# Anti Dark Eldar Tactics



## rcm2216 (Feb 22, 2008)

Fighting Dark Eldar 

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How do you compete against and beat the Dark Eldar. More importantly, how do you beat Dark Eldar with Marines.

1. I want to specifically learn how to combat or counter the webway portal and raider assault combination. 

2. I would also like to know how to destroy wyches after they get off their initial assault (maybe preventing the assault in the first place if at all possible). 

3. I want input on how to destoy the archon with his super retinue in the raider force trying to beat your entire army by themselves. 

4. What are the tactics that have worked for you against the Dark Eldar despite the army you used as this could be translated in tactics adopted by my Marines. 

I personally play either Blood Angels and Eldar Harlie oriented lists (One Falcon and two fire prism included). I will be Marines for the upcoming possible game against two different Dark Eldar Players in a Rogue Trader tourny. They both play the webway portal raider assault style. I have only played against Dark Eldar once using Eldar. I won, but the kid was inexperienced. I just sat back and shot the raiders. However, these two previously mentioned veterans have been mopping the floor with people (one of the guys is in his seventies). The sit and shoot style has not been seemingly working in the games I observed these two guys playing. Their forces came from the webway and immediately assaulted the enemy. Then the opponent usually reacted by trying to get out the way of the tide of wyches and incubi. 
I plan on using the blood angels this time. I will use the necessary death company and three additional jump pack squads (2 vet and 2 troop choices). I also plan to use two predators (las/heavy bolter combos). Everything else is up in the air until your valued input.


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## Insanity101 (Jan 13, 2008)

Not sure if this will help but...
Always realize, you will get outmanouvred. Nothing you can do about that, end of discussion. Webway assault is a nasty thing, but you have to remember it won't work if your guys are within 1" of it. Unless you use Mephiston always expect to get out-initiatived in cc, but prepare with several units ready for counter-charge (Vets and Assault Vets are especially good at this because of their 18" threat range). Get a chaplain unless, of course, you want the DC to be chasing an empty raider (that they probably won't destroy) all game. Never did find out how to beat the Raiders of doom list, but I don't face many DE players over here.


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## Nightbringer416 (Feb 16, 2008)

Insanity101 said:


> Not sure if this will help but...
> Always realize, you will get outmanouvred. Nothing you can do about that, end of discussion. Webway assault is a nasty thing, but you have to remember it won't work if your guys are within 1" of it. Unless you use Mephiston always expect to get out-initiatived in cc, but prepare with several units ready for counter-charge (Vets and Assault Vets are especially good at this because of their 18" threat range). Get a chaplain unless, of course, you want the DC to be chasing an empty raider (that they probably won't destroy) all game. Never did find out how to beat the Raiders of doom list, but I don't face many DE players over here.


actually it will work if he has skimmer scoming out of it since they fly over everybody.:grin: to answer the actual post:

1: space marines have las cannons use them, unload on the hq raider squad then the wyches
2: this battle is won at deployment, you have to be very careful where you deploy so yuo can lead your enemy in a certain direction to then crush them.
like a cobra, hypnotize him into your most important unit (command squad, IC, etc..) make him go after that, have your assault marines close to get your 18" jump into CC and get the charge on his unit. 
bait and switch is pretty much the only way i've been able to deal with fast CC armies.k:


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## warmster4 (Mar 9, 2008)

Well the Dark Eldar is a very fast assulting army and destroy it in any means of reaching you. Blow up the raiders as they could badly affest your game, the raiders are usually the key of winning for the dark eldar and the key for getting near you. any heavy weopon can take care of them, when they are taken out jeust sit back relax and shoot SHOOT!! 1st kill the raiders 2nd kill the archon and incubi with everything you got to offer because once they reach you your toast.k:


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## rincewind (May 6, 2008)

I am a DE player and I use the WWP Raider combi alot, plus I have to fight marines all the time. I can't believe I'm going to say this but...

All you have to do is hold out an HQ squad as bait for the Archon+Retinue on a raider which will undoubtly pop outta that portal any turn now... The DE player will think it's thé catch of the day and doesn't realise you kept a dreadnaught about 12" in the vicinity. Once the DE's HQ unit is locked in combat with yours, lock the dreadnought in and make him feel sorry for falling in the bait.

Another tactic is deploying a very weak squad also as bait for the Archon and his retinue. Make it an HQ unit you can miss, plus 4 other marines you can miss. You see... sometimes the DE's HQ squad is too strong for it's own good. It'll decimate the squad of 5 in 1 blow, leaving it out in the open the next turn for you to shoot everything you got at it. 

And 1 general remark , I hope no marine player is going to smak me for this, haha... BUT... marine players have to learn to use their army again. You see we DE players can't just sit back, relax and start shooting. Although SM players could, they shouldn't always rely on their thick armour. Get creative!


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## Triumph Of Man (Dec 27, 2007)

> All you have to do is hold out an HQ squad as bait for the Archon+Retinue on a raider which will undoubtly pop outta that portal any turn now... The DE player will think it's thé catch of the day and doesn't realise you kept a dreadnaught about 12" in the vicinity. Once the DE's HQ unit is locked in combat with yours, lock the dreadnought in and make him feel sorry for falling in the bait.


Unless he's packing agonisers, in which case dreadie wants to run run run.


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## Psyan (Apr 6, 2008)

I almost always give Haywire grenades to my characters, independent or otherwise... so please, send the Dread in to kill me in assault!

The one thing that a DE player fears most is having his Wyches, his HQ or even just warriors caught out in the open within rapid fire range of an enemy unit. To get him into this position, you're going to have to put out a reasonably juicy looking bait unit for him to assault and then leave them to die, with your other troops far enough away that he can't get to them right away, but close enough that you can move them into shooting range in your turn.


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## rincewind (May 6, 2008)

Triumph Of Man said:


> Unless he's packing agonisers, in which case dreadie wants to run run run.


Don't have my codex here, but outta the top of my head; the agoniser can only make glancing hits against a dreadnought I think. So only 6's will destroy it outright. And you still have to throw a 3+ to hit and then a 4+ to wound, which gives still give the dreadnought a chance to strike back bad one turn. Which also means the DE player's main HQ unit is still busy for a turn (maybe perhaps 2).
And another thing... Only the Lord can take an agoniser (if we are talking about the HQ unit here), if you fear that scenario so much, then don't put the dready in basecontact with the Lord. He'll probably have to smack some lowly marines for a turn before he can make a pile in move on the dreadnought. So that's theoratically 3 turns you can keep the DE players main unit busy! Now how handy is that?

@Psyan: Yes, sure... there are many evil things us DE archons can do. :wink: But with Haywire Grenades I know for certain you only get glancing hits (even without my codex present right now). So at best you'll destroy a weapon in 1 turn. Your oponnent will remove it's shooting weapon, which will still leave 2 S6 attacks. The important thing is that the dready keeps a DE player's HQ unit busy for a turn or 2.

@Psyan2: Actual advice needed??? Your advice is my 2nd advice, see my first post. In other words... i'm glad we can agree on atleast 1 of my solutions.


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## royemunson (Apr 9, 2007)

Have got a bloke at club who runs one of these armies and the two things i have used against that worked are, pinning weapons and fear of the darkness, i will explain.

Pinning weapons: you need to stop his warrior squads from dropping the portal, so making those units pinned or running is the only way to do it as remember the portal is a heavy weapon so cant be place on the turn they rally.

Fear of the darkness: now this one works on the same premise as above that if they are running they cant drop it. I was very chessey and used tigerius with infiltrate and hit both squads they both ran for two turns straight of the board and it was game over as none of the reserves could come on:so_happy:.

By the way this all makes no odds if they get first turn as they will drop the portals and then your in trouble:scare:. Also people are saying that you should kill the raiders but if the DE player is any good the turn he comes out the portal he will be in combat.
spreading your units out also works well, if you can get a unit of witches out of combat for a turn then they will die to bolters very quickly, skimmers also work quite well for this.


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## rincewind (May 6, 2008)

royemunson said:


> Have got a bloke at club who runs one of these armies and the two things i have used against that worked are, pinning weapons and fear of the darkness, i will explain.
> 
> Pinning weapons: you need to stop his warrior squads from dropping the portal, so making those units pinned or running is the only way to do it as remember the portal is a heavy weapon so cant be place on the turn they rally.
> 
> ...


Hey, that's actually very very good. I concur! That would be a major threat to our WWP tactics. Only 1 thing I disagree on though, your succes should never depend on if you get 1st turn or not. It's true that they'll be able to drop the portal then, nomatter what. But it's likely that they'll be atleast 24" away from you (having official tournament tabletops in mind), which is difficult to reach (12" [raider] + 2" [disembarking] + ?" fleet of foot + 6" assault). So they depend on the fleet of foot roll which is highly unpredictable and might very likely leave a precious unit stranded for you to unleash your folley in.


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## Gore Hunter (Nov 5, 2007)

I field Daemon is There any Advice For using them?


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## Green Knight (Feb 25, 2008)

Use terrain for cover, and to consentrate on one side to max the ammout of damage


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## Gore Hunter (Nov 5, 2007)

Just out of interest why are you giving me advice on fighting you GK?


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## The Son of Horus (Dec 30, 2006)

Honestly, if you fight the way your army is meant to fight and rely on the other guy tripping up somewhere, you'll do fine-- Dark Eldar are THAT fragile. It's not exactly sterling advice, but having something along the lines of a heavy bolter or three helps a lot, too.


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## rincewind (May 6, 2008)

Gore Hunter said:


> Just out of interest why are you giving me advice on fighting you GK?


Dirty mon'keigh! We are Dark Eldar! We fear you as much as we fear ants (which we don't for the record). We have grown weary of your futile attempts to resist us. Hear us... *low menacing voice* mon'keigh... for next time we meet on the battlefield, we want a decent fight!


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## Zondarian (Nov 17, 2007)

when the new DE codex comes out the DE will have a serious power down


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## Green Knight (Feb 25, 2008)

or more powerful


rincewind said:


> Dirty mon'keigh! We are Dark Eldar! We fear you as much as we fear ants (which we don't for the record). We have grown weary of your futile attempts to resist us. Hear us... *low menacing voice* mon'keigh... for next time we meet on the battlefield, we want a decent fight!


fucking ace, a man after my own black heart


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## Green Knight (Feb 25, 2008)

Gore Hunter said:


> Just out of interest why are you giving me advice on fighting you GK?


Because i am not tight, I would like to have a well mached game with you, hence the advise. Aswell as this to make you better


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## Gore Hunter (Nov 5, 2007)

Power'd up my ass they have too many rules which should have been elminated years ago they will get powered down from stuff like combat drugs and that FNP rule they have and then be made to comply with the new codexes so they will be as fair as every other force.


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## JAVA the Great (May 29, 2008)

*Overkill*

I take you haven't played against the new deamons yet. There you can moan and groan as they appear every where and anywhere how do you fight that if they get a good first round and deploy all their units, death to everybody.
If they can do that they did with the deamons with DE we'll be unstopable!:scare:


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## chaznsteph (May 22, 2008)

warmster4 said:


> Well the Dark Eldar is a very fast assulting army and destroy it in any means of reaching you. Blow up the raiders as they could badly affest your game, the raiders are usually the key of winning for the dark eldar and the key for getting near you. any heavy weopon can take care of them, when they are taken out jeust sit back relax and shoot SHOOT!! 1st kill the raiders 2nd kill the archon and incubi with everything you got to offer because once they reach you your toast.k:


I totaly agree with this...i played as Black Templar so when CC came i held my oun even more. but take out the ability to assault as they do and ur good to go


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## Juiceypoop (Jun 5, 2008)

rcm2216 said:


> Fighting Dark Eldar
> 
> 1. I want to specifically learn how to combat or counter the webway portal and raider assault combination.
> 
> ...


1. best way to kill a webway assault is is to take out the guys carrying the portals, Don't forget that space marine have some fast moveing units of their own. a couple deep striking dreadnaughts with a heavy flamer and asscan can make a big mess of dark eldar units, since they rely on mobility to stay out of sight and prevent you from hitting them, deep striking effectivly nullifies that advantage, it is however a bit unreliable, because of the reserves role, still it's worthwhile having 1 or 2 squads in drop pods with assault weapons ready to leap out and put the hurt on. 

2. mobile fire power, take bikes, they're just as fast as raiders, and pack allot of fire power, heavy bolters on attack bikes will make a mess of dark eldar infantry and veichles alike, and they can move 12 inches and shoot. If the wyches do pull off an assault, i'd recomend waiting for them to finnish and then rapid firing the leftovers. 

3.deep strike into rapid fire range, use bikes mobility to get shoots off at his transport, and if he does get into assault, throw a couple of dreads into the assault as support. 

4. Dark eldar are the most mobile army in the game, so everyone assumes that you should just not bother trying to out maneuvure them. THIS IS FOLLY. Dark eldar's main weakness is they're as fragile as paper, as such you should be using all the maneuvarbility you have make sure you can actually hit them! if you can hit them they'll come apart like paper, if you let them do what they want they'll cut your army apart like a surgeon on crack.


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