Building up a small DE army

The starter set contains
1 Archon
10 Kabalite Warriors
3 Reaver Jetbikes
1 Raider

Since I'm entirely new to the game, I'm not sure what's the best way to go about using up this army. What are your opinions? Dark Lance or Splinter Cannon? Blaster or shredder on my Kabalite Warriors? What's the best way to equip this force? I'll be playing it against friends who have starter sets of other races. And what's the best way to expand my army once I've completed these first ~500 points?

Thanks in advance for any help, advice or opinions ^^

Blaster and Splinter Cannon are the only two upgrades worth it for a Warrior squad, and those are both debatable.

For Reavers, Cluster Caltrops might as well be mandatory. A Lance weapon (heat or blaster, as you like) is debatable.

Raider, Dark Lance is preferred. Beyond that, there are a few debatable choices (Shock Ram, Night Shields, Splinter Racks), but nothing essential.

If you like melee grotesques are your friend, if you like the idea of deepstrike heavy weapons squad scourges, more bikes is fun i bought too many, ravagers have two builds that are awesome 1. antitank 2. anti elite units, Venoms are great if you want to spam splinter shots for cheap, mandrakes exist if you NEED infiltrate, ignore wyches, terror weapons, and wracks. proxy your models and find out what you like.

p.s. if your local meta doesn't have space marines or tyranids you can try terror weapons

p.p.s the talos is a scary monstrous creature in melee if you like large models he is pretty solid

Jimsolo wrote:

Blaster and Splinter Cannon are the only two upgrades worth it for a Warrior squad, and those are both debatable.

For Reavers, Cluster Caltrops might as well be mandatory.  A Lance weapon (heat or blaster, as you like) is debatable.

Raider, Dark Lance is preferred.  Beyond that, there are a few debatable choices (Shock Ram, Night Shields, Splinter Racks), but nothing essential.

I basically agree with all of this. I'm normally on the "no" side for whether or not to buy upgrades on normal warrior squads at all, but if you're playing in some league where you can only use stuff from the "get started!" box, you'll probably HAVE to use upgrades, sadly.

If not, I'd get a ravager or 3 to supplement your force ASAP.

If you're looking for what you should add, I'd recommend the following:

* Grotesques. Seriously, my favorite unit in this codex. Especially in the Grotesquerie.
* Succubus. All around a better HQ than the Archon.
* More Reavers. Some is good, more are better.
* Venoms, at least two. (You can split your warriors into two squads--if you cut down your Dark Lance, you can get a blaster in each squad.)

BetrayTheWorld wrote:

I basically agree with all of this. I'm normally on the "no" side for whether or not to buy upgrades on normal warrior squads at all, but if you're playing in some league where you can only use stuff from the "get started!" box, you'll probably HAVE to use upgrades, sadly.

If not, I'd get a ravager or 3 to supplement your force ASAP.

Why would you not upgrade a warrior squad with a blaster, or at all for that matter? And what are your thoughts on having a sybarite? I already attached an agonizer because it just looked so amazing, and only after that thought about checking this stuff on a forum

Also, I'm not playing in any particular league where there are limitations to what I can use. What's the best way to integrate/equip a ravager into the force I have?

Jimsolo wrote:

If you're looking for what you should add, I'd recommend the following:

* Grotesques.  Seriously, my favorite unit in this codex.  Especially in the Grotesquerie.
* Succubus. All around a better HQ than the Archon.
* More Reavers.  Some is good, more are better.
* Venoms, at least two.  (You can split your warriors into two squads--if you cut down your Dark Lance, you can get a blaster in each squad.)

So, replace the Archon with a Succubus.
Regarding the reavers, will I be wanting Dark Lances and/or Blasters on them? Or will those come with an added ravager and the warrior squad(s), respectively?
For the warrior squads: So the codex says one blaster/10 warriors. I guess that rule doesn't apply when those 10 get split into 2 squads of 5?
I've read about putting the Archon on a venom for mobility. What about the succubus?

Tactical Salad wrote:

So, replace the Archon with a Succubus.
Regarding the reavers, will I be wanting Dark Lances and/or Blasters on them? Or will those come with an added ravager and the warrior squad(s), respectively?
For the warrior squads: So the codex says one blaster/10 warriors. I guess that rule doesn't apply when those 10 get split into 2 squads of 5?
I've read about putting the Archon on a venom for mobility. What about the succubus?

I would.

The choice is either heat lances or blasters, both of which come in the box of Reavers. I usually don't take either, but when I do I take a Heat Lance.

It isn't one per ten, it's actually one, with a bonus one if you go to twenty. So minimum sized squads (5) can still take a blaster.

Well, unlike the Archon, the Succubus can't buy her own Venom as a Dedicated Transport, so you'd have to take a detachment with force org slots and buy one as a FA choice. However, I recommend sticking her with a bodyguard unit, either Incubi or Grotesques. (I prefer Grots.)

Tactical Salad wrote:

Why would you not upgrade a warrior squad with a blaster, or at all for that matter? And what are your thoughts on having a sybarite?

Blasters: I wouldn't upgrade to blasters because it creates temptation to use your squad inefficiently. If you have a unit of warriors with a blaster and 4 splinter rifles shoot at a vehicle, you're wasting shots from 4 splinter rifles. Similarly, if you have the same unit shoot at a unit of guardsmen, you're wasting a shot from a 15 point blaster. It basically creates an internal dynamic that almost can't help itself in being inefficient. When playing against marines, it's not as much of an issue because their basic infantry have good armour saves, so the blaster is comparable point for point with splinter rifles against infantry. But even in that best of cases scenario, it's still inefficient against vehicles. I prefer to pack in as many ravagers as I can if I intend to play DE with no allies.

Sybarite: Generally I don't take one unless I have a spare 10 points and want a warlord trait, but took a Lhamean as my HQ. Other than that situation, I don't really recommend them. I'd almost NEVER recommend an agoniser on a sybarite. On the bright side, you can always use that model as an alternate archon later on, though archon's don't get much play these days either, unfortunately.

P.S. I too have a Sybarite armed with an agonizer, despite my current insistance that I'd almost never recommend one. Just goes to show, we all have that learning phase, and they DO look cool.

Now regarding the raider: Splinter Racks sound pretty OP - having 5 or 10 Kabalite Warriors with Splinter Rifles that can just reroll if they miss? Am I missing something or does that sound pretty epic?

Also, can I get Night Shields if I add a Splinter Rack already?

You forget that the Raider will probably be jinking from turn 2 onwards, thus the passengers will only hit on 6s. Splinter Racks would be op if they weren't mounted on an AV 10 papier machet vehicle.

Also keep in mind that those hits only wound on 4+. So even if the Raider doesn't jink AND the kabalites are in RFR AND they hit every shot that would still amount to "only" 10 wounds against which the enemy will most likely have a save.

Best option would be to park the raider in a ruin to get 3+ cover and hope that you still have an effective threat area.

But yes, if the vehicle is paxked with dudes then Splinter Racks ARE pretty awesome.

And yes, you can get them and any other vehicle upgrade you like.