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So I suddenly and for no real reason got an idea today on how to make Mandrakes useful and want to know your opinion.

The idea I have is "shadow points" and they work like this.
When you pick a unit of Mandrakes (any number of units) or Kheradruakh you get a number of 4 "shadow points" 2real/2fake (you cant get more for picking more than one unit of madrakes), these in turn work as a "gateways" (a point were the shadows seem to come alive) which the Mandrakes are allowed to deepstrike from and they do not scatter.
These 4 points are allowed to be placed anywhere on the map during the DE deploy face but not within 12" of an enemy unit and you need to make a not on which 2points are real and which are fake since they are only allowed to use the real ones, then the size of the point is either the small round base (for balance reason) or medium round base (for modeling purpose).
Also if you pick Kheradruakh all 4 "shadow points" causes every enemy model within 6 (or 12") inches to suffer a -1ld.

I think this would make Mandrakes a more viable pick since now you can use them as a terror unit making the enemy fear and wonder were they might turn up and if you give the mandrakes either rending (you are now a bigger threat vs vehicles) or power weapons they might no longer be the worst elite choice in the game.

Mandrakes used to have an awesome deployment ability in the old DE dex, which worked something like this, except the points could move. This is also a bit too complicated.

Oh dident know that

But yeah abit complicated maybe but I feel that 40k lacks a bit of that from time to time

You could also just make it so that they come out of reserve using any piece of terrain as the table edge.

Hold a light above the table.


The Mandrakes can be placed in any shadows.

Or they can DS without scatter and charge in the same turn if Night Fighting is in play? I would like to see at least a return to the original deployment rules for Mandrakes, would make them slightly less crappy.

If I had my way, Mandrakes would be Str 4 and T 3 wraiths.

Ignore all difficult and dangerous terrain, and rending. Strip them of move through cover (don't need it) and keep all their other rules the same. Probably hike their points up a small amount for their increased potency.

Simple fix, and transforms the worst unit in the game to a viable outflanking nightmare.

A few similar topics for thought

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/341739.page
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/377129.page


I think one thing they could really use is starting with a pain token

Lokas wrote:If I had my way, Mandrakes would be Str 4 and T 3 wraiths.

Ignore all difficult and dangerous terrain, and rending. Strip them of move through cover (don't need it) and keep all their other rules the same. Probably hike their points up a small amount for their increased potency.

Simple fix, and transforms the worst unit in the game to a viable outflanking nightmare.

Ignore all difficult and dangerous terrain sounds good, maybe give them an equivalent of the C'tans "Immune to Natural Law"?

Yes or necron wraith - wraith flight?

Another easy fix is to start them with a free paintoken. Allows them to shoot and gives FNP off the bat.

Fluff wise they are supposed to be really nasty - sucking the life out of things and ambushing from the shadows. At the moment they are just a bit terribad...

Give them back the 3ed rule of "Hidden Deployment" and they would be good again.

For those of you who don't know simply put there are 3 seperate counters on the table, they can move normally (no running though) and you can choose which one is the actual squad (have to reveal by turn 3). Not knowing which one is going to turn up and ambush you and not being able to do anything until they do is a very nasty attack.

Personally, I think Mandrakes should be able to launch an attack the turn they arrive from reserve. Dark Eldar could really use a unit like that. I play Necrons and that would suck to deal with, but I think its only fair.

do mandrakes have infiltrate?

TheCrazyCryptek wrote:Personally, I think Mandrakes should be able to launch an attack the turn they arrive from reserve. Dark Eldar could really use a unit like that. I play Necrons and that would suck to deal with, but I think its only fair.

Agreed. That would fix them and give them a useful role in the army.

I think they are such awesome looking models and yet their rules suck so much.

Such a shame.

Simplest fix - Night Fiend has altered physique (gives a pain token).

Suddenly there's a reason to take their upgrade character, and in turn Mandrakes at all.

Ultimately, there's loads of things that could be done, of which any one would fix them..
The above pain token, rending attacks, 2 wounds, some weapon options, the old deployment option, an alternate deployment option, attack after deploy (even if only limited to 1 attack each, or no charge bonus etc.). Hell, even Kheruadrakh being an IC would help significantly.

I think a better invulnerable save wouldn't be bad, say a 4++. I mean they are creatures of the shadows more or less and punching a shadow is rather hard.

OR! You could attach a Haemonculus to the squad in 6th edition and drop a webway portal or three in their deployment zone.