I know where to start - but not where to finish.. Dark Eldar, a project

A little background.

I play a lot of WHFB. I do not play a lot of 40k. I like most things Elven. I'm not a gunline fan, but am happy to use ranged troops etc in moderation. Thats me in a Wargaming nutshell.

So to the point.

I have started collecting Deldar and have quite a few models now. However i seem to just be aimlessly plodding along picking up the odd thing here and there and have no real strategy when i come to creating my Deldar Force.

Max game i've played is 1k and that involved:-

Archon with insta-death sword, 2++, soultrap
10 Kabalites - DL & Blaster
9 Wyches
10 Super wyches 3x hydra
3 jet bikes
ravager
and 2 raiders

Did very well vs Orcs, Did very badly vs CSM...

Now i've got a few additional models - Talos, Voidbatwing Bomber, Haemi, Scourges, 10 Wracks, Helions, Venow. 5 Mandrakes (i know they're probably pants, but look how cool!!)

The following list is my first attempt at 1750 (seems to be the most common value)

Archon, as above with blast pistol
Haemi liquefier, shattershard

2 x 10 wyches, raider, Hekatrix, Agonizer, 2x Hydra

4 Trueborn with Blasters in a venom, 2x splinter Cannon
9 Wracks, Liquefier, Champ Hexrifle (archon here) Raider

5 Scourges 2x Haywire blasters
3 reavers, Caltrops & Blaster

Talos, Stinger pod additional CCW
Voidraven, 1x Implosion, 1x Necro toxin, 2x shatterfield
Ravager -DL

All vehicles have both nightshield and flickerfield.

I've tried to keep it balanced and able to go h2h and also go AT too.
Have i managed it? Are there any tricks i'm missing or points i'm waisting?

I have considered a unit of Warriors with 2x DLs for snipey duties, Viable?
I'm hoping to evolve a list in the 1.75-2k range that is something characterful and fun to play with AND against while being competitive

p.s. I like to win - but its not essential

Brian Mage wrote:

Archon, as above with blast pistol
Haemi liquefier, shattershard

Hamei is good, though the Shattershard is an easy drop if we need to save points.
Blast pistol on Archon is basically a waste - you will want him in combat and will need to shoot what you're assaulting, so why bother getting a shooting option that is better vs. mech when that's not what he should be assaulting? I'd drop it.

Brian Mage wrote:

2 x 10 wyches, raider, Hekatrix, Agonizer, 2x Hydra

These are fine. If your opponents field much mech then I'd drop the Wych Weapons in favor of Haywire Grenades, but otherwise these are fine though I would tend to want FFs on the Raiders...but I like FFs on all vehicles.

Brian Mage wrote:

4 Trueborn with Blasters in a venom, 2x splinter Cannon
9 Wracks, Liquefier, Champ Hexrifle (archon here) Raider

So the Haem is going with the...Trueborn? That doesn't help you much or make much sense. I'd drop a Wych and slip him in with one of those squads - FNP Wyches are a good thing (leave him behind on the boat when you assault and let him drop templates on stuff.

Trueblasters are fine.

Wracks are...meh. Okay, a couple of thoughts here;
1. You're pairing your HQ who has fleet with an assault unit that doesn't - that will make him slower, if he was paired with Wyches he wouldn't be slow.
2. Obviously blast pistols and Liquifiers don't combo well - but I already asked you to drop the pistol so...whatevs, just pointing it out.
3. The Hexrifle is, in my opinion, one of the worst guns in the game much less our codex. Regardless of if you think it is awesome or not let's at least agree that it really isn't a great buy for a unit that is going to be assaulting things. I'd take a second Liquifier before taking the Acothyst as the Archon will fulfill a lot of the roles of the Acothyst anyway.
4. This is your big super assault unit with Archon and Wracks and the whole sheang - that isn't worth buying some FFs for, just to make it 33% harder to kill or so?

Brian Mage wrote:

5 Scourges 2x Haywire blasters
3 reavers, Caltrops & Blaster

I like the Scourges.
I dislike the Reavers.

I am becoming a strong believer that RJBs are not a very good selection at all. If they *are* a good selection it is because of mobility and affordability - if you want them to be affordable you can't load them up with wargear. Currently you are paying points for wargear that you'll never be able to use more than 1-2 times in the course of the game even if everything goes exactly as you want it to - because they can't use the Caltrops when they use the Blaster and vice versa.

I'd personally drop them and use the extra points I saved you already to take more Troop options. If you're srious about RJBs then I'd decide if you need more anti-mech or anti-infantry (anti-mech) and equip them with only that piece of wargear and have them focus on doing that job - they're a cheap throwaway unit, don't toss on extra points and make them a less cheap throwaway unit.

Brian Mage wrote:

Talos, Stinger pod additional CCW

I will say, the Stinger Pod is pretty 'meh' With your BS - if you want decent anti-infantry shooting the S.Cannon will serve you fine and give you better range. If you want to pay for something better I'd honestly go with the haywire blaster as, being TL, it will hit quite a bit, and will also combo really well if you want to assault a vehicle that moved as you have a good chance of damaging it to the point where you'll auto hit when you charge.

Brian Mage wrote:

Voidraven, 1x Implosion, 1x Necro toxin, 2x shatterfield
Ravager -DL

I don't like the Voidraven setup - if you want to play with missiles (and all our missiles are anti-infantry, don't kid yourself and think otherwise) then the Razorwing is a massively better deal and will save you points.
If you want to pay for the glory that is the Voidraven, than accept that you're paying for Void Lances and just let it shoot at vehicles as much as possible.
Ravager is fine.

Brian Mage wrote:

All vehicles have both nightshield and flickerfield.

Hurm, okay, retroactively disregard all my comments about FFs.

Brian Mage wrote:

I have considered a unit of Warriors with 2x DLs for snipey duties, Viable?

They are viable, they're not cutting edge competitive. Still, it is probably our most functional option for objective sitting and is a reasonably affordable way to get two lances on the board.

Quote :

If you want to pay for something better I'd honestly go with the haywire blaster as, being TL, it will hit quite a bit, and will also combo really well if you want to assault a vehicle that moved

Why would you go with the HWB over a tw-thermal lance for this?

Because usually my goal is to have the Talos gain the distance of the assault as 'bonus' movement to set up charges thereafter. Also, nine times out of ten if it's a transport, they'll deploy out of the transport in a manner to deny you the charge, and usually what pops out is not likely to have a lot of ways to hurt the Talos anyway.

In the specific (and probably rare) instance where you need the Talos to assault the unit inside the transport then the heat lance is better - but at that point you should have the tools in the rest of your army to do the damage and pop the vehicle anyway.

The primary goal of the Talos is to break vehicles, a heat lance is okay - but let me assure you auto hits in assault on an immobilized vehicle are better. Consequently the haywire blaster is a better tool for the Talos looking to assault and crump vehicles.

@ Thor:

Quick question about your Reaver comments. Why wouldn't you be able to use both the caltrops and the blaster in the same turn? Granted, you wouldn't be moving as far-12"-but that isn't to say you can't use them period. It is feasible that there would be a time where 12" was all you needed to get behind a vehicle (Rhino) that has just unloaded its cargo, bladevaning them and then shooting the rear armour of the tank... No?

AE

read pg 29 of the codex and you will see why that wont work

Short answer is you can't turbo-boost and shoot in the same turn, natch.