REPOST: my comments to the DE drafts

From: <jyrki.saari_at_...>
Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2001 15:25:54 +0200

General comment: There seems to be a tendency to give the Dark Eldar a 15cm
base move. Remember that of the normal Eldar only the Swooping Hawks have a
15 cm base move, and they have _flight packs_! So I wouldn't recommend any
fleet of foot tweaks, especially since in the 40k both normal eldar and DE
have it.

> Warrior 10 cm None +1 Splinter Rifles 50 cm 2 5+ 0

This one is better. However, the splinter rifles are no more rapid firing
than IG lasguns, so I would drop the attack dice to 1.

> Scourge 15 cm None +2 Lascan. 50 cm 2 5+ -1 Skimmer

Change the lascannon to a dark lance and you are all set.

> Wych 15 cm None +3 Splinter Pistols/ CC Weapons 25 cm 2 5+ 0 Combat
> Drugs Elite

Definetely this one.

Here's my suggestion for Grotesques:
Grotesque
move: 10 cm
Save: 5+; cannot be modified further than 6+.
CAF: +4
Weapons: None
Range: None
To-hit: N/A
Save mod: None
Notes: Stupid, Horrifying

Stupid: The pain all Grotesques have suffered has numbed their minds. If a
Dark Eldar command unit is not within 10cm of a Grotesque unit at the orders
phase roll a d6:

1: The Grotesques just stare ahead stupidly or torture themselves for fun.
The unit has no orders.
2-3: The Grotesques amble off towards the nearest enemy. The unit has
advance orders.
4-6: The Grotesques run screaming towards the nearest enemy unit intent on
causing as much pain as possible. The unit has Charge orders.

Horrifying: A Grotesque looks so terrible that enemy units charged by a unit
of Grotesques must make a morale check or go on fall back orders.

My haemonculus:
Move: 10cm
Save: None
CAF: +4
Weapons: Destructor
Range: Flamer template
To-hit: 5+
Save Modifier: None
Notes: Commander, Elite Ignores cover to hit

[snip]
> Beast Master 15 - +4 Splinter pistol/Agoniser 25 2 5+ -
�> Commander, Elite
> Combat drugs Special Rules
>
[snap]
> This elite troop controls Warp Beast packs and is enhanced
> with Combat
> Drugs. They are very fast because they need to be able to
> keep up with
> the Warp Beasts. The Beast Master is a deadly CC unit and
> must be with
> 10 cm of the pack she controls. The Beast Master moves and
> shoots like a
> command unit but can be targeted normally.
>
> Warp beast 25 - +5 None - - - - Special Rules
[snap]

COMMENT: Drop the move to 20cm
[Snap]
>
> Warp Beasts are incredibly fast even by Dark Eldar standards. Warp
> beasts move through difficult terrain just like infantry do, and may
> enter buildings. If the beastmaster is slain the Warp Beasts
> will charge
> the nearest unit (friend or foe) in the Dark Eldar players turn, and
> enter close combat with them. If the pack is forced to fall
> back after
> the Beastmaster is slain, they will return to the warp, and
> are removed
> from play.



> Reaver Jetbike 35 - +3 Blaster 25 1 4+ - Skimmer, special rules

This is armed with a splinter rifle. Let's make it comparable to other
vehicle AP weapons:
Range: 25cm
To-hit: 6+
Save mod: none

> Dark Reaper Jet Bikes 35 cm None +4 Splinter Cannons 25 cm 2 5+ -1
> Combat Drugs
>

Dark Reapers are the Eldar aspect warriors, so how about just Reaper? This
could be the DE "Vyper".

> Shadow Guard 10 cm 6+Fix +2 Splinter Cannon 50 cm 1 5+ -1
> Special Orders

Dark Stalkers?

> Shadow Dreads 15 cm 5+ +3 Dark Lances 50 cm 1 4+ -2 Special Orders

Shadow Lord? Dark Lord?

> Shadow Walkers 25 cm None +1 Lascan./Splinter Guns 75 cm 1 5+
> -2 / 25 cm
> 3 5+ 0
> Anti-grav Splinter Cannon 10 cm None -2 Splinter Cannon 75 cm 2 4+ -2
> Anti-grav Vibro Cannon 10 cm None -3 Vibro Cannon 75 cm 1 Special -1

I would drop these three; IMO they make the DE too "eldarish". True, there
should be similarities, but these should not be overdone or we get what is,
in essence, just another craftworld army.

> Raider 30 5+ 0 Dark Lance 75 1 5+ Special Skimmer, carries 2 stands,
> Special Rules

Open topped; crew bail out save reduced by 1.

> Special rules in one version of rules
>
> The Raider is armed with a Dark Lance, this weapon fires a
> beam of dark
> energy that annihilates anything it hits. Its especially effective
> against heavily armored vehicles, who thick armor plates offer no
> protection against the beam. Due to its unique nature targets
> with a 4+
> or better save are treated as a 5+.
>

Why not give it a save modifier of -3 and +2 to damage rolls?

> Corsair 20 cm 2+ +4 Destructor Cannons/Splinter Guns 75 cm 2
> 4+ -20 / 25
> cm 2 5+ 0 Skimmer

Drop the save to 3+. Weak armor should be the main weakness of a DE army.

> Super Heavies
> Shadow 30 2+* +4 ShadowCannonSplinter 100 cm 1 3+ Special 75
> cm 2 5+ -1
> Skimmer, super heavy, +3 to Dmg rolls.

This should be a special card. The DE don't seem to be lugging too much
heavy equipment around...

> Shadow Stalker 25 3+ +8 Dark lance/Webblaster/Splinterblaster
> 75 cm 4 5+
> Special Knight, Shadow field, template template 3+ 0, 15 cm 6 6+ 0
> Webway portal.
>

What does the Shadow field do? Or the Webway portal? Also a special card for
the reasons mentioned above.

Flyers (from Imperial Armour 2):

Raven (Ho hum! How dull a name; how about Night Witch? Tormentor? Ghost?)
Move: 115cm
Save: 5+
CAF: +5
Weapons:

Long barrelled Splinter cannon
Range: 50cm
Attack d:2
To-hit:5+
Save Mod: -1

Dark Lance
Range: 50cm
Attack d:1
To-hit:4+
Save Mod: -3, +2 to damage rolls


Razorwing
Move: 90cm
Save: 4+
CAF: +2
Weapons:

Heavy Terrorfex:
Range: 50cm
Attack d:Barrage template
To-hit:4BP
Save Mod: special

If any models under the template are hit, the unit must pass a morale check
or go on fall back orders. The check is modified by -1 for any models hit in
excess of one. Since the Terrorfex produces psychic hallucinations, a
succesful psychic save by ANY member of the unit negates the need to make a
morale check.

Dark Lance
Range: 50cm
Attack d:2
To-hit:4+
Save Mod: -3, +2 to damage rolls

Long barrelled Splinter cannon
Range: 50cm
Attack d:2
To-hit:5+
Save Mod: -1


Jyrki Saari

-There is no such thing as free lunch because eating takes time and time is
money.
Received on Tue Nov 06 2001 - 13:25:54 UTC