Best place to start?

FuelDrop wrote:

Honestly? the best use I have found for the Archon so far is to have them stand in front of a unit of blasterborn or whatever and soak fire, should they somehow get separated from their transport. After all, you are losing a lot less by having your archon gunned down than you are by losing a unit of kitted out trueborn to the same firepower.

This is what i do, or put him on an objective to soak up fire lol.

Interesting. With my original plan I was envisioning some sort of Incubi/Archon monster cc unit, so glad I found this out! Going to have to ponder this a while before I get my wallet out - problem is I'm suffering from the I WANT IT ALL AND I WANT IT NOW syndrome...

Diurach wrote:

Interesting. With my original plan I was envisioning some sort of Incubi/Archon monster cc unit, so glad I found this out! Going to have to ponder this a while before I get my wallet out - problem is I'm suffering from the I WANT IT ALL AND I WANT IT NOW syndrome...

If you want a Super killing melee unit, take 1 unit of Troupes with a Troupe Master and Starweaver, I know its not DE, but they once were in DE codex lol

I wouldn't write the Archon off just yet. It's quite likely it will be the most improved unit in the codex. There is literally that much hate for the current rules! And rightly so.

So yep go ahead and buy those starter sets otherwise get yourself two of the Skysplinter sets is it? Raider and 10 Kabs. I think most people would agree that every DE army player will want at least 2 Raiders and the warriors can be either Kabs or Trueborn so obviously you need plenty.

Well people, thanks for all the help - in the end I went with two of the 'start collecting' box sets, giving me 2 Archons, 2 Raiders, 6 Reaver jetbikes and 20 warriors (10 of which I intend to run as trueborn). After all the advice given here that seemed like a sensible core to the army with which to add units later. Now to nail down a colour scheme...

Start collecting are great buys, so congrats !

Diurarch - despite the current heat this community is lavishing upon the Archon, I think you'll be happy with them. The unpredictable survivability of the Archon is fun, especially as a beginner. Since you have Kabalites and 2 boats you'll have a very shooty list which I think is where we are [currently] the strongest.

Have a fun time tinkering. Here's a quick list I'd run with your collection:
Raider: Shock Prow, Disintigrators
~Archon: Huskblade, Blaster
~5 Trueborn
** Dracon with Blast Pistol and Power sword
** 4 Trueborn with Blasters

Raider: Shock Prow, Disintigrators
~Archon: Huskblade, Blaster
** 8 Kabalite: Sybarite with blast pistol and agonizer, 6 grunts, 1 with Blaster

6 Kabalites on the ground
as above kitted out

Unit of 3 Reavers, one with a Blaster
Unit of 3 Reavers, one with a Blaster

Almost 1k points in just two boxes! Score HARD!

Mppqlmd wrote:

Start collecting are great buys, so congrats !

Thanks

nerdelemental wrote:

Diurarch - despite the current heat this community is lavishing upon the Archon, I think you'll be happy with them. The unpredictable survivability of the Archon is fun, especially as a beginner. Since you have Kabalites and 2 boats you'll have a very shooty list which is think is where we are [currently] the strongest.

Have a fun time tinkering. Here's a quick list I'd run with your collection:
Raider: Shock Prow, Disintigrators
~Archon: Huskblade, Blaster
~5 Trueborn
** Dracon with Blast Pistol and Power sword
** 4 Trueborn with Blasters

Raider: Shock Prow, Disintigrators
~Archon: Huskblade, Blaster
** 8 Kabalite: Sybarite with blast pistol and agonizer, 6 grunts, 1 with Blaster

6 Kabalites on the ground
as above kitted out

Unit of 3 Reavers, one with a Blaster
Unit of 3 Reavers, one with a Blaster

Almost 1k points in just two boxes! Score HARD!

Looks good! Didn't realise I would have quite so many points straight off the bat. Feel even better about my purchases now!

Could I ask why you recommend the disintegrators on the Raiders? I'm not disputing it, but I have been mulling whether to put disintegrators or dark lances on them. I was worried about lack of heavy weaponry in the army, but was leaning more towards the Disintegrators thinking I would 2 or 3 raiders later each packing dark lances

Dissies are good AT weapons (as good as DL except in some cases where the difference is quite minor anyway), and excellent AI.
Slightly (very sligthly) less AT power, but it's a more polyvalent weapon.

Something i enjoy doing is having a dissie-raider with 10 kabalites inside, one of which holding a Dark Lance.
For 200ish points you get a LOT of firepower from this.

Exactly what Mppqlmd said!
Dissies are best "all around" hitters. And, with a currently "beginning" list, you want as many shots as possible. The 3 Disinitigrator shots from one gun could do as much or more reliable damage as one Dark Lance shot. I love when a Lance does 6 damage. But, far too often, I miss the attack, miss the damage roll, or he makes a save. Dissies give several more chances to get at least 2 damage through.
I put Dark Lances on Ravagers and get more in the list if possible. Once you build up your list and you get more universal splinters for AI (anti-infantry), even more blasters (thought this list has a solid base with archons and Blasterborn [trueborn kitted with Blasters]) then I'd switch the Disintegrators on Raiders for the harder hitting Lances.
Essentially, my list logic goes: 1/3 splinters, 1/3 mid-punch (Blasters and Disintigrators), 1/3 big punch/big toughness for soaking/mobility.

More or less.