When it came down to MSU, (multiple small units), other armies were simply out performing my dark eldar down this path. Blood Angels and Space Wolves were my biggest bane, and they fielded so many razorbacks, speeders, and Devastators or Longfangs, that unless I had the jump on them, or they reserved when I went first, their firepower was devastating to my fragile MSU Dark Eldar. Basically I was not surviving the initial strike, nor able to pull some anything close to average die rolls (on 2 of the games my dice hated me).
I had a couple directions to take, either go all out MSU, find a more durable compromise, or go reserve. Being overly obsessive I went with the first one, Go All out MSU.
Some observations:
Vect and his 4 Incubi guards in the game I lost were able to wipe out 3 blood angel assault squads, a librarian, Corbolo, a Land Speeder Typhoon, and 2 Devastator squads before falling. That was the game I lost, and other than 3 razorbacks, the only casualties my opponent took that game. Yes, I lost badly, my dice hated me, and I did not go first or seize. Such is the game, and I am not putting forth excuses. A list must be able to absorb some bad luck and keep moving.
Always have your archon kill the Independent character first when assaulting a unit with one. If he dies, you gain your pain token immediately. This is important, so do not worry about overkill.
Voidravens and Razorwings are nice to have on the field, however, they should almost always be coming in from reserve when going second. Otherwise they are just too easy of targets to take down, and they never make it to round 2. This is assuming we are on big Valkryie flying bases with a large model. (that is how Ive been playing with them). The best way to get to shoot with them is reserves. Which is why they are no longer in my lists with Vect.
In all three games this last week, Vect and his Incubi wrecked havoc. The unit was large enough, and often the incubi just absorbed shots while vect killed almost the entire unit. They were much more effective over-all than my two units of trueborn were, of which never gained a single token in the last three games. This means, cut down the number of trueborn in their units to a minimum, delete one unit of them to add in another 4 man incubi unit with another Archon Ginsu.
After comments and some thinking, and finally some caffeine, This mornings list adjustments have been made. Now I have a working list that I can enjoy to test out. The idea is push the limits on Dark Eldar MSU, with loads of firepower.
Use Vect to gain initiative vs your opponent, and when combined with the incubi, your archons are sent forth to wreck havoc upon the enemy. I am using Warriors, because I prefer to rapid fire 8 splinter rifle shots into the enemy with a blaster to wreck vehicles quickly from round 1. No wyches (i have incubi), and more raiders than venoms because the incubi and archons will have nothing to do if the all the transports are not dead. As far as extra poisoned weapon shots, I have 4 warriors per warrior squad, and two venoms with two splinter cannons. Don't forget that the scourges also come with some heavy anti-infantry shooting with their move 12 shoot 18" carbines.
2500 Pts - Dark Eldar Roster - MSU Dark Eldar.
1 Asdrubael Vect @ 240 pts ((C:DE, pg. 55); Unit Type: Infantry; Fleet; Night Vision; Power from Pain; Independent Character; Fearless; Master Tactician; Ancient Nemesis; Ghostplate Armour; Haywire Grenades; Plasma Grenades; Shadow Field; Splinter Pistol; Obsidian Orbs; Scepter of the Dark City)
1 Archon @ 170 pts ((C:DE, pg. 84); Unit Type: Infantry; Fleet; Night Vision; Power from Pain; Independent Character; Kabalite Armour; Splinter Pistol; Plasma Grenades; Huskblade; Combat Drugs; Soul-trap; Phantasm Grenade Launcher; Shadow Field)
(2x) 4 Incubi @ 148 pts ((C:DE, pg. 86); Unit Type: Infantry; Fleet; Night Vision; Power from Pain; Incubus Warsuit; Klaive)
1 Raider ((C:DE, pg. 91); Unit Type: Vehicle (Skimmer, Fast, Open-topped); Transport Capacity: 10 models; Night Vision; Dark Lance x1)
(4x) 5 Kabalite Warriors @ 125 pts ((C:DE, pg. 89); Unit Type: Infantry; Fleet; Night Vision; Power from Pain; Splinter Rifle x4; Kabalite Armour; Blaster x1)
1 Raider ((C:DE, pg. 91); Unit Type: Vehicle (Skimmer, Fast, Open-topped); Transport Capacity: 10 models; Night Vision; Dark Lance x1; Shock Prow)
(2x) 5 Kabalite Warriors @ 125 pts ((C:DE, pg. 89); Unit Type: Infantry; Fleet; Night Vision; Power from Pain; Splinter Rifle x4; Kabalite Armour; Blaster x1)
1 Venom ((C:DE, pg. 91); Unit Type: Vehicle (Skimmer, Fast, Open-topped); Transport Capacity: 5 models; Night Vision; Flickerfield; Splinter Cannon x2)
(1x) 10 Scourges @ 280 pts ((C:DE, pg. 90); Unit Type: Jump Infantry; Fleet; Night Vision; Power from Pain; Shardcarbine x6; Ghostplate Armour; Plasma Grenades; Blaster x4)
(2x) 5 Scourges @ 140 pts ((C:DE, pg. 90); Unit Type: Jump Infantry; Fleet; Night Vision; Power from Pain; Shardcarbine x3; Ghostplate Armour; Plasma Grenades; Blaster x2)
(3x) 1 Ravager @ 105 pts ((C:DE, pg. 92); Unit Type: Vehicle (Skimmer, Fast, Open-topped); Night Vision; Aerial Assault; Dark Lance x3)
Total Roster Cost: 2499
