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I'm looking at building a DE army and its seems a lot of the HQ choices are not all that great. The Archon seems like everyones favorite pick for a cheap generic HQ with good options but how would experienced players in 7th edition say HQ choices stack up now with #1 being the top pick and going down?

I really love the model for Lelith Hesperax but she'll probably spend most her days in a display cabinet if i buy her. How would i use her if i ever wanted to try it? Is it possible to put her in a unit with Grotesques and a Haemonculus to tank and buff her then try to deliver them into the nearest unit to rip apart? Just seems like she can be easily ripped apart at a distance before she'd have a chance to do anything.

 SpookyBoogie wrote:
I'm looking at building a DE army and its seems a lot of the HQ choices are not all that great. The Archon seems like everyones favorite pick for a cheap generic HQ with good options but how would experienced players in 7th edition say HQ choices stack up now with #1 being the top pick and going down?

I really love the model for Lelith Hesperax but she'll probably spend most her days in a display cabinet if i buy her. How would i use her if i ever wanted to try it? Is it possible to put her in a unit with Grotesques and a Haemonculus to tank and buff her then try to deliver them into the nearest unit to rip apart? Just seems like she can be easily ripped apart at a distance before she'd have a chance to do anything.

1) Court of the Archon
2) Covens Haemonculus/Urien
3) Succubus/Shooty Archon/DE Haemonculus
4) Close Combat Archon/ DE Urien
5)Lelith/Drazar

is how I would personally rate them

If you need a close combat monster, none of the Dark Eldar HQ's provide that any more. Archon lacks AP 2 and the Haemonculi was never a combat monster. A succubus is good if you get her an Archite Glaive, but she won't be beating any other close combat HQ character due to T3 and 4++ save. But she is cheap and by far our most cost effective HQ. Take a Succubus with Archite Glaive and Armour of Misery to lead your Grotesques, the minus Ld means they will reliably win almost any combat and the colossal initiative value of the succubus will cut them down.

Lelith is not a bad character. She suffers from Str 3, but she gets a lot of attacks and ignores saves. The thing is, she is twice as expensive as a Sucubus with Archite Glaive and she isn't any better in combat unless she is in a challenge. So it's up to you to decide if the 4++/3++ invulnerable save and being a beast in a challenge is worth the points. In competitive games? No. But in casual games? She won't cause you to lose a match and she sure is fun. Take from that what you will.

Personally I run an Archon with Blaster. WWP + a unit of Heat Lance Scourges is a nasty surprise for most opponents but they're bound to die soon afterward. As such, I prefer the Archon skimming in a personal Venom. Depending on the points limit I give him the Armour of Misery or the Clone Field to increase his survivability in the event his ride gets popped.

Nothing optimal, but has been doing well so far.

DE HQ are in most cases just a tax that can be greatly mitigated. if you need a WWP, grab an archon. If you want a grot hammer, grab a succubus. Otherwise you can probably get away with just min/maxing a court, so min a 10 point Lhamaean may be your best choice.

 ALEXisAWESOME wrote:
If you need a close combat monster, none of the Dark Eldar HQ's provide that any more. Archon lacks AP 2 and the Haemonculi was never a combat monster. A succubus is good if you get her an Archite Glaive, but she won't be beating any other close combat HQ character due to T3 and 4++ save. But she is cheap and by far our most cost effective HQ. Take a Succubus with Archite Glaive and Armour of Misery to lead your Grotesques, the minus Ld means they will reliably win almost any combat and the colossal initiative value of the succubus will cut them down.

Lelith is not a bad character. She suffers from Str 3, but she gets a lot of attacks and ignores saves. The thing is, she is twice as expensive as a Sucubus with Archite Glaive and she isn't any better in combat unless she is in a challenge. So it's up to you to decide if the 4++/3++ invulnerable save and being a beast in a challenge is worth the points. In competitive games? No. But in casual games? She won't cause you to lose a match and she sure is fun. Take from that what you will.

I'd definitely not go for Lelith in a competitive list she feels far too expensive for what feels like a bit of an annoying troll HQ to try to force challenges or make my opponent commit resources into getting rid of her because any unit she can charge is probably screwed to clear the way for other units to wreck havoc. For a casual or fluffy type game it might be fun to try her out she's a cool looking character even if she does feel like a souped up Succubus with less options.

Competitive wise I'll want to go for the bang for buck options so i can equip them with what they need to win. A succubus does sound pretty fun i enjoy taking it to my opponent and making them sweat a bit which is one reason why i picked Dark Eldar they essentially have to lay down the hurt because they are useless defense wise

 SpookyBoogie wrote:
I'm looking at building a DE army and its seems a lot of the HQ choices are not all that great. The Archon seems like everyones favorite pick for a cheap generic HQ with good options but how would experienced players in 7th edition say HQ choices stack up now with #1 being the top pick and going down?

I really love the model for Lelith Hesperax but she'll probably spend most her days in a display cabinet if i buy her. How would i use her if i ever wanted to try it? Is it possible to put her in a unit with Grotesques and a Haemonculus to tank and buff her then try to deliver them into the nearest unit to rip apart? Just seems like she can be easily ripped apart at a distance before she'd have a chance to do anything.

Dark Eldar is the sum of its parts. So an inexpensive but effective Archon tends to be the best choice, as econimics go. However, the Haemonculus can be built up, especially using the Haemonculus Coven book, to be pretty silly against hordes and the like. If you lack a tool to butcher hordes, the Haemonculus Coven book can give one to you. If you're looking for more of an elite killer, mayhaps the Succubus is also not terrible, and its cheap. An Archite Glaive and you can increase the quality of any unit it joins. But it's best home also happens to be the worst unit so I think the haemonculus and Archon are better choices. I have gravitated to the Coven side of life moreso, but the bottom line is: what DOESN'T the list have already?

Hmm, what unit would you say the Succubus is at home with? From personal experience, it is 100% with Grotesques, preferably Coven ones. Let's face it, Coven have it hard without Dark Eldar allies to cover all of their AT needs. So the Sucubus with an Archite Glaive, armour of misery and possibly a webway portal is the best use of that HQ tax.

Of course, you could say an Archon is better just because he is cheaper, but he does lack a lot of the things that makes the Sucubus good. Firstly and most importantly, AP 2 granted by the Archite Glaive. Grotesques have trouble with 2+ saves, sometimes you just can't cause enough wounds, but the Sucubus gives some reliable damage against the, If you give the Archon a shadowfield, they are suddenly a very similar price, but the Sucubus is better. Without a Shadowfield that Archon is a deadly...wet paper towel. So a 4++ isn't so bad. Finally i want to share something with you, that won't happen often, but when it does it is Oh so Fun. +1 Str drug, +1 str Archite Glaive, +1 str furious charge. I wounded Honor Guard on 2's! With an Eldar, without poison of any sort!

It's just to fun to miss out on.

I've been considering HQ's recently, I already planning on running a groteserie, so that gives me; 2x Grots,Haemy.

I then also want a DA, but if I do that and I want to bring some more HQs (as I want another HQ for the second grot squad), to do coven I would require minimum of 2 HQs and 2 Elites. Which seems a little steep, especially considering i'd be limited to more of what I have +wracks.

Im thinking;
Groteserie - 7man Unit with urien, 3-4man unit
Dark artisan
Codex; RSR detachment
Succubus with glaive, armour of misery and WWP - goes with the 3-4man grot unit, so combined with urien she benefits from being a turn ahead on her PfP, while the grots are also fearless. The grots are a wound soak, as I feel the succubus doesn't need a huge entourage, she will deal with anything AP2, while the grots pile on the wounds with some ID's.

2x warriors either in raiders or venoms
2-3 Beast packs - variety of units, some clawed fiend packs and some khymerea.

----------------------------
Overall I think haemy's play an important role in buffing units, especially when from the covens book. the DA combined with say urien means your units have a fantastic FNP save and very quickly after DS have IWND and become some truely durable units.

The archon in general seems like a WWP caddy, with a preference to carry a blaster. Other than providing the required HQ he's just good at adding unit value. For example in a raider with fire dragons.

I also like the court, can be reasonably well equipped to handle most things, at a reasonable cost.

ratings;
#1 covens haemy/urien
#2 Court - for cheapness and effectiveness
#3 succubus
# archon

1. Covens HQ (any)
2. Archon
3. Succubus
4. Urien Rakarth
5. Bare Court
6. Lelith
7. Drazhar