Dark Eldar in 6th

[thecactusman17]

Ravagers can switch out any of their lances with disintigrators on a one for one basis.

In my game earlier tonight, I realized that Dark Eldar need to be far more aggressive now than ever before. While my Hellions stood out of cover, hoping to avoid overwatch from not one but two packs of Grey Hunters, my opponent ran a surviving flamer from the back forward and cooked off several from the side, almost forcing a morale check. Thankfully, I still had enough left to subsequently flatten him in that area--until his THIRD drop pod full of Hunters and some outflanking Wolf scouts came down, finishing off my unit.

[Krayd]

Some random observations/musings.

Units that have to make an emergency disembarkation can't perform any voluntary actions that turn - this would include overwatch. Granted, it's very situational... but coordinated close range anti-armor shooting plus assaulting(either with the shooting unit or another one) is nice work if you can get it.

I'm slightly disappointed that units that are pinned are still able to fire on overwatch. Makes gravtalons/necrotoxin slightly less useful as an assault set-up tactic. Well, at least you can still charge pinned units in cover without getting your initiative knocked down to 1.

Jump infantry can only dish out impact hits if they only moved 6" or less in the movement phase. So, I'm not sure exactly how often I'm going to be taking advantage of this, as generally one tries to move their jump infantry their maximum distance just so that they can be in assault range.

I foresee lots of Archons with shadowfield and poweraxe. Additional options will likely include either a soul trap, or an AP3 close combat weapon to use on 3+ armor or worse at normal initiative (while still getting +1 A from having a 2nd CCW). Luckily, I have a converted figure (that used to be my punisher Archon from 3rd-4th ed) with a halberdlike weapon which will serve nicely.

Mindphase gauntlets, Vexator Masks, and electrocorrosive whips will make for good challenge weapons. Or rather,they will make good "I'm going to make your character as inneffectual as possible, even if I can't kill him" weapons.

Mandrakes suck even worse now, lacking the ability to assault the opponents backline when outflanking... which is the only thing that I have ever used them for with any luck. Nightfiends, being characters, will get precision S4 attacks, but every units' characters get precision attacks, so it's still an overuse of points. They MIGHT (and that's a big MIGHT) be a bit more worthwhile while nightfight is in effect.

Pretty disappointed that huskblades were not made AP2. That's an incredibly hefty cost for a weapon that is only AP3.

Still not particularly worried about Termies though. My most common means of dealing with them before this was splintering them to death via concentrated spinter fire. That... doesn't change.

[The Sovereign]

Also, I'm convinced the WWP nerf was a calculation by GW to sell more raiders.

[Krayd]

Also, I'm convinced the WWP nerf was a calculation by GW to sell more raiders.

Well, then they should have made it possible for raiders to come out of the WWP! :P

[The Shadow King]

Converting for power axes now seems to be a thing that might become common now, since its the only way to get AP 2 in CC without being a MC or being a special char.

Still i assume GW took this into account by giving them the unwieldy rule.

Feels rather weird seeing the swift and agile dark eldar striking last.

Umm, just take a Incubi champ with demi klaives if you want AP2 in assault, 4 attacks on the charge, WS6, S5, I6 AP2 if I recall correctly. Disintergrators are better at taking care of termies anyway as others have said.

[Anggul]

Umm, just take a Incubi champ with demi klaives if you want AP2 in assault, 4 attacks on the charge, WS6, S5, I6 AP2 if I recall correctly. Disintergrators are better at taking care of termies anyway as others have said.

Klaivexes are, sadly, just a points sink. Also, why would you charge a full squad of Incubi at Terminators when only the Klaivex can actually do anything? With the utterly pointless power weapons nerf which benefits only Marines and pretty much no-one else, we now need to deal with Terminators with either Wyches or firepower. Incubi are for power armour only now, apparently the metal that Terminator armour is made of is immune to giant power Klaives, but an axe can get through it just fine. Seriously, the stupid new power weapon rules are pretty much the only thing I hate about 6th ed.

[eldargal]

I disagree, actually. The power weapon benefits Dark Eldar by boosting the usefullness of some special characters and benefits Eldar by boosting survivability of Phoenix Lords. I actually like it, god knows 2+ saves aren't exactly common and AP2 (ranged) weaponry isn't rare. If you were relying on melee to kill terminators before you were taking a mighty risk in my opinion.

Honestly apart from the WWP (which was never by favourite build anyway, but it was fluffy and nice) I think DE have come out of 6th really, really well. Better than Craftworld Eldar, but their book is older so that is hardly unexpected.

[WickedGood]

1. Dark Eldar really benefit from Eldar allies. I have been taking Eldrad, a wraithlord, and 5 rangers as allies at 1850. Eldrad fulfills a huge niche on our army. The psychic defense is immense. I have put a wound on one of their characters each time the actually tried to cast. Also taking divination really helps. That 2+ save on his terminators getting you down? Misfortune him and then unload massive amounts of poisoned shots. Now it's like he is standing there in power armor.

2. Dark Eldar bikes got much better. 48" range, 4+ invulnerable is moving normally, 3+ if turbo boosting and then a 5+ as soon as you get a pain token on them.

3. Our flyers live for more than 1 round! It is actually fun to have them on the board zooming around. One note other flyers drop them out of the sky quick though. I don't think the flicker field is worth it any more. The ability to evade for a 5+ fu;lfils this just fine and I have found that once the get enough hits on you your going to have trouble shooting the next round anyway. The night shield did come in handy a couple of times though.

I am still working on positioning and how that works with cover saves. I keep end up giving him 2-3 models out in the open as the nearest targets before he has to shoot the guys in cover. I think this is going to be a huge change.

[helvexis]

Disintegrators, blasters, wyches with power axe hekatrices, lots and lots of splinter fire.

on this i made a full all out splinter list against a mates deathwing army with 26 hamminators in 5th.

it didnt work i had 3 venoms with 2 Scannon nd 2 Scarbine trueborn squads, 3 5 man scourge with 2 Scannons a warrior squad or 2 in raiders with splinter racks and a 20man warrior squad with the duke, S2 cannons and 2 razorwings with dissintegrators, 4 missiles and a Scannon.

he had 5 squads of hammer shield terminators with a cyclone missile launcher, belial and 3 bikes for the scout deathwing assault with the first turn he got :/

i just didnt have enough shots to kill them all in time.
just couldnt do it :/ scourge were the best unit of the game along with trueborn in venoms.

what you say is true they are our only options really ... but weight of fire from poison wont be able to do it on its own.
i think beastmaster squads with razorwing flocks will be alot more common say 1master with 3-5 khymarae and the rest with as many flocks as you can afford.

i am Really looking forward to doing a jetbike/venom army with an allied bike farseer and some guardian bikes and shining spears and vipers.

[eldargal]

Darklight is the main thing, splinter fire is for mopping up survivors. Void raven with its AP2 lances, relative immunity to their fire and AP implosion missiles also a plus. Regardless unusually terminator heavy lists like Deathwing will still cause us issues.