Dark Eldar (DE) Strategy Guide 5th

[toxic_wisdom]

Archon - Pistol and Venom Blade
Webway Portal . Ghostplate Armour . Clone Field

Trueborn 3x with Splinter Rifles
Venom dual Cannons

Trueborn 3x, two with Dark Lances
Trueborn 3x, two with Dark Lances

Warriors 10x with Splinter Rifles
Warriors 10x with Splinter Rifles

Hekatrix w Agoniser and Wyches 4x - Haywires
Venom with dual Cannons

Hekatrix w Agoniser and Wyches 4x - Haywires
Venom with dual Cannons

Baron Sathonyx

Helliarch w Stunclaw and Hellions 9x

Scourges 5x, two with Heat Lances
Scourges 5x, two with Heat Lances

Talos Pain Engine w Flails and Linked Haywire
Talos Pain Engine w Flails and Linked Haywire

Void Raven Bomber w Flickerfield and Night Shield
- 4x Shatterfield Missiles

This is the 1850 list I've been running recently, and had been throughout the escalation league with some variations in unit sizes / options / availability due to point levels.

Edit: something seems slightly amiss but not sure what. Maybe just my imagination - feels like I forgot something. Posting during a quick coffee break.

[toxic_wisdom]

Is it 2000 exactly? I'll use it verbatim next time I game and let y'all know how it fares.

At 2K the Archon has combat drugs, wwp, shadowfield, soul trap, djinn blade, and agoniser... the venomborn become 4x with carbines... and the hekatrix both get blast pistols.

[Marshal Augustine]

Took the de to a tournament today. 1500pts, took home best overall! Had tough match ups game two, vs mech ig with three vendettas and chimeras, and game four vs razorspam mech blood angels.
I was very happy as always with the wyches, they rocked in every game. The archon and incubi also did well for themselves, and my opponents seemed dumbfounded that i lacked blasterborn and only had two ravagers. Hehe.

The scourge with hwlauchers performed exeptionally well, their speed and range realky assisted the core of my force. I was also running a ten man unit with a lance and a blaster, they were the same cost as a blaster warrior unit in a ff raider, but not as mobile and woth less kps. They also provided an additional infantry target other than my scourge keeping them alive longer. chwers!

[archonisthebesthqever]

Please toxic stop with the troll ;P.

[Treadhead_1st]

Took the de to a tournament today. 1500pts, took home best overall! Had tough match ups game two, vs mech ig with three vendettas and chimeras, and game four vs razorspam mech blood angels.
I was very happy as always with the wyches, they rocked in every game. The archon and incubi also did well for themselves, and my opponents seemed dumbfounded that i lacked blasterborn and only had two ravagers. Hehe.

The scourge with hwlauchers performed exeptionally well, their speed and range realky assisted the core of my force. I was also running a ten man unit with a lance and a blaster, they were the same cost as a blaster warrior unit in a ff raider, but not as mobile and woth less kps. They also provided an additional infantry target other than my scourge keeping them alive longer. chwers!

Is your list posted earlier in this thread? I would be very interested to see what you ran at 1500, as I am struggling to get my first DE army list up and running - and I've given up posting online as everyone tells me to just take "Blasterborn/Venom-spam" - and yours sounds a lot like the kind of thing I am trying to hammer out (Archon, Incubi, Wyches, Scourges, couple of Ravagers - all stuff I love the look of). It would be grand to see it for some inspiration!

[toxic_wisdom]

Please toxic stop with the troll ;P.

Stop trolling ? wth are you talking about...since when is posting a list considered trolling ?

[archonisthebesthqever]

Mate if u want to play foot slogging DE at least do it with the correct way.Can u explain to everyone how does this list work?First of all, the wyches are the worst unit in the codex for msu.A squad of 5 cant even kill the tac marines and when the venom explodes half of them will be dead.The kabalites in this state are also a complete waste of points.Sniper-born didnt work for me due to their low range and immobility and now the main plate,the hellions.If u want to do something then do it correct.This list is a wierd mix of every DE gameplay style.Furthermore,this is the worst way to use the hellions imo(i imagine they use the wbp).Talos are okay if u want to play the so called " fun , fluffy" games.IMO scourges are the only think that it is good in this list.To begin with, i count 4 dl,2 void lances,4 heat lances and 2 haywire blasters.Now,i guess only the first 6 star on the table.So,can u explain me how this ridiculusly low AT can handle any real competitive list?Playing the way u like is not a prob just dont come in the tactica saying how good u are and that u win nearly all ur games in a very competitive environment etc.Internet wisdom does exist,just for a stupid reason everyone that doesnt like it tries to go against it.

[Meriwether]

Mate if u want to play foot slogging DE at least do it with the correct way.Can u explain to everyone how does this list work?First of all, the wyches are the worst unit in the codex for msu.A squad of 5 cant even kill the tac marines and when the venom explodes half of them will be dead.The kabalites in this state are also a complete waste of points.Sniper-born didnt work for me due to their low range and immobility and now the main plate,the hellions.If u want to do something then do it correct.This list is a wierd mix of every DE gameplay style.Furthermore,this is the worst way to use the hellions imo(i imagine they use the wbp).Talos are okay if u want to play the so called " fun , fluffy" games.IMO scourges are the only think that it is good in this list.To begin with, i count 4 dl,2 void lances,4 heat lances and 2 haywire blasters.Now,i guess only the first 6 star on the table.So,can u explain me how this ridiculusly low AT can handle any real competitive list?Playing the way u like is not a prob just dont come in the tactica saying how good u are and that u win nearly all ur games in a very competitive environment etc.Internet wisdom does exist,just for a stupid reason everyone that doesnt like it tries to go against it.

Good God, man.

Please read this, with special attention to #2.

[archonisthebesthqever]

Pfff i try my best ^^

[Meriwether]

Clearly that's not true. Trying your best would entail the use of apostrophes, spaces between sentences, and a spell-checker. Anyway, while I disapprove of both your tone and your aversion to proper English, I would like to take a kernel of your post and turn it into a polite request:

Toxic, can you outline the general strategy that you encapsulate with this list? And then elaborate on how do you deal with mechanized armies and with hordes?

[AngryAngel]

For some reason my quoted post didn't want to take so this one is more an error.

[AngryAngel]

Mate if u want to play foot slogging DE at least do it with the correct way.Can u explain to everyone how does this list work?First of all, the wyches are the worst unit in the codex for msu.A squad of 5 cant even kill the tac marines and when the venom explodes half of them will be dead.The kabalites in this state are also a complete waste of points.Sniper-born didnt work for me due to their low range and immobility and now the main plate,the hellions.If u want to do something then do it correct.This list is a wierd mix of every DE gameplay style.Furthermore,this is the worst way to use the hellions imo(i imagine they use the wbp).Talos are okay if u want to play the so called " fun , fluffy" games.IMO scourges are the only think that it is good in this list.To begin with, i count 4 dl,2 void lances,4 heat lances and 2 haywire blasters.Now,i guess only the first 6 star on the table.So,can u explain me how this ridiculusly low AT can handle any real competitive list?Playing the way u like is not a prob just dont come in the tactica saying how good u are and that u win nearly all ur games in a very competitive environment etc.Internet wisdom does exist,just for a stupid reason everyone that doesnt like it tries to go against it.

Looks like someone woke up out the troll cave today themselves eh ? As well internet wisdom ? That doesn't exist as anything more then a bad joke. This post being just more reason to believe such.

You don't like his list ? I doubt anyone cares but you.

Edit: Yes I second the wish to hear how Tox runs the list, as I can't say I've seen a DE list as such before, and I would like to know how he works it as well.

[Hokiecow]

Bells had a coverage of a DE foot list.

On a random off topic note:
Since, DE was designed with 6th in mind and supposedly 6th is going to have more focus on IC vs IC. (ie There is a rumor of Lucius the Eternal having 'some nasty special rules for challenges' in 6th.) If this is true, the Archon Soul Trap and Huskblade could become a more common sight in two months.

[toxic_wisdom]

I can only offer basic concepts as there are nine basic games to be considered against a countless number of opposing lists. For starters though, as mentioned above, I think because the list is so unlike any other DE lists plays a role why I have had success with the list = in a large number of post games the comments lean towards the opponent not being familiar with what all of the units can do / are capable of. That, and the combination of often outnumbering DE utility units have helped.

The Archon has one purpose = to open the Webway Portal. Anything he accomplishes beyond that is icing. In either Pitched Battle or Spearhead, he begins attached to the Trueborn unit with Venom transport. In Dawn Of War he attaches to a unit of Warriors. Either way, the joined unit advances and the portal is opened on first turn = that unit's primary task for the game is complete.

Situations pending the two units of Wyches with their Venoms are either deployed or put in reserves, though in a majority of cases deployed. Dawn Of War has them arriving on first turn under the protection of Night Fight / terrain / etc. And the unit is not taken for its ability to eliminate other units - I field them to stall other units.

Both of units of Scourges and the Hellions (with the Baron) are held in reserves - declared as Deep Striking. The Webway Portal however allows me to change the arrival, so depending where I need those units they can either Deep Strike or move on to the table from the portal's edge. Obviously, the Scourges main task is to neutralize enemy tanks - I expect them to do nothing more than that, and hold on to no beliefs they will survive after the opponent's next turn.

Just a brief pause with that in mind - I do not become overly attached to any of the units in the list. They are included because they have a specific role, and once that role has been resolved I expect nothing more from them. However, just like with the Archon, if a unit manages to accomplish more than their intended role then its icing.

The Hellions, despite the offensive potential (20 Poison shots to open followed by 30 S4 attacks on the charge) is more often just used to capture objectives in SG and CC - I am very mindful of where markers are placed, in particular their relation to terrain (the advantage of stealth) and the placement of the Webway Portal. In Annihilation I pay even closer attention to terrain (again stealth), attempting to keep them under the radar to reduce the chances of giving up two kill points while looking for opportunities to strike weaker units and earn a kill point - even the Baron himself can take down most vehicles on the charge at S6 on rear armor.

The Warriors have one role (not counting the possible need to help position the portal) = capture objectives. Obviously this role is scratched in Annihilation so they get forced to double as a fire support base while trying to stay out of harm's way. Rarely ever are the two units deployed, instead held in reserves where I hope they do not arrive from until later in the game. Again, being mindful of objective markers in relation to the portal and my own table edge - I want them to be able to arrive then walk / run to be within three inches of their target in a single turn.

+++ please excuse the edits / continued posts, as it seems I am experiencing Time Out issues with the site and / or browser with my tablet.

The Trueborn with two Dark Lances, of course hunt tanks. Because of their low point cost its almost a win / win situation for me: they often cost less than their intended targets so when they pop a vehicle they've earned their points back (an older concept perhaps but still one I hold on to)... or if the opponent directs his attention on the units then typically he is spending more points for a unit to destroy it - and it also means that attention is not being put on one or two of my other units.

This application I believe is another reason that has added to the list's success: in a majority of cases its the damned-if-you-damned-if-you-don't = opponents are not accustomed to the unit selections as a whole, so when one unit gets left unchecked in favor of another then the consequences have turned the games in my favor turn by turn.

The Talos Pain Engines can speak for themselves, arriving from either the portal or my own table edge. They can fairly hold their own ground in more cases than not, against infantry and vehicles alike. Keeping them from being left out in the open for long periods of time however tends to be a challenge. Selecting the proper targets is of vital importance.

Lastly the Void Raven Bomber, another reserve unit - at least to the best of my knowledge I cannot ever recall deploying the model on the table at the start of a game. Simply, 01. crowd control = either horde elements or key targets that have bunched together (deep strike, vehicle explodes, etc)... 02. neutralize highest priority target vehicle... 03. use its extended movement to contest where needed, or as defense and possibly intercept a unit with its Void Mine in kill point games.

I believe that just about sums everything up except maybe for one more thing - the Webway Portal itself. Perhaps this one piece of wargear brings with it the biggest reason for the list's recent success rate. There are very few Dark Eldar players in the area, and fewer still are the number of those that run portal lists. To be honest, to the best of my knowledge I am the only player in our area that uses a Webway Portal.

Hope that sheds some light !

[Meriwether]

I can only offer basic concepts as there are nine basic games to be considered

This speaks well for you...

I think because the list is so unlike any other DE lists plays a role why I have had success with the list = in a large number of post games the comments lean towards the opponent not being familiar with what all of the units can do / are capable of.

This doesn't. I live in a world where most of my opponents try to be downright scholarly when it comes to other armies...

Just a brief pause with that in mind - I do not become overly attached to any of the units in the list.

This is true of anyone who actually gets good at 40K (or any other war game...)

[toxic_wisdom]

''...I live in a world where most of my opponents try to be downright scholarly when it comes to other armies...''

My pregames often include alot of what's this ? what's this ? what's this ?

[AngryAngel]

Now now you can get attached to your units. Just sometimes, when ya love something, like a unit, you need to be able to let it do its job, and let it go. It's good to care what happens to um, just to know sometimes it will be very bad.

[FrostByteVA]

Playing a 2000 pts game against tyranids soon. Never played them or she who plays them. What if anything do I need to worry about ??

Kill fast bugs first (wings and outflankers). Lances go into warriors for ID. Their big bugs are 3 marines to us (wounding on 4's with their 3+ x3 wounds). Don't be tempted to shoot their 3++ multiple wound characters with lances as it can be frustrating if they roll good. Just torrent them with posion. It's also funny to take a MC on with a squad of witches and an agonizer, just don't do it to a tervagont because they can still spawn when locked in combat and the little bugs they make will make you loose combat before you can put 6 wounds on it.

A drop pod list full of 3x3 zonethropes can be rough with S10 at short range, especially with combined rules to make reserves come in on a 2+ round 2.

If they didn't bring synapse in their list, make them pay and take them out. Have them explain the rule (along with fed for flee) and who grants synapse.

[Johnmclane]

Thanks guys (the tyranid-de advices). Seem as i got a bit to worry about anyways. Good thing is that our poison always equals targets toughness ( nice to think that the standard gun will be the worst threat ).

Agreed to play a friendly game so will be bringing around 20 hellions and 10 scourges, 9 reaver jetbikes and then probably just fill the rest with warriors in transports. Been thinking of a double-cannon venom, with an extra cannon on min trueborn squad but i think that'll break the " friendly" against tyranids . If there's points left i'll add in my ravagers as well.

[DeviantApostle]

Dark Footdar's not quite as daft as it sounds, though I'd approach it differently to Toxic.

Units with FNP in cover are remarkably resilient. Unlike our cousins, we can also throw 2 lance shots into a unit of Kabalites... at BS4. I can vouch for the effectiveness of Talos with Haywire Blasters. Nothing spams lance shots like Trueborn either. We can get great AT or Anti-infantry in any Force Org. slot.

The problem competitively is mobility and objectives. A lot of tournaments use pre-set objective placements which doesn't favour the gunline, so inevitably you'll probably get some mech in your foot list.

The reason I wouldn't go for a list like Toxic's is the reliance on reserves. The way I see it, DE is like a big steak. What I want is to force that steak down the opponent's throat so he chokes on it, cutting it up into smaller pieces for him first goes counter to that strategy.