They have a decent strategy rating compared to a lot of other lists. Marines and chaos marines get a higher rating, however Dark Eldar are about the middle of the road. They can not garrison formations which I find limits my tactical flexibility. It would be nice to garrison Mandrakes, however I can see the reasoning for this.
Having a lot of the formations with moves of between 35 and 40cm (using their transports helps a lot against a lot of armies, especially armies like Space marines which are hard to break due to ATSKNF, or guard artillery lists which have a lot of artillery and lots of troops to sit and garrison (and similar armies like Squats).
Their weapon ranges can be limiting, especially when you can not get close enough to an enemy formation on overwatch without being shot at before you can even get into weapons range, however the 4+ save for most of their LV and Reaver bikes makes it possible to maneuver forces around, and weather a lot of incoming fire. I have found out from a lot of my earlier games that you need sybarites and leaders to remove blast markers. It is hard to rally them once broken, especially if the enemy can get some of their faster units close enough to provide a -1 to rally.
The Ravager flotillas are the most potent formation in the whole list. Their 3 main weapons are devastating against enemy vehicles, war engines and LV. I always take them in formations of 6 ravagers. Raiders should get the Dark Lance at range 45cm, or the option of the using Disentergrators at range 30cm with the ability to hurt both vehicles and troops (must be noted in your list before the game). Other than that, they are decent transports and provide the Dark Eldar foot troops with much needed anti vehicle support. The second most effective formation, and the one most worth its points cost is the Reaver jetbikes. I have used them in 3 main roles 1. Bait to draw out enemy units I want to kill off, 2. to take objectives using their triple move of 120cm, 3. to provide a fast gap filling support unit that if one of my Syndicates sitting on an objective is approached by a larger force intent on assaulting them.
The incubl and Archon are a force not to be reckoned with. their 2 attacks each + an additional MW attack for the Archon/Dracon gives the formation 9 x 3+ attacks in close combat, one being a MW attack. They also have a decent armour save.
I have not used Wyches, Mandrakes, Haemonculi+Grotesques or hellions much at all, so I can not comment on their performance. The Scourges are not too bad. Their main weapon needs a range increase, and they need a better armour save say a 5+. You are paying 225 points for a jump pack formation with only 6 units that activates on a 2+ and does not get the marines ATSKNF, so break normally. I tend to not use them unless I am playing a very large game.
My current preferred list for a 3000 point game is:
Archon leading a Syndicate 6 warriors and 3 raiders - 325 points
sybarite leading a Syndicate 6 warriors, 3 raiders - 225 points
3 identical formations each with 6 ravagers led by a Sybarite - 375 points each
2 identical formations each with 6 reaver jetbikes led by a Sybarite - 225 points each
2 formations each of 2 raven jet fighters to provide CAP and strafing runs - 200 points each
and lastly a single Tormentor Titan - 500 points and the BTS objective.
As to the Tormentor, the -1 to hit it while its shield are up is very effective. It has survived a lot of games and usually by the skin of its teeth (1 or 2 DC left) Once the shields are gone, they can not come back, however even if you have just one, you get one back automatically.
I tried the Barges of Pleasure. But tended to keep them in cover at the rear with the Formation they were transporting (a Sybarite formation). They did not see action as the enemy ignored my blitz and tried to defend their own territory from my fast unit incursions.
I tried the Slavebringer and the Torturer class Cruiser needed to planetfall it, and the slavebringer and its 4 Talos ended up in an enemy controlled killing zone with 2 full guardsmen formations, a Lemun Russ formations, a Hydra formation, a Leviathan, and 2 basilisk Battery formations to contend with. I planned that drop zone very badly.
I have built my own Executioner landing barge, which I think is just the right size, however many people have commented that it is too large.
With just 2 more scourge units for my second formation, and perhaps another formation of 6 Hellions I will have over 8500 points in my army. Most of it painted. There is a thread on wargamer.au in the painting and modelling dairy section that I have started to show off my Kabal of Pain's Way Dark Eldar project.
LINk below:
http://www.wargamerau.com/forum/index.p ... pic=184477
Moderators remove the link if it is against forum rules, which I nhave not had time to read properly.
I think I will be purchasing the soon to be released Onslaught Hellions and Reaper equivelent minis when they come out.
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My first thought was that maybe there's to many upgrades and I could squeze in another formation.
Grrrr! Anyhow…