Editing Warhammer 40,000/8th Edition Tactics/Dark Eldar (section)

===Heavy Support===
====Covens====
*'''Cronos:''' The support Engine. The Cronos comes stock with a flamer with high AP and a chance to do massive damage with each hit and can take a second weapon that does nearly the same but without the auto-hits. It also, more interestingly, lets  '''DRUKHARI''' units within 6" reroll 1s To Wound in melee, which makes your Taloses and Grotesques ''even'' scarier. It also has a chance of healing friendly models if it kills something in melee but its melee stats are so lacking that this will rarely happen. Can now fly again thanks to the FAQ.
*'''Talos:''' The killy Engine. The Talos comes stock with two Macro-scalpels and you can replace one with chain flails or a talos gauntlet and the other with a twin liquifier or an ichor injector. The Chain-flails are good if you need even more anti-horde melee (and they're very good at it) and the Gauntlets (being power fists) do pretty well against vehicles and other high T and wound targets, but the Ichor Injector is just trash. It can also get guns on the tail, with the Twin Heat Lances being a bit of a trap option; sure, they're 24 points now, but you're unlikely to hit with your shitty BS. In a pure  {{W40Kkeyword|<COVEN>}} list, you should probably take Haywire Blasters, as they're decently cheap. Otherwise, stick to either the Stinger Pod or the Splinter Cannons. Can also fly again thanks to the 2018 FAQ, which means they can now charge and assault jets, bombers, etc.
** '''Macro scalpels vs. Talos gauntlet''': While the extra strength and AP from the talos gauntlet seems attractive, the dual macro scalpels will ultimately do more work for your pain engines because of the hit modifier and loss of extra attacks on the gauntlet. Against everything bar heavy vehicles and monsters (T8) the scalpels outperform the gauntlet and when you have Urien around to buff Str, the scalpels start to outperform on those vehicles as well. The only time you shouldn't take macro scalpels is when you're assigning your pain engines to horde lawnmower duty, in which case you should take chainflails and a twin liquifier.
**1 Macro Scalpel + 1 Twin Liquifier is also better than 2 Macro Scalpels against most targets, simply because 4 points for 1 additional melee attack is often worse than 22 points for ''seven'' (on average) auto-hitting attacks, even with the gun's inferior inferior S, AP, and D.
** '''Choosing tail weapons:''' Pain engines suffer from BS 4+, so their shooting weapons should be chosen with care depending on what role you want your engines to play. Splinter cannons will give them some extra anti-infantry firepower but reduce their effectiveness against vehicles. Haywire blasters are surprisingly effective against vehicles for their price (a squad of three taloi with haywire blasters will put out 4d3 shots which will cause mortal wounds on a 4+ and D3 mortal wounds on a 6+ against vehicles) and range from decent to mediocre against infantry, dependent on the type of infantry you're facing; heat lances are underwhelming against vehicles but effective against heavy multiwound infantry like obliterators or centurions. The stinger pod is the worst choice out of all, but is the cheapest in case you want pain engines exclusively for their melee potential.
**You can turn these fellows into nice DISTRACTION CARNIFEXES by giving them and Ichor Injector, Talos Gauntlet, and Haywire Blasters. A jittery imperial with his Knight Crusader will shoot at it until this thing is totally dead, giving your real units all the time they need to move in.

====Kabals====
*'''Ravager:''' Even more survivable than the new-and-improved Raider, the Ravager is somewhat sturdier with T6. Similarly, built-in Night Shields provide a 5++ save against all ranged weapons. Because Dark Lances count as Assault when equipped on Vehicles it has got an effective threat range of 50" at full accuracy. That, and their ability to deal D6 Damage at S8 AP-4 means the enemy ''won't'' escape and ''will'' die when you shoot them. Use their mobility to dictate the terms of battle and stay away from enemy charges. Disintegrators are a good choice if you want to erase enemy TEQ or Bikers from existence.
**Archons allow friendly Kabal units to re-roll 1s to Hit, so it's not a bad idea to put one next to a few Ravagers to increase their accuracy. You can even go the extra mile and form a Black Heart Spearhead Detachment and give the Archon Writ of the Living Muse so that the Ravagers re-roll 1s to Wound as well. Quite nasty. Even though maintaining formation within the 6" aura reduces their manoeuvrability, the increase to effective firepower and the fact the Archon can move 8" and advance all the time to keep up render this a viable tactic.
***Per Chapter Approved 2019 Dark Lances and Disintegrator Cannons are priced equally at 15 points per weapon and a total cost of 140 points, so the only question is whether you want more anti-infantry or anti-armor in your list.

====All Factions====
*'''Reaper (Forge World):''' The One Big Gun alternative to the Ravager. Comparable points cost to the Dark Lance variant with +2 Wounds for greater survivability. The weapon has got two firing modes: the first is 24" range blast with 2D6 shots at S6 to drown the enemy in saves, the second is 36" range beam with D6 Dark Lance shots to vaporise a tank or a monster. Should the enemy unit endure this, both modes prevent the survivors from Advancing if any models have been slain. Unfortunately, the weapon is Heavy so its accuracy is reduced on the move. That shouldn't be too much of a problem with proper deployment, though. Moreover, the Reaper is no slouch in CC thanks to 5 attacks one of which is done at S6 AP-1 D2. Overall, a tactically flexible skimmer with great potential.
**'''23/07/2017 FAQ Update:''' Because of a hilariously badly worded FAQ giving [[wat|every single model a Close Combat Weapon, even models that physically can't carry one]], you can make all of its attacks at S6. You know what that means? RAMMING SPEED, STEERSMAN! I WANT THAT MON'KEIGH COMMANDER'S HAT FOR MY COLLECTION!
*'''Tantalus (Forge World):''' Drukhari Superheavy. No, really. 18 Wounds at T7 and 3+ armour is insane for the faction's standards. Two pulse disintegrators fire a total of 12 shots at 36" range, with S8 AP-3 D2. In close combat, it's got 6 S8 AP-2 attacks which hit at 4+, and on the charge it inflicts D3 mortal wounds on a 4+ roll to any enemy units within 1". When the Tantalus Advances, you simply double its movement value. Combine that with Open-topped transport capacity of 16 (works the same as a Raider's) and the ability to grant the embarked Warlord's Leadership to all friendly LoS units (except for those in cover, for some reason) to complete the most powerful model in the army. The price for that is your wallet, your soul, and a points cost that exceeds 3 Disintegrator Ravagers. Given its size, strength, and points cost, Tantalus is a prime target for heavy enemy firepower. Using the Lightning-Fast Reactions stratagem on it may well be the difference between being reduced to a smouldering wreck or [[Troll|laughing in the face]] of that unlucky Shadowsword gunner.
**The FAQ that banned Scourges and Hellions from transports only mentions Raiders and Venoms. This awesome boat can still transport your Scourges and Hellions and protect them from fire, and give your Scourges a second deployment option to boot. [[Rape|12 Dark Lances plus the 12 total shots from the main gun is about as Drukhari as you're going to get.]] And with that volume of fire, [[Dakka|you stop caring about the -1 to hit if you have to move too.]]
**'''Supreme Command Tantalus''': Give a Succubus splintermind, make her your warlord and she can grant Ld 10 to your entire army (out of cover).
**'''Black Heart Tantalus''': Gains an additional 6+++ save, and an Archon with Writ of the Living Muse can allow it to re-roll 1s to Wound. The increase to both survivability and firepower is worth considering.
**'''Dark Creed Tantalus''': Use An Esoteric Kill, Delivered From Afar to melt an important enemy HQ with the aforementioned Pulse Disintegrators. Ouch.
**'''Red Grief Tantalus''': Want a First Turn charge? Total 32" of movement and then a re-rollable charge on a model with Fly. Double ouch.