2000 point kabal force

A little while ago I posted an army list I was planning to use in a battle on 8th release day against an ultrasmurf force. Well, after probably the bloodiest battle I've ever played I ended up tabling him with only a couple of models left on the board. I adjusted the list a bit to reflect what happened in the game and which units performed well. For example the voidraven, ravagers and trueborn did great while the scourges struggled to earn their points back. I'm kind of a big fan of flyers overall so I decided to trade the scourges for an air wing detachment. Looks like my next game is against necrons so we'll see how that one goes.

Vanguard Detachment

HQ

Archon
Agoniser
Blaster
Phantasm Grenade Launcher

Venom
Splinter Cannon
Splinter Cannon

Elites

Incubi x 4

Kabalite Trueborn x 5
Blasters x 4
Agoniser
Phantasm Grenade Launcher

Venom
Splinter Cannon
Splinter Cannon

Kabalite Trueborn x 5
Blasters x 4
Agoniser
Phantasm Grenade Launcher

Venom
Splinter Cannon
Splinter Cannon

Troops

Kabalite Warriors x 10
Dark Lance
Blaster
Agoniser
Phantasm Grenade Launcher

Raider
Dark Lance
Shock Prow

Kabalite Warriors x 10
Dark Lance
Blaster
Agoniser
Phantasm Grenade Launcher

Raider
Dark Lance
Shock Prow

Heavy Support

Ravager
Dark Lance x 3
Shock Prow

Ravager
Dark Lance x 3
Shock Prow

Air Wing Detachment

Razorwing Jetfighter
Dark Lance x 2
Splinter Cannon

Razorwing Jetfighter
Dark Lance x 2
Splinter Cannon

Voidraven
Dark Scythe x 2
Voidraven Missiles

1997 points

I will say that looks like a nasty list!

As a heads up; against necrons, darklances don't work so well due to their quantum shields (roll under the damage caused to completely negate it). I've had huge success with similar lists but with mass disintegrator cannons on anything that can use them.

Do you value the splinter cannons? I think they're a luxury upgrade and removing them across the board would save you 75 points. I don't know the requirements for the vanguard off the top of my head but you could change the 10 man Kabalite squads in to 4 5 man squads and add two blasters, or even just purchase a unit of stock Scourges.

Yeah, I've been thinking about the quantum shielding and I'll definitely think about replacing the dark lances with dissie cannons. Scoring 6 damage on a dark lance knowing it'll probably be negated is no fun.

Honestly, I tend to value the extra splinter cannons in 8th because I mostly have them on transports containing blasters and I like the synergy the blaster's range has with the splinter cannon's rapid fire range. Since I try to get those venoms within 18" as quickly as possible anyway they're normally pumping out 12 poisoned shots a turn the way they used to in 7th ed.

You aren't able to have a squad of 4 Incubi now I don't believe. Minimum squad size of 5, which is annoying as you can't have an Archon with them in a Venom.

You can have an understrength squad, as long as it's the only squad of that type in your army. You also have to pay the full points cost for the minimum unit. I think it's page 242 off the top of my head.

@Trueborn44 is right. Page 242, Understrength Units.

Anyway, the list looks like nice and themed. The only thing I miss there is something... nasty. Some dirty trick, something to make the enemy think twice before making his move. Something that is not on the table since T1 Like Scourges or Mandrakes.

Also you have only one small CC unit? What is its role? Its too small to assault by itself, so countercharge? In Kabal lists I myself like to put Archon in a Trueborn Raider, tooled Dracon and no special weapons and assault from T2-3. And a raider full of Incubi or two Venoms or two units of Incubi in one raider.

Countercharging + deterrence is probably their main role. It's mostly a shooty list but taking advantage of the fact that everyone knows what incubi do seems to work pretty well. Even though there's only the four of them most times just having their venom in the right place at the right time is enough to make your opponent a bit more cagey with their own assault units. That being said, these four guys plus my archon have racked up quite a respectable body count over the games I've played in 8th so far. There aren't many things capable of shrugging off 13 klaive attacks after all.

There's also the fact that I've just always loved the aesthetic of an archon rolling up to a battle with their incubi bodyguards. Not quite enough to splash out for 9 of them but still.