Fear of the Dark

Or rather more accurately Fear of the Dark Eldar. Rumours of their demise have been around for years, as is talk of their revival this coming November. I can remember the good old days of Third Edition, Space Marines gunning down Dark Eldar on the demonstration tables in Games Workshop like turkeys at Thanksgiving. Of course over the next couple of years as the Dark Eldar slowly, slowly had their range released the tide turned slightly and victories against the T4 3+ save armies became more frequent. By which time everybody had forgotten that they had a bagful of Dark Eldar and played other sensible armies like their Eldar cousins.


Come November 2010 we are going to see the arrival of five or even six box sets for the Dark Eldar. Everything is ultimately being remade in the range, a cause for celebration or concern that what we already have will stick out alike a sore thumb?

So what can we expect? The five kits are supposed to be Warriors, Wyches, Hellions, Raiders and Ravagers. The rumoured possible sixth kit Jetbikes. The two metal boxes will be Mandrakes and Incubi, with the blisters filling out HQ options. If these are the first wave of kits it will be like building your Space Marine army with Tactical Marines, Scouts, Assault Marines, Rhino and Predator only. Not very exciting and it is not going to sell well by any stretch of the imagination.

What about the Codex, well we can suppose a few changes and there has been talk about a few of the old units moving about in the codex but no mention of any new units. Previously we had a total of three HQ units, three Elite, two Troops, two Fast and three Heavy, only the Necron armylist contained fewer options. Based on best guestimates from previous codices and what is rumoured on the internet:

HQ: Well we will be losing a HQ option, the Dracon. Two-wound commanders have been exorcised in fifth edition, but we gain an Archite a three wound Wych Lord. There has been no mention on what is happening to Haemonculi, perhaps they will be remaining as a multiple choice HQ, or being added as an optional squad leader?

Elite: Grotesques and Mandrakes staying, Mandrakes gaining Scout or Space Wolf Scout ability to come on the rear table edge. It is presumed that Harlequins will be added to the list as they have dealings with both the good and evil Eldar. There was in the past rumours of Incubi being an Elite option, and even at their extortionate cost in points they would prove popular in plastic, not the rumoured metal.

Troops: Again we will be losing a Troop, no more Raider squads. Instead Raider will be what they always should have been, a transport upgrade for the squad. Here’s hoping that if the squad is larger than ten models they can still purchase the transport. Thumbs up, we can expect options to take pistol and spiky close combat weapon instead of splinter rifle. An option they should have always had and an inducement to buy the new miniatures and not rely on the old figures. Thumbs down, I am expecting the box set to come in ten with Sybarite heavy weapon and special weapon. Gone will be the days of taking ten with two special and heavy weapons. Perhaps if we take eleven or more warriors and invalidate the squad from a transport option they will be able to take extras?

Wyches should be making the move from Elite to Troop. Here’s hoping the points value is fixed, around ten points for a tooled-up Wych sounds about right for 6+ save, strength 3 models. Sure they are better in close combat due to their 4+ invulnerable save, however discounting charge bonuses a Tactical Space Marine has a higher kill percentage fighting against a Wych one on one.

A possible third Troop could be Jetbikes as they moved over in the Eldar Codex. They could be an option like Space Marines, with a commander on a Jetbike allowing you to take scoring Jetbikes. These will have to come down in cost and offer something more than a rapid fire strength 3, or now poisoned 4+ weapon.

Fast: Hellions are going to be in plastic, they either need rending or attacks as a power weapon on turn of charge, along with Hit and Run. Currently they are unable to fight in close combat and their 5+ invulnerable/ jink save is a joke.  If Jetbikes remain a fast then there will be two options available to them, perhaps Scourges will move to fast, being able to take special weapons along with splinter cannons. They really do need to lose the dark lance option, or change the stats to the same as a bright lance and make it Assault 1.

Heavy: A new Raider means a new Ravager. The heaviest of all the tanks I think it will sell based on what they change the stats of the Disintegrator rather than being able to take three Dark Lances.  Scourges could remain a Heavy, because jump pack troops really are a heavy and not a fast. Or maybe they will differentiate between Scourges armed with heavy or special weapons?  We know that Talos is getting a redesign, and will be out in one of the later waves so that gets a thumbs up. Please, please give it toughness eight, or an extra wound?

So as you can tell there isn’t much known to comment on, but by my reckoning we will have three HQ, three Elite (maybe four), two Troop (maybe three), one or two Fast and two Heavy (maybe three). With twelve choices, none of them new; not all of them being released in the first wave; surely this is not what GW is promoting as the next big thing..?