From Warhammer 40k

The Dark Eldar are a Kindred of the Eldar, an ancient and advanced race of elf-like humanoids. Their armies usually have the advantages of speed and technology, though they are often lacking in resilience and numbers. The Dark Eldar revel in piracy, enslavement and torture, and are sadistic in the extreme. Dark Eldar armies make use of various anti-gravity skimmers such as Raiders and Ravagers to launch high speed attacks. They strike with little or no warning, using an interdimensional labyrinth known as the Webway to traverse the galaxy safely and far more quickly than most races are able to with their Warp jumps.

The Dark Eldar are unique amongst the races in the sense that they do not occupy many planets, but rather one dark city - Commorragh. They are mainly pirates, though are sometimes used as mercenaries.

Dark Eldar, like most Eldar Kindreds, make use of advanced technology, including anti-gravity devices, dark matter weaponry, nanotechnology and psychic artifacts. While Dark Eldar do make use of psychic devices, they do not use psychic powers themselves. Psykers are treated as playthings in Commorragh, and given the twisted sadistic nature of the Dark Eldar, this necessarily involves pain and torment for the psyker.

Over time, Dark Eldar begin to suffer more and more from the Thirst. They develop an all-consuming and ever-increasing need to drink the souls of other beings. It is postulated that the cause of this is the Chaos God Slaanesh, the Great Enemy of the Eldar, who leeches the soul-essence of the Dark Eldar while they still live. Dark Eldar drink souls to stave off this leeching - perhaps by sating the thirst of Slaanesh, or perhaps by replenishing the essence of their own souls with that of the consumed one. Slaanesh will also consume the souls of Dark Eldar whole should they die. Dark Eldar are long-lived but not immortal; drinking souls has a rejuvinating effect that reverses aging, thus Dark Eldar need not fear falling into the clutches of Slaanesh due to death from old age, if they have a constant supply of souls. The usual source of souls are those of the many captives taken during Dark Eldar raids.

Contents 1 Gameplay 2 Dark Eldar Army 2.1 HQ 2.1.1 Archon 2.1.2 Haemonculi 2.2 Elite 2.2.1 Mandrakes 2.2.2 Wyches 2.3 Troop 2.3.1 Dark Eldar Warrior Squads 2.3.2 Dark Eldar Raider 2.4 Fast Attack 2.4.1 Dark Eldar Hellion 2.4.2 Reaver Jetbike 2.5 Heavy Support 2.5.1 Dark Eldar Scourges 2.5.2 Talos 2.6 External links

[edit] Gameplay

In the game, many of the Dark Eldar units are similar to the units used by the Eldar army, but twisted to fit in with the darker nature of the Dark Eldar. For example, instead of having Aspect Warriors Dark Eldar have drug-using gladiators called Wyches. Rather than having their heavy weapons systems transported by walkers or minature anti-grav floaters, they are carried by specialised Warriors wearing jetpacks- these are called Scourges. The Wraithguard and Wraithlords of the Eldar are replaced with the Talos, a bizarre mechanical weapon which is half grav-tank and half floating torture device, powered by the suffering of the tortured creature bound into its "cockpit".

More than anything, Dark Eldar are known for their speed and fluidity on the battlefield. Almost all of their units are focused on a combination of speed and power. Even the heavy support units, the winged Scourges and the mighty Ravager, are as agile as they are dangerous. The Dark Eldar are capable of completely redeploying their army faster then any other army in the game, thanks to their plentiful transportation. Thanks to the flying Raiders, they are capable of delivering their elite close combat units like the Wyches to where they will deal the most damage, and placing plentiful anti-tank weapons where the enemy's armored sections have gathered.

[edit] Dark Eldar Army

[edit] HQ

[edit] Archon

The leader of the dark cabal The Archon is the most cunning and ruthless of all the Dark Eldar. The reason why the Archon must be audacious and sometimes reckless is because he himself can be ousted at any time for being weak and complacent or failing the cabal by not sustaining them with souls and slaves. Therefore most of the archons are surrounded by a retinue of Incubi Bodyguards who are only loyal to him.

[edit] Haemonculi

Masters of torture, Haemonculi are the last thing you want to see when you are a captured slave of the Dark Eldar. Depraved, the Haemonculi think that their torturing is a form of art that issues a chorus of screams and wails of pain.

[edit] Elite

[edit] Mandrakes

Thanks to their warp tinged skin the Mandrakes can hide well in the shadows. They will often pop out of the shadows to slay their prey even if the prey itself is another Dark Eldar. They have been known to wear the skins of their enemies as a cloak or robe.

[edit] Wyches

The Wyches are gladiators who fight for survival. Honing their skills in the Colloseums of the Dark Eldar Capital, Wyches are fearsome warriors whom are used to fighting for their lives. To watch over the Wyches lest they rebel are the Succubi, elite gladiatorial warriors.

[edit] Troop

[edit] Dark Eldar Warrior Squads

The Dark Eldar are the fastest army and the Dark Eldar Warriors themselve epitomise this by striking fast and killing quick then disapearing with those who are unlucky enough to become thier slaves.

[edit] Dark Eldar Raider

The transport of the Dark Eldar, the Raider, is the fastest anti-gravitational vehicle known to any race. Its speed is used to transport Dark Eldar warriors, wyches, or even the Dark Eldar Lord to crucial areas where the most harm can be caused, but most of all Raiders are used to haul back slaves that have been captured.

[edit] Fast Attack

[edit] Dark Eldar Hellion

These Dark Eldar ride upon sky boards wielding weapons that enable them to strike then disappear before anyone can retaliate. The hum of their Sky Boards strikes fear upon those few who have survived a Dark Eldar Raid.

[edit] Reaver Jetbike

Dark Eldar who rides the ultra light and fast Jetbikes are known as Reavers. Amazingly Reavers are astounding combatants even on their Jetbikes. They are usually seen ahead of the main forces of Dark Eldar sowing destruction and havoc while the bulk catches up.

[edit] Heavy Support

[edit] Dark Eldar Scourges

With their bat-like wings they fly through the night sky and then drop upon their prey sowing destruction and chaos before they jump back into the sky and strike again. Even though Dark Eldar Scourges wield heavy weapons they are still renowned for their speed.

[edit] Talos

A creation of the Haemonculi, the Talos have found service on the front lines, powered by a victim subject to a multitude of tortures within its armored shell. its victim's agony propels it towards the enemies of the Dark Eldar, not stopping the brutal assault of its vicious claws and stinging tail until it either has no more targets or has been destroyed.

[edit] External links

• Official UK Dark Eldar page
• Official US Dark Eldar page
• Wargame Tactics for Dark Eldar A Wiki site with Dark Eldar Tactics