Dark Eldar, and webway portals Options

[Stinkingyeti]

And other things i guess.

Now, i have an old army, it was my first every army from 2001. I have none of the new models and don't plan on buying any atm, not because of aesthetics but because i'm poor. I have a warrior heavy army but i like that.

Now, two questions about fun play time.

Webway portals, do i have to declare that i'm holding stuff in reserve if i bring along a portal? Or can that fact be hidden? I figure if i let the other team know they'll focus fire the potential guys holding the portal to destroy them and the portal and wipe out my reserves.

And next question, is an archon with incubi still a remotely viable close combat squadron? I was going to run with an archon with some incubi on a raider, alongside a haemy with some wracks on another raider, supported by a large unit of jetbikes and backed up slowly by a ravager. On the other flank i'll have 60 odd warriors doing the slow advance of doom. With a talos and 1 unit of warriors camped out in the warp to come out of the webway portal once the haemy disembarks and drops it off.

That way even if the HQ units look to be in over their heads, they'll have a talos and another 20 warriors popping out right next to them as back up.

Workable tactic or what?

[Earendil the Dark]

You have to declare your reserves at deployment but you have the option of them coming through the portal or from the table edge. The previous codex was the time when you had to say what was coming out of the portal. Opponents will still shoot you squad that has the portal as they don't want you using it.

The archon and incubi are no longer the go to squad for assault. They are expensive and there are so many other great assault units in the other armies that you really have to be careful what you assault. Wyches are very good and come with plasma grenades and can purchase haywire grenades which are VERY useful.

A blob squad with a haemi is good but still expensive and does not do a lot, resilient though. Buy 2 dark lances and you have some dark matter that won't disappear in one shot.

[Stinkingyeti]

It's also a case of what models i have too. I do have some wyches, only 8, but no real wych type HQ models.

Btw, blob squad, is that the wracks?

Can't someone get a haywire blaster now? I haven't read the codex in great detail still so i'm pretty off on the memory of who can take what. And are haywire grenades one use only, and only one roll for the squad when assaulting a vehicle?

[Earendil the Dark]

Haywire blasters are available to scourges and and Talos. Blob squad refers to 20 man warrior squads.

Haywire grenades are more than once only wargear.

[adreal]

While I agree that Incubi are costly, they are pretty good at busting armour. Wyches rely to much on good drugs and the agoniser to get through armour in close combat, but Incubi ca't do anything to a dreadnought (shrugs)

Why not run both

[deadmuppet]

Wracks with a hemi in a boat with 2 ap flamers is fun witches are boss in combat jebikes are awful and only good way to use them is in a group of 3 with a heat lance and be one hit wonders. Helions and beastmasters are amazing. if u have alot of warri ors use them as trueborn with the duke. warrior spam still works. just drive bye shooting isnt as good as it used to be.

[Maldervich]

It's also a case of what models i have too. I do have some wyches, only 8, but no real wych type HQ models.

Archon with power weapon, combat drugs and shadow field 5Attacks 2+ Invul and what ever drugs you end up with about 110 points. Works well for my wych cult army or for an actual character use lelith hesperax lots of attacks ignoring armour 3+invul in combat and 4+ from shooting, but like most DE just S3 T3

[Stinkingyeti]

Yeah but in a warrior based army, the archon isn't gonna run around with a bunch of scantily clad lunatics with sharp blades. He'll want his hardcore armed and armoured crew of incubi watching his back.

I did have a unit of 9 jetbikes set up. I converted a haemy to a jetbike rider before this codex came out, only to discover it's now essentially just a unit leader. That model looks totally awesome so i want to show that sucker off.

I had a drachon on a hellion pad converted as well, i guess it'll suffice as a beastmaster until i convert the original beastmaster model.

I only have 3 raiders, so they are coveted highly. There's the desire to get the hq combat unit into combat, as well as the wyches if i run them, also getting the haemy unit up there to drop off the webway portal and have some combat fun too.

I could drop the haemy into a wych unit and give them a pain token to start the game with.

Well i'm playing tonight and will have to make up a 1750 point list i think for a joint game. So i'll just wing it and see how it runs.

[GuessRange]

If you don't see it elsewhere:
Redundancy. You need to be looking at at least 2 WWP carriers for your army.
Living yourself wide open to a 'mobility kill' on the bulk of your army otherwise.

Can also play some interesting variations with your reavers. Will be interested to see how you go.

[Stinkingyeti]

Well the initial plan changed with my list and the dual game, and the list i ran with was just horrible. But learned some valuable lessons.

I think i'm going in invest in a venom though, those things do seem kinda nifty, though i'm wondering what squad would work best in it, an elite squad seems ideal, something like some trueborn or maybe the elite wyches.

The blob squads of warriors must advance forward to maintain effectiveness, and given this new rumour of the rapid fire rule change, that just made that tactic a crapton more useful. Assuming it works with those guys that is.

[GuessRange]

Your blob warriors got a massive bump with the 24" rapid firing rule. You can now march across the field, shoot your splinter weapons to hit on 3+, wound of 4+, leaving your targets at the mercy of their AS. Then when you get in position, continue to rapid fire and 'overwatch' your blob to deliver a serious sucker punch to any unit thinking of assaulting you...
Shame about your alpha striking witch elves though...kinda hard done by..

[GuessRange]

Double Post. Disregard.

This post has been edited by GuessRange: Jun 25 2012, 02:22 AM

[Stinkingyeti]

Well it's definitely going to be fun figuring out what works and what doesn't. Those blob units suffer vs strong tank armies though, i'll need to pack a few tank poppers so those blobs have something to shoot at.

[GuessRange]

If you look at the new vehicle rules. The 'Hull' points act like wounds, which are taken off by glancing or penetrating hits. If you penetrate the armour, you get a table to roll on for effects. If you just glance it loses its hull points. Once it is 0 hull points it is a wreck...aka destroyed.
Haywire grenades, go on....

[Stinkingyeti]

Holy bejesus. One wych unit would totally own a single tank in a round.

[Maldervich]

Holy bejesus. One wych unit would totally own a single tank in a round.

I use them often. ive had a dreadnaught charge a single wych i rolled 3 6's made my fell no pain and went on her merry way. Haywire grenades are a great upgrade.

[Stinkingyeti]

How do you guys find Venoms perform? I don't own any but was thinking of buying a couple with a new box of wyches.

[Archon Eugenic]

I use them often. ive had a dreadnaught charge a single wych i rolled 3 6's made my fell no pain and went on her merry way. Haywire grenades are a great upgrade.

You only get one attack with a haywire gernade.. Not base attacks, so one wych would be one attack.. 3 wyches three attacks. (This may change but it is 5th Ed rules.)

[dominus nox]

You only get one attack with a haywire gernade.. Not base attacks, so one wych would be one attack.. 3 wyches three attacks. (This may change but it is 5th Ed rules.)

I think he means 6 to Hit, 6 for the grenade and 6 for damage.

[neil]

You only get one attack with a haywire gernade.. Not base attacks, so one wych would be one attack.. 3 wyches three attacks. (This may change but it is 5th Ed rules.)

6 to hit the dread, 6 to pen with a haywire, 6 on the vehicle damage chart to blow it up!