Getting back into DE, C&C for my aspirational list

So I stopped playing Dark Eldar when the new book came out. I ran a very wych heavy army :p

I'm thinking of getting back into them. My local meta is Daemons (no flying circus really, soul grinders and cheesy formations mostly) Eldar (mix and match list, usually has a little D and a wraithknight) sometimes Tau, Deathwatch (drop pod rain I think) and a smattering of other things occasionally.

Anyway, here's the list.

Realspace Raiders Detachment

HQ:
Lhaemen in Venom w/ extra cannon

Troops:
4x 5 Kabalites w/ blaster in Venom w/ extra cannon

Fast Attack:
4x6 Reavers w/ 2 Cluster Caltrops
Razorwing
Venom w/ Extra Cannon

Formation:

Aspect Host: +1 BS

3x 5 Dark Reapers w/ exarch and starshot missiles

1850 on the spike.

Now rip it apart.

Not bad at all, just a tiny pointer.

Reaver jetbikes are better in 3 man units. They have a smaller footprint, thus are easier to hide and thats key to their survival, you can layer assault with them to minimize OW damage when facing armies with flamers or Tau, they receive less damage in close combat as the opponent will have to divide attacks between squads, can capture objectives more efficiently and more importantly the things that counter them will only be able to kill 3 instead of 6 in one go. With this in mind, I would recommend splitting your Realspace raiders into realspace+CAD to get 9 FA slots, switching the FA venom into a CG venom with a llhamaean. You'll get the points from somewhere

Oh, and Im completely against blasters in warrior squads. They wont get anything done and you will be tempted to put your venom 18" from the enemy, and thats not where you want to be. Id switch them to the reavers, that gets them cheaper if at all.

I guess you include the razorwing jetfighter for +1 reserves if you wanna null-deploy, right? If so its fine by me.

I'll shift points around somewhere. And I'm bringing it because flyers are common in tourneys. Usually at least one of my opponents has at least one flyer

I see a lot of AI, but next to no AT. If you are going to ally in some CWE, you should try to make up for the DE notorious lack of good AT platforms (Wraithguard, Firedragons, etc).

Although BizarreShowbiz is correct regarding the smaller reaver squads, I would recomend using a Dual CAD for this army. ObSec is amazing on our cheap 65 pt transports that can move 30" each turn, and have the ability to Tankshock for 5pts.

My $0.02 anyway

Do the Dark Reapers not cover the lack of AT?

I disagree on the 3 reavers being better. For me 3 reavers never worked. Unit of 6 is the way to go for me.

The Dark Reapers are not good AT. They compete with our Disintegration Cannons for the roll of anti TEQ. The missile launcher is OK, but just doesnt have the strength or the rate of fire needed to be GOOD at it.

Regarding Reaver squad sizes, a job for 6 reavers requires 6 reavers. If they are in one large squad or in two smaller squads, the smaller squads are generally more survivable because super weapons generally can only target 1 unit at a time.

So then how would you rework the last to make it more competetive? I chose reavers as my core because they're mobile and hit hard in combat. Is there something better? Some better AT like scourge maybe?

Reavers are actually pretty decent AT but you could give your warriors haywire grenades.

The empty venom would should be replaced with 3 reavers + CC or use the points elsewhere.

Depends on how you want to do things! What units would you be willing to ally in? How much of your list do you want to be DE? How much do you want us to change it?

I want mostly DE, gets a new list, focused on null deployment.

1st Dark Eldar CAD
HQ:
2x Archon w/ blaster and portal

Troops:
2x5 Kabalites in venom

Fast Attack:
5 Scourges w/4 haywire blasters

2nd CAD

HQ:
2x Archon w/ blaster and portal

Elites:
5 mandrake (so I can have something to counter deploy awayfrom the enemy

Troops:
4x5 kabalites in venom

Fast Attack:
2x 5 Scourges w/ 4 heat lances
5 Scourges w/ 4 haywire blasters

Allies:
HQ:
Autarch w/ fusion gun

Troops:
2x 3 scattbikes

HedonisiusVex wrote:

5 mandrake (so I can have something to counter deploy awayfrom the enemy

just remember to stay WELL away from any barrage, or tau smart missile systems.

Uh, are you proposing running 4 blaster archons? The list you have just posted is not what I would call "competitive", and I would go back to your first list if given the choice.

If your set on doing CWE, you can take Fire Dragons in the Aspect Host (for BS5 meltaguns), and just attach a bare-bones WWP archon. Give a second Fire Dragon squad a waveserpant, and the final aspect can be some cheap Dire Avengers or amazing Warp Spiders (depending on the rest of your list).

I would recommend looking through the forum and learning about what units are best for the DE.

I'll probably switch the scourge units for fire dragons and take another wwp Archon instead of the wave serpent, since I'm deep striking the entire army. Normal competitive lists aren't popular locally, lately there has been no Tau, and an eldar player that brings random cheese units like warp hunters and wraith Knights, the daemons run infantry horde with soul grinders, and the rest is usually inexperienced players that play whatever models they own. Like orks allied with necrons.

Well the list is certainly interesting. :-) I think you put too much weight to Webway Portals. Its a nice gimmick but paying 100pts for a no-scatter and a blaster shot is waaay too much IMO. Especially when we DS in our vehicles. Which means that you can correct any scatter by disembark for quite a lot. The only units that might benefit from pinpoint DS are those that cannot take a vehicle, like Heatlance Scourges. In this setup you have much Anti-Armour, but negligible Anti-Infantry. A clever deploy from your opponent will deprive you of most of your Alpha. Your 400 points of Archons will die like flies to a charge of SM scouts or similar trash.