1650pts tournie venom list

Howdy folks,

Here is a list I am contemplating for a tournament in August, let me know what you think and what changes you might make.

Haemonculus: venom blade 55

4 Kabalite Trueborn: 4× blaster 108
• Venom: splinter cannon 65
4 Kabalite Trueborn: 4× blaster 108
• Venom: splinter cannon 65

5 Kabalite Warriors: blaster 60
• Venom: splinter cannon 65
5 Kabalite Warriors: blaster 60
• Venom: splinter cannon 65
5 Kabalite Warriors: blaster 60
• Venom: splinter cannon 65
5 Kabalite Warriors: blaster 60
• Venom: splinter cannon 65
5 Kabalite Warriors: blaster 60
• Venom: splinter cannon 65

8 Reavers: cluster caltrops 196
8 Reavers: cluster caltrops 196

Ravager: flickerfield 115
Ravager: flickerfield 115

1,648 points

If you lost 1 reaver from each squad, and dropped the venom blade from your Haemy, you could turn a unit of your warriors into another unit of blasterborn.

Ideally, I'd run the reavers in number groupings that allow them their caltrops, so you could lose 2 more, making them 2 squads of 6, and be able to afford an additional 5 man warrior squad for objective camping in your deployment zone.

Would bring your total to 1649.

You have so much Anti-Infantry that you could easily drop 1 of those Reaver units and take more Anti-Tank. A third Ravager or even a 3rd Blasterborn squad would be a good investment in the points. Could also reduce your Reaver unit down to 6.
Also, instead of the Haemie, take a Blaster Archon and field him with a unit of 3 Trueborn. He'll bring more to the table than a VB Haemie in this list, unless your plan is to flick the Haemies pain token to the Reavers, than fine.

Surely though 6 jetbikes are going to get annihilated before they get a chance to do anything useful?

With a three plus jjink without needing to move? I don't think they will drop easy.

I agree u are a little tight on at, I would drop 2 travers from each and maybe drop to 3 blaster born each and use points for 3rd ravager

I meant more that against regular weapons they are effectively only space marines.

benth3bear wrote:

I meant more that against regular weapons they are effectively only space marines.

Space marines that can move 48 inches a turn, diving from LoS blocking terrain to LoS blocking terrain, bladevaning in between. They're a tactical unit that probably won't fire their weapons much, but that's ok, because the bladevanes are better than shooting anyhow. Since bladevanes aren't shooting attacks, they can also get their 3+ jink without any real penalty.

No, reavers used correctly aren't really easy kills. Also, if your opponent focuses a lot on your reavers, that's good news for you, because it means one of your objective secured troops isn't being fired at, and is likely securing an objective. Furthermore, ignores cover weapons are far less common than AP3 or better weapons in most armies, so fewer weapons will deny you your 3+ than would deny a marine squad their 3+.

Ah right, that makes much more sense. I had seen people say how good reavers were but noone had ever really explained as to why though.

Is it worth paying for the cluster caltrops?

Cluster Caltrops? Yes!! As the Reavers will be moving at high speeds now the Caltrops basically replace the shooting weapons IMO. Pts well spent (unless u roll a 1)

Ok, next question.

flickerfield worth taking on the ravagers or should strategic movement and usage of cover suffice with them?

I like flickerfields on ravagers. Jink sort of sucks on ravagers because you want them firing every turn, and not as snapshots. This doesn't mean you don't use strategic movement and cover. You obviously would, to get the fewest numbers of shots at them using the best save possible, but when the proverbial crap hits the fan, it's nice to have a 5+ invuln just in case. Even if it doesn't make it survive, it will likely make your enemy dedicate more fire to it than otherwise necessary, thereby saving something else for a round.

The above does not necessarily apply to raiders, as losing 1 lance/dissie shot in exchange for a jink save is far more advantageous than losing the 3 guns of a ravager for a turn.

So how about these for changes.

Haemonculus: shattershard 65

3 Kabalite Trueborn: 3× blaster 81
• Venom: splinter cannon 65
3 Kabalite Trueborn: 3× blaster 81
• Venom: splinter cannon 65

5 Kabalite Warriors: blaster 60
• Venom: splinter cannon 65
5 Kabalite Warriors: blaster 60
• Venom: splinter cannon 65
5 Kabalite Warriors: blaster 60
• Venom: splinter cannon 65
5 Kabalite Warriors: blaster 60
• Venom: splinter cannon 65
5 Kabalite Warriors: blaster 60
• Venom: splinter cannon 65

6 Reavers: 2× cluster caltrops 172
6 Reavers: 2× cluster caltrops 172

Ravager 105
Ravager 105
Ravager 105

1,641 points

Better, but you will suffer for lack of anti-flier. Especially at 1650 points, i would usually expect to be facing at least one.

how do dark eldar deal with flyers? I used to take a razorwing instead of one of the ravagers is that really the only way to do it?

Dark Eldar suffer a lack of Anti-Flyer always! We don't have enough to take out more than 1 per turn and then those times when your Voidraven comes on BEFORE the enemy flyer...great. My strategy; i think about where they may come on and try to manipulate and shut down their possible landing zones. I face Stormravens the most so I usually ignore the thing, than usually my opponent switches flight modes and my Wyches pounce on it

So do people think I should swap a ravager for a razorwing or is it more putting up with the problem

I say run what you like and have fun!

I'll test both out to see what works best I reckon.

Avoid the flier as best as you can. Kill the ground forces. Thats the dark eldar way in this codex.