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.

Hi All,
With the coming of 8th I have returned to 40k, having just finished assembling and painting about 7000 points of CSM. I was hoping to expand my collection with a modest extra army of about 2000pts. Dark Eldar are one of the strong contenders, but never having played either with or against them before I was hoping for some advice on a list I've thrown together. Because I don't intend to expand it (at least, not considerably) beyond the one list, I aim for it to be something of a take-all-comers list.

To make this army as different as possible from CSM, I did want to focus on DE's particular strengths, namely mobility and shooting. And although I always aim for a strong list, I want it to focus on what I' interested in, and still be fun to play with and against. And I do want to avoid out-and-out cheese as well, going for balance. As such I think a fast, mechanised, dakka list is up my alley. So here's what I have come up with:

Battalion
1x Archon: Agoniser, Blasters (76)

1x Archon: Agoniser, Blasters (76)

5x Wyches: Agoniser, Blast Pistol, Hydra Gauntlets (63)
w/ Venom: 2x Splinter Cannons

5x Wyches: Agoniser, Blast Pistol, Hydra Gauntlets (63)
w/ Venom: 2x Splinter Cannons

5x Wyches: Agoniser, Blast Pistol, Hydra Gauntlets (63)
w/ Venom: 2x Splinter Cannons

5x Wyches: Agoniser, Blast Pistol, Hydra Gauntlets (63)
w/ Venom: 2x Splinter Cannons

9x Kabalite Trueborn: 4x Blasters, 2x Splinter Cannons (139)
w/ Rainer: Dark Lance, Shock Prow (116)

9x Kabalite Trueborn: 4x Blasters, 2x Splinter Cannons (139)
w/ Rainer: Dark Lance, Shock Prow (116)

5x Mandrakes (95)

5x Mandrakes (95)

1x Voidraven Bomber: 2x Dark Scythes (169)

1x Ravager: 3x Dark Lances, Shock Prow (156)

1x Ravager: 3x Dark Lances, Shock Prow (156)


The strategy will be basically to dance around my enemies, shooting. The Wyches will disembark and tie up any pesky units. And the Mandrakes will show up where I need them to.

I'm interested in a mostly female army, hence the emphasis on Wyches and Kaballites. And I have no real interest in the Haemonculus and creations third of the army. I don't like taking triples of anything, as I don't want my army to be too uniform, but I more consider the Wyches to be two squads split in half. But I have abstained consciously from the triple ravager, in favour of the Voidraven. My main issue is whether I should take out one Wych/Venom squad for a Razorwing Jetfighter. I like the idea of a double fighter. I also have no idea about what HQs would be best, but given Venom capacities, and my emphasis on shooting, the Archon with the Blater seems like the only choice that fits.

So what do you all think? As I said, I do want a mobile shooty list, and I like the idea of a mechanised army list. But does it come across as cheesy? Do you think it would be fun to play with and/or against? And overall, do I have a handle on how DE plays?

Looking forward to your comments!
Tony

Looks good. Trueborn are better in units of 5, with 4 blasters is their common and more effective loadout. You may include a unit of incubi with the spared points.

You can also cut one archon in favor of a succubus, who can also footslog with drug that gives her a +2'' to her movement. All those wyches can get some benefits with her aura.

I'd play around with swapping your melee units (wyches) into the Raiders and the Trueborn gunboats into Venoms. You're gonna be playing your gunboats close with the 18" range on Blasters, so you'll want the -1 to hit for them so they'll survive staying there. The Raiders and wait until turn 2 or 3 when you're ready, shooting their lances, then zoom up with their melee unit payload.

That also lets you consolidate combat drugs if you combine wych units. +1A is always the best offensive option, +1T if you just want to tie something up.

You said you "abstained consciously" from the triple Ravager in favor of the Voidraven, but never talked about why. Realistically, your list is short on anti-armor, so you'll want that third Ravager for sure.

Thanks for the comments! It seems that it's the consensus view to swap around the Wych and Kalabite Transports. Have I done it right in the following list?:

Battalion

1x Archon: Agoniser, Blaster, Phantom Grenade Launcher (76)

1x Succubus: Archite Glaive, Blast Pistol (82)

5x Wyches: 1x Agoniser, 1x Blast Pistol, 1x Hydra Gauntlets (63)
5x Wyches: 1x Agoniser, 1x Blast Pistol, 1x Hydra Gauntlets (63)
w/ Raider: Dark Lance, Shock Prow (116)

9x Wyches: 1x Power Sword, 1x Blast Pistol, 3x Hydra Gauntlets (107)
w/ Raider: Dark Lance, Shock Prow (116)

5x Kabalite Trueborn: 4x Blaster (40)
w/ Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon (95)

5x Kabalite Trueborn: 4x Blaster (40)
w/ Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon (95)

5x Kabalite Trueborn: 4x Blaster (40)
w/ Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon (95)

5x Kabalite Trueborn: 4x Blaster (40)
w/ Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon (95)

5x Mandrakes (95)

5x Mandrakes (95)

1x Voidraven Bomber: 2x Dark Scythes (169)

1x Ravager: 3x Dark Lances, Shock Prow (156)

1x Ravager: 3x Dark Lances, Shock Prow (156)


This puts me at 1928, so with 70 points to spare. As I said, I'd like to Razorwing Jetfighter in also, but this only gets me to roughly half the cost. Any thoughts on what I should spend it on?

The reason why I'd prefer not to have 3x Ravagers is that it seems a bit spammy, but if not should I take out the Voidraven for it? Or should I drop two of the Trueborn squads to fit in a third ravager and the second flyer?

And have I done the Wych squads right? I was a bit confused.

you need 10 wyches in order to have 3 hydra gauntlets. Unfortunately, the squad of 9 only allows for 1 gauntlet. Makes it frustrating when you want to lead the unit in a Raider with a Succubus!

Also, Trueborn with Blasters cost significantly more than 40 points.

Yes, I miswrote that. But, in addition I did some miscalculations on the prices of the Trueborn squads anyway. So the list would look like this:

1x Archon: Agoniser, Blaster, Phantasm Grenade Launcher (76)

1x Succubus: Archite Glaive, Blast Pistol (82)

5x Wyches: 1x Agoniser, 1x Blast Pistol, 1x Hydra Gauntlets (63)
5x Wyches: 1x Agoniser, 1x Blast Pistol, 1x Hydra Gauntlets (63)
w/ Raider: Dark Lance, Shock Prow (116)

10x Wyches: 1x Agoniser, 1x Blast Pistol, 3x Hydra Gauntlets (116)
w/ Raider: Dark Lance, Shock Prow (116)

5x Kabalite Trueborn: 4x Blaster (115)
w/ Venom: 2x Splinter Cannons (95)

5x Kabalite Trueborn: 4x Blaster (115)
w/ Venom: 2x Splinter Cannons (95)

5x Kabalite Trueborn: 4x Blaster (115)
w/ Venom: 2x Splinter Cannons (95)

5x Kabalite Trueborn: 4x Blaster (115)
w/ Venom: 2x Splinter Cannons (95)

5x Mandrakes (95)

1x Ravager: 3x Dark Lances, Shock Prow (156)

1x Ravager: 3x Dark Lances, Shock Prow (156)

1x Ravager: 3x Dark Lances, Shock Prow (156)



I've added the third Ravager per people's advice. Do you think the Mandrakes fit well now that they're a lone(ly) squad?

You could spare some more points by droping those second Splinter Cannons on the Venoms and somewhere else (maybe the Blastpistol) to get another Venom für your Archon and Succubus

I have to disagree with the above poster - yes, Splinter cannons are overcosted at 15 points, but there's really not a better way to spend those points. 60 points doesn't get you much in DE land. If you did opt to drop the Mandrakes and the cannons from the Venoms, you'd have 155 points to spend. Honestly, I'd just leave them. I've been using the double cannons on Venoms and it's been working for me.