There are a lot of things that kill dark eldar, especially when they shoot. Thats my humor for the day, because in reality everything that can shoot kills dark eldar. That tiny combi-bolter on that Chaos Rhino..... "You got to be kidding", as it downs its second raider of the day.I tend to play aggressively, with that in mind, I can lose more dark eldar in a round, that most people have models for. Keep that in mind, and give that I enjoy playing with webway portals. This leaves a big dilemma. If you go first, you got to get them where you want them, which is often not too much of a problem. If you go second, or you just want to drop that extra portal right into a flank or even the front line of the opposition (me), you have to survive. Here is how to do it.
This is the layout I use for one of my webway carrying units.
2 Grotesques @ 200 pts Unit Type: Infantry; Night Vision; Power from Pain; Altered Physique; Berzerk Rampage; Bulky; Gnarlskin; Close Combat Weapon; Liquifier Gun)
1 Aberration (Close Combat Weapon; Scissorhand)
1 Raider ((C:DE, pg. 91); Unit Type: Vehicle (Skimmer, Fast, Open-topped); Transport Capacity: 10 models; Night Vision; Dark Lance x1)
Then Add the Independent Character:
1 Haemonculus Ancient @ 150 pts: Unit Type: Infantry; Night Vision; Power from Pain; Independent Character; Altered Physique; Gnarlskin; Splinter Pistol; Agoniser; Shattershard; Webway Portal x1)
This unit is extremly tough. The best way to defeat it really is to assault it. This is the tactic...
Round 1. Fly flat out in your raider with aethersails 24" + 2d6" to get the position you want. Flanking has worked best for me so far, but I am not above throwing them right down someones throat. They have to down you with your 4+ cover for going flat out. Afterward the raider dies, you will be in cover from everything else.
Round 2. I open the portal. Note that I already have another portal or two in the army that do not get shoved down someones throat.
Why is this unit so tough? It is 4 models with different stat lines and weaponry. It is the cheapest and most efficient use of this type of unit. 4 models with 12 wounds, toughness 5, and feel no pain. So once you are downed, that is a 4+ cover save, followed by a 4+ feel no pain save against every wound. It will take 9 unsaved wounds before you lose a single model.
Distribution of wounds will be your opponents nightmare against this unit, and the fun part is, they must deal with this unit and quickly. For you, while they are dealing with this unit, what is the rest of your army doing? I use this with multiple Talos sitting in reserve, along with Scourges set to deepstrike with heatlances (that can choose to use the portals). My closest secondary portal to the Grotesque unit is normally within assault range meaning that Talos coming in round 2 can reach anything assaulting into the grotesque unit.
Now comes the funny part of the equation, which I saved for last because it is the most devious. The last game I played, my opponent didnt really have any strong dedicated assault units (meaning no Assault Terminators), so I attached Asdrubael Vect to this unit. This took away the units vulnerbility, and made my opponent desperate to kill it. It was immensly entertaining, and when Vect left the squad in round 2, he was joined by secondary webway opening unit, which happened to be my Incubi with feel no pain.
This unit is extremly tough. You can add in another grotesque, but it does work against the point effiency. Adding in an archon to it, adds to the rediculas-ness of it, but makes you more vulnerable to a heavy and lucky round of plasmas, and do not forget that S10 weapons can ruin the day of this unit (but your going to get cover from your wrecked raider). Typically I take things like this into account, but I prefer to play my game, and tend to play aggressively. My defensive thinking during a game is simply "what can my opponent do, where is he going, and do I need to spread out the models in my units vs blast templates.