Dark Eldar: Nemesis part 1 – Imperial Guard

Dark Eldar: Nemesis part 1 – Imperial Guard

So let’s face it Dark Eldar had some of the more extreme match ups in 40k ranging from the slaughter fest that was tyranids and then the white flag waving games against imperial guard. So I thought I’d go into these matchups and see whats changed. Is the same nemesis facing me across the battlefield? Or have new armies come to the fore?

I’m gunna have a look at the ultimate anti dark eldar army, imperial guard….. So what’s changed?

The Past

The little we talk of this dark period the better… I did win games against guard, but the odds were always stacked heavily against me. Hydra’s were deadly, chimeras were deadly vendettas were deadly…. All of guard’s favourite toys worked incredibly well against the best a brightest of dark eldar.

The barons unit was the only one with a chance of survival but with the psyker battle squad, this unit would be the first to run away….

So bleak is what I’d say the chances were like. Id always say to people the worst scenario a dark eldar players could get was an imperial guard player seizing the initiative.

What Changed?

The future, people, looks a little brighter…

With transports getting a nerf there are less chimeras and more blob squads. With Hydras nerfed there are fewer of these around, people preferring manticores. Vendettas are still good but they start off the board and as such are just a little less scary.

Allies, oddly has really helped. With the temptation to take space marine allies, there’s less spent on the guard things I really hated like vendettas like hydras.

The improvement of dark eldars anti-tank capabilities also really helps (haywire makes me smile!)

But are all things so rosy, is guard a winnable game now?

Manticores are now horrible being able to get several vehicles in one go at strength 10 (due to the new barrage and large blast rules) with space wolves’ twin linking them; this really is deadly to massed low av valued vehicles.

The blob. No matter how much you shoot these guys they are hard to kill. A charge with beast masters might do it, but the over watch fire as inaccurate as it is will cause a lot of damage.

The Verdict

I’ll give a nemesis rating below 10 is hard match up, 1 is much easier

5^th ed 10/10

6^th ed 7.5/10

So yeah I think guard are now not a one way trip down a gun barrel. The move towards infantry and high av vehicles has really helped Dark Eldar to compete against his army.

However guard still have the tools needed to beat a Dark Eldar army. I still look at the opponents legion of guardsmen and think, how do I kill all of that! Dark Eldar long ranged firepower is still also pretty lame and getting down and dirty with haywire grenades allows the guardsmen to chew up my wych’s in turn.

Next time I’ll be reviewing Grey Knights

Till the new year everyone!