"Casual balanced" list

I wrote this list to fit in with my local meta: People usually bring 1000 to 1500 points to the store and hardly ever any super-heavies. So what I wanted is to bring an army that works well, but isn't too competitive. I do want to be able to win, but not kick everyone's butt.


Dark Eldar - Realspace Raiders Detachment

HQ

1 Lhamaean (10),
in Venom (55) with two Splinter Cannons (10).
Points: 75

Troops

10 Kabalite Warriors (80) with Blaster (15) and Splinter Cannon (15),
in Raider (55) with Dark Lance (5), Splinter Racks (15) and Shadow Field (15).
Points: 210

10 Kabalite Warriors (80) with Blaster (15) and Splinter Cannon (15),
in Raider (55) with Dark Lance (5), Splinter Racks (15) and Shadow Field (15).
Points: 210

Fast Attack

5 Reavers (80), incl. Champion (10) with Heat Lance (10), Cluster Caltrops (15) and Agonizer (25).
Points: 115

5 Scourges (80) with 4 Haywire Blastersr (40).
Points: 120

Venom (55) with two Splinter Cannons (10).
Points: 65

Venom (55) with two Splinter Cannons (10).
Points: 65

Heavy Support

Ravager (110) with 2 Dark Lances (10) and Shadow Field (15).
Points: 135

Points Total: 1000


Craftworlds - Allied Detachment (optional)

HQ

Autarch (70) with Warp Spider Jump Generator (10), Fusion Gun (5) and Reaper Launcher OR Uldanorethi Long Rifle (25).
Points: 110

Troops

5 Rangers (60).
Points: 60

5 Windriders (85) with Scatter Lasers (50) and Windrider Warlock (50) with Singing Spear (5).
Points: 190

Fast Attack

Crimson Hunter (140).
Points: 140

Points Total: 500

The Dark Eldar are going to be the core for small games, the Craftworlders join in for larger ones.
The heavily armed Reaver Champion is going to be my warlord. His trait will be a Strategic one most of the time.
The Lhamaean is only going to be deployed inside her Venom if I want to keep it in reserve. Otherwise, she will just hide.
The Autarch is there mostly for reserve manipulations, but would also go commando on key targets if necessary. And if hiding (and sniping) is the only good option, he might actually join the Lhamaean - to use her as a meat shield.


So, any ideas for not too competitive improvements?

I'm here to be competitive and chew bubblegum, and I'm all out of bubblegum.

In the 1k list, this is what I'd do if I wanted to keep the list almost the same while making it a -bit- more competitive:

Drop the reavers down to a minimum 3 man squad with cluster caltrops. That gives you 52 points. Spend 40 points on another 5 kabalite warriors, and move a venom from fast attack to be their dedicated transport instead. Spend 5 points giving your ravager a third dark lance, and make it a CAD instead of realspace raiders so that you get objective secured on 3 units of warriors, 2 raiders, and a venom. That does leave you with 7 spare points. If you REALLY want a warlord trait, you can drop a single kabalite warrior from a squad to be able to pay for a sybarite with a venom blade. That'd put you right at 1000.

In the second, optional detachment, I'd change it to this:

HQ
Autarch (70) with Skyrunner (15), Fusion Gun (5), Banshee Mask (5) and Laser Lance(10).
Points: 105

Troops
5 Windriders with 4 Scatter Lasers 125
4 Windriders with Scatter Lasers 108
Points: 233

Fast Attack
Crimson Hunter w/Exarch (160).
Points: 160

Points Total: 498

Autarch on a jetbike with laser lance and banshee mask is really good when you pair him with the reavers, because the reavers give him skilled rider for a 3+ jink save, and he gives them a 3+ armour save from his better jetbike. Further, his banshee mask stops them from taking overwatch fire when they charge, and his laser lance strikes on the charge at S6 AP3.

The exarch upgrade lets your crimson hunter hit on 2+ instead of 3+, make precision shots on a 5+, and swap your bright lances for starcannons for free. That makes it terrifying against flyers, medium vehicles, and elite infantry.

Good luck, and I hope my suggestions weren't too competitive for you!

Thanks for your suggestions, BTW.

BetrayTheWorld wrote:

If you REALLY want a warlord trait, you can drop a single kabalite warrior from a squad to be able to pay for a sybarite with a venom blade.

Sadly, that doesn't work though. The Venom Blade is exclusive to Acothysts and Solarites, dumb as that is.
And if I cut down the Warrior squads, I would lose their Splinter Cannons.

I am slightly new so might be wrong - but you probably don't need the blasters the warrior squads - I would think they would want to concentrate on shooting infantry

Holy crap, I didn't see that they had splinter cannons. I'd drop those straight away anyhow. lol

Also the blasters...you're spending so many points on those raiders to make them good at shooting splinter shots, then you're wasting points on a blaster taking splinter shots away from them. It's best to keep them efficient with only splinter rifles. I'd drop the lances from the raiders too, because you're going to want to jink to give them a 3+ cover save any time they're fired at. This is how I'd do your list:

1 CAD

HQ
1 Lhamaean (10), in Venom (55) with two Splinter Cannons (10).
Points: 75

Troops
10 Kabalite Warriors (80) in Raider (55) Splinter Racks (15) and Night Shield (15).
Points: 165
10 Kabalite Warriors (80) in Raider (55) Splinter Racks (15) and Night Shield (15).
Points: 165

Fast Attack
3 Reavers (48), Cluster Caltrops (15), Arena Champion w/Agoniser (35)
Points: 98
5 Scourges (80) with 4 Haywire Blasters (40).
Points: 120

Heavy Support
Ravager (110) with 3 Dark Lances (15)
Points: 125
Ravager (110) with 3 Dark Lances (15)
Points: 125
Ravager (110) with 3 Dark Lances (15)
Points: 125

Points Total: 998

That's a fairly efficient list that has plenty of AT and a good amount of AV11 mech for a 1k point game, and 4 obsec units(both raiders and units of warriors).

Optional Detachment for 1500 games:

HQ
Autarch (70) with Skyrunner (15), Fusion Gun (5), Banshee Mask (5) and Laser Lance(10).
Points: 105

Troops
5 Windriders with 4 Scatter Lasers 125
4 Windriders with 4 Scatter Lasers 108
Points: 233

Fast Attack
Crimson Hunter w/Exarch (160).
Points: 160

Points Total: 498

It's not the most dirty, cheeseball list or anything, so you shouldn't get a lot of hate, but it should be competitive as long as you're not playing against a lot of wraithknights and/or other gargantuan creatures.

Good luck and let us know how you do either way!