Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I've been looking around for a couple weeks trying to figure out the DE. And from what I read, this is what I came up with.

Archon: Agoniser, Poison Blades, Shadow Field, Terrorfex, Trophy Rack, Animus Vitae
145 pts

Wych Dracite: Agoniser, Poison Blades, Wych Weapons, Haywire grenades, Plasma grenades, Wych Retinue (7 wyches; succubus) 2 blasters, plasma grenades; Agoniser, splinter pistol, Raider w/ Dark Lance and Nightshields
313 pts

Wyches: 7, 1 Succubus:: 2 blasters, plasma grenades; Agoniser, plasma grenades, Raider w/ Dark Lance and Nightshields
221 pts

Wyches: 7, 1 Succubus:: 2 blasters, plasma grenades; Agoniser, plasma grenades, Raider w/ Dark Lance and Nightshields
221 pts

Wyches: 7, 1 Succubus:: 2 blasters, plasma grenades; Agoniser, plasma grenades, Raider w/ Dark Lance and Nightshields
221 pts

Raider Squad: 9, Syabrite:: Blaster, splinter cannon, Agoniser, CCW, haywire grenades, plasma grenades, trophy rack
raider w/ Dark Lance
187 pts

Raider Squad: 9, Syabrite:: Blaster, splinter cannon, Agoniser, CCW, haywire grenades, plasma grenades, trophy rack
raider w/ Dark Lance
187 pts

Raider Squad: 9, Syabrite:: Blaster, splinter cannon, Agoniser, CCW, haywire grenades, plasma grenades, trophy rack
raider w/ Dark Lance
187 pts

Raider Squad: 9, Syabrite:: Blaster, splinter cannon, Agoniser, CCW, haywire grenades, plasma grenades, trophy rack
raider w/ Dark Lance
187 pts

Ravager: 2 disintegrators, 1 dark lance, night shields
135 points

Ravager: 2 disintegrators, 1 dark lance, night shields
135 points

Ravager: 2 disintegrators, 1 dark lance, night shields
135 points

2500 pts total

I have zero experience playing DE, and very little playing against. however the few times i have played against them i was utterly ripped apart just because i had no idea how to handle them. i played in a couple local tournaments around SLC, and there was no one who played DE, so I got to thinking... instead of taking second at 3 seperate tournamnets with my orks, why not show some folks something they have never seen before... so critique away, tell me i'm dumb... but tell me WHY i am being dumb for the choices i made. thanks in advance.

Looks good.
Very similar to Gardeth's 2500 DE list. Which i also think looks good.

I wonder why he can afford ALMOST the same - with a little less gear - AND to x 10 warriors with 2 dark lances on top of that....

Check it out.
I play Mech Eldar myself, but i think these DE lists are VERY nice and look powerful!
(might have to build one for myself)

Oh ONE thing by the way......Why do you wanna combine lances and disintegrators on your ravagers??? that can make you waste precious shots... I would MUCH rather have lances on one ravager and disintegrators on two (or just 9 disintegrators).
But maybe you have a reason for your choice?

i looked up gardreth, and that's weird how close it is... as you can see i am pretty new to the dakka world as well... i had some help with this list from a friend with the nightmare doll and a few other wargear pieces... but for the most part, this was me staring at a codex for a while.

i went with a DL on the ravagers for that extra anti vehicle help... i didn't even think about shipping them all on one. i also thought about 9 dissies, but i had to really sit and think about the over played land raider. around here all i get are space marines. i play orks with a nobs mob of 10 power klaws (with the warboss in the unit) so they don't really effect me as much... but since i have never played DE, i am not sure how consistant the haywire grenades are in assault. i am not opposed to putting dissies on all 3 ravagers, just don't know what i can skim off the top for the extra 15 points. unless i went one ravager with just dark lances, then it wouldn't be much problem.

Neither this nor Gardeth's list is "good".

Missing out on pretty much everything 5th edition relies upon to win games with.

The Ravagers should have 3 disintegrators.

and... what would that be?

like i said, call me dumb, but tell me why...

a little more input would be helpful. much more helpful than your last post.

Here:

See all the special weapons?

http://yesthetruthhurts.blogspot.com/2008/10/build-request-dark-eldar.html

That's what DE excel at.

CC? Even with ridiculous charge ranges, you can still (and should be) stopped by sacrifice fly units taking your charges and then you get shot to death (so that's the Wyches).

Shooting? What shooting? Splinter rifles? *cough* They are lasrifles with a better AP. Since everyone gets cover, let's go back to...they are lasrifles. BS4 lasrifles or even BS 3.5 lasrifles don't scare anybody.

I gave up on them long ago.

3+ to hit, 5+ to wound, 4+ cover or 3+ armor save?

Much rather have a shredder. It just hits, it hits multiple guys automatically, and it wounds on a 2+. Sign me up for alot of those.

I don't see any in this list.

There's also the basic 'how do you play this army' issue that everyone is leaving out.

Place ten guys outside of a raider. So they are all within 12" so everyone can fire at your target.

Now place 5. Do NOT worry about anyone but the special weapon guys being in range, so stretch your guys out as much as possible (in short, so if the splinter rifles/pistols can't fire oh well).

Now, place a flamer template or a blast template over your guys. How many are dead?

Group 1? Most of them.
Group 2? One of them, perhaps two versus the Flamer?

Now add up how much damage you do with the specials versus everyone else.

Now see the cost of bringing everyone else (40 points per warrior squad, way more for wyches).

Convert that into more special weapons/raiders.

Add up how much more additional damage you deal.

See how I run.

so you say to me... stay embarked... keep flying over enemies at 24 inches a movie... shoots them with ravagers and pin them with horrofexes?!

is that what you say to me?

A different way then I would have gone but it could work very well. I was always a big fan of talos. S7 T7 W3 Sv3+ D6 attacks for 100 points? Can't beat it. Even if it doesn't get into combat people spend every bit o heavy weapons trying to shoot it down because it looks scary as hell.
Could also cut back on wargear and make another raider squad.

A couple of nit-picky kinda things.

Firstly, the shadowfield is a "ope per army" item; you can't have both the Archon and Dracite equiped with one.

Secondly, I've never been a fan of the agonizer/poison blades combination. Yes, it makes you more well rounded, but at the expense of specialization and an increase in points cost.

Thirdly, combining the animus vitae with either an agonizer or poisoned blades is an expensive way to maybe get +1 WS at some point in the battle. Since neither the agonizer or poison blades depend on strength for wounding, you're losing out on half of the potential benefit of the animus vitae, but still spending the full points cost. The Archon's basic WS is high enough that you rarely ever benefit from the increased WS, anyway. The only weapon I'd ever combine with the animus is the punisher, personally.

I think that this is the one thing that I would add to what has already been said.

Saldiven wrote:A couple of nit-picky kinda things.

Firstly, the shadowfield is a "ope per army" item; you can't have both the Archon and Dracite equiped with one.

Secondly, I've never been a fan of the agonizer/poison blades combination. Yes, it makes you more well rounded, but at the expense of specialization and an increase in points cost.

Thirdly, combining the animus vitae with either an agonizer or poisoned blades is an expensive way to maybe get +1 WS at some point in the battle. Since neither the agonizer or poison blades depend on strength for wounding, you're losing out on half of the potential benefit of the animus vitae, but still spending the full points cost. The Archon's basic WS is high enough that you rarely ever benefit from the increased WS, anyway. The only weapon I'd ever combine with the animus is the punisher, personally.

I think that this is the one thing that I would add to what has already been said.

Good catches on Saldiven's part.

It also appears you are about 225 points short of 2500, i get a total of 2274 (of course could be just to early for me to do math.)

But as several have said this is almost an exact copy of my list with 2 Sniper squads (10 man warrior squads with 2 Dark lances) missing and an agonizer on the lord instead of a Punisher.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/220750.page

I would also echo the recommendation of going with 3 dissintegrators on the ravagers, 9 plasma cannon equivalent templates a turn is enough to make both horder armies and MEQ's cringe. And between all the blasters and lances in the army, armor shouldn't be to much of a problem (save for the cursed monolith)

Also let me add the Dark Eldar are very much a finesse army that you need to be fit to your style. When I run the above list, in most scenarios anything less then all out aggression tends to lead to disaster. That being said, find a list that works for you and keep playing it and modifying it. I have been playing DE since they came with the 3rd ed box and i have had to shift styles several times. Don't let anyone railroad you into style, find what works for you and run with it.

mo' stompy wrote:so you say to me... stay embarked... keep flying over enemies at 24 inches a movie... shoots them with ravagers and pin them with horrofexes?!

is that what you say to me?

Here you go.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Stelek%27s_Dark_Eldar

i am stealing your list.
and your tactica.

because i like it.


yeah i didn't realize i clicked the shadowfield twice on the list...

@ gardeth - sorry was referring to the stelek list. seems much more fun. i had a look at the slave snares and though it could be interesting... he just kind of proved that they work with seemingly devastating results. we will have to see with some playtesting. and honestly... i didn't even see your list until someone had posted it. maybe great minds think alike.

mo' stompy wrote:i am stealing your list.
and your tactica.

because i like it.

hey sincerest form of flattery right

I posted it earlier but I will be writing up a batrep (with pics if I can remember to bring and USE my camera) on monday.

Let me know how it works for you and if you hit any snags (might also help me avoid similiar situations)

I'm a big fan of slave snares.

The most entertaining thing ever was when I took the last wound off of a carnifex with a raider's slave snares.

The mental imagery was priceless.

i feel like i need to buy a revenant titan... and do some converting...

that lights my fire...

mo' stompy wrote:i am stealing your list.
and your tactica.

because i like it.


yeah i didn't realize i clicked the shadowfield twice on the list...

@ gardeth - sorry was referring to the stelek list. seems much more fun. i had a look at the slave snares and though it could be interesting... he just kind of proved that they work with seemingly devastating results. we will have to see with some playtesting. and honestly... i didn't even see your list until someone had posted it. maybe great minds think alike.

I hope you enjoy it.

I've playtested it quite a bit, going to unleash it this weekend on the locals.

Should be entertaining. I might even get two games in with it before I get dragged off for my beating. lol

not bad over all but i'd change a few small things.

One i'd give either the Archon or the wych Drachite a Punisher, that way you have a little veriaty and against anything except big nids Punisher + combat drugs beats a aganizer.

Also you have a Archon with animus vitea and two weapons that don't benefit from an increased strength. and you don't need the Weapon skill so wasted points.

Also i'd drop a few of the night shields if not all of them, for two reasons. As much as i love them, since you have to be at 36" and nearly every other heavy weapon /anti tank gun in the game is 48" the extra 6" doesn't help. Two, raiders die. period. just accept it so save the points and put it towards more killing power. With the new 5th ed rules i'd definatly go with Terrorfex that way your raider can do decent damage against both tanks and infintry.

I'd probaly also drop the trophy racks on the warrior squads, they only benefit you after you win a CC and thats not what warriors do. with 3 wych squads plus 2 lords your CC is covered

With the extra points give your Dracite a power weapon at the least.

.....and most importanly How can you run a dark eldar army with out ANY combat drugs!! You are unworthy of even claiming to play them, Every close combat should see a minimum of at least 3 drugs used.