Dark Eldar

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**Drizzt**

OK I'm entirely new to Warhammer 40K Table Top, played quite a bit of Dawn of War but that hardly helps me know what I'm doing in Table Top, and i was wondering if DE are good at all?? I've heard some people place them at the top saying all they need is awesome tactics, however a lot of my friends and friends of friends even, who have played for a while, say DE just plainly suck. I've looked around for opinions but couldn't find anything very new that reassured me much. I really like the idea of them at least a fast, mainly melee army that comes out of nowhere, destroys everything, and then disappears away again. I got a codex and looked at some of it and what little i understand makes it look like they ain't that bad, but I'd prefer actual opinions from players to a few facts. I understand even if they can win it'll never be easy and that they aren't supposed to be easy to play at all but I'm willing to play 'em until i get better as long as they have some hope of doing good eventually.

**mef989**

Dark Eldar are actually considered one of the best armies in the game, though one of (if not) the hardest to play. They are a glass cannon.

However, they are getting a new codex (finally) after marines, so I would keep that in mind when you start purchasing models.

**wuestenfux**

DE is a nice army to play, very fast but fragile. Speed is their armor.
I play DE since the 3rd ed and they are very rewarding if played right.

I suggest to start with an Archon on skyboard (can FoF), splinter pistol, agonizer, plasma grenades, shadowfield.
Add 2 Sniper squads, 10 Warriors with 2 darklances, 2 Raider squads (10 Warriors incl Sybarity with agonizer; blaster) and 2 Wych squads in Raiders (10 Wyches with 2 blasters, incl Succubus with agonizer, trophy rack). Finally take 3 Ravagers, one with darklances, the other with 1 darklance, 2 disintegrators. That's a pretty decent army to start with...

**MarvinGayeIsMyDaddy**

I really question the wisdom of your friends if they think Dark Eldar are weak.

**der Wiskinator**

Well if you are used to looking at an army list where the worst armour is 3+....

**Saldiven**

Wuest:

Archons (or dracons, or archites, or dracites, or haemonculi) on skyboards may not fleet. It was a gray area not addressed by the prior FAQ (though it did address jetbikes and FoF), but has been addressed in the FAQ released 7-11-2008.

http://uk.games-workshop.com/news/errata/assets/40k/5th-ed/2008_DE_FAQ.pdf

**Seamus O'Shank**

Don't play DE if you are new to the game. Trust me.

Unless you like losing ever game. Then go ahead.

Pros: They are fast. They have BS4.

Cons: Fast or not, shoot enough at them and then die. Horrible armor. Flying cardboard boxes are used as transports.

That said, I do have fun playing them, I would just enjoy winning sometimes... So I switched to Tau.

**CrimsonTurkey**

Dark eldar are very difficult to play. That being said, they are alot of fun to play, and all together brutal when one pulls it off.

I'd wait a little while to start them though, since the new codex should be out soon, and hopefully some new models. They need 'em.

**Seamus O'Shank**

Yeah, definately wait for the new 'dex.

**Lordhat**

Currently DE are one of the best armies out there... for killing marines. And don't mind the post about losing every game if you're a beginner. Unless your opponents are little or no more experienced than you, this will happen for quite a while with any army anyway. There's no substitute for experience; Just knowing which units to send against which units is probably %50 of winning a game in the TT version.

All this said, waiting until the new codex comes out is probably a good idea.

**Drizzt**

First off, about questioning my friends intelligence, they haven't ever played seriously and so it wouldn't surprise me if they just never saw em played right.

Second, i do plan on waiting for the new codex just thought I'd get an early start.

Third, i have fun just plainly annoying my opposition, even if theres no hope, if things like hellions can pull off what they're made to do then im happy to play a DE army, winning ever would be nice, but even if it takes year of practice and learning to do so I'm at least happy to try

And last, thanks for the comments I'll wait for a new codex and then my DE army will enter the fray

**themandudeperson**

A word of warning though. Wych Cult army lists suffer from the 5th ed. revision that disallows consolidation into a new unit. Basically, you have to be very careful to make sure you charge them and don't eliminate them on the charging turn, then finish them off on your opponent's combat phase so you can move and charge a different unit without worries of getting shot to hell because your unit thinks it's a good idea to take a break instead of starting a new fight.

**Seamus O'Shank**

Honestly, I was kidding with my doom and gloom. Dark Eldar are hilarious amounts of fun to play. Just don't expect to win right away.

Seeing the look on people's faces as two full raiders worth of Wyches get shoved down their squads throats and tear said squad to shreds is priceless. Same with the Marines player's expression as his 200+ point Land Raider gets kerploded by an 8 point warrior with a Dark Lance.

If you're not planning on going competetive anytime soon, and you want a fun army, go Dark Eldar. And who knows, maybe you'll prove me wrong and end up winning most of your games when you get the hang of them!

(If you do, tell me what you're doing... I'd like to know

)

**wuestenfux**

Well, the new FAQ seems to fill the gap: Archon on rjb cannot fof. Too bad.

**thehod**

The FAQ writers dont like DE

**Seamus O'Shank**

The new FAQ makes the Dark Eldar in me weep. And makes the newfound Tau in me celebrate!

If the model(s) with the WWPs are destroyed, whatever was in the Webway is GONE?! What is this garbage?!

**Rosicrucian**

thehod wrote:The FAQ writers dont like DE

On the plus side DE bikes unequivocally do not take a hand to drive now though. This makes a Punisher armed Archon/Dracon on a bike pretty fun.

**Moz**

Does the FAQ for the horrorfex being ruled as 'Not a defensive weapon' make it a primary weapon then or what?

**themandudeperson**

mef989 wrote:
However, they are getting a new codex (finally) after marines, so I would keep that in mind when you start purchasing models.

Hey man, what's your source on that? I've been hearing that IG will be next after SM and that DE could be as late as late '09... I'd love for your source to be correct over mine though as I've been going stir crazy to start a DE ever since I started over a year ago, but I've been holding off because I keep catching rumors that it's "the next army coming out"

**thehod**

This continues the lack of love for the Dark Eldar and hopefully Phil Kelly can write a new codex for them.

**Reecius**

Dark Eldar can be brutal in the right hands, i think they are easily a top tier army.

**orchewer**

Yeah, but how often do the 'right hands' find Dark Eldar?

I came in 4th at a tournament using Dark Eldar. I lost the semi-final game because I moved my vehicles too close to my opponent's space wolves. Another 3" back and I would've won the game.

**thehod**

with True LOS and the fragility of WWP not to mention the ruling on wych weapons and the no consolidation rules. It made the DE very hard to play with in 5th (noting that they are the oldest codex in 40K and built with 3rd edition in mind)

**wuestenfux**

The 'no consolidation rule' is a problem for Archon and Incubi retinue, but not so much for Wyches, as they slowly slice an enemy unit in cc.

**Drunkspleen**

Rosicrucian wrote:On the plus side DE bikes unequivocally do not take a hand to drive now though. This makes a Punisher armed Archon/Dracon on a bike pretty fun.

wow, how did I miss this? It's points heavy but you can run with a punisher + bike + tormenter helm + combat drugs + animus + plasma, giving you on an archon a potential for 5 attacks on the charge at S7 I7, god I'm pretty excited already. Now if only I could rely on reaver models to tough it out in close combat and be a good bodyguard for him since I can't take the shadowfield in that layout