, etc. – see the roster of EA Vanheim for examples) are inherently stealthy, and have Glamour. Sometimes nearly everything fielded by these nations has stealth, leading to the potential for very nasty surprise attacks. This is colloquially referred to as "being elfed".

Stealthy commanders can also be summoned, notably with the early rituals Black Servant and Bind Shadow Imp.

A stealthy commander has a number of interesting uses:

1. Scouting and witnessing battles their nation isn't involved in.
   • Spies can reveal additional information, cause unrest or infiltrate capitals.
2. Ferrying and carrying gems and items for an army.
3. Avoiding fights.
   • A commander set to perform a stealthy order does so before other orders such as rituals or assassinations, which can make them very difficult to catch, and rather effective at raiding. Using a ritual such as Teleport or Cloud Trapeze on top of a stealthy raider that has switched orders to hide or sneak will therefore not initiate combat.
4. Starting fights.
   • They can attack provinces the enemy thought were safe. When done on a massive scale, this is the infamous "elfing".
   • This can be done by sneaking even through friendly lands so that enemy scouts do not see their approach.
   • Using rituals such as Teleport or Cloud Trapeze on top of a friendly stealthy unit that has switched orders to attack their current province (without moving) will have the stealthy unit join the fight in the Magic Phase.
5. Moving into or out of forts that are under siege.
   • Sneaking into a fort does not allow defending against a storming attacker on the same turn, but sneaking out of a fort can be done as an attack.
6. Priests, if stealthy, can hide and preach in an enemy province.

Commanders set on stealthy orders (hide or sneak) are unaffected by:

• Conventional assassination by units with the assassin ability
• Remote assassination spells such as Earth Attack or Manifestation
• Seeking Arrow

Commanders set on stealthy orders are still affected by:

• Mind Hunt, both as a valid target and protecting astral mage
• Vengeful Water
• Vengeance of the Dead
• Murdering Winter
• Using the wish spell to wish for friends, and being in the affected province