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Hey Dakkanauts,

With the impending release of Scourges, i was interested in getting a conversation started about usefulness, tactics, and weaknesses of the unit.

At the moment, i am thinking of running two 5-man squads with dual haywire blasters. However, i've only used this combo in two games so my experience is somewhat limited. Typically, i run the squads together, supressing any especially dangerous tanks. Playing against semi-leafblower guard commonly, i found they work exceptionally well against Manticores and Hydras.

What are your thoughts?

I personally think scourges are best when arriving from a webway portal, or else they just seem like squishy targets next to raiders, ravagers, venoms, and razorwings.

When outfitting the scourges a 5-man squad with 2x heat lances or haywire blasters is generally best; or a couple of splinter cannons paired with shard carbines.

In terms of targets, shooting vehicle squadrons is generally a bad idea with haywire blasters as a result of the vehicles ignoring crew stunned and shaken. Pretty good if you immobilise them though!

To quote from a tactics discussion on The Dark City:

Hashmal wrote:Scourges: The first Dark Eldar models I owned, the first Games Workshop models I owned, and the first models I regretted owning once I found out what they did. These guys are *much* better than they used to be. Sport the ability to take a plethora of weapons (2 per 5, which is great). Wear Ghostplate Armor, which means they get an armor save against most small arms weapons. Jump Infantry, so are a bit susceptible to crash tests but are highly mobile. The second of three units to sport the Heat Lance and only one of two units to wield the Haywire Blaster. It's a tough call for me here. Haywire Blasters allow them to remain at 24" (with a 36" threat range) and reliably suppress vehicles. Heat Lances kill vehicles, but open Scourges up to rapid fire/charges. I lean more towards the Blasters. Also, the squad wields Splinter Carbines as standard kit, making the dudes without the special weapons especially good at plugging infantry.

What they are: Excellent weapons platform. Haywire Blasters and Heat Lances recommended. Blasters get a nod, but we can field them in many other places. Dark Lances get a nod too as focus-firing up to 4 Lances is not bad, though it cripples the squad's mobility.

What they are not: CC oriented, which is what the Solarite upgrade would lead you to believe. Seriously, what's up with that? These guys fight in CC only a bit better than Tau.

The Noob Trap: Splinter Cannons. I know. I know you want to do it - to create the 10 man Scourge squad with 4 Splinter Cannons that just rains AI death. Problem is, finding appropriate targets will be tough. Scourges provide some very sexy and necessary AT shooting and you just can't ignore that. If the AI capabilities of Scourges are that frightening to your opponent, he'll deal with them quickly. They're great against hordes, but who fields those competitively any more?

I know you want to do it. Hell, I want to do it. However, all of the Scourges' other weapon options are more competitively-oriented. DE do not lack for AI shooting any more - no need to waste your precious Fast Attack on it.

*note: I'm struggling here. Scourges are in a really good spot now, so aside from a CC Solarite, there's no explicit Noob Trap. Cannons are the least competitive option, so I focused on them, but they do put out a positively gross amount of firepower against infantry. Scourges rightly compete for the top FA slot - our FA has gone from a joke to what I believe is our most competitive slot.

5 scourges with 2 dark lances is the best setup in my opinion, just to get more dark lances on the field.

If you're having problem getting dark lances onto the field, you're doing something terribly wrong.

Xelkireth wrote:If you're having problem getting dark lances onto the field, you're doing something terribly wrong.

There is no such thing as too many, really. Your basic weapons and venoms are enough anti infantry.

There is actually a huge difference between Dark Lances on infantry vs Dark Lances on vehicles. On Scourges and Warriors/Trueborn you usually have to kill the entire unit to stop the Dark Lances firing at you, whereas its pretty easy for most armies to at the very least shake or stun an open topped AV10 or 11 vehicle.

Scourges are very useful, they are the cheapest way to get more special weapons out of your Fast Attack slots. They are one of the only ways to get Heat Lances and Haywires, and also the cheapest way to get them (cost per weapon that is). They can Deep Strike, which means getting them into range with Heat Lances or Haywire Launchers is pretty easy. If you have a Portal then you get the option of bringing them in safely though it on foot, but can still bring them in with Deep Strike if they don't have any good targets near the Portal. They are also the third cheapest source of Dark Lances (after Trueborn and Ravagers), which while not ideal for an otherwise mobile unit is still very helpful if your list needs the range. I would never give them Blasters though, for one thing Trueborn can do them much cheaper and the Blaster only beats the Heat Lance at long range (but you have mobility so its not an issue).

ph34r wrote:5 scourges with 2 dark lances is the best setup in my opinion, just to get more dark lances on the field.

Agreed. Plop them into cover and never move them. This is how I'll be using mine in a heavy darklight/splinter cannon list.

Skelly wrote:

ph34r wrote:5 scourges with 2 dark lances is the best setup in my opinion, just to get more dark lances on the field.

Agreed. Plop them into cover and never move them. This is how I'll be using mine in a heavy darklight/splinter cannon list.

Can I have your wings, then?

I plan on having them come out of a portal. Thanks to those wings, they can't be blocked in by your opponent or your own units. Like others, I will be going with haywires. They are the only unit in the Fast Attack section that can be equipped with heavy weapons, so they are certainly something to look at when you already have your three trueborn boats and three ravagers.

Scourges are good, and they definitely compete with other things in the Fast Attack slot. However, in my opinion the only actually viable weapon for scourges are Haywire Blasters.

Splinter Cannon: Although it may seem like a good idea so you're not wasting the shots of everyone else in the squad, it really it wasted potential. If you're looking to get a lot of splinter shots off then 20 Kabalite warriors with 2 cannons is actually a great objective holder. And creates a sphere of 18 inces that foot units are afraid to get to.

Shredder: lol no

Blaster: Blasters can be good, but there range is a problem. Even though they have 4+/6++, they are still very suspectible to small arms fire. If you're looking for blasters then get kabalite trueborn in a venom, one of the best weapon squads on the game. Although you can move and shoot for essentially a 30 inch range, how close you have to get leaves them to susceptible to be shot from whatever's inside.

Heat Lances: These suffer from range problems worse than Blasters. They're only strength 6, so you need to get in 9 inches if you want to have any chance to get a vehicle. Heat Lances are much better when used on a Reavers.

Dark Lance: As good as they can be, they are way to expensive, not to mention that you can't move and shoot them. You're paying 140 points for 2 dark lances, which is a bit to much. Ravagers can get more for less, and even trueborn can get the same amount of dark lances for less. Even though this is Fast Attack and not an Elite or Heavy Support choice, if you're insistent on using them with dark lances, only do so if you've already maxed out your other force org slots.

Haywire blasters: Probably the best choice. Scourges are one of the few units that can them, and they are also fairly cheap for what they do. The general consensus on darklight weapons is that they are best used for suppressing vehicles, which haywire blasters excel at. Whatever vehicle these guys shoot at will essentially be out of commission for that turn.

Essentially I think the main problem I have with scourges is the fact that other units can take the same weapons for less points or use them in a better way. Kabalites for splinter cannons,Trueborn for blasters, Ravagers for dark lances, reavers for Heat Lances, and so on. But seeing how scourges are pretty much the only unit that can them(and the talos pain engine) I think they an be used to fill a certain niche very well.
But this is just my take on the weapons, YMMV

I think Haywires or Blasters are the best options for Scourges, followed by the Heat Lance. Dark Lances are pointless because it means making mobile jump troops stand around in order to fire.

Regarding deployment: If you use a WWP and Deepstrike the Scourges, you have the choice of actually deepstriking them or just coming out the portal when the time comes. You can weigh the flexibility of deployment with deepstriking behind some big vehicle against the safety of flying out of the portal.

If you do take Haywire blasters, remember that the Haywire effect is rolled in addition to the regular S4 shot it gets. If you get a shot at any Av10, you get a glance on a 6 in addition to the additional haywire roll. It's not a big chance, but it can happen!