2K Attempt at competitivness

Hello DCity.New to 40K and Dark Eldar but play Dark Elves in Fantasy. Made the jump and I am planning to make this list. I know there is a massive difference in 40k WHFB gaming but I tend play strict TAC list, however I prefer to make my Deldar lean towards CC more. I've read most of the posts here and in other forums and got the gist of things but I have yet to lay a game. I've done the math and it seems there are better close combat solutions for certain things but again I want to cater against all armies so here's my attempt at one.

HQ
Asdrubael Vect 240
Haemonculus Liquifier 60
Haemonculus Liquifier, Shattershard 75
Haemonculus Liquifier, Cruscible of Malediction 80


TROOPS
7 Wyches Raider, Hekatrix, Agonizer, Hydra Gaunlets, 7 haywire grenades 194
Raider, Dark Lance, Flickerfield
7 Wyches Raider, Hekatrix, Agonizer, Hydra Gaunlets, 7 haywire grenades 194
Raider, Dark Lance, Flickerfield
7 Wyches Raider, Hekatrix, Agonizer, Hydra Gaunlets, 7 haywire grenades 194
Raider, Dark Lance, Flickerfield

ELITES
(x8) BloodBrides w/ x3 Shardnet and Impaler, x8 Haywire<Vect here> 270
(x1) Syren w/ haywire, Agonizer
Raider, Dark Lance, Flickerfield, Torment Grenade Launcher

4 Trueborn, 4 blasters Venom, Extra Splinter Canon, Flickerfield 108+65 146

4 Trueborn, 4 blasters Venom, Extra Splinter Canon, Flickerfield 108+65 146

Ravager 3 Dark Lances, Flickerfield 115
Ravager 3 Dark Lances, Flickerfield 115
Ravager 3 Dark Lances, Flickerfield 115

1998

I've done other lists that include the Duke instead with 3 units of Blasterborn with 3 units of Wyches and 2 units of Warriors with Blasters but it makes the list more shooty than CC. A veteran DEldar player in our FLGS has recommended Incubi instead of the Bloodbrides saying that Wyches don't really kill as much as I envision them to be even with Hydra Gauntlets and Combat Drugs. I've done tests and the Incubi really hit harder, do the Bloodbrides belong in a competitive list or will plain Wyches accomplish what they do just the same.

Last question for those who have played competitively, is Vect really good (considering the point size, current mechanized meta plus abundance of BA,GK,SW,IGs) or can I save up points by using a generic Archon or another HQ? C&C appreciated.

Wyches/Brides are defensive units. The punch comes from Incubi, Beasts & Grotesques.

I'd get rid of the brides & 1 unit of wyches. also FF come standard (I noticed you listed them) on venoms.
& consider Advanced Aether Sails & Shock Prows (both make for a vicious suicide combo) for your raiders but alone they work well.

Oh & 7 is the perfect number for Wyches.

Vect is awesome but you have to realise he is going to be a big fire magnet. so stick him with something thats is not to expensive so they can just soak up some blows. reg wyches can do the job well. also its going to be ether sink or slaughter with vect, he can kill almost everything byhimself on occasion but once that one str 6+ hits him thats the end of it and your down 240 points . if you can live with that sacrifice he will serve you well.

vect is great at clean-up because of his ability to kill - he is very good at what he does. but it is very hard to justify the points because he is very one dimensional. if vect gets stuck in combat with a dread then its over for him.

from my understanding, the haemonculi go with all the wych squads, except for vect? i think he should, first and formost should have the pain token imo.

For all the hype, wyches and bloodbrides are not offensive monsters. There are things you can do to give them more punch, but really they tie things up or win through attrition.

You CC monsters are incubi and Beastmaster packs.

I'm not sold on Vect. For his price alone you could get a 10 man incubi unit. Yes he has lots of bells and whistles, but my assetion is he is better suited to an "ard boys point size, 2500, not at 2K. He is awesome, but that is a lot of points.

My thoughts, drop Vect. Get an Archon or Succubus and keep them cheap.

Drop a unit of blood brides and get rid of all the Wych special weapons, bump you wyches up to 8 strong.

Add in a unit of Beast masters and a unit of incubi. Now you have 3 tarpit units to tue things up until the hammer arrive and wipe them out.

What you have to be careful of is that you don't wipe them out too fast because then you will be targetted by every bolter, heavy bolter etc your opponent has, so target selection is a priority for both your CC and shooting.

Also, Dark Eldar really is a shooting army. it has some significant close combat threats, but I would assert in order for your CC to be successful, you will need shooting to soften up units and to eliminate CC countering elements hitting you while you are in CC.

For example, if you are assaulting a unit of tactical marines, you have be ready to splinter/dark lance to death the terminators sitting in a Landraider nearby otherwise you get bogged down and whittled down. The wyches can tie up most anything, but those will make fast work of the beastmasters and incubi.

Don't go all in for pure CC or you will be hamstringing yourself before the first dice is thrown.

Here is my revised list taking into account all your suggestions. If Wyches are just anvils then perhaps it is best to use them just to hold units while I shoot everything up. I dunno maybe I just like the fluff and conversion possibilities for Bloodbrides haha. I can always just convert all my Wyches for the look I am going for and just declare them as plain Wyches. I get the best of both worlds I guess. Anyway, I've always like Duke Sliscus for his armywide buffs on top of the Haemonculi so I guess this is the best I can come up for now. 11 Vehicles, 21 Dark Lances, 56++ Splintershots, 5 contesting/scoring units. Tie what I need to with the Wyches then just blow everything with Blasters, Lances and Haywire Grenades.

HQ
Duke Sliscus 150
Haemonculus Liquifier 60
Haemonculus Liquifier, Shattershard 75
Haemonculus Liquifier, Crucible of Malediction 80


TROOPS
8 Wyches Raider, Hekatrix, Agonizer, 8 haywire grenades 128 +70 198
Raider, Dark Lance, Flickerfield
8 Wyches Raider, Hekatrix, Agonizer, 8 haywire grenades 128 +70 198
Raider, Dark Lance, Flickerfield
8 Wyches Raider, Hekatrix, Agonizer, 8 haywire grenades 128 +70 198
Raider, Dark Lance, Flickerfield
5 Warriors, Blaster 60 +70 130
Raider, Dark Lance, Flickerfield
5 Warriors, Blaster 60 +65 125
Venom, Extra Splinter Canon, Flickerfield

ELITES
3 Trueborn, 3 blasters Venom, Extra Splinter Canon, Flickerfield 81+65 146
3 Trueborn, 3 blasters Venom, Extra Splinter Canon, Flickerfield 81+65 146
3 Trueborn, 3 blasters Venom, Extra Splinter Canon, Flickerfield 81+65 146

HEAVY SUPPORT
Ravager 3 Dark Lances, Flickerfield 115
Ravager 3 Dark Lances, Flickerfield 115
Ravager 3 Dark Lances, Flickerfield 115

1997 points total

I really am clueless as to what your intentions are with this list. it lacks a hammer unit & also were is Duke (he sucks) going? I suggest losing 1 wych in each unit & adding to one of the Trueborn units & swich them with the Raider bound warriors & have duke chill in there with them. other than that its seems ok. (much better than that other list)

I know there is a list that's optimized for shooting like the Warriors with 1 Blaster in a Venom Spam that is more optimal I guess but I don't feel like taking that route. My plan was to run the 3 Wych Squad up front, open up the transports and threats with all the lance shots and then finish them off with the Wyches. I'm not looking to get the hammer units and just using the Wyches tie up models and Grenade tanks. Is the Duke considered to be a bad choice? He seems good as I can choose from two choices of Combat Drugs and he's not too shabby in close combat, the Deep Strike option I guess is just a plus too hopefully deepstrike and shoot rear armor. Again I haven't played a game yet but watch 40K games every weekend. This is to finalize what other units I'll purchase after.

It s getting better.

My thoughts on the new improved one, and I disagree with others on this, but dump the warger on the haemis and give them all liquifier guns. They are rock solid and cheap.

If you want a hammer unit, drop on unit of trueborn and add in a small unit of Incubi, maybe 5 or 6 strong. Put them in a Radier.

Swap out the warriors in the venom to warriros in a raider. basicly you are just swapping chariots for your riders.

To get a few extra points, you could drop the wyches to 7 each. Still plenty to give anyone a headache and tie things up long enough for the incubi to come in a finish them off.

I get the desire to use the Duke, or Vect or the Baron. its a matter of choice and what each player thinks is most important for their game plan.

I go cheap and use a succubus. Some hate her, some don't. The real thing with all the DE HQs names and un-named is each has their own advantages, except for the executioner/headtaker guy I forget his name but he is pretty worthless across the board.

Try some things out and go from there. One thing to remember out DE that I have discovered since I started playing them is what looks good on paper does not always translate accurately onto actual game play. Its a subtle finesse army in which the sum is much greater than the parts. A turn or 2 of careful shooting can set up some close combats in which your opponent gets tabled in one grand sweep in some cases.