Warhammer 40,000/10th Edition Tactics/Dark Eldar

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This is the current 10th Edition's Dark Eldar tactics. 9th Edition Tactics are here.

Why Play Dark Eldar

Pros

• With Poisoned weapons being made Anti-Infantry, they're quite capable of wounding most things despite their poor strength.
  • Most things that aren't monsters, bikes, cavalry, beasts, fortifications, walkers and so forth.
• The decoupling of weapon types makes Assault weapons far more common and usable.

Cons

• Blasters have lost their moment in the limelight, as tanks and monsters now have Toughness scores that far outstrip S8.
  • Coupled with your poisoned weapons being merely Anti-Infantry, monsters could actually pose a problem to you now.

Faction Rules

• Power From Pain: Rather than progressing as the battle goes on, the devs took a note from Kill-Team and made it all based on a pool of tokens. You start with 1/2/3/4 of them (dependent on the game size) and can gain more as you kill units and force them to fail Battleshock checks.
  • Empowered Through Pain: Depending on the phase, you can spend these tokens on various perks:
    • Movement/Charge Phase: This unit can re-roll Advance or Charge rolls.
    • Shooting/Assault Phase: This unit can re-roll Hit rolls.
  • While simpler, this does come at the cost of losing any durability through things like the FNP saves and cover. As with your craftworld kin, you'll absolutely suffer like no other the moment the enemy gets an edge on you.

Detachments

Realspace Raiders

Special Rules

• Realspace Raiders: As with before, this is an amalgamation of the various sub-factions of the Dark Eldar, only now you don't need to split your army up into three for it to work. Instead, you just get 1-3 extra Pain Tokens if you field at least 1 Archon, Succubus, and/or 1 Haemonculus in the same army - in each case, fielding at least 1 gets you the token and taking more of the same does nothing.

Stratagems

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• Alliance of Agony (1 CP): You can spend one Pain Token to power up your Archon, Succubus and Haemonculus at the same time. While convenient, this requires you to have all three of them on the field at the same time, so the moment you lose one of them, this becomes useless.
• Insensible to Pain (1 CP): When anyone attacks one Haemonculus Covens unit, the enemy takes -1 to wound your unit.
• Prey on the Weak (1 CP): One Kabal unit can re-roll to wound when shooting an enemy that's below half-strength.
• Quicksilver Reactions (1 CP): Enemies take -1 to hit one of your non-Haemonculus Covens units.

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• Acrobatic Display (1 CP): One Wych Cult unit can charge after running.
• Strike and Fade (2 CP): One non-Aircraft unit can move normally after shooting, though they can't charge or enter transports with this move.

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Enhancements

• The Art of Pain: Gives a free Pain Token each Command phase where the bearer is alive.
• Blood Dancer: Succubus only. Gives +1 to Attacks and AP for the bearer's melee weapons, with the buffs upping to +2 when empowered.
• Crucible of Malediction: Haemonculus Only. Enemies within 12" of the bearer take -1 to their battle-shock tests. Any Psyker who fails their test has to take d3 mortal wounds.
• Labyrinthine Cunning: Archon only. Lets you refund 1 CP on a 4+ when you use a strat on the bearer's unit. The roll adds +3 if you used Alliance of Agony, pretty much allowing you to always use those Tokens to power up all three heroes.

The Blades of Torment (Combat Patrol)

A basic intro to the Kabals.

Composition: 1 Archon Malivex, 10 Kabalite Warriors, 5 Incubi, 1 Raider, 1 Ravager.

• Archon Malivex: Just an Archon. Sadly lacks any buffs for his warriors outside of the enhancements.
• Kabalite Warriors: Equipped with a Shredder and Splinter Cannon. Lack the ability to keep units capped.
• Incubi: Klaivex comes with Demiklaives so you get a bit of combat utility. They otherwise remain just as lethal.
• Raider: Comes with a Disintegrator Cannon to take on heavy infantry that would otherwise trouble your elves. Usually crewed by your Raiders so they can always shoot, though it lost it's automatic advance roll of 6.
• Ravager: Keeps two Dark Lances and takes one Disintegrator in case you need to support your Raider. Pretty much your only anti-tank unit.

Enhancements

• Shudderworm Bottle: Archon Malivex's unit gains a 5+ FNP. Pretty strong for a default since it gives him a backup once his 2++ pops.
• Spiteful Raider: Archon Malivex's unit can shoot and charge after falling back.

Secondary Objectives

• Rapacious Raiders: 3 VP per turn if you have a unit in the enemy DZ. Raised to 4 VP if you have Infantry on there. Relies a lot on the Raider.
• Murderous Monster: 3 VP each turn where Archon Malivex murders models.

Stratagems

• Many Cuts (1 CP): One Infantry unit gains [Sustained Hits 1] when targeting an enemy that's missing models or wounds.
• Quicksliver Reactions (1 CP): Enemies take -1 to hit one of your Infantry units.
• There and Gone (1 CP): One Infantry unit within 3" of a Transport unit can hop on at the end of the fight phase provided that neither force is engaged.

Wargear

• Phantasm Grenade Launcher: Gives a squad of Wyches or Kabalite Warriors the Grenades keyword for the appropriate stratagem.

Unit Analysis

As per the Eldar Index, you can add in up to 25% of your army allowance in Anhrathe and Harlequins units to your army. These units will not benefit from Strands of Fate nor will they gain Power from Pain.

Characters

• Archon: The big cheese comes stock with a Shadowfield for a 2++ save that can't be re-rolled and thus breaks once failed - sadly, you don't have any backup saves beyond your 4+ armour. As a leader, he lets an attached squad of Kabalites or his court re-roll 1s to wound, but empowering his gang lets them re-roll all wounds. A bit useful for most splinter weapons, but empowering will help the reliability of your blasters and dark lances. On top of that, he has a single-use ability to force a stratagem the enemy uses to cost 1 more CP for the rest of the game.
  • The reliance of Anti-Infantry 3+ extends to his own weapons as well. The Huskblade has a nice AP and damage, but its strength makes it useless on anything outside of infantry, as is the splinter pistol. If you want a blast pistol, you'd best hope that you'll find someone close enough to use and not worry about either tanks laughing it off someone bumrushing after that.

• Beastmaster: Not in a Wych Cult this edition. You shouldn't really use him as much more than a kamikaze unit anyways, since they can't give any buffs and are stuck to a permanent set of monsters with near-identical stats who can re-roll 1s to hit when charging. The Razorwings have laughable power but throw out tons of attacks with [Sustained Hits 1]. The Khymerae, while weaker at W2, has more impressive S5 attacks with [Lethal Hits]. The Clawed Fiend is your only powerhouse, though only with some extra wounds and [Devastating Wounds] on their attacks to denote that.

• Haemonculus:

• Succubus: Sadly a victim of the weapon downsizing, meaning those S3 AP-2 [Anti-Infantry] attacks are all you'll get in terms of melee. She can give an attached squad of Wyches [Sustained Hits 1] in melee to guarantee as many hits as you can. On top of that, empowering the Succubus gives her squad Fights First for the turn.

Epic Heroes

• Drazhar:

• Lelith Hesperax: A souped-up Succubus who shares a permanent Fights First with her squad of Wyches and +1 to the Strength and AP of their weapons. While not giving you as many hits, she does give you consistently stronger Wyches who benefit from not using drugs. The only major downside she has is a lack of any guns.
• Her weapons prove to be every bit as deadly, a barrage of attacks at S3 AP-2 with [Anti-Infantry 2+] and [Sustained Hits 2] so you can effectively drown enemies with some critical hits. You can make this rain of dice pour even harder once per game by adding even more attacks and giving a 3++ save for the Fight phase.

• Urien Rakarth:

Battleline

Kabal

• Kabalite Warriors: The backbone of the Dark Eldar's forces remain very mobile this edition. On top of being [Anti-Infantry 3+] (meaning your shots will simply bounce off monsters, swarms, bikes, etc), their Splinter Pistols and Splinter Rifles also get [Assault] so they can fire while moving as fast as they can. Sadistic Raiders makes doubly sure of this as any objective they cap (whether on their own or when embarked in a transport) will remain capped as they continue rushing forward.
  • Average A*BS*D of your weapon choices:
    • Splinter Rifle: 1.33 at S2 AP0, assault and anti-infantry 3+
    • Shredder: 3.5 at S6 AP0, assault; automatically hits, so can't be buffed by Empowered Through Pain
    • Blaster: 3 at S8 AP-4, assault
    • Splinter Cannon: 4 at S3 AP-1, anti-infantry 3+; 5 if you sit still for heavy
    • Dark Lance: 2.25 at S12 AP-3; 3.67 if you sit still for heavy

Wych Cult

• Wyches: Oh, how the mass consolidation of weapons has harmed these girls. Each one only comes with an S3 AP-1 weapon with no hope of punching above that without Lelith leading them and their survivability remains as dodgy with a 6++ that becomes a 4++ in melee. Uniquely, these girls force non Vehicle/Monster enemies to make a Desperate Escape check in order to fall back from them, with battle-shocked units taking a -1 to the test.

Haemonculus Coven

• Wracks: A bit slower but come a bit tougher at T4 with a 5+ FNP. Fortunately, they get to keep their good guns, with the Ossefactor becoming very useful at removing a MEQ with [Anti-Infantry 4+] and [Devastating Wounds] while the Hexrifle snipes out preferred foes. The Stinger Pistol just gives you a pistol with easy crits thanks to [Anti-Infantry 2+] while the Liquefier gives you an S4 AP-1 flamer. Of help is that they produce a pain token for each unit they murder, though that's a bit easier said than done with only S3 AP0 hand weapons.

Infantry

Kabal

• Court of the Archon: A set of specialists who can join any pack of Kabalites alongside their Archon, though nowadays they're stuck to only one of each type. The Lhamean gives everyone [Lethal Hits], but this does negate the use of any [Anti-Infantry] guns you have tons of. The Ur-Ghul gives the squad Fights First, which does more for your Archon and Court than the Kabalites you're stuck with. The Medusae comes with a high-powered [Torrent] weapon that makes anyone it hits take battle-shock. The Sslyth makes enemies take -1 to wound the squad, but they're also capable of fighting at any range with a really nice sword and shardcarbine on hand.

Haemonculus Coven

• Grotesques:

Other

• Incubi:
• Mandrakes:
• Scourges:

Mounted

• Hellions:
• Reavers:

Monsters

• Cronos:
• Talos:

Vehicles

• Ravager:
• Tantalus^IA: The Tantalus remains the most powerful unit in the Drukhari roster, and with a points cost of 230 seems to be a viable choice. With 12 shots that fire at S10 AP-2 D2, its pulse disintegrators can delete an MSU unit of Space Marines or Einhyr Hearthguard per volley – even after advancing thanks to [Assault]. The dire scythe blades rip and tear the survivors in melee with a profile of A6 WS4+ S8 AP-1 D2. It is also fast, very durable for Drukhari standards, and continues to ferry up to 16 Drukhari Infantry models, allowing it to offload some Incubi into combat all the while it is cutting a bloody swathe through enemy ranks itself.

Dedicated Transports

• Raider:
• Venom: This nimble menace has gotten a lot from the edition change. While it still can only carry 6 models (no Fly units or Grotesques allowed), all 6 of those guys can still shoot while embarked thanks to Firing Deck 6 and it can pick them up during the Fight phase if the Venom's within 6". It's still a paper boat, but now it's one that can offload a world of hurt.
  • The differences between the Splinter Cannon and Twin Splinter Rifle are a bit subtle. Though both get Anti Infantry 3+, the Splinter Cannon has Sustained Hits 1 as well as more firepower from being AP-1 D2 while the Twin Splinter Rifle is far more mobile with Assault, Rapid Fire 1 and has Twin-Linked to ensure that the hits it makes stick.
  • Its rule that allows you to split a 10 elf squad in two has the fun side effect of allowing you to get two dark lances into a Raider, since the elves not riding the Venom can start embarked in another Transport. Now remember that Firing Deck means you can spend a pain token to reroll all of the models' hits and the vehicle's hits since the vehicle counts as being equipped with the weapons.

Aircraft

• Razorwing Jetfighter:
• Voidraven Bomber:

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Warhammer 40,000 Tactics Articles (10th Edition)

General Tactics	General Weapons Terrain
Imperium	Space Marines (Black Templars, Blood Angels, Dark Angels, Deathwatch, Space Wolves) Grey Knights
	Adeptus Mechanicus Adeptus Titanicus Imperial Knights Imperial Guard Sisters of Battle
	Adeptus Custodes & Sisters of Silence Imperial Agents (Inquisition, Rogue Traders, etc.)
Chaos	Chaos Space Marines (Death Guard Thousand Sons World Eaters)
	Chaos Daemons Chaos Knights Chaos Titans
Eldar	Eldar (Craftworlds, Corsairs, Harlequins, Ynnari) Dark Eldar
Necrons	Necrons
Orks	Orks
Tau	Tau
Tyranids	Tyranids Genestealer Cults
Votann	Leagues of Votann

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Warhammer 40,000 Tactics Articles (9th Edition)

General Tactics	General Movement Psychic Fortifications Tactical Terrain Weapons Apocalypse
Imperium	Space Marines (Blood Angels Dark Angels Deathwatch Space Wolves) Grey Knights
	Adeptus Mechanicus Adeptus Titanicus Imperial Knights Imperial Guard Sisters of Battle
	Adeptus Custodes & Sisters of Silence Inquisition Officio Assassinorum Rogue Traders
Chaos	Chaos Space Marines (Death Guard Thousand Sons World Eaters)
	Chaos Daemons Chaos Knights Renegades and Heretics
Eldar	Craftworld Eldar Dark Eldar Harlequins Ynnari
Necrons	Necrons
Orks	Orks
Tau	Tau
Tyranids	Tyranids Genestealer Cults
Votann	Leagues of Votann

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Warhammer 40,000 Tactics Articles (8th Edition)

General Tactics	General Movement Psychic Fortifications Apocalypse
Imperium	Space Marines Blood Angels Dark Angels Deathwatch Grey Knights Space Wolves
	Talons of the Emperor (Custodes and Sisters of Silence) Adeptus Mechanicus
	Adeptus Ministorum (Sisters of Battle and minor factions) Adeptus Titanicus
	Imperial Knights Imperial Guard Inquisition Officio Assassinorum
Chaos	Chaos Space Marines (Death Guard Thousand Sons)
	Chaos Daemons Chaos Knights Renegades and Heretics
Eldar	Eldar Dark Eldar Harlequins
Necrons	Necrons
Orks	Orks
Tau	Tau
Tyranids	Tyranids Genestealer Cults

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Warhammer 40,000 Tactics Articles (7th Edition)

General Tactics	General Movement Psychic Fortifications
Imperium	Space Marines (Siege Assault Vanguard) Blood Angels Dark Angels Deathwatch Grey Knights Space Wolves
	Adeptus Custodes Cult Mechanicus Skitarii Adeptus Sororitas
	Imperial Knights Inquisition Officio Assassinorum
	Imperial Guard (Armoured Battlegroup Death Korps of Krieg Assault Brigade Death Korps of Krieg Siege Regiment Elysian Drop Troops D-99)
Chaos	Chaos Space Marines Khorne Daemonkin Chaos Daemons Renegades and Heretics
Eldar	Eldar Dark Eldar Harlequins Corsairs
Necrons	Necrons
Orks	Orks Ork Dred Mob
Tau	Tau
Tyranids	Tyranids Genestealer Cults

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Warhammer 40,000 Tactics Articles (6th Edition)

General Tactics	General Movement Psychic Fortifications
Imperium	Space Marines Blood Angels Dark Angels Grey Knights Space Wolves
	Adeptus Sororitas Inquisition
	Imperial Guard (Armoured Battlegroup Death Korps of Krieg Assault Brigade Death Korps of Krieg Siege Regiment Elysian Drop Troops) Militarum Tempestus
Chaos	Chaos Space Marines Chaos Daemons Renegades and Heretics
Eldar	Eldar Dark Eldar Corsairs
Necrons	Necrons
Orks	Orks Ork Dred Mob
Tau	Tau
Tyranids	Tyranids

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Warhammer 40,000 Tactics Articles (All)

General Tactics	General (8th) Movement (8th 7th) Psychic (8th 7th 2nd) Fortifications (8th 7th) Tactical Terrain Apocalypse (8th)
Imperium (8th)	Space Marines (8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd) Blood Angels (8th 7th) Dark Angels (8th 7th) Deathwatch (8th 7th) Grey Knights (8th 7th 6th 5th 3rd, AKA Daemonhunters) Space Wolves (8th 7th 6th 5th)
	Talons of the Emperor (Custodes and Sisters of Silence) (8th 7th) Adeptus Mechanicus (8th 7th) Adeptus Ministorum (Sisters of Battle and minor factions) (8th 7th 6th 3rd, AKA Witch Hunters) Adeptus Titanicus (8th)
	Imperial Knights (8th 7th) Imperial Guard (8th 7th 6th 5th 3rd) Inquisition (8th 7th 6th) Officio Assassinorum (8th 7th)
Chaos	Chaos Space Marines (8th 7th 6th 5th) Death Guard (8th) Khorne Daemonkin - 7th Edition Thousand Sons (8th) Chaos Daemons (8th 7th) Chaos Knights (8th) Renegades and Heretics (8th 7th 6th)
Eldar	Eldar (8th 7th 6th 5th) Dark Eldar (8th 7th 6th 5th 3rd Revised) Harlequins (8th 7th)
Necrons	Necrons (8th 7th 6th 5th 4th)
Orks	Orks (8th 7th 6th 5th 3rd) Ork Dred Mob - 7th edition (6th 5th) Ork Kult of Speed - 3rd edition Feral Orks - 3rd edition
Tau	Tau (8th 7th 6th 5th)
Tyranids	Tyranids (8th 7th 6th 5th) Genestealer Cults (8th 7th)

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