Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So, I've become terribly indecisive on this issue. Thinking about getting my first FW model, (for Dark Eldar) and I just can't decide.

Tantalus ($148.53) - Souped up troop transport with better armor, higher capacity, some mega-disintegrators and the ability to slitz people up on the fly-by like Reavers do.

Reaper ($67.13) - Heavy gunboat with a dual-firing weapon which is lethal to either infantry or vehicles

Raven Strike Figher ($82.24) - Flyer with both anti-infantry and anti-armor capacity.

Well what's your main list like?
I'd think either the Tantalus or Fighter would be the best choices to start with.

I feel like all three could benefit me. I tend to run a Duke Sliscus list, heavy on drug-users, with haemmy/wrack coven support. I think the Tantalus would be great for a special character and a mob of grotesques. Or the Duke and a full squad of Warriors (enabling them to get a Splinter Cannon into the army with a 3+).

The Reaper would be real nice since I see a lot of armor-heavy lists in my area, but it would still be useful against horde lists.

The few times I run up against lists with flyers, I tend to get hit pretty hard since I can't defend against them. The Raven could help shoot down enemy flyers, and would still be able to perform strafing runs if there are no airborne targets.

I feel like, tactically, they could ALL be useful. Probably the most useful is the Tantalus, but it's also the most expensive.

Can't dark eldar take the eldar titan ?

I personally like the Tantalus the best.

I think the Raven looks a bit silly since it's modeled on the old Dark Eldar aesthetic. The reaper isn't bad, but if you're going for something that looks more like a centerpiece, then I'd avoid it.

The Dark Eldar Titan is always awesome but reeeallly expensive. Plus the other question is: would people let you play it much? I feel like it has a stigma around it.

I'd say the Tantalus then.

Dark eldar have a Titan?

Yup, they get the revenant their craftworld cousins do.

I am considering a Reaper, as it's the only DE model i could seriously consider using competitively to replace a Ravager. The Tartalus is putting to many eggs in an open topped AV 12 basket and the Raven is outstripped by an Allied Crimson Hunter, only the Reaper brings something no other army has. For 15pts more then a Ravager you miss out on the ability to make things explode but gain the far more reliable haywire rule, a nifty kind of distort rule and the ability to handle hordes. The problem, as always, is single shot syndrome. Which would be mitigated for me by an allied Farseer giving re-rolls out like candy.

For me, in a meta chock-a-block full of Knight Titians, Serpent Shields and AV 12 it seems like haywire will be far more valuable then more Dark Lance shots. Against Serpent Shields pens are downgraded to glances anyway and against the Knights only 6's to pen matter any way, so there is effectively no downside. Also, a point has to be made because the model is simply extremely sexy.

Eldar Lynx!!!!!

The Forge World range is sorely lacking anything good for Dark Eldar. It's a shame - there's no variety.

I said tantalus.... Unless you can afford the Titan. I'd always go with the biggest model my wallet would allow.

I'd say the titan if you do escalation.

Forgeworld Dark Eldar are not that amazing looking, actually pretty bad looking.
I'd advise to take none. at least not unless some new hot stuff comes out.

CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT

Of the Dark Eldar models, the Tantalus. I'm hoping GW will do a similar version in plastic for DE when they update them.

Looks like a Tarant would fit the raider theme better, and the jet would fit the pirate theme better. Which term better fits your forces? (Obviously, they both fit, but one might fit better)

If you do go CW Eldar Titan, consider a skimmer instead of a titan. Dark Eldar don't use Wraith tech at all, so wouldn't have them.

A third option is some Corsairs....

I have both a Tantalus and a Reaper. The Raven is the old style and just doesn't fit into the new look of the DE. I'd much rather proxy a Crimson Hunter as a Raven if I wanted a new flyer as those look way cooler.

From a MODEL perspective, you get far more for your money with a Tantalus or a Revenant. The Tantalus is a BIG model that I have enjoyed putting together (even with having to fix a fair amount of warpage). I finally primed and base coated mine and will be putting the details on it soon. Although there aren't that many parts to it, the fact that FW has a hard time delivering models that are straight makes this more of an expert build. A few examples: the sail mount needs reinforced or replaced. I used brass to replace the resin pin as resin is fairly fragile. Also there were numerous "holes" left in the model due to some bad casting that had to be filled. Finally the blades (pics here ) were really badly warped, but some hot water and a bit of patience fixed them. I could have sent it back for a replacement, but I decided I would rather deal with the challenge. It turned out well if I do say so myself.

Regarding the Reaper, I was a little disappointed. I wish they would just sell a Reaper add on kit instead of bundling it with a Raider. Primarily because I can get Raiders at a good discount and the amount of resin parts that are used to make the reaper is pretty small. (I think it's 5 or 6 parts). If you go this route, read the instructions all the way through before assembly. I skipped a part on step 2 and didn't notice my mistake until I was ready to install a part that needed to be in the Interior, which necessitated buying a new Raider to start over... Essentially the internal canon piece needs to be one of the very first things you glue onto the model... and you'll likely want to paint it prior to completing the full assembly.

From a gaming perspective, I really think they should have had the formation rules use one Tantalus and 2 Reapers instead of the other way around. The Reapers weapon is such that you'd want to take 2 of them to help knock out the big things - haywire FTW - while ensuring that at least one lives long enough to deliver the goods. 2 Reapers sitting under a void shield generator is a great combo. Whereas the Tantalus is really good at delivering a deathstar type unit; of which you generally only need one.

I haven't added the Revenant Titan to my list yet. In part because my experience with Escalation has been that it's just a Rock, Paper and Scissors game. My local group tried it for a few weeks and even used the rules in a tournament - no one was happy. So at this point the only time it would see the table is if I'm playing Apoc - and even then I rarely see anything bigger than a baneblade which Reapers have no trouble taking down. Honestly I think the Revenant Titan is a bit OP so I'd feel bad dropping one on a table for a regular 40k game.