Exor wrote:I am new to Dark Eldar. I have heard of the "Super Gunboat" tactic and incorporated it into my list.
I am unsure of the rules for Reaver Jetbikes and how to equip my Archon.
Please tell me of any improvements/tweaks i need to make!
Welcome to the Dark side of the Rainbow. We prefer purple, red, and dark blue or green and by changing the name of our lances from bright to dark we make them insanely cheaper. I'll see what advice I can do for your list here.
Exor wrote:Archon - 215 pts
w/ Agoniser, Power Weapon, Combat Drugs, Reaver Jetbike, Shadow Field,
Tormentor Helm, Trophy Rack, Animus Vitae + Vexantrope
Interesting equipment load out (as mentioned earlier by Judge Fear). You've also exceeded the wargear point allotment allowed for your Archon (the Jetbike counts) For the cost of the Agoniser/Power Weapon combo I would advise you to invest in a T.Helm and Punisher combo. This will give you an additional +1 to
Str to the +1 to
str you get from the RJB - making your Archon base 5
str with the option of popping
str drugs if you so desire and will also give him +1 A off the T. Helm for 5 off the charge before drugs. The Agoniser is nice but does not optimize the
Str boost the RJB is giving you. Wielding both an Agoniser and power weapon will always limit you to 4 attacks off the charge before drugs and neither of them is quite the boost a Punisher will give you on a bike - also, the T.Helm probably can't help you if you are equipped with both an Agoniser and Power Weapon -it's a bit of a gray area in the rules but I think the usual ruling is that you don't get the bonus attack (
pg. 42 core rulebook).
x3 Raider Squads (Each Squad Has This Configuration) - 528 pts
x5 Warriors
x1 Dark Lance
Sybarite w/ Tormentor Helm, Trophy Rack + Splinter Rifle
Raider Transport w/ Disintegrator, Night Shield, Slave Snares, Torture Amp + Trophy Racks
Reason #329872 that the
DE need a new Codex -
GW being stupid enough to give us a vehicle and a wargear upgrade with the same name - brilliant move guys.
The T.Helm is a total waste on the Sybarite - I'd decide whether you need the rifle or the extra attack in h2h (I'd advocate the rifle in this build as if this unit ends up in h2h they are hosed anyway) and just save on the points. Is it really worth all the Sybarite and wargear upgrade costs to just give +1 leadership to this unit? Your Raider equipment loadout is strange - you have the Raiders optimized to get up close to the enemy via there Slave Snares, Torture
Amps, and Trophy Racks. However, the Dark Lance squads you'll have inside of them and the expenisve Nightshield upgrade scream that you want to keep them semi-stationary on the back field. Yeah, you're giving yourself a lot more options with the Raiders, but I don't see a reason to throw out that many points just for options you might never need to do. If you're running them as slightly mobile bases for Lance squads I'd add the Night Shields and call it a day - all the other upgrades are more for Gunboats or assault boats. Also, is it really worth paying points to get rid of a Dark Lance? You already have 9 Dissies on the board to help eat up hordes, and with a punisher on the Archon the RJB squad can gut horde pretty good as well.
x3 Warrior Squads (Each Squad Has This Configuration) - 448 pts
x10 Warriors
x2 Dark Lances
Sybarite w/ Trophy Rack, Tormentor Helm + Splinter Rifles
A Super Gunboat uses Splinter Cannons and Blasters, not Dark Lances. I'd probably leave the mini sniper squads in the Raiders and let these full size sniper squads serve as your defense on objectives in your deployment zone. I'd hate to have to lose a turn of not shooting two dark lances both when you load them up and every time you want to move the Raider. You're clearly building a very gunline
DE force with all the Night Shields and lack of Wyches, so be mindful that you're probably not going to want to be zipping around too much and will want to lure the enemy into you since you only really have the one counter charge option. What I said for the Sybarite above also applies here.
Reaver Jetbike Squad - 166 pts
x5 Reavers
Reaver Succubus w/ Goblet of Spite, Tormentor Helm + Power Weapon
This is where your Archon will be and you want a Goblet of Spite in the mix? I'm not a big fan of the Goblet since usually I feel my Archon hits just fine (and with drugs usually on 3s if I need to) and I don't want to make it easier for him to be swung back on (though at least now I know why you sprang for the Vexanthrope). If you are already switching out your Archon to have a Punisher/T.Helm combo then you should easily have the spare 5 points to upgrade your Succubus' power weapon to a punisher (also, if you want to keep the power weapon then drop the tormentor helm and just use a splinter pistol - you get the exact same effect and you save on points). I'd probably upgrade two of the bikes to have Blasters to give these guys some potential anti-mech options if needed. Besides, since usually they'll be slipping up and rapid firing before assaulting you'll be better served by 2
Str 8
AP 2 shots then 4
Str 3
AP 5.
Ravager - 140 pts
x3 Disintegrators + Night Shield
Can't argue with this though, as I mentioned in your Raider section, I think you're taking too many Dissies and not enough Lances.
Exor wrote:It says that you may only use one weapon on a jetbike per turn. The agoniser always wounds on a 4+, which i think is a nuisance when faced with the average soldiers which i'll probably engage with my archon at some point.
Solution = Punisher. An Agoniser is good if you want your Lord hunting Monstrous Creatures - but if you field enough Lances you don't need to sweat
MCs and your Lord can hunt troops. In a pinch the Punisher can do pretty well versus
MCs as well, but you probably don't want any part of most of them.
I figured that using a splinter rifle and a tormentor helm would mean i could keep him with a decent ranged weapon whilst still gaining the benfits of having +1 attack. What upgrades should i give my Sybarites?
Splinter rifles as a decent ranged weapon?
Okay, sorry, serious answer below;
It depends on what you wish to use them and their squad for.
If I want the squad to be an assault squad I usually go with a pistol/Agoniser combo or, sometimes to save points, a pistol and poisoned weapon combo.
If I want them to sit back and shoot Dark lances usually I won't use a Sybarite at all. Sometimes I'll add Haemonculi.
If I want a Gunboat I usually won't use a Sybarite. (basically if they're shooting I see no reason for a Sybarite)
Judge_Fear wrote:Your Raider transport is rather expensive, pointwise. Its better to keep them as cheap as possible. Some upgrades are worth it, but imo you put to many upgrades on it.
Which upgrades would you recommend?
Depends on the purpose of the Raider, they can be very customizable for what you need. For gunline, which is what I feel this list is, I would recommend taking them either with no upgrades or just adding the Nightshield and nothing else. If you want to go more assault style with your raiders that opens up a lot more options depending on what you need.
