Why use Wracks

Personally Wracks seem ineffective to me compared to either a nice squad of wyches or kaballites, and yet in so many army lists, I tend to at least see one squad of them, so I've decided to ask, what do you tend to use wracks for? Or if not, why?

I love to play my dark Eldar as corsairs. I try to concentrate on kabalites because I don't use much dedicated close combat squats. That's why I don't use Wracks. I would use them in a venom with those acid throwing guns (don't know the English name) against horde armies.

Anyway: we are good at shooting and I tend to maximise it. So only specialist cc squats. So no Wracks.

For me, Wracks are a lot more survivable than my Wyches due to FNP and T4. While Wyches have Dodge once they get into close combat, they don't have a lot of utility until then...and if a venom/raider explodes with them in it, I pretty much guarentee myself that i'll lose enough to force a morale test at the end of the phase (let alone the pinning test for the explosion result).

They have the same number of attacks in close combat (1+2ccws); however, Wrack Tools are Poison 4+ so they aren't wounding on 5's by default. They are more consistent and less reliant on drugs in this manner.

Lastly, the Ossafactor is a personal favorite of mine. Not everyone like the gun but it has had a lot of great results in the games I use it in.


So for 1 point more than Wyches, I find Wracks to be better in every aspect. The only thing I see Wyches having over Wracks is that they are troops for when I take a CAD over a RSR. Wracks being Elites take up spaces away from Incubi, Grots, and Trueborn so it's a balancing act or requires a coven formation if I need more slots.

I can't see much reason to take wracks as part of a CAD, but I have taken them as part of a coven formation (specifically, the scalpel squadron). Though, I suppose that it would be nice to get them in a non-haemy detachment for furious charge vs. T3 armies.

If you're running a Coven list and you want to make use of Venoms, you need Wracks.

I use them in a Scalpel Squadron, but without the formation I would still take a couple Wrack cells in Venoms. I've found them to be extremely versatile. They can zip around and take objectives. If I feel that I need a -1 Ld penalty somewhere, I can flat out or run them over. Between fearless, T4, and FnP, they make excellent tar pits or speed bumps, and thanks to their poisoned weapons, they occasionally punch well above their weight class. Ossefactors are amazing, and let you shout "bonesplosion!"

The wrack formations from the Covens 'dex are pretty sweet, especially the Scarlet Epicureans and the Scalpel Squadron.

My take on Wrack useability:

They performed very well

Concerning the codex vs supplement comments - I fully agree that the coven versions through that detachment or the formations are much better than taking up an elite slot in a RSR or CAD. The Coven PFP chart fits them significantly better plus the various formation buffs help to varying degrees.

YoungArchon wrote:

Personally Wracks seem ineffective to me compared to either a nice squad of wyches or kaballites, and yet in so many army lists, I tend to at least see one squad of them, so I've decided to ask, what do you tend to use wracks for? Or if not, why?

I agree that Warriors are better, but Wyches seem inferior - no save outside of combat, non-poisoned S3 attacks.

Anyway, I take Wracks for two reasons:

1) I like the models.

2) I like Haemonculi and often take wracks as an escort for one (since they're cheaper than grotesques and so fit better into my MSU army).

I've had decent success with a list using Fleshcorps and 1-2 CADs.

The Fleshcorps I take are:
- Haemonculus Silence w/ Panacea Perverted, Vexator Mask, Scissorhands, Hexrifle (I'm trying to represent a model/character, so I gave him more crap than I normally would)
- 5 Wracks w/ Ossefactor, Acothyst w/ Hexrifle, Raider w/ Dark Lance
- 5 Wracks w/ Ossefactor, Raider w/ Dark Lance
- 5 Wracks w/ Ossefactor, Raider w/ Dark Lance

The haemonculus goes with the Acothyst squad and generally hangs out at the back, on or near an objective. He spends most of the game taking pot-shots as I desperately try to convince myself that their hexrifles weren't a terrible waste of points. He may join combat at some point if I feel optimistic.

The other wracks tend to move around more - and likewise spend most of the game shooting. If the opportunity arises, they'll jump out to try and finish a depleted squad/MC, or tie up a squad for a bit.

In all honestly, I'd be better off with just a CAD or some grotesques, but I like to take some coven units for a bit of fun.

One other advantage Wyches have over Wracks is speed. While I don't think speed alone can justify their use compared to Wracks or Warriors, against Eldar, Guard, Tau, and other T3 races, the speed of a Wych comes into play as it'll remove models before they get hit back. Wracks, being I4, are going to swing at the same time as most races still.

Wracks are still higher Initiative than IG, Orks, Necrons, Tau and basically anything else that isn't MEQ (same I), Eldar or Tyranid.