Thursday, November 11, 2021

40K - Dark Eldar: First Run & Balance Patch

 Yesterday I had the first run with my 3ed mostly metal Dark Eldar. 

As I was setting out my models in prep for the game, GW dropped its "Matched Play Balance Datasheet" which dramatically changed the points for Dark Eldar. I quickly recalculated my 2000 point army and it was now 2155 points. As a result I dropped a unit of Scourges ("cries"), a Kabalite unit and two Reavers from my Wych Cult Patrol.



In my game against Steve Joll's Space Wolves, he went first and downed two Raiders. However, despite that setback, I was able to start piling up the points and when we stopped at the start of Battle Round 4 I had a handy points lead which would like build substantially over the last two turns.

The underlying lesson I took from the game was just how dominant the DE were in scoring Primary Objective points. Their ObSec is so cheap and with so many other cheap threats for the enemy to deal with is rarely threatened. 

I shudder to think how dominant the army could be in GT 2021 missions before the patch as things still seem too cheap. The speed and carrying capacity of the Raiders (the change from 10 to 11 under 9e is enormous) makes then cheap even at 105 points with Dark Lance (and Black Heart reroll, first turn charge potential).

The other big surprise was just how many CPs a triple Patrol starts with. I was profligate in my use of them yesterday, with practice I will be far more efficient.

So TL/DR from this is that I don't think Dark Eldar players can have too many complaints with the change in points yesterday. The book has fantastic internal balance - everything is good - and I think they got away kindly from the encounter with GW balance bat.  

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