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Ok, so this is one of the threads of a multi - thread journey that I am doing with my Dark Eldar. If anyone know about my blog and podcast and armies, I am a huge believer in testing a list over and over to become good at it. Because of this I have come up with a 20 game series that allows a player to take any list and hone it, making it efficient and better over the course of at least 20 games. The list concept tho, starts with a core. This core can be slightly modified but it is what gives the list its "life" Over the last year, I have been playing a 20 game series with my Coven Dark Eldar, and to good success. If you are interested you can find the playlist of all the games on my youtube channel.

The list I present to you here is the core of the Vect Kabal 20 game journey. I wanted an army that is pretty straight forward, that can punish any opponent and make even veterans thing twice about what they want to do. So this is the core of the list so that you can give me general thoughts on it. If you want to read the tactical breakdowns of each unit within the list and the general tactical thread as I play each game you can go to the tactica thread HERE.

Vect

3 Trueborn, 2 Splinter Cannon
Venom, dual cannon, flicker field

5 Kabalites, Blaster
Venom, dual cannon, flicker field

5 Kabalites, blaster
Raider, darklance

5 Kabalites, Blaster
Venom, dual cannon, flicker field

5 Kabalites, blaster
Raider, darklance

5 Kabalites, blaster
Venom, dual cannon, flicker field,

Ravager, 3 lances, night shield
Ravager, 3 lances, night shield

Allied:
Jetseer
3 Eldar Jetbikes
2 Scatterlaser Warwalkers

So. This is a 1500pt core. I am thinking of a few things:

- Adding corteaz as a re-roll for vect to sieze and to force my opponent to sieze if they do so successfully.
- Adding a small spacewolf contingent, with a runepriest + some GH in a rhino for anti psyker support.

Thoughts?

Whichever you choose, your a bit light on AT power, so get some at from your allies.

Coteaz and vect is a really fun combo. Coteaz also gives you a very cheap, very effective ally contingent. Psybacks, chimeras, henchman squads great and small all bring great things to DE.

The space wolf contingent is ok, nothing great other than the potential for psychic defense, living lightning/Jaws. GK seems better

Are you dead set on your core? You might want to "venom spam" your warriors since that's really what they're good for (or the whole shebang, Raider with dissy and s racks with ten warriors with a splinter cannon) and then turn your Trueborn into tank hunters, 4 guys with blasters in either a Venom or a Dark Lance Raider. Three of those units will make short work of lots of tanks, especially with Ravagers backing them up. Taking another Ravager or a Voidraven might be called for as well.

I've never actually played with or against Vect so I have no idea how he changes your list, but some of your units seem to have "landraider syndrome". Fix them up so they should all be shooting at the same things and make sure Vects pimpmobile is taking him where he has the best chance possible of both surviving and influencing the battle and you should be golden. With or without power armoured religious crazies. Wolf flavor or otherwise.

Edit: I probably sound like a know it all, if this list has been doing well, by all means, keep doing well, I was just offering my insight

I like splinter racks in my raiders if i'm running Kabalite warriors. they really improve the shooting and can be very devastating. that being said I run my Dark Eldar w/ elder allies, the farseer sitting with the Ravagers on a jet bike help a lot (give them Grisly trophies and you will almost never fail a psychic test), also serpents are great for support when you are rushing venoms up with either wytches or trueborn. And I looooove my wraith knight as he can tank and scare the opponent. but at 1500 and Vect cost, you may be better off leaving him at home.
that being said, I have seen your videos and you have done wonders with the Coven! so I think your list could be nasty as well man. so good luck! and look forward to seeing how they do

Thanks for the comments!

I was thinking of adding all the extra stuff (coteaz, spacewolves) above 1500. As a core, I am considering using all 4 of my venoms tho. 2 as elites with the trueborn, 2 as troop units. After considering it, I might not take 10 man units to start with, 5 man blaster kabalites I think will do the trick. MSU style to maximize point per damage capacity.

As for splinter racks, I don't mind them, but since I am spending on night shields, I don't want to spend more on the raiders, they are paper planes, and will die! So the cheaper the better.

I was thinking of running a psychimera with coteaz, or some HB servitors. To take advantage of the I have been expecting you rule.

That would be dirty, and probably secure your backfield pretty nicely. And I agree splinter wracks are pointless with nightshields.

Vect has worked very good for me, although to be fair he was always against something he was very effective against. In short, he is hell on wheels to anything with a 3+ save or lower, I had him routinely chop through 4/5 berserkers a turn, and kill a Flyrant before it could strike. In all 3 game I've played him recently, I've always stolen the initiative although twice I rolled a natural 6. Using him with Cortez sounds dirty, I'd recommend a Psymera with either monkies or plasm cannon servitors to make a 12'' no deep-strike zone.

While Vect is uniquely protected as an Archon vs. under strength 6 weaponry due to extra wound, 4+ save, usually FnP and wounds regen, but against str 6+ he should never be taking hims I you have a choice. You will always, I mean ALWAYS fail your shadowfield save against the first insta death wound you take. Is there any way you could fit in the extra ravager? I mean your practically guaranteed first turn, the extra Ravager gives better alpha strike potential.

Alex

I am very pleased with the comments. I have gone back to the drawing board and this has come up from the deep corners of my twisted mind:

Vect

3 Trueborn 2 Splinter Cannon
Venom, Dual Cannon, Night Shield, Flicker Field
3 Trueborn 2 Splinter Cannon
Venom, Dual Cannon, Night Shield, Flicker Field

5 Warriors, Blaster
Venom, Dual Cannon, Night Shield, Flicker Field

5 Warriors, Blaster
Venom, Dual Cannon, Night Shield, Flicker Field

6 Warriors, Blaster
Raider, Darklance, Night Shield

6 Warriors, Blaster
Raider, Darklance, Night Shield

Ravager, Night Shield, Grisly Trophies
Ravager, Night Shield
Ravager, Night Shield

Allied Inquisitorial:
Coteaz

The total here is 1500pts

I think this maximizes the points in the list. It will be a blast to play. I am considering running Coteaz as a sort of Dark Eldar "soothsayer" he would be very distrusted by the Kabal, even vect himself, but his knowledge of the warp and what not would aid vect in his journey.

I also added that third ravager.

There are 15 lance weapons (one per 100pts) this is the sweet spot, the venoms + the splinterborn really lay down the hurt on anything that moves.

So. As a core I think this is a good place to start.

Hate to say it. but 'Just' Corteaz is really pushing the fact you get a lot for the points. Paying 100pts for a re-roll on seize the Initiative and a practically useless model (Can't bless desperate allies) is pushing the boundaries, your not taking advantage of his other abilities like 'I've been expecting you' and his high mastery level. I would suggest that you drop one of your troops (Not sure which) for something, probably a psyback or Psymera simply to make better use of the points you are putting into Corteaz. 6 TL (prescience) strength 6 AP 4 shots from a psymera is nothing to be scoffed at, especially when that unit can also have 3 henchmen with 3 plas/meltaguns in. Its almost a direct point swap, but I think you'd get more out of the psymera then out of one venom, because it brings something dark elder simply don't have, strength 6.

I dont think the army could afford to loose a troop just for say a psymera. At any points over 1500 tho, thats the first thing I start adding. Also, im hoping to run him as a debuffer mainly with a lot of maledictions if possible.

This is just me... so ymmv.

The successful DE list I've run/seen also has a "oh gak" unit to draw serious attention... for me, it's the Baron+Farseer+Beast Unit. Once I plop that down midfield, my vehicles survives another round or two of shooting as all my opponent's attention is on that unit.

If you like Vect, swap him out with the Baron (or just add him) as he's a force multiplier for the beast squad (gives them fearless, PE, 2++). Then add your msu'ed vehicle units to flesh out the list... I prefer Venoms with hay-wyches.

I like the idea of a unit that needs to be dealt with. In this case the army in its entierty needs to be dealt with. Proper manouvering, as well as target priority will make the enemy only be able to target what I want them to in a perfect world. I love the baron, and I am considering just running him + coteaz for the +1 to go first and the re roll on the sieze... but I have used the baron before, and I have not used vect yet, so I want to get to use him and find out how to best make him work. I like the venom haywire wytches as well, big proponent of them. But as a themed Kabalite list I am shying away from them.

COnsiderations for adding in for larger points:

Runepriest - Chooser of slain.

Rhino - 5 GH's PG

Chimera, Psybolts (for coteaz) 3 acolytes with guns, or 3 servitors with guns.

Is coteaz even worth it? Most people will give me turn 1 anyway...

Have you though of adding a firestorm redoubt and putting coteaz and a small unit of plasma cannon servitors + crusaders (or acolytes). This would make coteaz useful for more than seizing, add some decent skyfire and intercept, add some S7 AP2, and give you a AV14 bunker to hide behind turn 1 just in case they actually manage to get turn 1 on you. It does eat into your points a fair margin but I think it may be worth it.

Interesting. The main reason I dislike the fortofocations is the immobility of them. But I had not even considered the redoubt... the skyfire stuff would be usefull. Maybe at larger point values it would make more sense at 1500pts I think it would cut a lot of the army out of the picture and because of the coteaz point sink I really cant have any more.

I would agree, perhaps just a small 3 plasma cannon + 6 acolytes (~80 pts) to stick with coteaz in some ruins? It just seems like coteaz is wasting most of his abilities as is.

Yes, he is being wasted, mostly. At 1750 the acolytes, psymera come into play.

The army list had its first game against Deamons last night. Each unit played its part. It was a lot of fun not having to think to hard on each units role on the table. Not considering changes yet.

the army has had its second game. against CSM. I once again had a harder time against AV12 (forgefiend). But I dont want to rely on hawyire wytches for the AT...

So. The release of escalation and stronghold... what do you think will affect this list the most?

Escalation will not be a huge deal to you. As you are MSU already and can handle armour pretty well. Also seizing on a 3+ rerollable is not bad.

Stronghold could make your list super resilient if you throw some void shield gens into the list suddenly turn 1 strikes wouldn't be such a big deal. You can also get cheap automated skyfire quad las now.

Im thinking stealing on a super heavy and blasting it turn 1 would be quite good. 3 points and first blood.

Yeah and honestly even if you don't seize only taking 2 skimmer casualties is actually fairly light damage for a DE paper boat list.

People bringing SH is pretty much all advantage for you.

very true.

Ok so I have gad 5 games now.
g3 was vs Eldar
g4 against SM
g5 against Deamons

I am thinking of making a few changes to the army... don't know if three ravagers are needed tbh... i need to have more troops... another raider or venom with some more kabalites might be better. Coteaz has actually done well for himself, being a pain in the neck for small units in the backfield or against tanks with Mechanicum malediction.

Modified the army list in the first post. Thoughts?

x

Vect

3 Trueborn, 2 Splinter Cannon
Venom, dual cannon, flicker field

5 Kabalites, Blaster
Venom, dual cannon, flicker field

5 Kabalites, blaster
Raider, darklance

5 Kabalites, Blaster
Venom, dual cannon, flicker field

5 Kabalites, blaster
Raider, darklance

5 Kabalites, blaster
Venom, dual cannon, flicker field,

Ravager, 3 lances, night shield
Ravager, 3 lances, night shield

Allied:
Jetseer
3 Eldar Jetbikes
2 Scatterlaser Warwalkers

Drop the Kabalite's blaster... save those points.

Otherwise, interesting list.

Whembly might be right. Pulling the blasters would almost pay for the missing Ravager and would certainly buy another squad of jetbikes. Both are likely better force multipliers