My Army composition

Hey guys this isn't my final army list but its a rough list of what i've got , I've also included what I am planning on getting next to finish my army. I just play casually, but I would like my army to be half decent so I don't get creamed by my mates. Thanks for the help Dark Lords.


HQ
1 x Archon
1 x Haemoculus
I also have Urien Rakarth, but he may or may not be used in my standard army.

Elites
10 x Wracks. 1 x liquefier guns

Troops
10 x Warriors + 1 splinter cannon

1 x Raider

Fast Attack
5x Scourges + 3 Haywire blasters
3 x Reaver Jet bikes

Heavy support
1 x Cronos

So thats what I have.
For Formations I am running:
Dark Eldar Purge Coterie
Scarlet Epicureans

These are the models I am thinking of collected next for my army

4 x Sslyth + Venom
2 x 5 Wyches + 2 x Venom
1 x Ravager

I love the look of the snake dudes, I feel like that would make a tough HQ unit, which would be fast with the venom, and durable for dark eldar standards. I'm almost thinking over only taking 3 Sslyths and taking 1 Ur-gul just because I really like the model, and for my Lords Fluffs (He likes to keep his crazy pet close).

I am a little undecided whether or not to go with Wyches or Warriors in 5 man venom squads. I was recommended to go with Wyches over Warriors as I was told you want to keep your warriors away from close range, and to use them more for holding objectives, and fighting monstrous creatures.

I feel like my army is lacking a bit in long range fire support, and what better than a Ravager to add that extra fire power. I think 3 dark lances would be appropriate to add that extra tank busting capabilities.

I also thinking perhaps elites further down the track.
I do like Incubi, but the mandrakes are just as cool. What do people think of Mandrakes? I am leaning towards them more because of the less points.
Thanks guys for the feedback.

I would suggest transports for everything that can take them as an immediate priority. If Dark Eldar are walking to the fight, they are not going to last long. Take it from someone who bought a bit of everything when he first started collecting. Those were dark times for me. Dark indeed. After that, yes to the Ravager.

I was recommended to go with Wyches over Warriors as I was told you want to keep your warriors away from close range, and to use them more for holding objectives, and fighting monstrous creatures. wrote:

Who made this recommendation? Was it a desperate looking man with a truckload of dusty boxes of Wyches? Seriously though, Wyches are terrible. Overcosted, flimsy, and couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag. They were good, but that was two editions ago, before overwatch was a thing and when they could all take (and more importantly, use) haywire grenades. Steer well clear. Warriors aren't up to much in a fight either, but you have other units to pick from for that. Not every army has troops that are good at shooting and close combat, so it's not essential.

I do like Incubi, but the mandrakes are just as cool. What do people think of Mandrakes? I am leaning towards them more because of the less points. wrote:

I like Mandrakes too. Let's start a club! Fair warning, it will be a very small club. Mandrakes are tricky to get much mileage out of, and very situational. Even in the right situation, they're not that good. Every army out there has access to flamers, and Mandrakes don't have an armour save. With the plethora of other ignores cover weapons out there, they have a tough time justifying their presence on the table. I use them either to infiltrate on an objective and reveal it first turn, or to outflank and maybe finish a very weakened or fleeing unit off if they're lucky, also securing linebreaker. If there's an unguarded objective near a table edge, that's fair game too. They have no business being in a fight with most things. None whatsoever. Baleblast is okay, but you don't need low strength shooting in an army that throws out as much poison as DE do. Incubi, on the other hand, will often overkill whatever you charge them into (provided they're not packing storm shields). Yes, they're more points, but you get what you pay for in this instance. They are also a very thematic bodyguard for an Archon. If you give him a webway portal and stick them all in a transport, they can come down wherever you want them, weather the incoming fire by jinking with the vehicle and letting that take the hits first, then charge next turn. You probably won't get loads of charges off with the unit anyway, so holding them in reserve isn't the worst thing, and with any luck they can wipe out an enemy unit on an objective in the late game. Just don't charge through cover with them.

5x Scourges + 3 Haywire blasters wrote:

A favourite unit of mine. Get that fourth haywire blaster in there if you can. Try ebay, or modifying a heat lance with the fins of a shredder. I think that's what I did, I forget.

3 x Reaver Jet bikes wrote:

Good stuff. What upgrades do they have? Cluster caltrops make them one of the best choices in the book, and their special weapons are pretty solid options too. Even barebones they're a good unit for objective grabbing.

1 x Cronos wrote:

Nice, I'm jealous. I foolishly built my engine as a Talos, that I now never use Some day I'll get one to build as a Cronos. Some day...

I love the look of the snake dudes, I feel like that would make a tough HQ unit, which would be fast with the venom, and durable for dark eldar standards. wrote:

I like the look of the Sslyth too. This unit could be pretty good, although it'll probably just be ablative wounds for your Archon rather than any kind of real assault threat. Grotesques are tough too, and nasty on the charge, but maybe that's something to consider later.

Hope all that helps! I've tried to keep in mind your initial statement about playing casually, as there are a few other suggestions that I would make otherwise, but these ideas should keep the core ideas you have whilst adding a bit of punch (without you splashing out on stuff that might ultimately disappoint you).

- You should buy 2-4 venoms.
- Kabalites are better than wyches.
- Before buying anything, you should check out the leaked rules of "fracture of biel-tan" book, with new rules for dark eldar/eldar army. Maybe you'll reconsider your army theme.
- Try to get a talos and with your haemonculus and cronos, for a Dark Artisan formation.

I suggest the start collecting box, you'll get another Archon for messing with and kitbashing, a raider which is always useful, another 10-man squad of warriors which should always be your troop choices, as you cannot go wrong with their massed poison shots out of a raider with splinter racks. Finally you'll get reavers, you can never go wrong with reavers, and the start collecting box along with gangs of commoragh is the least expensive way to get reavers this side of ebay.

Finally, get all of the taloses. ALL OF THE TALOSES!!! (Or is it Talosi? Do we have a plural for this word?) In all seriousness, you cannot go wrong with a Talos, it soaks fire that could be used to sink your boats, it can grab objectives and hold them for a while you get your other forces dealing with other threats, and if you do get into CC, it can hold its own really well. Finally, if you give it a decent ranged weapon, you can use it to crack open transports and prep to assault the guys inside. I have been playing my DE for the last few months without mine and they made a huge difference in how well my game has gone.

Srota wrote:

Finally, get all of the taloses.  ALL OF THE TALOSES!!!  

Because the OP already has a Cronos, he might be better off sticking with those and filling out the squad to spread their spirit probe bubble further. For my money, they're a better investment than a Talos, because they're even tougher, still quite strong, buff units around them and are less points. Alternatively, yes, take a Talos, stick it with the Cronos and Haemonculus and run it as a Dark Artisan formation. Best of both worlds.

Mr Believer wrote:

Srota wrote:

Finally, get all of the taloses.  ALL OF THE TALOSES!!!  

Because the OP already has a Cronos, he might be better off sticking with those and filling out the squad to spread their spirit probe bubble further. For my money, they're a better investment than a Talos, because they're even tougher, still quite strong, buff units around them and are less points. Alternatively, yes, take a Talos, stick it with the Cronos and Haemonculus and run it as a Dark Artisan formation. Best of both worlds.

Very true, Cronos Engines can be great as well. The Dark Artisan formation is an excellent choice as well. Plus, at least near me, you'd get the advantage of surprise, nobody runs them in my local meta, so you might be able to throw people off as well if that is the case for the OP's area also.

Thanks for all the advice really given me lots of good ideas. We have a
Competition at my local hobby shop, in which you start with a start collecting set (which I already have) and each month you add another unit.
First month - 2-4 Troops
Second 1-3 Elites, and/or fast attack
Third 1-2 monstrous creatures/heavy support.

I'm planning on 4x 5 warriors with a blaster on venoms, for the first month. There are Necrons, Blood Angels, Guard, and Nurgle demons. It should be pretty interesting.
Thanks all