Please Critique my 500 pts list!!!

**Disclaimer**
I already have more than 500 pts of DE, but I seem to have trouble building a decent larger points list with them, so I'm scaling it back to see how/where I can improve. (I'm already thinking that this list may be way too safe/slow for a DE build, but would like additional input.)

HQ
Haemonculus (95 pts)
+Flesh Gauntlet
+Armour of Misery

Troops
Kabalite Warriors (x5) (110 pts)
+Blaster
+Raider

Kabalite Warroirs (x5) (40 pts)

Fast Attack
Venom (65pts)
+2nd Splinter Cannon

Elite
Incubi (60pts)

Heavy
Talos (130 pts)
+TL Haywire Blaster

Here are some of my thoughts behind the list and how to use it.

The Haemonculus - one of the cheapest HQ options which I originally only had equipped with the flesh gauntlet, but with an extra 15 pts laying around after I had filled the rest of my list out, I figured the Armour of Misery would be huge for survivability (4+/6++) and also a bonus in making the enemy fail Leadership tests! (-2 Ld within 6", since this will be a Close Combat unit, it seemed like a good value for points). The Haeme will hop in the venom first turn with the Incubi and utilize the double splinter cannon config to harass and thin enemy forces. Turn 3 is when this unit should try to get into assault and put the hurt on your opponent (now I haven't used the Haeme extensively before, but believe he should fair decently in a challenge with the armor of misery and the fleshgauntlet, Melee: Poisoned 4+, Lethal Dose [A roll to wound of a 6 causes instant death]).

The troops are pretty standard. 2 groups of 5 kabalites, one group with a blaster and raider. The group with the raider should be utilized for zooming around capping objectives and the disintegrator cannon should put pressure on some of the enemy infantry (The x3 5str 2ap shots will be looking for tougher enemy units, I understand that the venom may be better here in that its smaller and can fire more shots for a slightly higher cost, but right now I only have 1 venom to work with ). The other squad of kabalites should hang back and hold objectives/supply some support fire if necessary.

Now for the Talos. It has 2 roles in this list. One, is to draw fire, the other, to take out heavy armored targets. It's a monsterous creature so it's tough, the one draw back is it is slow. I also equipped it with the TL haywire blaster as there is somewhat of a lack of anti-tank in this list so far, and haywire is one of my favs (especially TL), I've seen other lists opt for scourges here, but I feel like they are really a one trick pony (as I would equip them with 4 haywire blasters, they deepstrike in, kill vehicle, and then get wiped next turn). This unit is going to be slow, as I said, but as long as it's on the field it should draw fire away from other units and once/if it gets in range it should be able to take out heavy armored units or even vehicles. (A ravager might also fair adequately in this slot, but you still have to worry about anything with str 5 weapons, like tau fire warriors...)

I feel that for a DE list, it has a lot to offer at 500 pts. Although, in an attempt to make it "well-rounded" I think I lost some of what makes DE so devastating, and that is speed. I'm going to test it out today and see how it works, but as for now I am looking for constructive criticism (don't be afraid to be harsh!!!)

Best regards,

BH73

I wouldn't use incubi at 500 pts (Despite being my favorite unit) But they could work I suppose. And I myself would replace the Talos with Scourges that have Haywire Blasters

Hi there,

BlackHeart73 wrote:

Haemonculus (95 pts)
+Flesh Gauntlet
+Armour of Misery

I feel like your Haemonculus is only cheap by comparison to a fully loaded Archon. He's 1/5 of your points, to put it in perspective.

Now, there's nothing wrong with that - some HQ's rock so much that we're happy putting so much of an investment into them. But he's really not the monster we're looking for at this many points.

He doesn't have good enough stats to threaten anyone; with so few attacks and low WS, his instant death weapon will rarely roll a 6 to wound, let alone vs a multi wound model, and also let alone have that model fail their save (it has no AP)

No, I believe your options are either

1) A cheap combat Succubus. For the same 95 points you can get one with simply an Archite Glaive. She can do a lot of hurt, especially at such low points, and her stats and AP2 matches the Incubi perfectly. Just keep them away from walkers.

2) Court of the Archon with exactly 2 Sslyth and 2 Medusae. If you can find 5 points that is. They cannot join the Incubi, but they will almost always give you more value than your Haemonculus. The AP3 template is potent, and the squad is T5 with FNP 5+ base, and with a few more wounds to play with.

3) Court of the Archon featuring your choice of a single 10 point Lmahaean. This option saves you enough points (85) to buy upgrades wherever you want them, or instead drop your blaster, TL haywire on the Talos, and fit in the scourges you dismissed (see below)

BlackHeart73 wrote:

I've seen other lists opt for scourges here, but I feel like they are really a one trick pony (as I would equip them with 4 haywire blasters, they deepstrike in, kill vehicle, and then get wiped next turn).

With such small points, Scourges actually perform well simply because there's less around to kill them. You can usually find a safe spot to land, as their haywire guns have moderate range.

Coming from deep strike means they'll always have at least FNP 6+, and possibly even FNP 5+, so they're not terribly flimsy in small games like this.

Alternatively, you can start with them in play, and hug cover. Keep them out of sight from any big guns that are in the game, until they're able to kill said big guns. They're free to maneuver around as targets present themselves.

That being said, I still like the Talos here. I personally think the scourges fulfil the role he's trying to do better than him, but I prefer him cheaper with simply his regular Splinter Cannon. At 500 points, he's the monster you need to make the enemy second guess himself, not the Haemonculus.