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I recently discovered that my FLGS is running a series of 40K Tournaments over the next few months. Unfortunately, I am unable to make the 1000 point Tournament in March, but in July, they will run another 1500 point Tournament which I hope to be a part of. This will be my first time playing 40K in years. Having sold most of my models already, I'm going to run a Dark Eldar list because a) I have most of the 3rd Ed Troops models available and b) it is the most cost effective to build back up.

To Dark Eldar Players: What should I change to make this list better? Should I drop some of the Dark Eldar in favour of Eldar allies? Anything in italics are things I have not yet purchased.

To Non-Dark Eldar Players: How would you crush this list? I am aware of most of the lists out there (Triptide, Mechdar, Taudar, Draigowing, Necron Flying Circus, Imperial Guard Air Cav, Heldrake spam etc.), but I have literally no experience against them.

HQ (130)
1) 1x Archon: Power Spear, Haywire Grenades, Ghostplate Armour, Combat Drugs, Shadowfield
Total: 130

ELITES (155)
1) 3x Kabalite Trueborn: 3x Blaster, 3x Plasma and Haywire Grenades
- Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon
Total: 155

TROOPS (750)
1) 5x Kabalite Warriors: 1x Blaster
- Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon
Total: 125

2) 5x Kabalite Warriors: 1x Blaster
- Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon
Total: 125

3) 5x Kabalite Warriors: 1x Blaster
- Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon
Total: 125

4) 5x Kabalite Warriors: 1x Blaster
- Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon
Total: 125

5) 5x Wyches: 5x Haywire Grenades
- Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon
Total: 125

6) 5x Wyches: 5x Haywire Grenades
- Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon
Total: 125

HEAVY SUPPORT (465)
1) 1x Razorwing Jetfighter: Flicker Field
Total: 155

2) 1x Razorwing Jetfighter: Flicker Field
Total: 155

3) 1x Razorwing Jetfighter: Flicker Field
Total: 155

A few notes:
- I realize the Archon is not optimal, but as I mentioned in another thread, it's a converted old-school Incubi model and I would rather run it as is than have to convert another one or purchase a new Archon model
- All the Dark Eldar troops are models I currently own, I am not particularly interested in having to buy another box of them
- The three Razorwings are in response to the potential of enemy flyers, I am not sure what else I can do to deal with enemy flyers so any advice is appreciated

Thanks All!

Personally, i run triple ravager, and ignore/ out maneuver flyers.

You have a solid venomspam list, but your early game AT is a bit lacking. Any heavy mech army, mechdar in particular is going to eat you alive. With all the poison, MC spam will be easy, and even some ___stars will die to mass dakka.

I agree you don't need three razorwings. If you really need AA, take voidravens, as the razorwings further massacre troops, and just about anything on foot. Razorwings are better protected against enemy AA, and more likely to take out armor.
At least 1 ravager is critical, maybe two. Take night shields on them, and use the points difference from the flier to the ravager on something else.

I think the archon is just fine, but count the spear as a venom blade. Venom blades have no set look, so they can be any wicked evil sword/spear/lance/axe/whip/thing. It will perform better in most combats, while costing less. Could buy nightshields on the trueborn venom with the spare points.

 orchewer wrote:
HQ (130)
1) 1x Archon: Power Spear, Haywire Grenades, Ghostplate Armour, Combat Drugs, Shadowfield
Total: 130

ELITES (155)
1) 3x Kabalite Trueborn: 3x Blaster, 3x Plasma and Haywire Grenades
- Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon
Total: 155

TROOPS (750)
1) 5x Kabalite Warriors: 1x Blaster
- Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon
Total: 125

2) 5x Kabalite Warriors: 1x Blaster
- Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon
Total: 125

3) 5x Kabalite Warriors: 1x Blaster
- Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon
Total: 125

4) 5x Kabalite Warriors: 1x Blaster
- Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon
Total: 125

5) 5x Wyches: 5x Haywire Grenades
- Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon
Total: 125

6) 5x Wyches: 5x Haywire Grenades
- Venom: 2x Splinter Cannon
Total: 125

HEAVY SUPPORT (465)
1) 1x Razorwing Jetfighter: Flicker Field
Total: 155

2) 1x Razorwing Jetfighter: Flicker Field
Total: 155

3) 1x Razorwing Jetfighter: Flicker Field
Total: 155

As a DE player: It seems like a straightforward venom spam list. I agree with Serling about replacing some of the razorwings with ravagers. They will help you with anti-tank and are cheaper, even fully kitted. I would recommend having 2. 6 DL will be enough to eat through a tank or 2 a turn.

As a Nid player: My normal tourney list contains 2 flyrants, 130 horms and terms,zoanthropes, venomthropes, and tyrannofexes and/or trygons. I think that you would have some trouble with this list. Your poison would massacre my tyran or trygons, but in doing so I don't think you could get rid of enough of my troops. The flyrants will be taking out 2 of your venoms a turn (plus another one when the trygon comes in, and possibly more the first turn with my tyranns), as they can maneuver just as well as you can. Once your venoms get shot away, your squads are stranded and can be swarmed to death by my troops.
I think it would be an interesting game, and it would probably come down to if your fliers could shoot down my FMCs before I took away your mobility. However if it was an objective based game (as many tourney games are), I think I'd have the upper hand with just having enough bodies to flood you. Being able to turboboost to objectives in your venoms (if they are still alive by turn 5 or 6) won't mean much if I've surrounded the objective with 20+ models.

Dr. Serling wrote:
I agree you don't need three razorwings. If you really need AA, take voidravens, as the razorwings further massacre troops, and just about anything on foot. Razorwings are better protected against enemy AA, and more likely to take out armor.
At least 1 ravager is critical, maybe two. Take night shields on them, and use the points difference from the flier to the ravager on something else.

Freytag93 wrote:
As a Nid player: My normal tourney list contains 2 flyrants, 130 horms and terms,zoanthropes, venomthropes, and tyrannofexes and/or trygons. I think that you would have some trouble with this list. Your poison would massacre my tyran or trygons, but in doing so I don't think you could get rid of enough of my troops. The flyrants will be taking out 2 of your venoms a turn (plus another one when the trygon comes in, and possibly more the first turn with my tyranns), as they can maneuver just as well as you can. Once your venoms get shot away, your squads are stranded and can be swarmed to death by my troops.
I think it would be an interesting game, and it would probably come down to if your fliers could shoot down my FMCs before I took away your mobility. However if it was an objective based game (as many tourney games are), I think I'd have the upper hand with just having enough bodies to flood you. Being able to turboboost to objectives in your venoms (if they are still alive by turn 5 or 6) won't mean much if I've surrounded the objective with 20+ models.

I know that with some enemy flyers that I would be able to just outmaneuver them, but what about taking down Flyrants and such? I've seen a lot of Venomspam lists with Ravagers and no AA, but how do those lists deal with, say, 6 Vendettas coming out at them, dual Flyrants, or three Helldrakes without any sort of skyfire?

I've used a Ravager in the past with small point levels and I know how useful they can be, but I am also very, very paranoid of Flyers which is why I'm leaning towards the Razorwings, though now I might replace one with a Ravager for first turn Anti-tank.

You may be able to take flyrants down just through sheer number of shots and hoping to ground them. But that can be an iffy plan. Somedays you'll get away with it and others you'll die doing it.
Honestly, I doubt that you'll see 6 vendetta lists unless that is specifically your meta. Having 1 or 2 anti-flier fliers should be enough to deal with whatever is thrown at you. I think you would be fine with 1 flier. Focus on removing his ground troops and tanks with 2 ravagers and the rest of your army. Your opponent can't win if he has nothing to capture or contest objectives with.

6 vendetta lists would be 2 squadrons... let them over kill 2tanks a turn. Ignore them and kill everything else. That's how you run that

Thanks! Still not entirely comfortable with facing dual Flyrants though. Do we have anything besides Razorwings or praying to the dice gods?

 orchewer wrote:
Thanks! Still not entirely comfortable with facing dual Flyrants though. Do we have anything besides Razorwings or praying to the dice gods?

Nope, except maybe a quad gun. But honestly, with all the poisoned shots and just sheer number of shots, you should be able to bring about quite a few grounding checks. 3 venoms firing at a one flyrant should cause 3 grounding checks, and statistically 1 unsaved wound. Sure thats 36 shots that could be used to thin down a mass of gants, but its only 3 out of your 7 venoms.