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Sup Dakka readers,

I'm playing in a campaign "Fires of Sidonia" a week from today and have volunteered to play in a special mission morning game whose outcome will have large scale ramifications for the scenario of the afternoon game. I'm a Dark Eldar player at my core, so I'd rather not take any Eldar Allies, but in this case I'll make an exception--the exception being that I really wanna these Imperials up. I've got most of the things anyone would use to supplement with Eldar, except a Wraithknight, but I dont really know how this would affect the balance, so if you have thoughts on what to drop and what to include, I'm all ears. With that said, I've found out that the Imperial player (who will probably be MEQ or GEQ) will have bunkers, trenches and emplaced guns galore as the defender, and all I'm getting is some Orbital Strikes ala Planestrike.

With that in mind, I have the following lists in mind, going for blast weapons to render cover useless and deepstrike to bring in my baddies from better, more advantageous angles, but tailored to the threats of power armor or GEQ armorlessness. So this will have 2 different lists, one for each threat.

Ok, Guardmunching list first.

HQ
150 - Duke Sliscious deployed with the Splinterborne
145 - 2 Haemonculi, 1 with a Liquifier Gun with the Wyches, 1 with a Liquifier Gun and Shattershard with the Incubi

Elites
151 - 3 Blasterborn in a Venom w/ Splinter Cannon Upgrade and Night Shields, Enhanced Aethersails.
141 - 3 Incubi in a Venom w/ Splinter Cannon in Reserve
121 - 3 Splinterborn (2 Splinter Cannons, 1 Shardcarbine) in a Raider with in Reserve

Troops
190 - 8 Wyches 1 Razorflail, Hexatrix w/ Venom Blades, Phantasm Grenage Launcher Haywire Grenades, Raider w/ in Reserve
60 - 5 Wracks with 1 Liquifier Gun
130 - 5 Kabalites, with 1 Blaster in a Raider with Night Shields

Heavy Support
115 - Ravager Nightshield
115 - Ravager Nightshield
175 - Razorwing Jetfighter with 2 Darklances, 1 Splinter Cannon, 4 Monoscythe Missiles, Night Shield and Flickerfield, in Reserve.

Ok, the thought on that one is to use most of my Darklance Fire to take out the big ticket ranged threats before the deepstrikers come in at a better angle to take out the entrenched guardsmen.

Now for the MEQ-hunting list. Similar loadout with a couple of key differences underlined.

HQ
150 - Duke Sliscious deployed with the Incubi
145 - 2 Haemonculi, 1 with a Liquifier Gun with the Wyches, 1 with a Liquifier Gun and Venom Blades with the Incubi

Elites
183 - 4 Blasterborn in a Venom w/ Splinter Cannon Upgrade and Night Shields.
141 - 3 Incubi in a Venom w/ Splinter Cannon in Reserve

Troops
205 - 8 Wyches 1 Razorflail, Hexatrix w/ Agoniser, Phantasm Grenage Launcher, Haywire Grenades, Raider w/ in Reserve
60 - 5 Wracks with 1 Liquifier Gun
160 - 10 Kabalites, in a Raider in Reserve

b]Heavy Support[/b]
115 - Ravager with Nightshield
115 - Ravager with Nightshield
175 - Razorwing Jetfighter with 2 Disintegrators, 1 Splinter Cannon, 4 Monoscythe Missiles, Night Shield and Flickerfield, in Reserve.

So, with all this in mind, I'd love to hear your thoughts on a) how each list matches up against the Armor and Toughness of my unfortunate targets and b) how you would change them to be better suited to bring the Pain. Literally. Thanks for reading!

Overall, I like the first list more, but both could use an overhaul.

The duke adds deep strike which is nice, and since your are planning on doing that you need to have everything in mech. The duke also benefits wytches(which you have) but needs a lot of poison dakka to benefit. Kabbies in a raider with splinter racks are probably your best bet for him to join.

Venoms can't take sails, don't know why you would have them anyways...okay for assault raiders that you are not deep striking.

Hameys should always get venom blades if they have the points. Against guard, swarms of poison attacks are your friend.

The incubi are not needed. Their 3+ armor wont matter against the spam of flashlights and even 3 will be dropped in combat. Bolters are T4 and will kill them all the same, as well as a few swings back by a TAC squad. Wracks do the job just fine(and re roll to wound!) but score and are cheaper. T4 and FNP means they can take a punch from lasguns, bolters, chainswords etc. Plus, liquifiers are a very effective weapon and one of the best small arms in the game.

Squads of 5 or less need venoms, otherwise raiders. Don't count on raiders for your serious AT.

Razorwing should keep the lances as you need the AT and if you see a filer you want a chance to drop it. Lose the splinter cannon, you should shoot 2 missiles and the 2 main guns each turn. Once the missiles are gone then the cannon comes into play but this is T4 at the earliest. Obviously the rifle is worthless, but the cannon is not all that better than a darklight shot. It may net you 2 or 3 more guardsmen over the course of a game...not worth the points.

Thanks Serling, I always love your feedback and will post a revised 1st list soon.

Talk to me about the second list, if I make take DLs on the Razorwing, doesn't that split the priorities of that unit? The disintegrator, i was thinking, would hopefully will really chew through the marines and terminators. What else would you change for the second list?

Taking DL on the razorwing vs the dissies does split the job a BIT, but it allows the razorwing to do everything, at the cost of killing teq with slightly less oomph. In the edition of fliers, your aircraft is your #1 air defense, and if you see an enemy flier dissies just don't cut it. They cant even touch Av12(vendettas). Also, dark lances are S8 so they will instakill your multi wound TEQ and MEQ. The dakka is nice, but you have volume elsewhere.

The duke is with 3 incubi when you have a kabbie gunboat...why? Put racks on the boat, throw the duke in, drop in and lay down dakka left and right. The agonizer is only better against 3+ armor, but the venom blade is cheaper and all rounder, plus the venom blade is on par if you get 2 pain tokens, +1 strength, or something else to get your girls to S4. Better to spend the points elsehwere unless you need em killed. Marines die to weight of fire, so dakka away!

Well I found out that I'm not the one playing in the special mission, but for closure on the subject, here are my updated lists.

Guardmunchers.

HQ
150 - Duke Sliscious deployed with the Kabalite squad of 9
160 - 1 Liquifier Gun, Venom Blades with wyches
1 Liquifier Gun, Casket of Flensing and Shattershard with Blasterborn

Elites
193 - Trueborn. 4 Blasters, Haywire Grenades in a Venom with NS and SC.

Troops
203 - 9 Wyches 1 Razorflail, Hexatrix w/ Venom Blades, Phantasm Grenage Launcher Haywire Grenades, Raider w/ in Reserve
130 - 5 Wracks with 1 Liquifier Gun in a Raider in Reserve
130 - 5 Wracks with 1 Liquifier Gun in a Raider in Reserve
161 - 9 Kabalites in a Raider with Night Shields and Splinter Racks

Heavy Support
115 - Ravager Nightshield
115 - Ravager Nightshield
175 - Razorwing Jetfighter with 2 Darklances, 1 Splinter Rifle, 4 Monoscythe Missiles, Night Shield and Flickerfield, in Reserve.


MEQ-hunter.

HQ
150 - Duke Sliscious deployed with the Incubi
145 - 2 Haemonculi, 1 with a Liquifier Gun with the Wyches, 1 with a Liquifier Gun and Venom Blades with the Incubi

Elites
183 - 4 Blasterborn in a Venom w/ Splinter Cannon Upgrade and Night Shields.
153 - 4 Incubi in a Venom w/ Splinter Cannon in Reserve

Troops
191 - 8 Wyches 1 Razorflail, Hexatrix w/ Venom Blades, Phantasm Grenage Launcher, Haywire Grenades, Raider w/ in Reserve
60 - 5 Wracks with 1 Liquifier Gun
151 - 9 Kabalites, in a Raider in Reserve

b]Heavy Support[/b]
115 - Ravager with Nightshield
115 - Ravager with Nightshield
175 - Razorwing Jetfighter with 2 Dark Lances, 1 Splinter Rifle, 4 Monoscythe Missiles, Night Shield and Flickerfield, in Reserve.

Thanks for the feedback. Any additional thoughts are totally welcome.