Facing Dark Eldar...

[igotsmeakabob!!]

A little story campaign between some friends, associates and I has started, and my next match is against a Dark Eldar army. I've never played against them, and have no idea of what they can bring to the table.

Any advice for what I should include, or what to avoid taking? Tactics?

I know he has two of those razorwing jet fighters, but that's about it.

 

Thanks for any assistance you can provide.. I'll need it.

[Morticon]

Razorwings tear through infantry with their large blast missiles that wound on 2s. We still get armour and FNP though, which is great.

 

Dark lances are something to watch out for, and wyches can provide quite a substantial tarpit, especially if they have FNP too!!

 

Theyre fast, theyre shooty, theyre fighty, but theyre frail.

[Taranis]

Well generally speaking he will be twice as fast as you on the table and his general initiative is 6. He's S+T3 but with poisoned weapons wounds on 4+. He will probably have massive amounts of dark lances. S8 ap2 lance. So armour beware!

 

Again generally speaking: Trust you 3+ armour and 4+ FnP. Some of his units will gain invulnerability saves when in cc. You should slowly win cc, but expect slow progress.

Stopping his vehicles limits his movement. Shooting will probably be where you can hurt him the easiest.

 

I hope it was helpful?

[I am Legion]

I play against Dark Eldar alot. And if I was allowed to tailer my list against them. I'd say go all Infantry with Priests. You can take 3 Baal preds with AC/HB, but no other vehicle is really needed.

 

I love using them myself, and I can say they are meant to deal with infantry, but not Marines very well. They actually cant bring a whole lot of antitank weapons either, (some will fight me with that, but think of the range of the heavy weapons in the squad that ur thinking of) on the other hand they can move and fire them. And especially if you cut the Ravagers down first and second turn, they dont have much else. But here I sound like i'm contradicting myself. Dark Eldar can shoot alot of basic shots. As we all know that doesnt really affect marines, less so with a priest. The DE player will waste alot of points on alot of transports which dont do much besides move fast. That's why you need assault marines with meltas. We catch up, blow up transport, take a few shots and lose one guy then charge and wipe out unit. You dont even need powerfists. I simply use power weapons. Keep in mind he may bring out a talos. yeah they can hurt, but so do 3 baal preds vs those things. the Jets are cool, but they drop just as fast as everything else in their army, and if I recall they are expensive.

Last thing they can use is a bunch of bikes, with PW leaders. Yeah. this is usually an issue. Hope you dont face that. And if you are worried about it then last chance is taking The Blood Angel Armoured Company of Baal Preds, WWs, Storm Ravens, and AC/LAS Preds.

That's my 2 cents on it anyway...

 

Enjoy and let us know what happened.

[pararanger]

Isn't there some shenanigans they can pull that reduces your weapon range against certain models by 12"? I remember getting hosed by that not to long ago.

[Enzephalon]

Isn't there some shenanigans they can pull that reduces your weapon range against certain models by 12"? I remember getting hosed by that not to long ago.

Yes, there is, but DE player more often than not avoid to use these vehicle upgrade since they are not really that effective. Flickerfields on the other hand are used quite frequently (the ones which grant you a cover save).

[dswanick]

Night Shields reduce your shooting range by 6" against vehicels equipped with it.

[JamesI]

Isn't there some shenanigans they can pull that reduces your weapon range against certain models by 12"? I remember getting hosed by that not to long ago.

Yes, there is, but DE player more often than not avoid to use these vehicle upgrade since they are not really that effective. Flickerfields on the other hand are used quite frequently (the ones which grant you a cover save).

Every DE vehicle I have ever faced had both Flickerfields and the 6 inch range reduction upgrade.

[eyeslikethunder]

<br />

Isn't there some shenanigans they can pull that reduces your weapon range against certain models by 12"? I remember getting hosed by that not to long ago.

<br />Yes, there is, but DE player more often than not avoid to use these vehicle upgrade since they are not really that effective. Flickerfields on the other hand are used quite frequently (the ones which grant you a cover save).<br />

<br /><br /><br />

 

My experience is they both are very common and used heavily by DE

[Warbringer]

Don't forget units like the Ravagers and Razorwing Fighters can move 12 and shoot all their weapons.

 

Lances are great, Watch out for Venoms they'll be carrying 2 splinter cannons for sure 12 shots of 4+ goodness.

 

BA is one marine army well placed to last against DE with Priests and FNP otherwise the sheer weight of shooting will mess you up

 

Good Luck, Let us know how you do and lists if possible :)

[Lanfear]

there was a topic few month ago... maybe there is some useful info for you to read :P

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...howtopic=224858

[igotsmeakabob!!]

Good Luck, Let us know how you do and lists if possible :)

Here's my partially constructed list for a 1250pt game, it'll need to go vs. DE and Nids:

 

HQ: 1 Librarian in Power Armour w/ Jump Pack (Thinking Shield and Unleash Rage)

 

Elite: 1 Sanguinary Priest in Power Armour w/ Jump Pack

 

Troops: 1 Lemartes, Guardian of the Lost

1 Death Company w/ PlasPist+PFist & Jpack

1 Death Company w/ PWeapon & Jpack

6 Death Company w/ Jpacks

 

Troops: 7 Assault marines

1 Assault Marine with Meltagun

1 Assault Marine with Meltagun

1 Sergeant w/ PWeapon & Inferno Pistol & Meltabomb

 

Troops: 7 Assault marines

1 Assault Marine with Flamer

1 Assault Marine with Flamer

1 Sergeant w/ PFist

 

Total Roster Cost: 1155

I posted a list in the subforum.

[grandmaster lisander]

I have played against dark elder and I have to say their new codex is quite annoying, but if you tailor your list correctly thats all they are. Do what blood angels do best, get in close grab them by the throat and throttle the life out of them.

[igotsmeakabob!!]

Would a full-on DoA list work well, or should I go for a more hybrid DoA/mech list? I have the feeling the DE are going to hold everything in reserve for the first turn. The 'nids, probably not.

I love my twin shooty Baals, but I get the feeling that if I only have a couple pieces of armor they'll get blown to hell. I *could* pick up a dev squad, 4 MLs at 130pts to blast apart one transport a turn.

[Black_Sky]

Ravagers throw out a lot of firepower, 3 str 8 ap 2 lances at up to 36 inches, move 12" and still shoot. Three of those, or two with a Razorwing Jetfighter in reserves are quite common.

 

Troops choices are one of the dark eldars strengths. They can field two strong units in warriors and wyches. Both choices are most likely mounted. Common loadouts are:

10 Warriors, Blaster, Splinter Cannon/Dark Lance. mounted in Raider with flickerfield and Dark Lance. Designed to throw some heavy fire downrange, whilst still being able to pour fairly decent amounts of shots into infantry.

10 Wyches, 2 Shardnets, Vet. upgrade with power weapon or agonizer. a great tarpit unit. Shardnets reduce incoming attacks by one per model, while the power weapon/agonizer is there for a little pain the other way. They have a 6+ save, 4++ in cc. - Shoot these!

5 Warriors, Blaster, Venom with dual Splinter Cannons and Flickerfield, possibly nightfield. thats one 18" str 8, ap 2, and twelve 36" poison 4+, ap 5 shots, at a very reasonable price.

 

I don't know what your opponent brings for his dark eldar, but I've put together a rather annoying list for you to compare to. It's an msu list designed to overwhelm opponents with a fair amount of firepower, whilst using speed to stay out of cc. There's a LOT of copy paste, and the list itself is boring as hell. I would not play it myself.

 

5 warriors, blaster, venom, dual splinter cannons. X6

Ravager, Three Dark Lances, Flickerfield. X3

Lady Malys.

25 points to spare at 1250.

 

Lady Malys is by far my favorite Hq and not an overly competitive choice.

You are looking at 9 fast open topped av 10/11 vehicles. 9 lances and 72 poisoned shots at 36 inches. Averaging, with FnP and 5+ cover, around 7-8 dead marines a turn. add in another 6 lances at 18, and 24 rapid fire poisoned weapons, and you are in for a world of hurt.

 

Boring as hell, but effective enough at that points level.

 

Any pointers to what your opponent might bring, and the tactics he favours would go a long way to help us help you :)

[igotsmeakabob!!]

I only saw what he had once, while he was playing vs. someone else... I don't recall what he had on the table other than the two razorwings and a downed transport. He might take Lilith and/or Incubi, but I can't say, it's only a 1250pt game... Besides, this list shouldn't be tailored to beat DE, it needs to contend with 'nids too, and from what I've seen of that force it contains some big creatures.

I don't think he's had too many games with his DE, so he probably hasn't refined tactics with them.

[igotsmeakabob!!]

Alright, how's this list? DoA with a team of Devs for fire support to crack the shell so my assaults can feast on the flesh. Only problem is the devs, probably far away from the others, getting assaulted.

 

Libby w/ JP, Shield & Unleash Rage

 

SangPriest w/ JPack

SangPriest w/ JPack & PWep

 

10-man Assault w/ 2 meltas, sarge w/ PWep & InfPistol

10-man assault w/ 2 flamers, sarge w/ PFist

8 Death Co. & Lemartes w/ JPacks, 1 PWep, 1 PFist, 1 PlasPistol

 

5 DevSquad w/ 4 ML

 

total: 1250pts

[I am Legion]

That's a decent list to deal with infantry and some vehicles, but what are you going to do about the nid player? Alot of those things are toughness 6. Maybe at 1250 points they wont be able to manage too many of them (not sure, don't plays games that small ^_^ ).

I'm wondering if you can fit in something else that can deal with MCs. Mephiston instead of that librarian? Do you also really need Lemartes at 1250 points? He can kill troops, thats it...Mephiston can deal with more and would make for a good all rounder for a small point game like this.

Something to consider.

[Black_Sky]

I'm think I am legion is right on the point with mephiston insted of lemartes and the librarian, especially if you can hug terrain with the jumpers.

The 5 man dev squad puts pressure on the DE player to close with his vehicles since they are only 36" range, and at the same time they should be able to hurt a nid monster each round.

The second list is definately better against DE, in my oppinion.

[igotsmeakabob!!]

I'd rather not use Mephy just yet, it's a story/escalating map campaign and I'm trying to hold off from using any titanic characters this early, Astorath/Dante/Mephy etc.

[The Yncarne]

General thoughts:

 

1. I love my DC with jump packs, but if anybody can "kite" jump packs, it will be Dark Eldar

2. I suggest trying to keep your units relatively close. Don't be tempted to isolate a unit on its own. A good Dark Eldar player will maximize his speed advantage to concentrate on units that are not well supported, or can not be counter-charged the following turn.

 

Good luck and have fun!

[SevenExxes]

How would 3 Stormravens and 9 Landspeeders all using assault cannons go vs Deldar?

[Black_Sky]

Land speeders are looking at an army where every weapon designed to do anti-tank duty is a rocket launcher. Their assault cannons would down down 2-3 vehicles, and you would then lose a few speeders to the counter attack, pretty much ensuring mutual destruction, possibly in the DE's favour. With Assault cannons you cannot even keep out of their blasters 18" range. Remember, in a squadron immobilized turns into destroyed, thus DE lances will have to penetrate on 3+ and then it's just a 50/50 chance of losing a speeder (about every 5th shot going into the speeder squardron).

 

Storm ravens on the other hand are proabably our best vehicle when dealing with DE. Av12 all around means that the lance ability has no effect at all, and melta immunity makes heat lances nearly useless. At the same time they carry a large arsenal of weapons with modderate-high strength and are fast skimmers, thus able to get close to the enemy, whilst delivering a deadly cargo into their midsts.

 

I would personally go with typhoons and Ravens in your army, thus enabling you speeders to hang back to avoid repercussions, although they are mighty expensive. Or even better, 3x3 Attack bikes with 2 MM/1 HB.

 

A Bloodstrike missile/long range melta shot will penetrate most DE vehicles on 3+ and receive +2 on the damage chart!

 

Arming the raven. I would go for the MM/ Assault cannon combo. MM are great against everything, and Assault cannon can perform both Anti-tank/Anti infatry roles. Their shorter ranges is acceptable in your list, as it would put the ravens closer to the DE, and possibly draw fire away from your speeders.

[igotsmeakabob!!]

I love Ravens, I have two of them (one converted Valk from before the model released and one unpainted 'regular' version) but 1250 seems a little low for them.

Typically I'd load something death-starry into a Raven, like terminators and a termie librarian, or lemartes and 8-10 DC on foot.. but in 1250 that doesn't leave me with much points for anything else.

[Black_Sky]

I feel your pain. Dual ravens are at the core of every list I write after they came out. Completely replaced the mechanized units I had used untill then.

 

Good luck in the fight!

 

Ohh, by the way, you should take a quick look at The Dark City. It's a site dedicated to Dark Eldar, still quite new, but worth a glance or two to pick up a few tricks.