Sslyth-are-in? Or Sslyth-are-out?

Hey all! I am a new player just beginning to collect my army again after attempting it when I was not ready for the challenge.

I was looking at utilizing a Court of the Archon with 10 Sslyth accompanying a succubus with a glaive as one of my deep striking units with a WWP.

I realize grots are more common but I like the modelling opportunity with the Seraphon, also Sslyth have a decent shooting attack.

Really I am interested in your thoughts, is this a decent idea or are the combat drugs addling my brains?

Sslyth balls are cool, I'll be doing some counts as ones from sylvaneth revenants. Having done the math out I don't particualarly like 10, solely because if the squad is going to be that big Lhamean's become much more worth it and shrink the offensive CC difference from grotesques. I'm a fan of 12 sslyths, 9/3 and 8/4 sslyth/lhamean. below that all sslyths.

Realize that no matter the mix you're paying a 1.25pts per wound premium for sslyths over grotesques, and no longer getting PFP. In exchange you get more net dice that you can roll to hit with so long as you both shoot and charge in a given turn.

In the 10-20 wound scenario grabbing a source of fearless is huge, and with 10 bodies you don't need to worry about that source also being t3 along with your succubus as you'll be T5 majority basically until you're dead.



Sources of fearless from all Battlebrothers armies:

Covens formation haemonculus (give me the sump so I don't take away fleet)

Harlequins Shadowseer w/Mask of Secrets (IN SQUAD so only options are STUPID EXPENSIVE)

Autarch w/Shard of Anaris and Banshee mask (Challenge taker freeing up those ap2 attacks)

Corsair Prince w/Shard of Anaris or Mask of Secrets and toys (EXPENSIVE)



If you take the corsair option you could either give the prince a shimmershield granting all of those sslyths a 5++, or grab a shadowfield and throw a second corsair character the Void Dreamer in with a shimmershield. Either way a fearless prince should be paying to roll on div, and if you do take the VD they really benefit from being ML3 and taking all from Aethermancy.

Prescience+shimmershield+Aethermancy spells pack more power in a sslyth ball than even the Grotesque option that style currently uses as standard.

Welcome aboard and best of luck!

amorrowlyday has pretty much covered it.

From a points efficiency point of view Sslyth / Lhamaean mixes are similarly effective to Grotesques with a character in melee, and have a better shooting attack. However, there are some risks with morale checks, and if you lose majority toughness 5. If you add a character to the Court then Grotesques are a straight out better.

If you wanted to go really heavily CC with Dark Eldar a good viable option would be a Grotesquerie plus a CAD, with the Haemonculus from the Grotesquerie joining the Court as the HQ choice from the CAD.

If you want to go with Allies, the Corsair options amorrowlyday suggested are really good.

I will have to mull over all this kickass advice! I prefer to run straight CAD on CAD unless my opponent is using formations, in which case I will take the plunge. Traditionalist sensibilities aside I will look into picking up the book with corsair rules as I dig any option but craftworld eldar.

I love the haemunculous from GW but I would need a variety of minis to run the grotesquerie, any good leads on giant, surgically altered, meanies?

Try the crypt horrors from the old warhammer fantasy and add the spare masks from the talos kit and some of the pumps.
Done and good looking

Dont forget about the medusae in the Court. Nothing to laugh at when S4 AP3 flamer toasts half a MEQ squad, THEN you get to unload some poison. Also gives some nice LD if you dont want to take the lhamean (which you should, because poison 2+ is great)

That would give the squad some more tools in the bag, plus I could keep em at ten, buy em a raider, and have some flexibility in terms of where I put them.

Or buy a tantalus and not care about the max squad size. Expensive tho.

Ya, tantalus is just sub-par. Raiders are more efficient, and who really needs the extra 2-6 guys in a squad anyway? If they hit than you delete a unit. If you dont, you loose it all. The extra men really wont make a difference when you are getting shot at by buffed scatt-bikes

I run 3 sslyth and 2 medusa with my archon for melting MEQs. I would whole heartedly recommend the medusae, well worth the damage output.

The raider might be nice if you have more than two medusae, or if you want to keep them alive when the enemy tries to shoot back. Mine are usually one trick ponies.

Also, the raider has a larger footprint, so easier to reach targets with your small flamer range.

I think the Raider for the court is a must. Enables you to attack every target in a huge distance.

Not sure what you mean about range @CptMetal, since the raider and venom both have the same range on their weapons.

If you are agreeing with me regarding footprint, I appreciate the support

Another great thing about the raider, NS give you 3+ jink. Makes the raider feel like a Land Raider compared to our Venoms.

I never tried it because I don't have the expensives models, but I'd like to try 9 Sslyth and a succubus on a raider, deepstriked near (or behind, if a spot is available) the ennemy line. Take the splinter rack and the Archite glaive for the sucky and that's all. No nightshield, no aethersail... The raider WILL be destroyed next turn. But the turn it comes in, having 27 Twin-link poison shot near the ennemys face is nice. He will destroy the raider, the Sslyths will survive and be ready to charge next turn.

Hmm, maxing out the sslyth on a raider actually gets you more ablative wounds on your Succi than if you took Grots. Definitely +1 for the Sslyth

@Fisheyes like 6 more T5 wounds with a shooting attack to boot assuming both squads are loaded in a raider. Also means more wounds until a break test.

Purely because I am a huge fan of Mercenaries picking up some lizardmen and making a few Sslyth courts is appealing

And to add icing to your cake, your Sslyth can now shoot at full BS even after the raider jinks. Very nice buff to your unit

I have used WWP HQ + 5 sslyth + 2 medusae in a NS raider a few times and been very happy with them.

Tips -
Don't use them to attack the enemy head on. That's what grots are for.

They excel at ripping the back field to pieces and stealing their objs.

Excellent at scoring points for objs and linebreaker/shooting units to death type objs.

WWP in so the prow is within 3" then shoot obj holding unit to death. Instant obj steal.

A nice tough unit that can shield your warlord all game if played correctly.

Great vs tau. Can soak some interceptor then vape markers/infantry/light suits.

Force your opponent to choose between moving forward and moving back to protect his dep zone objs.

Its all about the Ur-gouls

Sorry for reviving the old thread, but I don't wanna make a new post with the same topic. I've ordered two Sslyths today for starter as a bodyguard for my Visarch.

They look COOL - the first and foremost reason and I'd really like to exploit the major T5. I've run harles many times but they don't fit the bodyguard job - they're a glass blade anyway. As an ynnari player, I also considered T6 wraithblades but then I couldn't find any room for 11-man sized unit. Grots may be good, but fluffwise, no coven for the Ynnead on High.

To make the most of them, you will prob want a few in a squad. The great thing about Ynnari Sslyth is that they benefit from ALL of the Soulburst options.

They have a good amount of dakka (considering they only take up 1 spot on a transport), so can double shoot

They hit hard in assault, so the enemy will be afraid of getting too close.

They are a little slow, but benefit from extra movement.

All of this is multiplied when you throw a few ICs into a squad, and almost guarantee some Soulburst goodness.