I see your point, and understand that you look at the list as a close assault list. However, if it is a close assault based list then should not the Wyches which are troops in the 40K codex be added to the Syndicates section as a core choice?
I have always looked at the Dark Eldar as masters of both the close assault strike and also the rush in, shoot/snipe and run away tactic. Especially in 40K. I have found in 40K they are very good at this. My point of views as to the range of the basic Splinter cannon is still valid when comparing it to 40K, and also the Eldar equivalent weaponry in Epic (Shuriken Cannon).
Also my request to reintroduce the ability for the Talos to be able to air assault from a slavebringer is also then a valid point. It is already in the current EpicEA list. Although it can be powerful, I have found it can also backfire, as many Space commanders have when they sent in their Terminators from their Thunderhawk Gunships. I was bringing up the point to see if the change was intentional or just an oversight, and adding the request in just in case it was intentional.
I only mentioned the ground based AA because Jim said he would be looking at introducing it into the list, and offered a suggestion of how he could do this without making the option far too cheap an upgrade, or too over powered.
In 40K Eldar are one of the most powerful armies, with the ability to tailor the list to close assault, fearless units with powerful ranged and close combat weapons, lots of skimmer tanks, powerful jetbikes/vypers, psykers, a wide range of powerful aircraft, and specialist units. In 40K, they do not seem to have Artillery for their standard forces, but in Epic they get a good amount of it with their Night Spinners and Void Spinners, and at longer range than the DE. I accept this, and the fact that Eldar get Farseers as an inbuilt upgrade for their basic Warriors, their Wraithguard and WraithLord formations. I accept that they needed to represent the abilities of the Farseers, hence the triple activation ability.
The Dark Eldar on the other hand have their Wyches poor armour, but can be good in close combat. Warriors who in 40K get good ranged weapon upgrades to handle both tanks and infantry, transports that are easily taken out, but troops can shoot from them, and assault from them. They have good hard hitting units like the Talos, and have strange weird units like Warp Beast, Mandrakes, and Haemonculi that although they are slow, still have the ability to hold their ground in close combat. The DE also have good aircraft, and because GW/Forgeworld never gave DE any real love, we never saw any really decent tanks, like the barges, vessels of pain, executioner or slavebringer until they developed a list for Epic. In basic 40K, I have faced off or used more DE armies that are based on the mobile shooting platforms backed up by wyches in venoms to finish off the enemy once they have been shot up a lot by the other units. In Epic DE can triple move and still provide support to an engage action or provide a crossfire bonus. This is to reflect their particular style of fighting where they shoot from their extremely fast but vulnerable light transports, providing suppression/ cover fire against enemy while other units assault the enemy. They only get 2 partisans per Kalabite formation, where some like the Eldar and other lists get 3 support choices.
Although they get 5 options for taking TK weapons, these are generally mounted on units that cost an arm and a leg to purchase, or are part of the list where they can not be more than 1/3 of the army. The TK weapons ranges are generally shorter than most armies except for maybe Tyranids, and Orks. These units can take TK weapons: Vessel of Pain, Executioner, Tormentor Titan, Razorwing Bomber, and the Space Ship. I understand why this has been done. The extra limiting thing to make the army not as powerful as others is that the TK weapons are TK(1) only, so their effectiveness is limited when compared to units like Shadowswords, certain Titan Weapons, or Eldar weapons and so on.
Large formations can not be employed by the DE. Their list limits the number of Infantry, or other units they can take. Where they can take larger formations, it costs and arm and a leg, and usually this make the formation the BTS. Other armies like Guard, Nids, Orks, and even some Eldar formations can out number their enemies basic formations for the same cost, and with better or equally good weaponry outmatching them in either weapons range, the number of weaponry they are able to shoot, or the number of attacks in close combat/ FF. Hence why DE are a mobile shooting hit and run army striking in close combat where they can soften the enemy up and overwhelm them before running off.
I can not see a way of introducing 40K special rules or war gear like combat drugs or the power from pain rule into Epic, which really make DE better in close combat, or help them survive a bit longer against enemy ranged attacks. Thus I will not try.
Obviously we play the army in Epic and 40K differently, and I am providing feedback from my gaming point of view, from recent 40K gaming experience.
To say the DE list is far too powerful is in my opinion not really correct. The list has good points and also has a decent amount of inbuilt weakness.
What I have been talking about are (1) the inconsistencies between the current list and the proposed changes where the list of weapons, rules, stats such as shields and DC lost are too many for account for such a low points reduction, and (2) inconsistencies between other armies weapon ranges in 40K transferred to Epic and that of the DE armies 40K to Epic, where it has not been carried across correctly. In reality a range 30cm AP weapon like the Shuriken cannon is comparable to the Space marines Heavy bolter range 30cm and the Dark Eldar Splinter cannon which has the same range to both of them in 40K, but not in Epic.
Hopefully you can see my point of view.
_________________ 6mm wargaming is just like 25mm wargaming with more units fitting on the same size table. Thus bigger games to get lost in and avoid the hassles of everyday living, and offerings for the dice gods.
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