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I am pretty sure I am not alone in thinking that while Mandrakes have some of the coolest models and background around, they have one of the suckiest rule sets.

Therefore, without further ado, I present a few brainstormed ideas to give them a boost:

UNIT WS BS S T W I A LD SV PTS
Mandrake 4 4 4 3 1 5 2 8 - 65
NightFiend 4 4 4 3 1 5 3 9 -

Unit - 5 Mandrakes. May include up to an additional 5 Mandrakes for +13pts each.

Wargear - Sickle blades (count as combat weapons)

Options - May upgrade one model to Nightfiend for + 10pts

The Nightfiend may take an agoniser for + 25pts, electro corrosive whip for +20pts or a venom blade for + 5pts

The Mandrake unit may upgrade to Baleblades (grants Shred to their close combat attacks) at + 4pts per model

Special Rules - Daemon, Infiltrate, Stealth, Fleet, Move Through Cover, Night Vision, Power From Pain, Baleblast, Shadowborn, Unholy Union

Daemon, Infiltrate, Stealth, Fleet, Night Vision, Move Through Cover, Night Vision - As per BRB

Power from Pain - as per codex dark eldar

Baleblast - as per codex dark eldar but the mandrake unit can either add + 1 strength or + 1 shot to their baleblast attack for each pain token on the unit after the first, i.e. a unit of mandrakes with 3 pain tokens could either have + 2 strength or + 2 shots for their baleblast attack or any combination thereof.

Shadowborn - If a Mandrake unit chooses not to Infiltrate or Outflank, then it may instead deploy by Deep Strike using the Shadowborn rule. Enemy units must re-roll all successful hit rolls against the Mandrakes in their next shooting phase.

If the Night Fighting rules are in effect during the first turn of the game, then any Mandrake units in the army may arrive by Outflanking on turn 1 instead of turn 2.

In addition, the Mandrake unit counts as having assault grenades when they assault (but may not be thrown in the shooting phase or used against vehicles in the assault phase).

Unholy Union - The Mandrakes are rumoured to be a blasphemous melding of Eldar and Daemon, spawned in days long past. Because of this, a Mandrake unit starts the game with a single pain token (allowing them to use their Baleblast attack immediately).

 rohansoldier wrote:
Shadowborn - If a Mandrake unit chooses not to Infiltrate or Outflank, then it may instead deploy by Deep Strike using the Shadowborn rule. If the Mandrake unit is placed within 6" of an enemy unit, then it will not scatter and may assault on the turn they arrive.

Nope. This here is special snowflake territory.

While I don't agree with the current design philosophy that models are in no circumstances allowed to assault on the turn they arrive on the table, that's the way it is. There's no reason why Mandrakes in particular would be the only unit exempt from this. While I'm all for assaulting from Deep Strike in principle, in the context of 6th edition this is a huge no-no.

OK then, Blackfang, you do make a good point.

I guess if even marine vanguards (who could assault from deep strike) now cannot, a mere xenos unit has no chance :-)

In that case we need some kind of defensive boost for Mandrakes for the turn they arrive. How about snap shots only on the turn they arrive or enemy must re-roll successful hit rolls?

Also how about the enemy must roll an Ld test to fire overwatch at a unit of charging Mandrakes?

I like the second one, fluffy and not too powerful.

Updated the shadowborn rule above.

As another option, how about bringing back the old Mandrake rule of deploying 3 models and one of them being the true location of the unit?

That was a cool mechanic. I would probably allow either infiltrating the 3 models (including the 2 decoys) or at least giving them Scout and allowing them to run.

The old rule was interesting, but I'm not sure what it accomplished compared to regular Infiltration. Maybe some psychological warfare.

How about the Blind thing that Warp Talons have? Heck, give them Skyleap too and have them warp in and out. At least that'd give them a clear battlefield role, even if they'd still be very hit or miss.

It also follows a time-honoured tradition in the GW design studio: if you can't think of anything new for a particular unit, steal a rule from the Eldar codex

I think psycological warfare was exactly the point of the old rule and in fact is a key part of how mandrakes operate.

I would prefer to give them something unique to them instead of borrowing rules from other codexes, which is why I have gone for enemies re-rolling hits against the mandrakes on the turn they arrive rather than snap shots only (as the Tyranid SC Deathleaper already has this rule).

If I was going to reinstate the old Mandrake rule it would be something like this:

Place 3 Mandrake models on the battlefield at least 18" from an enemy model. At the beginning of any Dark Eldar turn you may choose to deploy the Mandrake unit within coherency of any one of the 3 models and it may move, run and shoot this turn but may not assault.

Before being revealed, the Mandrakes may not be targetted by shooting, assault or psychic powers (or any other way that I have missed) but may only move and run.

That sounds okay, just maybe say they have to deploy around the central model ala Deep Strike, otherwise someone will try to string them out in a line to block assault lanes or contest distant objectives.

Just an idea...
shadowborn- If night fighting is in effect, mandrakes may choose to outflank turn one.

not too powerful, but it's fluffy

Could also give them a Blind aura when they deep strike to represent them bringing the darkness with them, or let them flicker in and out of the shadows to ignore terrain effects.

 ironhammer2194 wrote:
Just an idea...
shadowborn- If night fighting is in effect, mandrakes may choose to outflank turn one.

not too powerful, but it's fluffy

I like that idea! I think I will steal that and add it to the shadowborn effect.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Furyou Miko wrote:
Could also give them a Blind aura when they deep strike to represent them bringing the darkness with them, or let them flicker in and out of the shadows to ignore terrain effects.

Nice idea Furyou but I don't really want to take rules from other units (in this case Warp Talons), preferring to give them their own thing instead.

Also, I think the idea of them flicking in and out of the shadows is covered by Stealth and Move Through Cover (especially when combined with Fleet).

Thanks for the input though!

Too many unique rules. I suggest cutting shadow born and perhaps a few points.

IMO Shadowborn is what gives the unit its theme and character. I would be happy to cut the rule allowing them to make their Baleblast attack stronger and maybe the rule that lets them start with a pain token but not Shadowborn really.

 rohansoldier wrote:


I like that idea! I think I will steal that and add it to the shadowborn effect.

Go right ahead. I'm glad you like it