9th 2000 pt Drukari vs AdMech Loss Aftermath. Advice needed.

Played my first 9th friendly yesterday, and my first ever 2000 pt game. I fielded a 1982 point Druhari raiding force, while my friend fielded AdMech. Lost at the end of round 4, 37 VP to 33. It could have been worse, as he deliberately chose to not use the anit-flying options (because in his words "Its not fun for either of us").

I fielded the following:

++ Patrol Detachment 0CP (Aeldari - Drukhari) [34 PL, 4CP, 756pts] ++
Detachment Type: Kabal of the Flayed Skull
Raiding Force [4CP]
+ No Force Org Slot [2 PL, 21pts] +
Court of the Archon [2 PL, 21pts] . Sslyth [2 PL, 21pts]
+ HQ [4 PL, 70pts] +
Archon [4 PL, 70pts]: Blast Pistol [5pts], Hatred Eternal, Huskblade [5pts], Warlord
+ Troops [4 PL, 125pts] +
3x Kabalite Warrior [27pts]: 3x Splinter Rifle . Kabalite Warrior with special weapon [24pts]: Blaster [15pts] . Sybarite [14pts]: Blast Pistol [5pts]
3x Kabalite Warrior [27pts]: 3x Splinter Rifle . Kabalite Warrior with special weapon [24pts]: Blaster [15pts] . Sybarite [9pts]: Splinter Rifle
+ Fast Attack [5 PL, 115pts] +
4x Scourge with Special / Heavy weapon [100pts]: 4x Haywire blaster [40pts] . Solarite [15pts]: Shardcarbine
+ Heavy Support [14 PL, 320pts] +
Ravager [7 PL, 160pts]: Disintegrator cannon [25pts], Disintegrator cannon [25pts], Disintegrator cannon [25pts]
Ravager [7 PL, 160pts]: Disintegrator cannon [25pts], Disintegrator cannon [25pts], Disintegrator cannon [25pts]
+ Dedicated Transport [5 PL, 105pts] +
Raider [5 PL, 105pts]: Disintegrator cannon [25pts], Splinter Racks [10pts]

++ Patrol Detachment -2CP (Aeldari - Drukhari) [13 PL, 12CP, 305pts] ++
Detachment Type: Kabal of the Flayed Skull
+ HQ [4 PL, 70pts] +
Archon [4 PL, 70pts]: Blast Pistol [5pts], Huskblade [5pts]
+ Troops [4 PL, 130pts] +
3x Kabalite Warrior [27pts]: 3x Splinter Rifle . Kabalite Warrior with special weapon [24pts]: Blaster [15pts] . Sybarite [14pts]: Blast Pistol [5pts]
3x Kabalite Warrior [27pts]: 3x Splinter Rifle . Kabalite Warrior with special weapon [24pts]: Blaster [15pts] . Sybarite [14pts]: Blast Pistol [5pts]
+ Dedicated Transport [5 PL, 105pts] +
Raider [5 PL, 105pts]: Disintegrator cannon [25pts], Splinter Racks [10pts]

++ Patrol Detachment -2CP (Aeldari - Drukhari) [45 PL, 921pts] ++
Detachment Type: Cult of the Red Grief
Fixed Combat Drug Selections
+ HQ [4 PL, 60pts] +
Succubus [4 PL, 60pts]: Archite Glaive, Blast Pistol [5pts], Hypex (Combat Drug), The Blood Glaive
+ Troops [4 PL, 140pts] +
Hekatrix [16pts]: Blast Pistol [5pts], Hekatarii blade . 3x Wych [33pts]: 3x Hekatarii blade, 3x Splinter Pistol . Wych with Wych Weapon [21pts]: Shardnet and impaler [10pts], Adrenalite (Combat Drug)
Hekatrix [16pts]: Blast Pistol [5pts], Hekatarii blade . 3x Wych [33pts]: 3x Hekatarii blade, 3x Splinter Pistol . Wych with Wych Weapon [21pts]: Shardnet and impaler [10pts], Serpentine (Combat Drug)
+ Fast Attack [12 PL, 226pts] +
Reavers [6 PL, 113pts]: Grav-Talon [3pts], Grave Lotus (Combat Drug)
Arena Champion [20pts] . 3x Reaver [60pts]: 3x Bladevanes, 3x Splinter pistol, 3x Splinter rifle . Reaver with special weapon (up to 1 for 3 models) [30pts]: Heat lance [10pts]
Reavers [6 PL, 113pts]: Grav-Talon [3pts], Painbringer (Combat Drug)
Arena Champion [20pts] . 3x Reaver [60pts]: 3x Bladevanes, 3x Splinter pistol, 3x Splinter rifle . Reaver with special weapon (up to 1 for 3 models) [30pts]: Heat lance [10pts]
+ Flyer [17 PL, 345pts] +
Razorwing Jetfighter [8 PL, 160pts]: Twin splinter rifle . 2 Dark Lances [40pts]
Voidraven [9 PL, 185pts]: Two void lances, Voidraven Missiles
+ Dedicated Transport [8 PL, 150pts] +
Venom [4 PL, 75pts]: Splinter Cannon [15pts], Twin splinter rifle
Venom [4 PL, 75pts]: Splinter Cannon [15pts], Twin splinter rifle

My friend (as far as I can tell) took this force (and miscalculated something, because its 10pts over, but 10 pts is only 10 pts...)

++ Battalion Detachment 0CP (Imperium - Adeptus Mechanicus) [118 PL, 12CP, 2,010pts] ++
Battle-forged CP [12CP]
Forge World: Mars
+ HQ +
Belisarius Cawl [13 PL, 200pts]: Warlord, Warlord Trait (Mars): Static Psalm-Code
Tech-Priest Enginseer [3 PL, 35pts]
Tech-Priest Enginseer [3 PL, 35pts]
+ Troops +
Skitarii Rangers [4 PL, 45pts] . Ranger Alpha: Galvanic Rifle . 4x Skitarii Ranger: 4x Galvanic Rifle
Skitarii Rangers [4 PL, 45pts] . Ranger Alpha: Galvanic Rifle . 4x Skitarii Ranger: 4x Galvanic Rifle
Skitarii Rangers [4 PL, 45pts] . Ranger Alpha: Galvanic Rifle . 4x Skitarii Ranger: 4x Galvanic Rifle
Skitarii Rangers [4 PL, 45pts] . Ranger Alpha: Galvanic Rifle . 4x Skitarii Ranger: 4x Galvanic Rifle
Skitarii Rangers [4 PL, 45pts] . Ranger Alpha: Galvanic Rifle . 4x Skitarii Ranger: 4x Galvanic Rifle
Skitarii Rangers [4 PL, 45pts] . Ranger Alpha: Galvanic Rifle . 4x Skitarii Ranger: 4x Galvanic Rifle
+ Elites +
Sicarian Infiltrators [6 PL, 100pts] . Infiltrator Princeps (Flechette/Taser): Taser Goad . 4x Sicarian Infiltrator (Flechette/Taser): 4x Flechette Blaster, 4x Taser Goad
Sicarian Infiltrators [6 PL, 100pts] . Infiltrator Princeps (Flechette/Taser): Taser Goad . 4x Sicarian Infiltrator (Flechette/Taser): 4x Flechette Blaster, 4x Taser Goad
Sicarian Infiltrators [6 PL, 100pts] . Infiltrator Princeps (Flechette/Taser): Taser Goad . 4x Sicarian Infiltrator (Flechette/Taser): 4x Flechette Blaster, 4x Taser Goad
+ Fast Attack +
Sydonian Dragoons [3 PL, 60pts] . Sydonian Dragoon: Radium Jezzail .
Sydonian Dragoons [3 PL, 60pts] . Sydonian Dragoon: Radium Jezzail
Sydonian Dragoons [3 PL, 60pts] . Sydonian Dragoon: Radium Jezzail
+ Heavy Support +
Kastelan Robots [12 PL, 230pts] .  2x Kastelan Robot: Heavy Phosphor Blaster, Kastelan Fists
Kastelan Robots [12 PL, 230pts] . Kastelan Robot: Heavy Phosphor Blaster, Kastelan Fists
Kastelan Robots [12 PL, 230pts] . Kastelan Robot: Heavy Phosphor Blaster, Kastelan Fists
+ Dedicated Transport +
Skorpius Dunerider [4 PL, 100pts]: 2x Cognis Heavy Stubber, Twin Cognis Heavy Stubber
Skorpius Dunerider [4 PL, 100pts]: 2x Cognis Heavy Stubber, Twin Cognis Heavy Stubber
Skorpius Dunerider [4 PL, 100pts]: 2x Cognis Heavy Stubber, Twin Cognis Heavy Stubber

Honestly, I never stood a hope. We played on a min size strikeforce board, Frontline Warefare. I chose Bring it Down, Linebreaker and Attrition. Probably should have swapped Attrition for Thin Their Ranks, and Linebreaker for Engage on All Fronts, but honestly, that wouldnt have saved me I dont think. He took Bring it Down, Engage on All Fronts, and Attrition. We called it early at the end of round 4 because I basically had nothing left.

I went first, had Scourges and one Raider in reserve. Raider into cover in the middle of the map. Same with Venoms but near the side objectives, and they also advanced with Red Grief in mind. Succy footslogged into cover in the centre. Reavers targeted 2 infantry squads on either side of his deployment zone, but the board size is really weird. Just too large to advance over enemy squads on turn 1 if you go first (and even if I went second, he had no intention of moving) so no eviscerating flyby. Just too small to do that on turn 2 in any meaningful way). But they got to charge and both eliminated their targeted units easily. Flyers flew, dropped a useless bomb, and then destroyed a dunerider. Splinterfire wiffed on all counts vs infantry. Dissis were next to useless (in hindsight, DLs would have been better for this specific force, but then I stand more chance of just missing outright. Most of his vehicles were T7 though...). Ravagers in one corner with Warlord and Ssylth (Ssylth should have gone with other archon in hindsight). Other archon flootslogged into cover near one of the venom points.

Then his turn and it all fell apart. Those mechs that can lock down to double shots? Yeah, I couldnt touch them. I think I focused them for the rest of the game and destroyed 2 models? Not even in the same unit? Meanwhile they just unloaded on everything. Round 1 ended with 2 of his infantry squads dead and one dunerider dead. I lost a venom (all wyches survived), and both reaver squads, which I was not expecting, and that basically doomed by chances at Linebreaker.

Round 2 I landed my second raider but couldnt get it in his deployment zone. I also landed the scourges. I got a few more kills, took out another complete unit of infantry, another dunerider, and half of another infantry squad. The scourges dealt significant damage to 2 mechs, killing one and... letting the other one live to heal, as the rest of my shots plinked from nearly everything else plinked harmlessly off their T7 backsides. But my Wyches were disembarked and on 2 points, the game was about to change. Charges happened, the Succi got in on a wounded Mech and stayed there for the rest of the game... trading wifflebat swings apparently. The wyches, well one set charged another mech pair, which was stupid but I forgot they could now shoot in combat (they were locked down too -_-) while the other set got in cover and waited. The surviving venom went toe to toe with a mech priest, unable to be damaged, but unable to kill. Then he went, and fired, and I lost a raider, a wych squad, most of my scourges, most of the other wych squad. I am now running on empty while he... he brings in reinforcements in the form of 3 squads of melee boys who... apparently dont cost much more than to my wyches but have 2 wounds and better stats in every way. The lone archon and remaining wyches died to those guys and some lance walkers.

We nearly called it there, but we worked out that I could actually win, assuming I didnt lose too much, and if I could focus down just a couple more vehicles. I did kill some more vehicles, but I also lost the other raider, the 2 kabal squads from the first raider, the venom, the Sslyth, and the scourges.

I needed more darklight, but I also just needed more units. I had 20 to his 21, and not a single unit of his was weaker than the comparable units role on my side. Also he brought a named unit on top of all of that and I simply cant figure out how his army ends up being that low cost.

Other than darklight, if anyone has any suggestions, let me know. My friend is actually appalled at being able to lock those suits down in the middle of the board or on a point and still shoot in combat. Even with DL, I can focus 1, maybe 2 squads a round, and he still would have had squads by the end. Meanwhile, I clearly cant use my wyches for anything in this game.

Ok, ok. I can guess one suggestion. Use Coven. 2 Coven patrols gives 4 squads of 3 taloi. The thing is, while, yes, we played on Tabletop Simulator, neither of us want to field armies we dont have IRL. And I dont like to field unpainted units. And I cant paint flesh very well and so dont want coven. Im not trying to win tournaments here. But I would like it to be less of a one sided battle when I face this particular friend (and we both agree that actually he got some rules wrong on his rerolls and should have won by a lot more). I also face friends who are Tau and Thousand Sons/Tzneech players, and dont fancy my chances vs either.

Firstly, you can only take 3 units of anything (Rule of Three), so you cant take 4 squads of Talos.

But unfortunately, it seems like armies need to be able to scrum in the middle of the board for objectives, traiding punch for punch. Coven units excel at that type of warfare, so that is why everyone is going that direction right now. They cant shoot very well, and may not kill very much, but they are great at standing in a location and not dying (most of the time anyway)

The list you brought is a VERY high skill army that relies on deployment, target priority, and positioning. Based on what you write above, you positioned in a way to target most of his army, which resulted in him being able to target you right back. Dark Eldar cannot trade shot for shot with other armies, we will never win that game.

With a Kabal heavy list, you need to position in such a way that most of his army cannot target you. This is highly dependent on terrain (not sure how much you had on the board, or if you were playing the Obscuring rules correctly). You need to position in such a way that your whole army can focus on a small portion of his army (without the rest of his army being able to move into position to hit you back on his turn). Pick a flank, deploy on that flank, destroy that flank, then move onto another portion of his army. The Cult units would hang back and only charge in Turn 2-3 once the enemy has been whittled down a bunch.

This is obviously easier said than done. Personally, I have a very hard time with this, especially once the enemy learns your moves and starts to castle up without leaving stragglers that can get picked off on the edges.

I would highly recomend trying out some Coven stuff, but you really need to saturate the board with them. Unlike the Kabalite tactic of hiding and picking off lone units on the edges, the Coven tactic would be to get in the enemy face ASAP. It really is a whole different army to learn.

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I can actually show you deployment. Its SO hard to cram everything in, the board is so small and the zones are tiny for Frontline Warefare. The big rocks are obscuring. All the terrain is nicely labeled so you can hover over and see the key words. Its one of the maps for Tabletop Simulator for 9th, and is nicely coded to have all the objective cards, stratagems, etc for each army.




I tried to keep the raiders hidden behind terrain in the middle, and on the right hand side (the lower edge in the photo) until the last turn where I went "screw this, Ive already lost, might as well try and take one more vehicle with me". Nothing was particularly flankable as the two sides are just spread out in a thin line and are forced to stand still or move forward. He never let me get into his deployment zone. The table is so small that he could hit me from there regardless. Seriously, if that was Tau, neither of us would have had to have moved for him to wipe me out. My flyers just flew boxes around the edge of the board and could hit everything they needed to.

Thats a tough map for sure.

The enemy spread out all along his deployment zone, which is perfect for us. I personally would have tried to deploy everything in the top left corner of the map (assuming you can physically fit), and take out the 2-3 units in his deployment zone in the top right. Ignore the rest of the enemy army, you cant kill them all so no point in trying.

His first turn would have been trying to re-position to get LOS on you (you would have moved so that you can see the target units, but nothing else), generally resulting in him not getting to shoot with most of his army.

You have deployed as a gun-line, maximizing targets and LOS. This is great for Tau/Imperial Guard/Ad Mech (assuming they go first), but terrible for Dark Eldar. You lost as soon as you deployed (dont feel too bad, 1/2 of my games are lost during deployment too)

That is the basics of Dark Eldar, playing hide-and-seek. If he can see you, you are dead. You got to deploy so that you can focus your whole army at 1-2 targets, while denying LOS for 90% of his army.

Maybe try out a gunline army for yourself, since you are playing on TTS anyway? The best way to learn the weakness of something is to try it out yourself. I personally run both DE and Guard, and it really helped me understand the game and the weaknesses of the gunline.

I think in general that that is the best way to go. Force them to turn into the middle, then cut behind them again. Linebreaker would have been easy then, while I would have stayed protected, allowing Attrition to score points too. Even better if I brought DL rather than Dissi. Though I would have lost the points I got for sitting on my home objective.

If I did run the same deployment again, then actually swapping the objectives to Thin Their Ranks and Engage on All Fronts would have drawn us level, or won me the game. Though I dont think its a win if you have less on the board at the end than they do... I took out so many ranger squads that counted for nothing, and was, from turn 1, in all 4 corners of the map, while he only achieved that in turn 3. But I was lucky in what I did achieve. Im learning a lot. I think, as well as staying out the way (using my flyers to hit targets elsewhere), I need to overcommit to damaging vehicles. And ToS might be better than Red Grief, though im not sure about that (charging after advancing with my reavers was lovely).

Glad I could help.

Let us know if you face this enemy again, I expect to hear about a victory for the True Kin

Hey! Im playing both admech and drukhari.

Admech list was fairly friendly i would say. Its like 30% of assault it can do with our boats. So mainly concentrate on how you play, let list stays the same.

My favorite stuff right now is 6 full daka Kastellans with upped range, double hit on sixes and full reroll from cawl. It doesnt delete units, it deletes armies. You just have to deal with some Skitarii in transports.