The paint is barely dry on my Salamanders and I’m already thinking of what’s next. The amount of power armour in my gaming group is pretty crazy so I’ve decided that I’m starting up Dark Eldar again. Some of you might remember my old Dark Eldar Wych cult army I have from years ago. While that’s a fun list to play, I wanted to do something a little different this time around. So I’m going to try to build a Haemonculi Coven army. The new models are pretty cool!
Here’s my first draft of a potential list:
HQ: Haemonculus Ancients, 185 pts
. . 1 Haemonculus Ancient + Agoniser + Hexrifle, 115 pts
. . . . 1 Haemonculus + Hexrifle + Animus Vitae, 70 ptsElite: Kabalite Trueborn, 185 pts
. . 5 Kabalite Trueborn + Blaster x4
. . 1 Venom + Splinter Cannon x2Elite: Grotesques, 175 pts
. . 3 Grotesques + Liquifier Gun
. . . . 1 Aberration + ScissorhandTroops: Kabalite Warriors, 235 pts
. . 19 Kabalite Warriors + Shredder + Splinter Cannon x2
. . . . 1 Sybarite + Phantasm Grenade LauncherTroops: Wracks, 150 pts
. . 4 Wracks+ Liquifier Gun
. . . . 1 Acothyst + Hexrifle
. . 1 Venom + Splinter Cannon x2Troops: Wracks, 150 pts
. . 4 Wracks + Liquifier Gun
. . . . 1 Acothyst + Hexrifle
. . 1 Venom+ Splinter Cannon x2Heavy Support: Talos Pain Engine, 130 pts
. . 1 Talos Pain Engine Close Combat Weapon + Chain-flails + Haywire BlasterHeavy Support: Cronos Parasite Engine, 100 pts
. . 1 Cronos Parasite Engine + Spirit VortexFast Attack: Scourges, 188 pts
. . 6 Scourges + Heat Lance x2
. . . . 1 SolariteTotal Roster Cost: 1498
Comments on this list are more than welcome.
General idea is that the slow stuff advances while the fast stuff gets in your face. Haemonculus Ancient with the Grotesques and the reglar Haemonculus with the blob of warriors.
The 2 Wracks units in Venoms will go after targets while safely in their ride. Lots of Hexrifles because I like sniper weapons, and these ones are assault weapons. It also helps that they are fairly cheap so everyone that can, has one.
My only concern with this list is a lack of Anti-tank, but I hope the two dedicated units (Trueborn and Scourges) are enough to take out the biggest targets while two Pain Engines get close enough to punch through the rest.
I should also mention the Haywire Blaster on the Talos: When I read the rules for that thing I had to read it again. A fairly guaranteed glancing hit is amazing in 5th edition, as at worst you will prevent the tank you hit from shooting next turn. With the amount of Landraiders and Vindicators in my area glancing hits became very useful with my Salamanders Librarian. Having something even better in this Dark Eldar list makes me happy.
I’m excited to get started working on this army, Dark Eldar are pretty damn cool.
I fully support the idea of a Hamonculous Coven, but I think you’re going about it wrong. For one, Grotesques get better the more you have of them- you don’t need to take a million, but three aren’t going to be a big threat. I think you’re also mixing things up a little too much; it’s better to stay focused. Try something like this:
3 Haemonculi (Webway Portal, Shattershard, –) (205)
4 Grotesques (Aberration, Venom Blade)
4 Grotesques (Aberration, Venom Blade)
4 Grotesques (Aberration, Venom Blade)
20 Warriors (2 Dark Lances)
5 Wracks
5 Wracks
5 Scourges (2 Dark Lances)
5 Scourges (2 Dark Lances)
1 Talos (Haywire, Chain-Flails)
1 Talos (Haywire)
Should be 1500 on the nose. Given then single pose for the Grotesque (and the cost >.>) you’ll probably be looking elsewhere for those models, but otherwise it’s a reasonably easy build. Anti-tank firepower is kinda mediocre, but Lances can keep some vehicles shut down, as will Haywires, and when the Grotesques charges, units, even tanks, will die. If you’re feeling fancy, start one of the Haemos with the Warriors to give them a free pain token- it means you risk one of the Grotesques blowing up, but that’s only 1/6 and in some matches (like when they have lots of long-range shooting) it may be worthwhile. Wracks are just there to hold points and provide flavor. Shattershard helps deal with problem units (Paladins, Bikerz, etc); the Taloses can also help there somewhat. Portal is so we have a way to get the MCs in close without them getting all shot up, but it would be an easy way to save points. Reavers or Beastmasters are also options for the FA slots (the others are very easily themeable as additional creations of the Haemos- 3 BM, 1 Fiend, 2 Razor, 4 Khymerae is my favorite setup.)
If you scale it up, Urien Rakarth is actually a great inclusion at around 1850 or 2K, as he lets you get S6 on the Grotesques and gives out more free pain tokens.
An alternate take would be to bring tons of transports- 5man Wracks in Venoms, Ravagers in the HS, Scourges or Reavers in FA, and similar stuff. Blaster Trueborn would be a decent fit here if you like them, but there are other ways around that particular need if you don’t. You could even potentially fit the Grotesques into it, but you’ll be limited to 4+char in a Raider.
You’ve given me a lot to think about!
Before I say any more, keep in mind that I still have to playtest this list. I’m working purely on theory here and I know what I think will work on paper may not work very well on the table 😛
As I’m just about to head off to work, where I don’t have access to army builder, I wanted quickly post some modifications to my original list based on your feedback. Dropping the Hexrifles and Venoms is something I didn’t want to do just yet as they were kinda what inspired me to do this army to begin with (I love me some snipers!)
2 Hamonculous (Hexrifle, Shattershard)
3 Grotesques (Aberration)
3 Grotesques (Aberration)
5 Trueborn (4 Blasters)
1 Venom (2 Splinter Cannon)
20 Warriors (2 Lances, Sybarite, PGL)
5 Wracks (Liquifier, Acothyst, Hexrifle)
1 Venom (2 Splinter Cannon)
5 Wracks (Liquifier, Acothyst, Hexrifle)
1 Venom (2 Splinter Cannon)
2 Talos (Haywire, Chain-Flails)
5 Scourges (2 Heat Lance)
That’s 1499.
I still have to find the points to give the two Aberration’s a weapon.
I’m also not sold on Lances on the Scourges, as Heavy Weapons + Jump packs is weird to me. But then again, that would keep them away from most trouble.
You’ll also see that I didn’t add Webway Portals, as I want to try this list without them first. I figure the Grotesques can advance in front of the two Talos’ as a screen to help them get where they need to be. That being said, it’s fairly easy to switch this list over to one more like yours (drop the trueborn, drop the venoms, add Portals and more Grotesques) so I feel confident moving forward with this and modifying it later if necessary.
The list still needs some tweaking, but I feel like I’m getting somwhere!
Definitely looks like an improvement. And no worries, all lists will get changed after you test them some (or a lot.)
With regards to Scourges and Lances: you’re taking them more because they’re one of the few other places you can get Lances on the cheap (and because they fit the list’s theme.) You can’t move and shoot the Lances, but you can use your movement to get into a position that normal heavy weapons teams couldn’t- or, when threatened, to retreat quickly and set up somewhere else.
Fair enough on the WWP, it was just something thrown in there, not terribly important.
That said, some comments on the list:
-I think you’re mixing foot and mechanized units too much- you want to be doing either one or the other. Combining them can work, but it’s always a tricky proposition and it’s not something I would try for your shot at an army. Give all the squads transports and I think the list will work a lot better.
-The Sybarite is an okay upgrade for the Warriors, but mostly for the Ld boost. The PGL helps them soak up a charge from a weaker unit and possibly win, but more often it will be the huge volley of Splinter fire from the unit that will swing a combat.
-The Hexrifle on your Haemo isn’t going to see a lot of use, since you’ll want them sticking with the Wracks, who will be advancing at full speed most times. You seem to have scattered a fair number of them through the list, which can work as they’re good guns, but here at least, I don’t think it will add much.
So we’ll start by dropping one Trueborn, the Haemo’s Hexrifle, and the Scourges in their entirety. We then addtwo Raiders with Flickerfields for the Grotesques to ride in, which maintains our AT strength fairly well. I’d like to find points for two more Grotesques as well, so we’ll drop the upgrades from the Wrack squads- nice as they are, they limit the Venoms’ movement to 6″ per turn and are likely to go away the moment your opponent glances at them. This gives us points to max out the Grotesques in their Raiders (4 per squad) and add a Venom Blade to each of them.
The Taloses are still a little bit of a problem, as they are our lone remaining foot presence in the list and by far the slowest component. Swapping them for Ravagers would be the “best” option, I think, but not terribly flavorful. Taking Scourges in their place is possible, or Reavers, but those would require freeing up a few points from somewhere. They won’t be awful leaving them as-is, but they are a bit of an odd man out in the list.