500 - 1000 Newbie Escalation List

So I'm just getting into playing Dark Eldar and my first few games are going to be 500 point skirmishes, moving up to 1000 point battles and then continuing on to the ridiculously huge point level my group currently games at.

So this is my first stab at some lists that will be used as a basis for further expansion.

Archon
-Blast Pistol
-Haywire Grenades
-Shadow Field

-110pts

10 x Kabalite Warriors
-Blaster
-Splinter Cannon
-Raider
-Splinter Racks
-Night Shields

-195pts

10 x Kabalite Warriors
-Blaster
-Splinter Cannon
-Raider
-Splinter Racks
-Night Shields

-195pts

Total = 500pts

So I'm going to run two gunboats with enough dakka to hurt hordes and two blasters and two dark lances to hassle any tanks that I may encounter at 500 points. The Archon is a bit of a loose end at 500 but will come into his own as I expand. Currently he's only there to move up whilst the enemy focuses on the gunboats and make a nuisance of himself against unwary rhinos and the like.

Advancing from there up to 1000 point games I'm looking at running the following...

Archon
-Huskblade
-Soul Trap
-Phantasm Grenade Launcher
-Clone Field
-Haywire Grenades

-155pts

4 x Incubi
-Venom
-Splinter Cannon

-145pts

10 x Kabalite Warriors
-Blaster
-Splinter Cannon
-Sybarite
-Raider
-Splinter Racks
-Night Shields

-205pts

10 x Kabalite Warriors
-Blaster
-Splinter Cannon
-Sybarite
-Raider
-Splinter Racks
-Night Shields

-205pts

Razorwing
-4 x Necrotoxin Missiles
-Night Shields

-175pts

Ravager
-Night Shields

-115pts

Total = 1000pts

Archon rides with the Incubi.

What do you think guys? What am I missing? What would you change? Is there something I should look at taking in the future? Any advice is greatly appreciated. I'm kinda running into this blind.

Point totals are off, I think. I'll splinter cannons are a waste w/ splinter racks. Flicker fields are better on the jetfighter than night shields. Cut things and get another ravager. Haywire grenades are a waste on an arching. Ghostplate might be plus. Overall good.

Where do you think that the point totals are off? I have the points breakdown and the codex here and I've given it a few checks but if something is glaringly off then let me know.

I can't see any benefit to taking away either splinter cannon or splinter racks from those squads. Removing either reduces the squads firepower. Is there something I'm missing? I know that cannons don't benefit from the racks but the rest of the squad does and eight poison re-rolls is worth ten points and so is Ass4 Hvy6 4+ poison.

Why are Flicker Fields better than Night Shields? I haven't tried either so I'm eager to learn. If the Razorwing is engaging at distance using its mobility then the Night Shields seemed like a better choice than a 5+ invulnerable save.

Oh and the Haywire Grenades were an afterthought. I had a few points left over so I thought, "Meh, use 'em of lose 'em."

If I'd had twice as many spare points I would have looked at ghost plate but then again maybe I've dropped too many points into my HQ already. I've made that mistake before. Going nuts with expensive options only to have the dude die second turn.

**Edited for speeling**

Flyers can only turn 90" and have to move at least 18" each turn, and as the razorwing has fixed weapon mounts it only has a 45 degree firing arc, you can't really keep them away from the enemy unless you want to miss out on turns of shooting, flyers already miss out on a few turns because they have to start in reserve.

A Flicker Field is a good option as it gives you a 5+ invulnerable save, this means you never have to perform an evasive manoeuvre to get a 5+ cover save as you already have a save (evasive manoeuvres are bad as they mean you can only snapfire on your next turn which also means you can't fire any missiles).

I think the necrotoxin missiles are a waste of points as the stock missiles already wound most things on 2s, and can threaten armour if need be (parking lots and such).

Also I don't see what you get out of the Sybarite.

The Searing Wind wrote:

I've given it a few checks but if something is glaringly off then let me know.

The Incubi squad with dual cannon venom is 153 points.

Hope that helps.

If you're going to upgrade the missiles on the Razorwing, Shatterfields are a good way to go - The higher strength, re-roll to wound and the fact that AP- doesn't inflict a negative modifier on the vehicle damage table, as well as the fact that the blast hits at full force regardless of what part of the template is over the vehicle, means it's great for taking out lightly armoured transports as well as infantry. The monoscythes are still fine, but if you want to upgrade them, shatterfields are a really good option now, better than they were.

I'd lower the cost of the warrior squads by dropping the sybarites and splinter cannons. If they're getting charged, it's all gone wrong anyway, and if you're charging with them that means you've foregone a turn of their murderous shooting, which would be the wrong way to go about playing them. The only people they'll beat in close combat (maybe) is other Eldar, gretchin and Guardsmen, and then even the guard might win through strength of numbers. Maybe Tau too, if you fancy your chances against overwatching pulse rifles With the splinter cannons, you're paying more than the cost of another warrior to have an extra two or three shots (assuming the Raider is always moving, which it should be, and depending on range), which won't be re-rollable. It might do slightly more damage overall, but I'm not sure it's worth the points for what will probably be quite a marginal difference.

Why would splinter canons be not affected by splinter racks ? From what I remember ,it just says that you can re-roll failed to hit dices with a splinter weapon. and splinter canon is a splinter weapon, is it not ?

Fruz wrote:

Why would splinter canons be not affected by splinter racks ? From what I remember ,it just says that you can re-roll failed to hit dices with a splinter weapon. and splinter canon is a splinter weapon, is it not ?

Splinter rifles and pistols only I'm afraid. God knows why...

Mushkilla wrote:

The Searing Wind wrote:

I've given it a few checks but if something is glaringly off then let me know.

The Incubi squad with dual cannon venom is 153 points.

Hope that helps.

Gorramit!!! >.<

This is what I get for doing math on Redbull! Thanks guys!

So other than that, drop the sybarites, missiles, 'nades and switch to a flickerfield on the Razorwing?

Got it! Thanks everyone! Very much appreciated!

Oh and I assume that the racks not working with cannons is just to give the rules some balance. Although if you ask GW they will say the weapons use different sized ammo or some such. Like we'd ever forget to bring the big splinters.