Help with list - 1850pt Tournament (DL Heavy/Shooty)

Hey guys, I'm gearing up for a tournament in the next few weeks and I was curious if anyone had some suggestions on how to better optimize my list. I'm trying to focus mostly on a quick & shooty army (crazy huh?!). We're running 1850 using Beta Rules/ITC.

So far I'm 2 for 2 with this particular list and fairly happy w/the setup - BUT - after reading about them some more I had changed up one of my Ravagers last game from a 3xDL to 1xDL + 2xDissie version and had a fairly noticeable difference in damage output vs infantry/monsters. I'm now wondering if this (or similar) might be the optimal build for *all* of my Ravagers, though naturally as a Drukhari I'm quite fond of my Dark Lances, and have had excellent luck taking out vehicles or high W units with these... so I'm definitely hesitant on dropping 4 more DL's.. Maybe just do one 3x Dissie Ravager + two 3xDL? The cost difference is also somewhat off-putting.

Local meta is almost all SM variants or Tyranids. Last game was versus Thousand Sons and I basically demolished him by keeping at range the entire time (killed his transport T1 w/alpha strike) and focusing the largest threats on down. However it was still sketchy T2/3 due to his enormous Daemon getting in my grill and naturally I had ZERO response to his psykers (meh, we're used to this lol). Poison saved the day, but had it been a better player it may have gone differently (ok, maybe not, his entire army was on foot aside from a Chariot, Predator, disc lord and winged Daemon Lord).

Any advice or suggestions would be much appreciated! Especially if you have any tips specifically for SM or 'Nids (or hell, anyone else!).

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BATTALION DETACHMENT

HQ
- Archon, Blster + PGL + Agonizer
- Archon #2, Relic Pistol + PGL + Agonizer (need to drop PGL, forgot you can't use pistols + others at same time)
- Court of the Archon: Sslyth x1 (no org. slot taken)

Troops:

- Kabalite 5-man w/blaster
- Kabalite 5-man w/blaster
- Kabalite 5-man w/blaster

Elites:

- Blasterborn 5-man w/Blaster x4

Fast Attack:
- Scourge 5-man w/DL x4
- Scourge 5-man (stock weapons - carbine x5) - These guys did some friggin' WORK last match

Heavy Support:

- Ravager 2xDissie 1xDL
- Ravager 3xDL
- Ravager 3xDL

Flyers:

- Razorwing, TLSR + 2xDL
- Razorwing, TLSR + 2xDL

Transports:

- Venom, SC x2
- Venom, SC x2
- Venom, SC x2
- Raider, DL


Total Points: 1850 on the nose, 6CP

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INITIAL STRATEGY:
I put a squad of Blasterborn + 2 squads of Kabalites into all the Venoms and I put the Warlord + Sslyth + last Kabalite squad into the Raider. Last Archon either Deepstrikes, goes in Raider too or walks (they're all sub optimal atm, I know Helps with anti-DS duty tho). I usually deepstrike one or both Scourge to keep them safe - these have also been *excellent* at spreading out slow armies by surrounding them early and/or throwing them a cheap-ish distraction (not the DL ones!) should they fall for it for a turn. RWJFs start on opposite sides and essentially trace the outer area of our play area. This is fairly typical DE stuff so I imagine you know how it goes after that Lots of running around and focusing down the strongest units while trolling the rest from range

ISSUES:
Not a very high model count and basically zero close combat potential (only "real" options would be Archons and Sslyth but verse a dedicated combat character we ded). As someone will no doubt point out the Scourge tend to be the first ones to die, almost always, though I'm liking the carbines and it's a pretty easy way to get 4 more DL in my list with the other unit. I'd consider another Ravager or possibly a Reaper, but the deep strike + distraction does warrant some value-adds imho (I just like them! ok?)

ALTERNATE UNITS:
I'm more than willing to purchase additional units and plan to regardless (Hellions, modern Beastmaster, Cronos, etc)
- Incubi (x5)
- Mandrakes (x8)
- Wracks (x5)
- Talos (x1)
- Archons (x1)
- Kabalites (~50)
- Reavers (x6)
- Raiders (x3)
- Wyches (x10)
- Khymerae (x5)
- Beastmaster (x1) [Old OOP model - no skyboard, so I prefer not to use him, but I could kitbash or buy a real one]
- Razorwing Flocks (x15)

Dark Lance or Dissies? If so, what would you drop to bring it in? Maybe one DL from the Scourge? Hell changing a Venom to TLSR would do it too! I do much prefer the 36" range though w/18" RF + Blaster.

Thanks for looking guys!!! Sorry for the wall of text hehe

I like how you are using the scourges and wouldn't suggest dropping them...How much work have your Blasterborn/Splinter Cannons been doing ??

If you drop the extra splinter cannons and drop the blasterborn then move the kabalites into the venom this gives you 160 pts to work with there are quite a few options to round out the list:

-(CC and a bit more shooty)
x5 incubi in the raider
x6 dissies(I say keep the lanecs though? Idk this is a tough call and has been widely debated I would prefer a reaper here. Against nids and MEQ dissies might be +1)
10pts leftover(PGL's?)

-A beastpack with a lot of razorwings(could be pretty helpful in your local meta to deny t1 charges)
You don't necessarily have to use the beastmaster

-Add some mandrakes for more behind the line shooting

-Send it and throw in 4 units of 5 kabs

-Switch one of the archons for a small cult of bloodbrides and a succubus. I've heard 9-10 brides do some work

or a mixture of the above. Depends on how much weight those blasterborn have been pulling? Either way I would drop the splinter cannons. Even a basic swap for 6 kabalites you will probably get more value out of area of denial etc...

Yeah I'm pretty fond of the Scourge as well, they die quick but they're usually my all-stars the first 2/3 turns, with the added bonus that they're pretty much always focused down first leaving the rest of my army to do as it pleases in the beginning. I always get comments on how good they did on spreading out my opponent ("you should bring a whole army of those!"). The 70pt Carbine versions are very cost-efficient too.

It's a tough call on the Blasterborn, they haven't really had a stand-out game yet, but still have done some work on Termies and HQ's (they usually help finish off or soften the hard ones) that otherwise would have eaten up my Ravager or RWJF shots. I like the idea of using Mandrakes or Razorwing Flocks though - I think you're onto something with the RWF actually, seeing as how I could get something like 64A + 32W's for about the same point cost as a small Blasterborn squad... I'll have to give that a shot!

No matter what, I think you're right about dropping the Cannons on my Venoms - That's 45pt on it's own which gives me a fair amount of options for buffing another squad. I think I might do the 1xDissie + 2x DL on each of my Ravagers to give me some more anti-inf firepower as well.



Appreciate the feedback!!

Solid gameplan. I like the mandrakes and RWF too can't really go wrong with them right? Plus you are less prone to making a mistake with them. Incubi and our other CC options can be tricky to use.

Let us know how it goes!