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So a friend getting into the game is starting Dark Eldar, and really likes the whole Haemonculus thing. He's hoping to make an army made up of the creepier elements of the Dark Eldar army, and I'm trying to figure out what to suggest to him.
I've not worked out the points here, as this is just a rough framework, but looking at something like this:

Urien Rakarth, leading a squad of Grotesques
3 Haemonculi, 1 Ancient leading a squad of Grotesques, the other two leading Wracks
2(3?) squads of Grotesques (with the Strength upgrade from Urien)
4 squads of Wracks in Raiders
2 squads of Beastmasters
2 Talos Pain Engines
Webway Portals for the Beastmasters and Talos to march out of
(probably more than 2000 there, but like I said, just a framework)

Unsure what gear to give the Haemonculi (2 Webway Portals and 1 something else, Liquifier Guns, and...no idea which CC weapon. Scissorhand? Huskblade? Agonizer?).
Is leading the Wracks with Haemonculus a good idea, despite it denying them a second Liquifier Gun (though then taken by the Haemonculus)?
Scissorhands on the Acythysts? Or something else? Same question on the Abominations, if they should have anything.
Aside from the Dark Lances on the Raiders and the Talos clawing things, lacking anti-tank/transport. Take a Ravager? A squad of Trueborn in a Venom with Blasters?
I take it Cronos Parasite Engines aren't worth taking instead of Talos, what with a bunch of Pain Tokens already being out there?
Should the Grotesques take a Raider (thus limiting them to squads of 5, 4 if being led by something), or walk out of a Webway Portal?

I realize it isn't the most amazingly competitive Dark Eldar army, but can it even be decent while sticking mostly to the Haemonculus-ish stuff?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh, and while I'm thinking of it, I remember a couple of weeks ago GW hinted at a second-wave release of some Dark Eldar models, with extreme closeups of two things. Didn't hear anything else after that. Did they ever mention what models they were going to be, and/or show pictures?

Nightbringer's Chosen wrote:Unsure what gear to give the Haemonculi (2 Webway Portals and 1 something else, Liquifier Guns, and...no idea which CC weapon. Scissorhand? Huskblade? Agonizer?).

Depends what they're with and the purpose of the squad. Generally speaking Scissorhands are the most perfect all round weapon. Huskblade is a poor idea in my mind, Agonisers are never a bad idea though the Haemy generally lacks the number of attacks to really make it viable.

Is leading the Wracks with Haemonculus a good idea, despite it denying them a second Liquifier Gun (though then taken by the Haemonculus)?

It is a good idea as it lets them start with furious charge which, considering their initiative and how their weapons benefit from a higher strength is well worth the "cost" of losing out on a 2nd Liquifier.

Scissorhands on the Acythysts? Or something else? Same question on the Abominations, if they should have anything.

Meh, check my DE tactica (link is in my sig) for all these equipment questions - I'm skipping any others.

Aside from the Dark Lances on the Raiders and the Talos clawing things, lacking anti-tank/transport. Take a Ravager? A squad of Trueborn in a Venom with Blasters?

Both are good anti-tank options. This will be dictated more by where he has the open slot. I would advocate the Ravager over the Trueborn.

I take it Cronos Parasite Engines aren't worth taking instead of Talos, what with a bunch of Pain Tokens already being out there?

Yes.

Should the Grotesques take a Raider (thus limiting them to squads of 5, 4 if being led by something), or walk out of a Webway Portal?

I prefer not to use WWP at all, personally, and would load everything in Raiders/Venoms. Grots should probably always be led either way. I'd tend to prefer Wracks as my ride along for WWP droppers so I'd tend to prefer popping Grots out of the WWP if that's the way I was going.

I realize it isn't the most amazingly competitive Dark Eldar army, but can it even be decent while sticking mostly to the Haemonculus-ish stuff?

Define decent, I suppose. I foresee an all Haemy Coven list being able to perform, if played well, quite decently at tourneys that are not too aggressively competitive. Any major tourneys or local tourneys with an aggressive player base will probably make short work of the Coven list.

Oh, and while I'm thinking of it, I remember a couple of weeks ago GW hinted at a second-wave release of some Dark Eldar models, with extreme closeups of two things. Didn't hear anything else after that. Did they ever mention what models they were going to be, and/or show pictures?

The general consensus appears to be Grots and Wracks - though I am very sloppy about following rumors and don't keep up to date at all (really, I'm basically offended by GWs whole marketing strategy, but that's another topic altogether).

Thor665 wrote:Meh, check my DE tactica (link is in my sig) for all these equipment questions - I'm skipping any others.

Oh, hey, Part 3 is done, didn't notice.

Thor665 wrote:Define decent, I suppose. I foresee an all Haemy Coven list being able to perform, if played well, quite decently at tourneys that are not too aggressively competitive. Any major tourneys or local tourneys with an aggressive player base will probably make short work of the Coven list.

Eh, this area isn't super-competitive.

Thor665 wrote:(really, I'm basically offended by GWs whole marketing strategy, but that's another topic altogether).

Amen.

When I first started playing with the new codex I was running a coven list like this;

HQ: 355
Haemonculi x4, Venom Blade x4, Liquifier x4 Crucible, Dark Gate, Casket (320)

TROOPS: 800
Wracks x9, Liquifier, Acothyst, Agonizer, Raider, Flickers (200)
Wracks x9, Liquifier, Acothyst, Agonizer, Raider, Flickers (200)
Wracks x9, Liquifier, Acothyst, Agonizer, Raider, Flickers (200)
Wracks x9, Liquifier, Acothyst, Agonizer, Raider, Flickers (200)

HEAVY: 345
Ravager, Flickers (115)
Ravager, Flickers (115)
Ravager, Flickers (115)

TOTAL: 1465

It worked pretty well around my LGS. It was lots of fun to play, I got to melt marines and termi's all day But, my desire for power and to win made me expand the lethal potential of the DE in other directions. I realized quickly that having that many haemonculi was unnecessary and gave up KP quickly. I worked on other builds because I too love the fluff of the circus of flesh.

HQ: 190
Urien (190)

TROOPS: 640
Wracks x9, Liquifier, Acothyst, Agonizer, Raider, Flickers (200)
Wracks x10, Liquifier x2, Acothyst, Agonizer, Raider, Flickers (220)
Wracks x10, Liquifier x2, Acothyst, Agonizer, Raider, Flickers (220)

ELITES:
True Born x 4, Blasters x4, Venom w/Dual Cannons (173)
True Born x 3, Blasters x3, Venom w/Dual Cannons (146)

HEAVY: 345
Ravager, Flickers (115)
Ravager, Flickers (115)
Ravager, Flickers (115)

TOTAL: 1494

This list really does give you a little more pizazz. Urien serves two purposes; He reduces individual KP and can still, most likely, hand out all the pain tokens you need to make those wrack units killing machines. Several more lances to take out armor, some decent ranged fire support from the splinter cannons, and the ability to get those liquifiers into range to start melting faces. Is it the absolute best. . .nah. . .but it's a solid list IMO.

I hope these will give you some ideas for Coven lists, and I wish you luck

I like grots to have poison weapons. That way they are always getting to reroll failed wounds.

Ysclyth wrote:I like grots to have poison weapons. That way they are always getting to reroll failed wounds.

Makes me wonder about the mathhammering between "6 attacks wounding on 3+ with rerolls" and "5 attacks wounding on 2+ with rerolls".

edited for incorrectness

Ysclyth wrote:But the scissor hands add one strength. But how many times are you going to be attacking units with toughness that high anyway?

Are you sure? To be fair, I may or may not have a physical copy of that Codex, but I'm pretty sure it's +1 Attack.

Nightbringer's Chosen wrote:Makes me wonder about the mathhammering between "6 attacks wounding on 3+ with rerolls" and "5 attacks wounding on 2+ with rerolls".

These will presume WS 4 on the enemy (attacking MEQ, natch).

6 attacks wounding on 3+ with rerolls
6 attacks - 3 hit - 2 wound (re-roll) 2.667 wound

5 attacks wounding on 2+ with rerolls
5 attacks - 2.5 hit - 2.08 wound (re-roll) 2.43 wound

Thor665 wrote:

Nightbringer's Chosen wrote:Makes me wonder about the mathhammering between "6 attacks wounding on 3+ with rerolls" and "5 attacks wounding on 2+ with rerolls".

These will presume WS 4 on the enemy (attacking MEQ, natch).

6 attacks wounding on 3+ with rerolls
6 attacks - 3 hit - 2 wound (re-roll) 2.667 wound

5 attacks wounding on 2+ with rerolls
5 attacks - 2.5 hit - 2.08 wound (re-roll) 2.43 wound

Ah, nice! So, Scissorhand over Venom Blade, then...if you don't have room for the 10 points in another Wrack somewhere or some vehicle upgrade, I suppose...a fifth of a wound each turn is something, I suppose, though if one of your Raiders isn't full you're probably better off taking another troop in it.