Astronomi-con lists

I have two alternative lists for the upcoming Astronomi-con tournament (http://www.astronomi-con.com).  It is a 1500 point tournament with 6 games over two days.  Each table has a different scenario based on the scenery and a story - so you have to be ready for anything.  Composition rules are also quite tight.  High penalties for taking 3 of any thing and even penalties for two of the same elites, heavies and fast attack.  Also penalties for high point concentrations in any area.  Any comments are welcome.  The Reaper is there to avoid heavy penalties on triple Ravager and because I thought it would be fun to try out (I'm not a really competitive player). The biggest difference is the addition of an Aegis Defence line in place of a Blasterborn squad in a Venom. The last Astronomi-con had lots of Aegis Defence lines, but I'm wondering if the meta game has changes sufficiently with the arrival of the Tau that I don't have to worry about flyers as much?

Here are my two proposed lists (subject to getting Aegis defence line in time):

1500 Pts - Dark Eldar Roster - Kabal of the Pale Total - List 1

Total Roster Cost: 1498

Elite/HQ: Incubi (263 pts)
  1 Archon + Agoniser + Shadow Field
  4 Incubi
     1 Venom + Splinter Cannon

Troops: Wyches (190 pts)
  8 Wyches
     1 Hekatrix + Phantasm Grenade Launcher + Agoniser
     1 Raider

Troops: Wyches (190 pts)
  8 Wyches
     1 Hekatrix + Phantasm Grenade Launcher + Agoniser
     1 Raider

Troops: Kabalite Warriors (109 pts)
  11 Kabalite Warriors + Splinter Cannon

Troops: Kabalite Warriors (109 pts)
  11 Kabalite Warriors + Splinter Cannon

Elite: Kabalite Trueborn (146 pts)
  3 Kabalite Trueborn + Blaster
     1 Venom + Splinter Cannon

Heavy Support: Ravager (105 pts)
  1 Ravager

Heavy Support: Ravager (105 pts)
  1 Ravager

Heavy Support: Reaper (IA) (135 pts)
  1 Reaper

Elite: Kabalite Trueborn (146 pts)
  3 Kabalite Trueborn + Blaster x3
     1 Venom + Splinter Cannon

1500 Pts - Dark Eldar Roster - Kabal of the Pale Total - List 2

Total Roster Cost: 1497

Elite/HQ: Incubi (263 pts)
  1 Archon, Agoniser  + Shadow Field
  4 Incubi,
     1 Venom + Splinter Cannon

Troops: Wyches (190 pts)
  8 Wyches,
     1 Hekatrix,  + Phantasm Grenade Launcher + Agoniser)
     1 Raider

Troops: Wyches (190 pts)
  8 Wyches
     1 Hekatrix + Phantasm Grenade Launcher + Agoniser
     1 Raider, 60 pts

Troops: Kabalite Warriors (118 pts)
  12 Kabalite Warriors+ Splinter Cannon

Troops: Kabalite Warriors (118 pts)
  12 Kabalite Warriors + Splinter Cannon

Elite: Kabalite Trueborn (173 pts)
  4 Kabalite Trueborn,  + Blaster x4
     1 Venom + Splinter Cannon

Heavy Support: Ravager (105 pts)
  1 Ravager

Heavy Support: Ravager (105 pts)
  1 Ravager

Heavy Support: Reaper (IA) (135 pts)
  1 Reaper

: Aegis Defence Lines (100 pts)
  1 Aegis Defence Lines
     1 Gun Emplacement

I would recommend you to mount your HQ on a raider. He is an assault unit, so you will need to turbo-boost to the enemy lines. So you will not be able to shoot your 2 splinter cannons on this Venom. Raider is cheaper and it has 3 HP. The ethersails is a good upgrade for such transport.

Archon with agoniser is a doubtful choice, but ok if you want. But you will need a PGL, because otherwise your incubi will have initiative 1 when assaulting through terrain. And you should be ready to assault through terrain (you should be ready to anything).

Then I would recommend you to drop PLG from you wyches and take haywire grenades.
You can also take a Talos instead of Reaper. Talos is a very effective and durable unit. First turns he will protect your backlines and then he comes to the center killing everything he can reach.

2 units of 12 Warriors is something strange. You will be 100% disappointed with them. Its better to take a couple of 5 Warrior units with blasters on Venoms. This is much better.
And my last recommendation - drop one blasterborn unit for one more troop (better warriors on a venom), you will need them to score.

Thanks. I've taken some of your advice to heart and I've modified it. I'll publish it soon.

Here's the list I am going with:

1500 Pts - Dark Eldar Roster - Kabal of the Pale Total - Jim Baidacoff

Total Roster Cost: 1497

HQ: Archon (283 pts)
4 Incubi, 60 pts
1 Archon+ Agoniser + Phantasm Grenade Launcher + Shadow Field

Troops: Wyches (190 pts)
8 Wyches, 80 pts
1 Hekatrix, 50 pts = (Agoniser )
1 Raider,

Troops: Wyches (190 pts)
8 Wyches,
1 Hekatrix, 50 pts = (Phantasm Grenade Launcher + Agoniser)
1 Raider,

Troops: Kabalite Warriors (109 pts)
11 Kabalite Warriors + Splinter Cannon

Troops: Kabalite Warriors (109 pts)
11 Kabalite Warriors + Splinter Cannon

Troops: Kabalite Warriors (125 pts)
5 Kabalite Warriors, + Blaster
1 Venom + Splinter Cannon

Elite: Kabalite Trueborn (146 pts)
3 Kabalite Trueborn, + Blaster x3
1 Venom, 65 pts + Splinter Cannon

Heavy Support: Ravager (105 pts)
1 Ravager

Heavy Support: Ravager (105 pts)
1 Ravager

Heavy Support: Reaper (IA) ( 135 pts)
1 Reaper

Warlord Trait is Night Fighter

My composition score is 14/20.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Do you get to pick your warlord trait for astro? I plan on attending the Vancouver one.   Not sure if I would prefer the night fight one or the my warlord and his unit get FnP within 3' of an objective.  My warlord us the baron and a beast pack

Astro tournies are definitely a blast to play in.

I am stoked and will be signed up within the week.

I like this tourney as it is in no way competitive. Just really fun missions a great people.
I am going to bring a balanced list this. Not a competitive one at all. Last year I brought a average list, but my opponents thought it was op? I just took some random stuff. Still taking random stuff and not spamming.



My list will be something like this.

Baron.

Haemi with shattershard, vblade.

5 wracks with liquifier in venom with 2 cannons.

5 warriors in venoms with duel cannons, gruesome talismans.

10 warriors with cannon in raider with lance

5 wyches in raider with haywire in duel cannon venom.

8 wyches incld hek with pblade, PGL in raider with lance

Beast pack with 5 masters, 6 flocks and 8 hounds

2 ravangers with lances

Void raven with 2 shatterfield missiles and flicker field.

This is 1500points exactly.

May put night shields or flicker fields on ravangers.


Does this look balanced enough to you? Or too competitive for astro? I don't want a dick list at this tourney.

Astro is a great tournament.  It's hard to have a dick list as the comp system will knock you down, and the variety of scenarios will usually screw someone who isn't balanced.  Your list looks pretty good, but I'm no expert.  I chose night fighter because it protects my vehicles if I don't get first turn and let's me move up my assault troops easier on first turn.

I definitely won't bring a dick list.
I am really good with DE and hope people won't confuse player skill with being op. I will take an average/below list. Another list I am thinking is similar to the above but without the flyer or haemi and has 9 bikes instead. Figured they could be fun to play. I will post two lists soon and see which people would have the most fun playing against.

Completed the first day of the tournament and I'm having a blast.  It's always a good tournament.

First game was Hammer and Ambull (Ambulls randomly come up and attack the nearest unit from either side).  I was facing Tau: Surestrike, Fireblade, 2 Fire warrior teams with Shas'ui, Pathfinders, Drone quadron, XV8 Crisis team, Hammerhead, sniper drone team, Aegis defence line.  We only managed 2 full turns and he won on points 6 vs 2 because my Reaper didn't make it onto the board, but it was pretty clear if the game went another turn I was going to eat him up as my Wyches and Hq got into his line and stayed in combat. The Ambulls were all over his Crisis Team.

Second game was Temple of Doom, a very complicated scenario with variable objectives.  Another Tau Army but I didn't get the list.  Had a Riptide, and a flyer (that didn't come on), 3 fire warriror teams and two tanks,Crisis Suit and those little skimmer coffins that buzz around.  I won solidly on points 13 vs 3 after 3 turns as I had achieved my objective without revealing it (8 points) and he  failed to earn his (2 points for me too).  Again the losses on both sides were fairly even but I was about to rip into him pretty hard if the game continued.  I made one tactical error not charging two squads with my Wyches after he Overwatched the other Wyche squad to death.

Third game was Battle on the Farm against Space Wolves: Wolf Lord, Wolf Priest, 3 Grey Hunters packs with Rhino, Dreadnought, Predator, Long Fangs, Aegis Defence lines.  Naturally, I was attacker. Game ended after 3 turns and he had upper hand in points 8 vs 2, but again, it was looking positive for me.  My warriors snuck up close enough before turn 1 that they could blast one Grey Hunter pack and force it to flee off the board. Lost my Wyches to uncoordinated attacks as my HQ didn't come on the board soon enough.  All my armour killing stuff and HQ were still around.

Looking forward to tomorrow.

Wow, what a second day.

First battle was "Needs Moar Dakka".  Orky scenery, with two large guns in the middle third of the table that needed to be defended.  Because I was against Chaos I was defender and had to set up all of my army in the middle third of the board and the defend the guns.  I was up against a Nurgle army containing a Chaos Lord, Warpsmith, two squads of Plague Marines, a squad of Cultists, Terminator Squad, Heldrake, Havoc Squad, Forgefiend, Predator, Aegis Defence line with Quad Gun.  The objectives were nearly impossible to defend and I ended up with 6 points vs his 8.  I did manage to score 9 more unit points killed than he got, so in that sense it was virtually a tie.

Second game was "Vaporize" which had static objectives. I was against an Inquisitor led army (no list for me to keep).  Had Coteaz and another Inquisitor, Troops were two squads of storm troopers in Chimeras with Jakeros for support. Coteaz had a large henchmen squad of mostly Mystics or Psykers.  There was also a Stormraven with about 10 Death Cult Assassins in it.  I was ultimately able to break him down, my HQ got into his Aegis Defence line and took out his HQ. i won 13 points to 2.

Final game. I forget the scenario name, but it was movable objectives.  I was against another Chaos Army: Dark Apostle, Sorcerer, 2 squads Chaos Marines, 1 squad Cultists, Squad Terminator, Havocs, Obliterators, Hell Blade.  I eventually tabled him and won 10 points to zero.  His Hellblade came on late and essentially did nothing.

Overall, the list did very well: 3 wins, 2 losses and a virtual tie.  Unlike the first day, my games went the full 5-7 turns.  I paid a composition penalty to take an extra troop choice, but it was well worth it for the objective based scenarios.  The Reaper performed so-so, as expected.  It was more the curiosity/surprise  factor that made it worthwhile - although I never rolled 3 Haywire grenades.

Glad you had a good time and did well.

I am stoked for Astro Vancouver