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Dark Eldar: No Chance against Tau?

Started by BigToof, May 17, 2013, 12:07:24 AM

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BigToof

Hi All,
Sorry to bring up another one of these, but I recently had a chance to go against Tau with my Dark Eldar/Eldar list and...

OMG

Wow, they are tough.  Just SO nasty.

Everything seems to be able to shoot you to pieces and shooting at T3 models with poison is so... wasteful feeling.

Any Dark Eldar players still out there?

Love to hear how you deal with Tau.

Best,
-BT
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Chicop76

You don't lol. Tau troop weapons wounds on 3s and can pen boats or glance the heavy support. i am thinking a lot of neast and the pain troop guys.


BigToof

Yeah, perhaps DE are not that great against Tau.

Just hate to have to re-do my whole list because of them, but maybe that's needed now-a-days?

Best,
-BT
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Chicop76

Quote from: BigToof on May 18, 2013, 04:53:44 PM
Yeah, perhaps DE are not that great against Tau.

Just hate to have to re-do my whole list because of them, but maybe that's needed now-a-days?

Best,
-BT

I wouldn't say so.

You can go wracks, talos and beast. That sort of DE list would be a challenge for Tau. The normal type I just don't see it.

I think a foot army might not be a bad ideal. Wracks are tougness 4 and have feel no pain. Still tau would kill them and a transport is still needed. The beast can be used effectively, but a ton of strength 7 shots can instant kill the 3 wound models.


Arkitek

Webway portals are a pain in the ass for me. They're indestructible, block LOS, and shit out units close to my lines that can move and assault.
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Narric

Off the top of my head, the best List-style DE could throw at tau would probably by Coven heavy with Trueborn added for extra ballistic offense.

Another idea is taking Transports and deliberately letting them get gun-down in the enemy gunline. If you're lucky, it'll explode at take on some Tau, if it doesn't, its technically cover for the rest of your army.

I think anything that can throw out a decent amount of balistic firepower that can come in reliably via Deep Strike is another option.

Thats all I can say for now, as I currently don't have my DE Codex with me :(

Chicop76

Quote from: Narric on May 24, 2013, 05:42:20 PM
Off the top of my head, the best List-style DE could throw at tau would probably by Coven heavy with Trueborn added for extra ballistic offense.

Another idea is taking Transports and deliberately letting them get gun-down in the enemy gunline. If you're lucky, it'll explode at take on some Tau, if it doesn't, its technically cover for the rest of your army.

I think anything that can throw out a decent amount of balistic firepower that can come in reliably via Deep Strike is another option.

Thats all I can say for now, as I currently don't have my DE Codex with me :(

The ds option is a good option. I think you have to take the serpent to be able to fire out the raiders out of deep strike. I know the serpent gives you full ds.


Narric

I assume you're talking about the "Serpent" Special Character Dude?

Like I said, I don't have my codex, so I can't help much currently :(

Chicop76

Quote from: Narric on May 24, 2013, 08:17:29 PM
I assume you're talking about the "Serpent" Special Character Dude?

Like I said, I don't have my codex, so I can't help much currently :(

Yes that guy. He allows you to deep strike like normal. I think without him you can't disembark if I remeber correctly.

I think deep striking would be a good ideal. You have luquidfiers to burn out fire warriors and blasters to kill suits. More I think about it the more sound the tactic seems.

If you don't tahe the serpent I think you will only be able to fire snap shots out of your vehicles and you will be stuck inside.

The serpent with 3 hameies with luquidfiers seem right. That would mean your warriors will have fnp.

You still can take raiders just put them as far away as possible with the -6" shielding.


Narric

If memory serves, isn't the Serpent limited to D3 units? or am I confusing his ability with the "Lady" SC, who allows re-dploying of units?

I believe when DE first Came out, the Serpent and the Lady were the best combo to counter Ranged/gunline armies (in my personal opinion). One allows DS, the other misguides your opponents deployment. Have your Elites filled with two units of Wracks or Grotesques (for moderate toughness CC units) with one unit of Shooty Trueborn, or if you prefer, two Trueborn and one unit of Wracks/Grotesques.

Troops can obviously be whichever takes your fancy, though for Anti-gunline, I'd assume Mounted Warriors, with High output weapons like Splinter Cannon and Shredder.

Can't remember much useful from FA and HS to other suggestion for them, with the exception of taking units of those winged dudes (seriously wish I had my codex collecxtion -_-) or Helions.

Chicop76

#10
I always forget about grotesques. With lack of strength 10 they can pretty much just plow on through the middle of the field. Also they can be on the board half easy. I have to glance through the de book.

Looking through the book I seen some options. If you take the serpent than your transports can deep strike per regular rules.

Having said that. I would say go with a pain engine or two. I want to say go with mandrakes. Mandrakes with a pain token would do well against Tau. The problem is they need a pain token which is why I said take a pain engine. You can deploy the mandrakes with a hamey which puts them out of range with their shooting attacks. If you infiltrate you can't assault. Now I remember why no one bothers with them. I think putting a hamey with them will help them a lot.

I just had a thought. Leave a tranport open and let the mandrakes and hammy ride inside. Naaaa.

The lisard guy in the hq wouldn't be a bad option as well. With toughness 5 fnp and a carbine he's not bad at all.

The lady allows you to re depoly d3 units.


The Man They Call Jayne

Useful thing about DE vehicles is that they are same armour all round. Advance them sideways for a nice, fairly wide 5+ save behind them, then wait for them to crash and you can get a 4+ cover save from the wreckage.
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BigToof

Never thought of going all Haemonculus, but it is an interesting option...

I also want to see what the new Eldar book has to offer, as if I can get some backup, that might help out a lot.

Anyone have any early ideas for Eldar/Dark Eldar synergy?

Best,
-BT
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Scout Sergeant Mkoll

Those who are advocating Deep Strike, don't. Tau can have a stupid amount of Interceptor with S7/8 guns, the Raiders would be shot down before they could do anything.

Tau are without a doubt the most absurd army at the minute. The Beastmaster/Wrack list might do a decent job if you have enough Razorwings to absorb the fire. The trouble is, the Dark Eldar codex was a balanced army in 5th Edition. With the introduction of 6th, the change in focus and the release of Dark Angels and Tau they're now quite underpowered. They're not weak, there's still armies they can beat, but Tau and Dark Angels aren't amongst those I wouldn't say unless you're a much better player or have a tonne of luck.
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Chicop76

Quote from: Scout Sergeant Mkoll on May 25, 2013, 11:07:35 AM
Those who are advocating Deep Strike, don't. Tau can have a stupid amount of Interceptor with S7/8 guns, the Raiders would be shot down before they could do anything.

Tau are without a doubt the most absurd army at the minute. The Beastmaster/Wrack list might do a decent job if you have enough Razorwings to absorb the fire. The trouble is, the Dark Eldar codex was a balanced army in 5th Edition. With the introduction of 6th, the change in focus and the release of Dark Angels and Tau they're now quite underpowered. They're not weak, there's still armies they can beat, but Tau and Dark Angels aren't amongst those I wouldn't say unless you're a much better player or have a tonne of luck.

1. Keep in mind how many units have interceptor and when used you are taking the weapon off like. At most the broadsides and riptides will be able to intercept and this is where the Tau will have problems.
A. Do Tau shot the transport or the guy hopping out. If at the guys you can do what jayne said and use the boats as cover save. The wracks will get a +5/+5 save which is enough to weather the interceptor fire. Tau can't deny cover saves at this point.

B. If they choose the vehicle. The blast will hopefully kill tau and again the blast really won't hurt wracks. They might get cover blocking los now. More likely it will give you terrain since tau can easily destroy a boat, +5 invul saves is advisable.

The plus side you are dropping units around 150 points that have some durability to them. With a 6" disembark you can help limit scatter etc. You should be able to luqidfy a few tau here and there. You are going to lose guys, but by overwhelming the interceptor units with like 8 deep striking units Tau can't prevent all that from landing in their face.

You stil have to be selective and have to concentrate on the weakest side of the Tau defense. Done this with old daemons and it has always worked rather well. Grant it you are doing it on turn 1 and it is half your army.

I would say beastmasters wouldn't be a good ideal. With a 6+ save and Tau wounding that squad on 2s and 4s I would suggest against it. Wait it would be on 2s due to majority tougness. That squad would easily get blown away.

Wracks, Grotesques, and SSlyth, the snake guy. Are all high toughness with fnp which makes them a bit more durable. A squad of Grotesques are not easily blown away.

Against most armies I would say jayne's ideal is an awesome one, but against you have no cover save Tau it really is not going to work. What is a cover save? Most ask that vs Tau.

I still think mandrakes are great due to the double strength 4 ap 4 shots.

Another tactic is build lance heavy range and try to out shoot them. You have the range advantage with -6". The riptides should be a problem, but you are cutting marker lights to 30" which will force him to move his marker squads. If he went missle sides it also cut him down to 30" and limits his range. The rest of the tau army will be firing at 24". Take advantage of your range and just lance them to death.

You can use venoms to shoot at fire warrior squads advancing up the field. If you deploy everything back field his riptides is the only thing that can shoot you. 2/3 deployments will favor you if you decide to out range them and out shoot them. Focus fire the mobile units and the riptide. Any unit on his side comes within range of yours blast it away.

The lady would come in handy which will allow you to redeploy.