Viability of using Dark Eldar as Kroot Mercenaries

[L30n1d4s]

I saw this idea a couple of editions ago and thought about it again with the release of the new Drukhari book... what do you all think of the viability of using Dark Eldari rules and Kroot models to make a "counts as" Kroot Mercenary army?

 

For example, Kroot Shapers could be "counts as" Archons, Kroot Mercenaries could be "counts as" DE Warriors, Kroot Hunters could be "counts as" Wyches, Winged Adaption Kroot could be "counts as" Hellions, Krootox Riders could be "counts as" Talos, Kroot Hounds could be "counts as" Beast Packs, etc, etc.

 

Even the higher tech things, like Raiders and Heat Lances and Blaster weapons could be represented as Tau weapons and vehicles gifted to their Kroot allies for their services (and Poison weapons could represent Kroot using native poison weapons from their home world).

 

In terms of special rules, Power from Pain could represent the Kroot cannibalistic enhancements as the battle goes on and they gain powers from eating the dead, Blade Artists could count as Kroot close combat "rending" attacks, and Combat Drugs could represent specific evolutionary advancements by particular Kroot strains.

 

Anyway, a somewhat unorthodox idea here, but seeing as how Kroot Mercenaries don't have actual rules and Drukhari have very intriguing and (dare I say) well-balanced, competitive rules, this might be a way to do this.

 

What do you all think? Is a counts as army like this viable?

[Azekai]

Do it. Kroot are supposed to be deadly in close combat, and their current rules only allow them to be trash tier screens for more important stuff. I especially like the idea using Power from Pain to represent the Kroot feasting on their fallen foes.

Krootox are probably close to grotesques in terms of size- if you want to proxy a Talos engine, you would almost be the size of a lesser knarloc. Those are not made by FW anymore, but there are lots of toy dinosaurs and prehistoric bird figures that would work.

 

[Dr. Clock]

This would be quite cool indeed!

 

Unfortunately right now I think that given Kabalites' 4+ armour save, they're not amazing candidates for counts-as 'standard Kroot Mercenary' ...

 

Like - I'd be totally fine with a Kroot Mercenary being 'a Kabalite warrior with a 6+ save'... but it'd feel a bit off to just have the current 'kroot mercenary' sculpt with a 4+/6++ Save going to 4+/5++ turn 3.

 

That said - if you threw enough firewarriors or other substantial armour pieces at a Kroot, I could see it working out. Altogether I think it might be wise to pick just one of the Drukhari factions to start, probably wych cults since they are the most like Kroot in terms of 'generic combat focus with low armour'.

 

To get around the Kabalite armour issue I'd basically encourage you to build toward a ~ 1k Patrol of Wyches with lots of Mercenaries for the fire support... Mandrakes are pretty much the closest thing a proper 'sneaky strong scout unit' in the codex and I'm more or less okay with 5++ as a reasonable save for 'someone who is both very sneaky and very dodgy.' Then for scourges I'd look at the Warcry Harpies as 'big flying techy Kroot' with Battlesuit weapons, firewarrior armour pieces and maybe even a field projector or two for the ghostplate 4+/5++

 

Here's looking forward to your venom-pirahna and raider-pirahna conversions ; )

 

Also Seraphon Terradons > Reavers for sure...

 

Good luck with it!

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[L30n1d4s]

I think you are right on the money about Kroot Mercenaries not having a 4+/6++... perhaps if they had Fire Warrior armor added on or, more thematically appropriate, they carried some kind of shields (maybe looking like Zulu warrior shields, but with a small Tau Shield generator incorporated), then the 4+ save would be more appropriate.

 

I also agree with you that Wyches are the best approximation of a "standard" Kroot Mercenary in terms of statline and rules, so that is a great place to start (especially since Wyches are quite good now).

 

As for Wracks, they could represent Kroot with Evolutionary upgraded toughness and healing abilities (i.e. their T4 and 5+++ FNP).

 

Mandrakes would be great to represent Kroot Scouts that forward deploy and sneak up on the enemy by stealth, as you point out.

 

The only units that I don't think would be well represented by some variation of Kroot are Drazhar/Incubi (unfortunately... they are super competitive choices now) and the DE Flyers, since they just dont fit in with something Kroot Mercenaries would likely have access to.

[Delta.Skies]

if you are on instagram search the hashtag #siegofpech youll find inspiration there loads of kroot count as stuff there