Backfield support!

So...at the moment, whats our best backfield support option? My first thought is like a blob of warriors, since they are only 6 points a pop, but their 24 inch range is sort of limiting. Ravagers are effective at longer ranges, but generally are targeted first, so maybe not so good at holding objectives... What do you guys think? do we have any good objective campers in our lists?

I personally prefer PoF wracks for objective holding. Also with Black Cornicopians, you can sometimes get another sneaky objective across the board

I actually like a beastmaster and three minimum khymera packs. It isn't the best use if points, but provides a lot of area denial.

I mean, they both sound useful....but it just seems more useful to sit a squad of dark reapers or something back there, and they can actually make their points back still...

Aschen wrote:

So...at the moment, whats our best backfield support option?  My first thought is like a blob of warriors, since they are only 6 points a pop, but their 24 inch range is sort of limiting.  Ravagers are effective at longer ranges, but generally are targeted first, so maybe not so good at holding objectives...  What do you guys think?  do we have any good objective campers in our lists?

Obsidian Rose Kabalites get really interesting when they have no transport. With 30" Splinter Rifles and 24" Blasters they can be great for backfield support I think. Especially since they're cheap enough to just get a big blob of them.
20 man can have 2 Dark Lances or Splinter Cannons with 42" range, plus 4 Blasters with 24" (or 4 Shredders with 18", but I think that's less interesting in this case), and 14 Splinter Rifles with 24". That's a lot shots your opponent will have to endure before even getting close to them. Have an Archon with them in the back (maybe with another of those 24" Blasters) for more firepower and rerolling hit rolls of 1 gets you a pretty solid backfield support I think. Also, with that Archon you have something in case your opponent still gets in melee range.

I usually have nothing. If I need something, I just disembark 5 Warriors.

I run a battalion of PoF with all my lists and have 3 Wracks, so i use them as back support. Range support is 3 Ravagers/RWJF's so i dont need to worry about shooting.

Dark Eldars are not meant to sit in the backfield. We have enough possibilities to go to an objective.
Ravagers can do the work also...

Aschen wrote:

...but it just seems more useful to sit a squad of dark reapers or something back there, and they can actually make their points back still...

And you don't think Dark Reapers would be targeted?

If you want something your opponent will ignore, it'll have to be something that isn't dangerous offensively. If you want them to survive, it'll have to be something tough.
PoF Wracks just happen to be both.

Aside from a single Ravager, I don't generally use any 'backfield' stuff. I tend to play my army quite aggressively, even though it's mostly Kabalites. Most of my stuff wants to get within 18" at least, so that they can fire their Blasters. Same goes for my Mandrakes and my Archon with Soul Seeker (I've also got an Archon with 3 Lhamaeans who wants to get even closer). My Scourges might drop into the backfield, but I'm not sure I'd trust them to survive on an objective.

When it comes to backfield objectives, I'll generally go with one of two options:

1) 'I'll get them later'. Basically, I'll just advance my stuff as normal and then after a few turns I'll send some available units back to claim them.

2) 'Unintentional backfield units'. Basically, if one of my transports goes down near an objective, I might well just leave the passengers there holding it, rather than have them try to footslog across no man's land.

Gelmir wrote:

Obsidian Rose Kabalites get really interesting when they have no transport. With 30" Splinter Rifles and 24" Blasters they can be great for backfield support I think. Especially since they're cheap enough to just get a big blob of them.
20 man can have 2 Dark Lances or Splinter Cannons with 42" range, plus 4 Blasters with 24" (or 4 Shredders with 18", but I think that's less interesting in this case), and 14 Splinter Rifles with 24". That's a lot shots your opponent will have to endure before even getting close to them. Have an Archon with them in the back (maybe with another of those 24" Blasters) for more firepower and rerolling hit rolls of 1 gets you a pretty solid backfield support I think. Also, with that Archon you have something in case your opponent still gets in melee range.

I'd like to give Obsidian Rose a go, but I don't think I've got enough Kabalites for it.

Chippen wrote:

Aschen wrote:

...but it just seems more useful to sit a squad of dark reapers or something back there, and they can actually make their points back still...

And you don't think Dark Reapers would be targeted?

If you want something your opponent will ignore, it'll have to be something that isn't dangerous offensively. If you want them to survive, it'll have to be something tough.
PoF Wracks just happen to be both.

Well I figure something for backfield objectives either has to be cheap, or effective. I'd be more likely to throw wracks up on a midfield objective that I know the enemy will come for.

Dark reapers would get targeted, yes but they are pretty durable in cover, and have wonderful range (though not sure how effective they are vs. our Ravagers point for point now that they got upped in price)

You yourself said you didn't like the idea of things that would be targeted. I'm confused what you're after here?

For cheap stuff, you can footslog Kabalites and hide them out of LoS. Put a Lance in there if you want. Or don't. Beasts are also okay for this as well if you're taking Cult stuff (but not ideal for the role obviously). Or cheap Court stuff. Lots of options.

For effective? Ravagers are a no-brainer, but a savvy opponent can make it tough to both get your shooting effectiveness out of them AND hold objectives. On the Craftworld side, Fire Prisms aren't bad for this, because only one really "needs" to see the target if you're using the Focused fire thing.

Overall, I think it's a role you shouldn't worry too much about - if a certain objective comes up, we have the speed for it.

You're right, I suppose I did. Anyways, we just played a game, and all our objectives were rather clumped on one side of the board, so it was a moot point lol.......

thanks for all the input guys!

I mostly play obsidian rose and therefore use warriors. With the extended range they provide also some dmg. And they are cheap.