Help, how to kill dark eldar?

[Aron]

I need help. I'm playing dark eldar this friday and I don't know what to do.

[Brother Nihm]

Step 1, run a search in this very forum!

Step 2, post up your regular list(s) and your opponent's (if possible) so it is easier to give feedback. :blink:

[thade]

Bring as many boltguns as possible, followed by as many missile launchers as possible. Then sit back and purge.

 

...

 

Yes, I'm serious. Bolters are AP5, and virtually all Dark Eldar models have armor 5...meaning they don'g get armor saves. Note that flamers are AP5 too...so if you get that whole unit under the template and rapid fire, that unit is going to die. The vast majority of their transports are armor 10 all around, so you can drop them with Heavy Bolters in a pinch (which I did last Friday when I fought DE for the first time). If they get to you in an assault before you can reduce their numbers, they will hurt you, but not if you rapid fire them first.

 

I also brought a Vindicator, which was able to hit (and almost take out) three transports at once; but even a Whirlwind could do this (Str 5 needs only a 5 to Glance against armor 10). I put all of my MLs into a Dev Squad. The dev squad was only 8 big and I kind of regretted that...combat squadding them would've been a nice way to really whittle down the number of transports. Still, victory was mine. And I felt really really guilty about it.

 

The Dark Eldar Codex is 3rd Edition; it is WAY out of date. The only things I think you really have to worry about are:

1. There is a DE HQ unit with a retinue; the retinue has 3+ armor, the HQ had a 2++ invuln save (until he/she takes a wound, then the invuln save no longer functions). In melee they are really really nasty. I killed them with long range krak missile shots and plasma.

2. These little scorpion-pseudo-wraithlords roll a d6 to see how many times they hit and add that number to their strength as well, so on an average roll they can shred almost any armor in your army; stay clear of them. Krak Missiles and long range bolter-fire.

[Aron]

ok my list so far is:

HQ: Captain+relicbalde 130

Core:Tactical:+5marines+flamer+missle launcher+power fist 195

Core:Tactical:+5marines+flamer+missle launcher+power weapon+combi melta 195

Elite:Sterngaurd:+power weapon+combi plasma+flamer+stormbolter+rhino with extra armour 205

elite:Termies non cc:+5termies+ cyclone + assault cannon+ 3 chainfists 475

Elite: CC termies all thunderhammer: 200

Core:Scouts:+teleport homer+power weapon 100

 

Total 1500

 

 

I don't know the list of my opponent.

[minigun762]

I think the other thing that has to be mentioned is that:

1) They are Fast! Don't underestimate how far they can move in any given turn.

2) They have firepower. No army can spam anti-tank weapons like DE. Dark Lances are the same as Eldar Bright Lances but you can expect 2 of them per Troop choice usually and multiples on their Skimmers.

[Aron]

What do you think about the list? Should I replace the scouts with a thunder fire cannon?

 

Will termies work? Is sterngaurd worth the points in this case?

[minigun762]

Note: I'm a Chaos player so my knowledge on Codex Marines isn't quite as strong.

 

 

HQ: Captain+relicbalde 130

Pretty much the standard loadout I think. You don't need a Librarian since they have little to no Psychic Powers. The question here will be how to deploy him. How is he moving around the board?

 

Core:Tactical:+5marines+flamer+missle launcher+power fist 195

Core:Tactical:+5marines+flamer+missle launcher+power weapon+combi melta 195

Again, pretty standard choices. I'd actually leave the Power Weapon at home. All of his units are going to strike before you anyway, so you might as well hit harder. I would mechanize both squads, that will help protect you against his firepower and give you some chance of catching up. Or make one squad the objective camper and buy them a TL HB Razorback.

Elite:Sterngaurd:+power weapon+combi plasma+flamer+stormbolter+rhino with extra armour 205

Too much stuff on this one squad. Its true that Sternguard fit into almost any list but keep them cheap. Leave the Combi and Flamer and Storm Bolter at home. I'd also leave the E. Armor as well since its so expensive.

elite:Termies non cc:+5termies+ cyclone + assault cannon+ 3 chainfists 475

Elite: CC termies all thunderhammer: 200

I know that Codex Marines need to use their elites to get the job done but this seems like overkill, especially the TH/SS Terminators who aren't going to be that impressive against Dark Eldar. The reason is that DE can either be geared up like IG, where all those S8 hits is complete overkill OR it will be geared up to be so uber assaulty that your Terminators will probably die before they get to swing and even if they do, most of their good assault units have an Inv save. What you need is cheap, long range shooting. Frankly I'd dump the CC Terminators entirely and maybe take one squad of 5 Tac Terminators. You could give them a Land Raider and put your Captain in there and you're still saving enough points to take another Tac squad.

Core:Scouts:+teleport homer+power weapon 100

A Thunderfire Cannon or Whirlwind or Dakka Predator would be better. Scouts themselves aren't bad but not with that kind of loadout.

[Aron]

How about I drop the scouts for a thunder cannon and the cc termies get dropped for a LR crusader?

Could I include IG heavy weapon teams as allies?

[minigun762]

How about I drop the scouts for a thunder cannon and the cc termies get dropped for a LR crusader?

Could I include IG heavy weapon teams as allies?

 

I don't think you can take IG units as Allies. Having said that, I never even think to use Allies so my knowledge of the rules might be old.

 

I wouldn't trust a Land Raider to be honest. Dark Lances have the "Lance" rule so you're looking at AV12 at max. For the same points I'd rather see 2 RifleDreads who will tear apart their infanty and vehicles @ 48".

[Aron]

What do you mean by rifel dread?

A dread with assault cannon?

[minigun762]

A RifleDread is a Dreadnought with 2 TL'd Autocannons. It gives you 4 S7 shots that will almost always hit (89% of the time). The multiple shots plus high S means that its a terrific unit to use against enemy transports, light vehicles, walkers and even MCs if need be. Most people make them by using the Autocannons from the Aegis Defense Line set that came out with Planetstrike.

[wizard12]

Edit: you got there first minigun

 

On your list I feel that you could do with a bit more mechenization in it and a few less elites. minigun's advice is pretty good and to clear up any thing, no, you cannot induct IG heavy weapon squads because their part of a platoon which you also, can't induct. But if your opponent agrees then you could take them as allies. But don't bet on it.

 

I would swap out that sternguard squad for another tactical squad as, although sternguard are cool, they have way to many upgrades, many of which play against their strenghs (storm botler and flamer for example mean you lose 2 special amunition bolters and in a 5 man squad, you want to make use for the special rule which makes them soooooo expensive). So I'd just stick to the tactical terminators (their the non CC ones) and maybe try and add a few of those rifleman dreads as DE are even more fragile than normal eldar. They're just made out of paper maché and nightmares.

[Aron]

The problem is that I don't have rifelman dreads, I only have Black reach style ones.

Also I only have one rhino. Can I still survive? :angry:

[gettothegone]

Disintegrators will cause you a lot of grief if he has them. Rhinos and Razorbacks are almost a requirement now for any marine army troop/elite choice that don't have Terminator Armor *and even then you want a land raider for those guys anyway*.

 

My take on sternguard are this. If you're 18-24" away from Dark Eldar... you're in red zone... they shoot like hell, but they can assault just as well, put them in that range and you're going to find out just how well they do both.

 

Dark Eldar hate 48" range, even with nightshields you should be able to outrange their lances for a turn or so.

 

DE are a tough nut to crack any way you slice it. Range is your friend here, try to use it to your advantage.

[spartan249]

Autocannons, Heavy Bolters, and Missile Launchers are your star players. Get as many of them in your list as you can. And don't forget to include some Meltaguns into your interceptor battle groups as tank shock is a very popular way to screw with you.