Editing Warhammer 40,000/6th Edition Tactics/Dark Eldar (section)

===Dark Eldar Special Rules===

*'''Night Vision:''' Basically every model that matters (IE except Harlequins and a couple of the Archon's Retinue) have Night Vision. Since games start with Night Fighting roughly half the time now, this is a realllllly good ability to have, as it means you can take full advantage of the cover saves it provides with no downside. Slightly nerfed now due to Night Fighting getting nerfed, but not bad for a universal special rule.

*'''Power From Pain:''' Another VERY important ability, whenever you completely kill off an opponent's unit (non-vehicles only) you get a pain token. 1 Token gives you Feel No Pain, 2 gives you Furious Charge and 3 gives you Fearless (it stacks of course). You can also get it from other sources (Combat Drugs, Haemonculus etc.) and you should absolutely be trying to exploit those sources, because FNP is one of the best ways to make your DEldar not die to light arms fire.

*'''Combat Drugs:''' Combat Drugs are available to Wyches, Hekatrix, Hellions and Reavers, and can be bought as an optional upgrade for Archons (not a bad investment). Unlike last edition, where you got a roll per unit, you now get one roll for the entire army, which is both good and bad. With a good roll you can start with some of your most important units having a good stat bonus, or even a Pain Token, but on a bad roll...everyone suffers. The results are as follows:

** '''1: Hypex''' Speed. You get to roll 3D6 for running and choose the highest. Utterly and completely awful.
** '''2: Serpentin''' Cocaine. +1 WS. Good for hitting Marines and other Eldar on a 3+, but overall not great.
** '''3: Grave Lotus''' PCP. +1 Strength. So you're saying we wound Marines on a 4+ instead of a 5+? Fucking awesome!
** '''4: Painbringer''' Meth. Reroll failed rolls to wound. Either equal or a little better to Grave Lotus, IE fucking awesome.
** '''5: Adrenalight''' Bath Salts. +1 Attack. Even TEQs are gonna start feeling the hurt when your Wyches pump out 4 attack each on the Charge.
** '''6: Splintermind''' Heroin. Start the game off with a Pain Token and thus FNP. Amazing.

====Weapons====

** '''Venom Blade:''' 2+ Poisoned Attacks. Good on a cheap Haemonculus or Archon, but odds are you can do better.  The go-to option if you're tight for points and not versing heavily- armored opponents.
** '''Power Weapon:''' You know what it can do, but there are better options available.
** '''Agonizer:''' Like this. 4+ to Wound, AP3. If you're kitting out your Archon, this is one of the better options.
** '''Electrocorrosive Whip:''' AP3, guys taking an unsaved wound half their Strength. Funny, but at 20 points you'd be better off with an Agonizer or trading up for a Huskblade.
** '''Huskblade:''' AP3, Instant Death. At 35 points it's expensive, but Christ the look on your opponent's face when your Archon or Haemonculus stabs his Terminator Captain once and he drops is priceless.
** '''Blast Pistol:''' Meh. Short range and high price kind of let this one out.
** '''Blaster:''' At 15 points and BS7, this can be kind of priceless, but only if you have the points to burn, kitting your Archon out to go tank hunting is rarely cost effective.

====Wargear====

** '''Haywire Grenades:''' If you've got 5 points to burn, there are worse places to drop it, although generally speaking Archons shouldn't be going up against vehicles.
** '''Ghostplate Armor:''' 4+ 6++. Most people prefer the Shadow Field, but it makes an okay backup for when/if that fails (assuming your Archon survives it.)
** '''Combat Drugs:''' 10 points to get in on the above. Rarely a bad investment.
** '''Soul Trap:''' Whenever you kill an enemy character or MC, you get to take an LD test. If you pass, you double your strength. With the advent of Challenges, this has become a pretty nasty way for Huskblade Archons to come out of a Challenge swinging for the fences. It's cheap too, so it's probably worth it. Probably not worth it for Haemonculus though, as it cuts into their Arcane Wargear allowance.
** '''Djin Blade:''' 20 points for basically 2 attacks that could rebel against you. Probably not worth it.
** '''Clone Field:''' Negate D3 hits. Funny, especially in a challenge, but most players prefer the more reliable Shadow Field.
** '''Phantasm Grenade Launcher:''' Unit counts as having both Assault and Defensive Grenades...Fuck. Yes. This can often be taken by Unit Champions too (especially the Helliarch) and should always be on the table for said units. Religiously useful, anything that can take this should.
** '''Shadow Field:''' 2++, goes away first time you fail it. If you're serious about having your Archon be something other than a cheap required HQ choice (which Haemonculus do better anyway) then this should be one of your first choices.
** '''Webway Portal:''' Once a staple, now it has to be more carefully considered. Probably most useful for having Incubi or Hellions pop out in the middle of the enemy lines, but since you can't assault out of them now it's a little more risky. They can still work of course, you just have to know what you're doing.

====Arcane Wargear====

The following are available only to Haemonculus and each one can only take 2 of them.

** '''Animus Vitae:''' Every time you kill an enemy model, you can taken an LD test. If you pass, you get a Pain Token. Fun, but unreliable and generally counts on the Haemonculus doing well in CC which is a dicey proposition. It also eats into your Arcane Wargear allowance and is thus usually to be avoided.
** '''Casket of Flensing:''' Range 12, S:D6, AP:D6 Assault: 2D6, one shot. If everything goes [[Just As Planned]] this could be potentially hilarious, but the odds of that happening are basically nonexistent. Skip it.
** '''Liquifier Gun:''' Flamer with AP:D6. Also available to Wracks and Grotesques. Should instantly be one of your first choices, as Flame Templates are always good and if you roll AP3 against some Marines in cover you might just cause your opponent to break down and cry.  Also potentially lulzy in overwatch.
** '''Vexator Mask:''' Your opponent has to take an LD test to strike at the wearer. Could be a fun way of dicking over a challenge opponent, but practically it's on the unreliable side.  A baby's first mindshackle scarab.
** '''Scissorhand:''' +1 Attacks (+2 with another weapon) with Poisoned 3+. If you're running a front lines Haemonculus, this will not disappoint.
** '''Archangel of Pain:''' Once per game, all enemy units within 3D6 have to take an LD test or be reduced to WS and I1. Not even remotely reliable enough to be worth it.
** '''Hexrifle:''' Sniper Rifle with AP4 and Assault 1 (as opposed to Heavy). If you wound someone, they have to take an Wound test or auto-die. Could be useful for dicking over IC or Nobs, but remains controversial. Can also be taken by an Acothyst, where it can be used to pick off wounds if you're camping in cover to hold an objective.
** '''Shattershard:''' Once use only Flame template. Everyone hit by it has to take a Toughness test or be Removed From Play, no Eternal Warrior or Saves allowed. Ho. Ly. Shit. This is one of the nastiest Arcane Wargear available. It will rarely disappoint and will occasionally do something completely crazy ("What's that? Abbadon rolled a 6 for his Toughness Test? Off he goes.") You have to get your Haemonculus pretty close to use it right, but when you pull it off it's AWESOME.
** '''Crucible of Malediction:''' Once per game, all Psykers within 3D6 must take an LD test or get pulled off the board, no Saves allowed. This requires a very specific setup and will more often than not be completely worthless. Could be worthwhile in casual, but leave it out of competitive play.Take one against Grey Knights ; Troll. However, with Matt Ward being Matt Ward, GK fags only need to take one leadership test and lose only one figure if it fails. Thanks 6th ed. errata.
** '''Orb of Despair:''' Range: 6, S10 AP1 Assault 1 Blast, once per game. Rolls against target's LD instead of T. It's short range and scatter could cost you dearly and it's hard thing to use right. Not really reliable enough for competitive play.
** '''Dark Gate:''' Range 12, S10, AP- Large Blast, one shot. In the hands of a really skilled or lucky player, this could be devastating, but it's too likely to bounce off Marines. Probably not worth it.

====Dark Eldar Vehicle Upgrades====

**'''Chain Snares:''' D3+1 S4 AP- hits on one unit the vehicle passed over during the movement phase. Meh. Maybe if you're moving flat out towards an objective on the last turn, but it is really worth it for that one shot?
**'''Enhanced Aethersails:''' Move an extra 2D6, although no disembarking and no shooting by anyone. If you can think of a specific scenario for it, it could be useful, but will probably go unused most of the time.
** '''Envenomed Blades:''' Enemies assaulting the vehicle take an S4 hit for every 1 they roll To Hit. Your Raiders/Venoms will probably be shot to death before any assault and if your Ravager is getting assaulted, something has gone terrible wrong. Pass.
** '''Flickerfield:''' 5++ save. Nice and straightforward, although muted somewhat by Jink. If you're worried about Ignores Cover hits, then go ahead. Also a flat out requirement for your Flyers, as it gives you a save without having to Snap Shot.  <s>With the new rules possibly forcing troops in transports to Snap Shot if the transport uses Jink Saves, Flickerfields could be the go-to-option again.</s> Nothing in the BRB indicates that passengers are affected by the vehicle Jinking. Still, these have become an extremely good for all purpose vehicle protection; Don't want to have to jink every time a Heavy Bolter looks at you funny. So, Flickerfields are basically the go-to-option again. Thank you [[Phil Kelly|Phil]], for giving Dark Eldar the Flickerfield.
** '''Grisly Trophies:''' Friendly models within 6' can reroll failed LD tests. Not generally all that useful, as your army is mobile enough to not be within 6' of each other that often. Since Psychic tests now no longer require LD tests, the one paltry use we had for these is pretty much out. Skip it.
** '''Night Shields:''' Makes your opponents weapons have 6 inch shorter range. A must have on Raiders, Venoms and Razorwings, as the extra 6 inches could keep you out of range of those Bolters that could bring you down. Less important on Razorwings, Voidravens, Ravagers and vehicles carrying assaulting troops, but might not go amiss. 
** '''Retrofire Jets:''' Lets you Deep Strike. You could man up, take the Duke and put on 'It's raining men' but if you can't for some reason (like your tournament doesn't allow Special Characters) this could be good on a Venom carrying Blasterborn or Suicide Wyches with Haywire Grenades. Bit too risky on Raiders though.
** '''Shock Prow:''' Lets you tank shock and ram with your Raiders and Ravagers, and count your FA as +D3 higher when ramming. A rather risky tactic that could allow you to turn your game into a giant, supersonic demolition derby match. This requires a lot of skill though, and is therefore only recommended for certain playstyles: Awesome ones.