Sunday, November 28, 2010

Dark Eldar at 2k

Okay, now that I've had some time to fiddle, and (admittedly only 4 games, but real time with the 'dex) thinking under my belt.

-Archon
Ghostplate Armour, Comb Drugs, Blast Pistol, Agonizer, Clone Field

-Haemonculai (x2)
Webway portal(x2), Liquifier Gun(x2), Venom Blade(x2)

-Trueborn (x3)
Blaster (x3)
Venom
Splinter Cannon(x2), Flickerfield, Nightshield
-Trueborn (x3)
Blaster (x3)
Venom
Splinter Cannon(x2), Flickerfield, Nightshield

-Wyches (x8)
Hekatrix/Blast Pistol, Agonizer and Shardnet Impaler
Raider
Flickerfield, Nightshield, DarkLance, EAS
-Wyches (x8)
Hekatrix/Blast Pistol, Agonizer and Shardnet Impaler
Raider
Flickerfield, Nightshield, DarkLance, EAS

Kabalite Warriors (x5)
Raider
Flickerfield, Nightshield, DarkLance, EAS
Kabalite Warriors (x5)
Raider
Flickerfield, Nightshield, DarkLance, EAS

Wracks (x5)

Beastmasters
4x Beastmaster, 4x Razorwings, 1x Clawed Fiend, 3x Khymera
Beastmasters
4x Beastmaster, 4x Razorwings, 1x Clawed Fiend, 3x Khymera

Ravager
3x DarkLance, Flickerfield, Nightshield
Ravager
3x DarkLance, Flickerfield, Nightshield


The Haemonculai normally deploy with the Venom trueborn. The goal is to pop them forward, deploy the Haemonculai and drop WWPs at the first opportunity (usually center offset a little away from the flank you are planning on running your fast moving raiders/ravagers) leaving the Pain Token with the Trueborn.
Everything else involves blowing forward and blasting cans, in anticipation for the beast-flow to come.
The wracks are sort of an afterthought unit, leftovers from a prior list process...and with them coming out of a webway near an objective as a 5th troop w/FNP...they are not horrible per-se...still in a thought process for their points, probably beefing warrior or beast squads.
Still wish to play a bit to see my gaps before committing their 50pts.

Unfortunately, after rebuilding this list, I realize I cheated my buddy Edge by about 50pts in a game yesterday. I DON'T think it mattered much (2 extra wracks and 2 extra khymera...it's what I get for shifting a list in my head between games) but the flow was right, and it functioned how I expected.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

DE: Heat Lance vs Blaster (on Reaver Jetbikes)

So, the debate. Little blurb (more thinking out loud than anything else, but if anyone has an opine to share, please do).

Heat Lance;
Str6, AP-1 (range 18).
Melta/Lance
Blaster;
Str-8, AP-2 (range 18).
Lance

Both have their uses, and with the speed of Reavers armour facing is only a small issue.

The lance has a distinct edge vs AV-12 and below (with a 2d6 curve result of 7, a 13 is statistically probable) and a slight edge vs AV-13 (due to the AP-1 granting a +1 on the damage chart).
With a base strength of 6, though, it begins to lose out (due to the same curve result of 7 imposing a statistical consistency of 13, resulting in a no-pen result).

The blaster has a true range advantage of 9" (no need for half-range maximum efficiency) and a Str edge of +2.
This has the advantage of;
Instant Death vs multi wound T-4 (Nob Bikerz come to mind), greater wound consistency vs T-5+ units, and fewer opportunities for opposing bubble-wrap protection.

The problem is multi-faceted.
Quantity; every additional weapon beyond the first is a minimal unit increase of 75-77pts, and a maximum of 3 weapons..coupled with a unit that can be broken with little firepower commitment. With that in mind, I see a maximum yield (for points efficiency) of 2 weapons.
Investment; these units will die after performing their duty. With frailty of T and Sv, and a max leadership of 9, you can kill/break them fairly easily prior to a pain token being acquired. As the loadout I have is for vehicle popping, odds are you will have to set up a character start or retain the vulnerabilities.
Duality; in a Vehicle killing role, or with a lack of expensive upgrades, a single splinter-rifle on non-lance/blaster equipped bike does not encourage a dual-purpose role for these bikers.