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I'm looking at starting a Dark Eldar army. I want a really kinda basic force that'll allow me to eventually diversify and add in more pieces or swap out when necessary. Having read a few list critiques, I submit my list for your perusal:

HQ:
Haemonculi w/Liquifiers and Scissorhands: 75 pts
Haemonculi w/Liquifiers and Scissorhands: 75 pts

Troops:
9x Wyches w/Shardnet and Impaler, Hekatrix w/Agonizer, Haywire Grenades: 148 pts
-Raider dedicated transport with Flickerfield: 70 pts
9x Wyches w/Shardnet and Impaler, Hekatrix w/Agonizer, Haywire Grenades: 148 pts
-Raider dedicated transport with Flickerfield: 70 pts

5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts
5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts
5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts


Elites:
4x Kabalite Trueborn w/4x Blasters: 108 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts

Heavy Support:
Ravager w/Flickerfield: 115 pts
Ravager w/Flickerfield: 115 pts
Ravager w/Flickerfield: 115 pts

Total: 1479 pts.

As far as I can tell, this satisfies the basic criteria I've heard about dark eldar lists; there are 18 darklight weapons in the list, there are 5 troops choices, the all-but-obligatory 3 ravagers. I'm not sure what to do with the extra 20 points, though.

My biggest concern is the fragility of the kabalite squads. Obviously I'm new to Dark Eldar, so I don't know, but a squad of 5 squishy eldar in a cardboard box transport is going to be ridiculously easy to wipe out. Would I be better served to cannibalize two of the squads into one larger one in a raider? What do I do with the extra points? Should I use razorflails for the extra oomph in assault or keep my shardnets to tarpit troublesome units?

bruno.sardine wrote:Haemonculi w/Liquifiers and Scissorhands: 75 pts
Haemonculi w/Liquifiers and Scissorhands: 75 pts

Any h2h upgrade is a waste on a haem. They shouldn't get into h2h at all.

bruno.sardine wrote:Troops:
9x Wyches w/Shardnet and Impaler, Hekatrix w/Agonizer, Haywire Grenades: 148 pts
-Raider dedicated transport with Flickerfield: 70 pts
9x Wyches w/Shardnet and Impaler, Hekatrix w/Agonizer, Haywire Grenades: 148 pts
-Raider dedicated transport with Flickerfield: 70 pts

Is this 8 girls *and* their hekatrix? Or 9 and their hekatrix?

bruno.sardine wrote:5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts
5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts
5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts

5 scorers for 1500 is a bit much. I'd up one crew to Truborn.

All the rest is good.

bruno.sardine wrote:My biggest concern is the fragility of the kabalite squads. Obviously I'm new to Dark Eldar, so I don't know, but a squad of 5 squishy eldar in a cardboard box transport is going to be ridiculously easy to wipe out. Would I be better served to cannibalize two of the squads into one larger one in a raider? What do I do with the extra points? Should I use razorflails for the extra oomph in assault or keep my shardnets to tarpit troublesome units?

The concept of 'glass hammer' is what you need to operate by. If you hit hard first, then you win. If you don't nail the long range anti-T (dev squads, long fangs, etc) your boats will go down, your troops will scramble for cover and get pasted.

Don't castle; always look to be the aggressor (most times) and so forth. Poster Dash of Pepper's DE talk up is somewhere here on dakka or go find his blog (Hulksmash's actually).

bruno.sardine wrote:I'm looking at starting a Dark Eldar army. I want a really kinda basic force that'll allow me to eventually diversify and add in more pieces or swap out when necessary. Having read a few list critiques, I submit my list for your perusal:

HQ:
Haemonculi w/Liquifiers and Scissorhands: 75 pts
Haemonculi w/Liquifiers and Scissorhands: 75 pts

Troops:
9x Wyches w/Shardnet and Impaler, Hekatrix w/Agonizer, Haywire Grenades: 148 pts
-Raider dedicated transport with Flickerfield: 70 pts
9x Wyches w/Shardnet and Impaler, Hekatrix w/Agonizer, Haywire Grenades: 148 pts
-Raider dedicated transport with Flickerfield: 70 pts

5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts
5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts
5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts


Elites:
4x Kabalite Trueborn w/4x Blasters: 108 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts

Heavy Support:
Ravager w/Flickerfield: 115 pts
Ravager w/Flickerfield: 115 pts
Ravager w/Flickerfield: 115 pts

Total: 1479 pts.

As far as I can tell, this satisfies the basic criteria I've heard about dark eldar lists; there are 18 darklight weapons in the list, there are 5 troops choices, the all-but-obligatory 3 ravagers. I'm not sure what to do with the extra 20 points, though.

My biggest concern is the fragility of the kabalite squads. Obviously I'm new to Dark Eldar, so I don't know, but a squad of 5 squishy eldar in a cardboard box transport is going to be ridiculously easy to wipe out. Would I be better served to cannibalize two of the squads into one larger one in a raider? What do I do with the extra points? Should I use razorflails for the extra oomph in assault or keep my shardnets to tarpit troublesome units?

Cut the scissorhands, I'd either go a venomspam route or wych cult route. Either way, Shardnets aren't worth it as on average you won't get more than 2 guys into BTB against a solid opponent. Take Hydra Gauntlets, definitely increases your killiness. Also, GET A SHATTERSHARD!!! Shattershards are just so... amazing. I've had them score me 200+ points in kills before against opponents who don't pay attention.

Thanks a lot for the tips. Just for reference, it's 8 wyches plus a hekatrix, so 9 models total. Taking into consideration your tips, I've been able to change the list around to this. I think the numbers are right, but I don't have my book handy so I can't double check.

Q:
Haemonculi w/Liquifier: 60 pts
Haemonculi w/Liquifier: 60 pts

Troops:
9x Wyches w/Hydra Gauntlet, Hekatrix w/Agonizer, Haywire Grenades: 148 pts
-Raider dedicated transport with Flickerfield: 70 pts
9x Wyches w/Hydra Gauntlet, Hekatrix w/Agonizer, Haywire Grenades: 148 pts
-Raider dedicated transport with Flickerfield: 70 pts

5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts
5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts

Elites:
4x Kabalite Trueborn w/4x Blasters: 108 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts
4x Kabalite Trueborn w/4x Blasters: 108 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts

Heavy Support:
Ravager w/Flickerfield: 115 pts
Ravager w/Flickerfield: 115 pts
Ravager w/Flickerfield: 115 pts

Total: 1497 pts.

At this point, since I'm only starting with them and plan on playing casually for at least a few months to get the hang of them, I think convenience of purchasing enters the equation a bit as well. This list works on that pretty well by having the contents of two battleforces in it, which is a bonus. Eventually I'll probably buy enough models to be able to go completely one or the other, but for the time being, can you get by mixing wyches and kabalites, even if it's not ideal, or is it a big problem?

Personally, the shardnet is my preference but if you go one of the killy options, the razor flails produce much more consistent results then the hydra's... infatc they outperform in nearly all cases using math hammer.

I have found blasterborn only need 3 models but thats me.

Its a rock solid force

Massaen wrote:Personally, the shardnet is my preference but if you go one of the killy options, the razor flails produce much more consistent results then the hydra's... infatc they outperform in nearly all cases using math hammer.

I have found blasterborn only need 3 models but thats me.

Its a rock solid force

issue is, if you get reroll wounds for drugs, hydras become far better in most cases than flails.... I use duke to get a drug I'll always use, and when I do use hydras I've had them go beastmode and do a lot of damage!

Zid wrote:issue is, if you get reroll wounds for drugs, hydras become far better in most cases than flails.... I use duke to get a drug I'll always use, and when I do use hydras I've had them go beastmode and do a lot of damage!

Not to mention, I think the hydras look pretty awesome too

Thanks a lot for the tips -- looks like I have my list pretty set. All that's left to do is build 'em, paint 'em, and playtest 'em.

bruno.sardine wrote:
HQ:
Haemonculi w/Liquifier: 60 pts
Haemonculi w/Liquifier: 60 pts

Troops:
9x Wyches w/Hydra Gauntlet, Hekatrix w/Agonizer, Haywire Grenades: 148 pts
-Raider dedicated transport with Flickerfield: 70 pts
9x Wyches w/Hydra Gauntlet, Hekatrix w/Agonizer, Haywire Grenades: 148 pts
-Raider dedicated transport with Flickerfield: 70 pts

Ok so it all looks good, but I would run razorflails on the wyches not hydras. If you want them to have a chance razroflails are definently the way to go. The only time gauntlets get the edge is when you don't charge a GEQ, meaning they charged you. Otherwise razors do better. Nets are good for tarpitting dreads but you can just as soon send a DL its way and do the same thing.

bruno.sardine wrote:
5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts
5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts

So these are fine, but I don't know who said that 5 troops was much at 1500, but not for the DE. We are incredibily frail and ride in frail boxes. two scoring units that want to stay outside of CC is not much and even then they have to be moving so no camping in cover either. I run a full 6 troops by this point.

bruno.sardine wrote:
Elites:
4x Kabalite Trueborn w/4x Blasters: 108 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts
4x Kabalite Trueborn w/4x Blasters: 108 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts

That's fine, you may want to cut or reduce them in number to make room for another troops, more like the first list. It was better minus the scissorhands.

bruno.sardine wrote:
Heavy Support:
Ravager w/Flickerfield: 115 pts
Ravager w/Flickerfield: 115 pts
Ravager w/Flickerfield: 115 pts

This is also good.

bruno.sardine wrote:
At this point, since I'm only starting with them and plan on playing casually for at least a few months to get the hang of them, I think convenience of purchasing enters the equation a bit as well. This list works on that pretty well by having the contents of two battleforces in it, which is a bonus. Eventually I'll probably buy enough models to be able to go completely one or the other, but for the time being, can you get by mixing wyches and kabalites, even if it's not ideal, or is it a big problem?

What do you mean mixing wyches and kabalites? In the same army? Yeah normally I only run one squad though and use them to keep people from charging more critical areas of my army. Only running one squad means I need one less haemy and I can get 2 more warrior squads. So I get more AT and more poison shots.

As for cheap to get the army the venoms and ravagers will not be cheap. You can do a conversion out of the raider kit and some Dark Lances from the warriors where you add the gun to the guys hanging on the side. As for more blasters take the blast pistol and gut off the muzzle bulb and take a splinter rifle with no blades and cut off the stock. Aim right where the indented line begins. Now take the muzzle from the B.Pistol and attach it to the stock of the rifle...bam instant blaster.

Thanks for the input Akroma. I'm inclined to agree with you and run as many troops as I can in the list while still taking the obligatory things, i.e. the ravagers and haemonculi, and I like the idea of the blasterborn. I agree that two units of them might not be worth the upgrade, especially since they don't score. I'd ideally like to run six troops choices, but what could I take out or downgrade to afford another squad, or should I redo my troops to include only wyches or kabalites?

Currently I'm at:

HQ:
Haemonculi w/Liquifier: 60 pts
Haemonculi w/Liquifier: 60 pts

Troops:
9x Wyches w/Razorflail, Hekatrix w/Agonizer, Haywire Grenades: 148 pts
-Raider dedicated transport with Flickerfield: 70 pts
9x Wyches w/Razorflail, Hekatrix w/Agonizer, Haywire Grenades: 148 pts
-Raider dedicated transport with Flickerfield: 70 pts
5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts
5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts
5x Kabalites w/Blaster: 60 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts

Elites:
4x Kabalite Trueborn w/4x Blasters: 108 pts
-Venom dedicated transport w/extra Splinter Cannon: 65 pts

Heavy Support:
Ravager w/Flickerfield: 115 pts
Ravager w/Flickerfield: 115 pts
Ravager w/Flickerfield: 115 pts

1449 points.

I ran something pretty simillar to this list with the exception of only one wych squad and haemy but I took 2 extra warrior squads and 3 trueborn w/ 2 Dark Lances.

This is it:

HQ: Haemonculus w/ Liquifier Gun 60 pts

Troops: 9 Wyches (1 is a Hekatrix) w/ Agoniser, Razorflail in a Raider w/Flickerfield, Shock Prow, Grisly Trophies 210 pts
Troops: 5 Warriors w/ 1 Blaster in a Venom w/ 2 SC 125 pts
Troops: 5 Warriors w/ 1 Blaster in a Venom w/ 2 SC 125 pts
Troops: 5 Warriors w/ 1 Blaster in a Venom w/ 2 SC 125 pts
Troops: 5 Warriors w/ 1 Blaster in a Venom w/ 2 SC 125 pts
Troops: 5 Warriors w/ 1 Blaster in a Venom w/ 2 SC 125 pts

HS: Ravager w/ FF 115 pts
HS: Ravager w/ FF 115 pts
HS: Ravager w/ FF 115 pts

Elites: 4 Trueborn w/ 4 Blasters in a Venom w/ 2 SC 173 pts
Elites: 3 Trueborn w/ 2 Dark Lances 86 pts