1000 pts New to Dark Eldar

Long story short, I've decided to switch things up a bit by starting a new army (I play 'crons, Chaos mainly with a dabble of Orks). Having landed on Dark Eldar, I've read through the codex and here's what I've come up with as a starting force. I'd be using the Realspace Raiders force org from the codex, as it seems the better choice.

Spoiler:

The idea is that the bloodbrides and succubus deep strike in and tie something up in combat, the Warriors stay in their raiders and shoot at tanks until they're in range of infantry, scourges just at whatever vehicles are looking troublesome and the reavers act as a can opener, by hopefully destroying a transport and assaulting the guys inside. Not sure how effective this will be though having not played with the army at all.
I'm open to tweaking this list or overhalling it completely, but I'd like to keep the reavers in if possible, (loving the models and fluff).

Also, a few questions, the Haemonculus, I can see what purpose he serves, mainly as a support unit to boost pfp, but what units would benefit most from him? I wouldn't of thought units like wracks as they already have feel no pain so he's useless for two turns with them.
and I honestly can't see a use for grotesques unless as a bodyguard for an IC. Is that pretty much they're only use?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated, I feel as if I'm quite light on the number of units here, although I'm not sure if thats because I'm just used to other armies.

Hi and welcome!
I would drop the dark lances from the Kabalite units. Given the infrastructure you've provided for them and the way you plan to use them, they'll never shoot those guns at their full BS. I suggest blasters or just splinter rifles.

The Bloodbrides are a brave choice. They're flavorfull for your Succubus, but they're not considered to be very good. Regular Wyches are just as good at the things Bloodbrides are good at (dodge, drugs, plasma grenades) for a more economical cost. That said, the general consensus here is that our only effective assault units are Grotesques and Incubi.

To answer your questions, Haemonculi are an economical carrier for webway portals. Assault units in particular will appreciate them. Their weaponry are cost effective for what they do (except liquifiers). And if you're running them out of the codex supplement, they can be really good at not dying.
I think you should take another look at Grotesques. They can expect to get 5+d3 attacks on the charge at S5, rerolling failed wounds if the target is below T5, and causing Instant Death on 6s.

Calyptra wrote:

Hi and welcome!
I would drop the dark lances from the Kabalite units. Given the infrastructure you've provided for them and the way you plan to use them, they'll never shoot those guns at their full BS. I suggest blasters or just splinter rifles.

The Bloodbrides are a brave choice. They're flavorfull for your Succubus, but they're not considered to be very good. Regular Wyches are just as good at the things Bloodbrides are good at (dodge, drugs, plasma grenades) for a more economical cost. That said, the general consensus here is that our only effective assault units are Grotesques and Incubi.

To answer your questions, Haemonculi are an economical carrier for webway portals. Assault units in particular will appreciate them. Their weaponry are cost effective for what they do (except liquifiers). And if you're running them out of the codex supplement, they can be really good at not dying.
I think you should take another look at Grotesques. They can expect to get 5+d3 attacks on the charge at S5, rerolling failed wounds if the target is below T5, and causing Instant Death on 6s.

Hi, and thanks for the response! I wasn't sure on the warrior's lances at first, being a good few points each. think I'll stick to an extra rifle each then, saves points for other things.

As for grotesques, I must've overlooked the rampage special rule, and never realised that about rerolling. Should I swap the bloodbrides for them, seeing as they fill the same roll but can do things better? The main thing that worries me is the insanely low leadership and the "low" initative.

I was wondering why you prefer the RSR over a CAD. You're not using the extra FA slots, and the cover bonus provided for your troops is mostly redundant due to the Nightshields. Effectively, you're trading ObSec for a first turn 6+ cover save for units that have no other means of cover.

Don't have Wyches or Bloodbrides come out of a Webway portal. On the turn they come out they can't charge, meaning they are going to get shot up pretty bad, and they only have a 6+ save.

In a Raider they will get the 4+ Jink save to help keep them alive and get them into close combat. Just flat out the first turn with the raider and try and get a charge off in the second turn. Or hide the raider for a turn then do that.

The warriors in your list will be better coming out of the Webway cause they'll immediately get to rapid fire into the target of your choosing.

DingK wrote:

I was wondering why you prefer the RSR over a CAD. You're not using the extra FA slots, and the cover bonus provided for your troops is mostly redundant due to the Nightshields. Effectively, you're trading ObSec for a first turn 6+ cover save for units that have no other means of cover.

true, guess I just didnt think it through, never been a huge fan of objective secured but I can see it'd be more valuable here than not.

orestes85 wrote:

Don't have Wyches or Bloodbrides come out of a Webway portal.  On the turn they come out they can't charge, meaning they are going to get shot up pretty bad, and they only have a 6+ save.

In a Raider they will get the 4+ Jink save to help keep them alive and get them into close combat.  Just flat out the first turn with the raider and try and get a charge off in the second turn.  Or hide the raider for a turn then do that.

The warriors in your list will be better coming out of the Webway cause they'll immediately get to rapid fire into the target of your choosing.

It was mainly to give me a second angle of attack, I often found with necrons deepstriking flayed ones were a good distraction unit, despite being awful before the update (but thats for a different forum). But I can see that wyches are to fragile to do anything now haha


changed the list around though a bit, swapped the bloodbrides and succubus for a haemonaculus with grotesques

Spoiler:

Not sure what to fill the remaining points with though, I tend only to take one or two close quarters units, and I'm getting the impression shooty is the way to go anyway.

And Thanks for the suggestions everyone! Nice to have a good start to an army like this

Could you possibly bump that unit of Grots up to 6 strong and use the formation from the Covens supplement? This way, they get some bonuses but the best is that they get a new pfp table where the first two turns aren't redundant (since they already FnP). Just a suggestion!

Also, any reason why you removed the succubus from the assault unit and replaced it with a haemy? I feel like they're both useful, but the succubus with an archite glaive would give you some more bite.

Shbur wrote:

Could you possibly bump that unit of Grots up to 6 strong and use the formation from the Covens supplement? This way, they get some bonuses but the best is that they get a new pfp table where the first two turns aren't redundant (since they already FnP). Just a suggestion!

Also, any reason why you removed the succubus from the assault unit and replaced it with a haemy? I feel like they're both useful, but the succubus with an archite glaive would give you some more bite.

I could, but I don't have the supplement so wouldn't be able check it if needed. and honestly I just felt it was fluffier, just feels strange pitting wychcult and coven units together, no idea why but I'm a tad weird with things like that