[Commander Nearsight]

How effective are Incubi in small games (500/750 points)? The fact they can't Fleet troubles me and they are rather costy. However, I would like to have a power armoured and armed retinue for my Lord. I have reserved a box of discounted (I can't help, discounts are too tempting :P) Dark Elf Executioners which I plan to use as Incubi and maybé also double as High Elf Swordmasters (if I'm starting them again, I'm currently leaning towards Wood Elves). The problem with Ex's is that the models are not suited to carry assault weapons. A friend of mine said Incubi are usually used as a pretty "nude" unit without any extra gear but I'd like to have DE players' opinion on the effectiveness of such units.

[KwiKwag]

Your feelings serve you well - you have outlined the Incubi pretty well.

So these are my "feelings" on them but I have to admit I haven't used them in the point size you indicated.

They are the second slowest unit in the DE dex (grots are slower and the talos ignores difficult terrain thus making it faster).

They are awesome marine killers but would be "overkill" against anything else and you would find them massacring their target in the first round of combat so be prepared to be stranded. In my experiences, they usually get rapid fired or have every gun on the table aimed at them once they are done with close combat.

Sure they have power armor but 3+ isn't great, its average if you think about it (but it is the best the DE can get). I don't take any refuge or rely on that 3+ save - you still have to hide them and be careful where you put them.

As for their equipment - I would only give them plasma grenades as I would want them to use their excellent initiative when assaulting into cover (which is about the majority my assaults anyway). Forget the blasters and shredder. I would also forget the Incubi Master and even Drazhar but thats just a personal bias.

It will definitely be the first raider your opponent will shoot at and if the raider goes down then you will have a long walk to the enemy lines - this is what scares me the most in that the Lord is stuck with the retinue and can't break free to fleet or 12" assault. So in my lists when using incubi I would give the 2nd HQ (a basic Dracon with gear) the incubi retinue (since the Dracon doesnt have a shadowfield) on a raider in a portal. Its still an expensive squad but it will destroy anything you can get them into cc with.

I personally have no luck with them but they are the coolest looking models we have and once every 3 months I would sport them in a list.

P.S. The fantasy Dark Elf Black Guard are probably the closest substitution (heavy armor with a halberd - I think the Incubi were made in their image for 40k).

[Commander Nearsight]

They are awesome marine killers but would be "overkill" against anything else and you would find them massacring their target in the first round of combat so be prepared to be stranded. In my experiences, they usually get rapid fired or have every gun on the table aimed at them once they are done with close combat.

Well, the only player I can play with plays Space Marines... :P

P.S. The fantasy Dark Elf Black Guard are probably the closest substitution (heavy armor with a halberd - I think the Incubi were made in their image for 40k).

They don't have those funky helmets the Incubi have, plus Ex's have more dynamic poses in my opinion.

[DakkaDakkaDude]

I have heard some people like to build a "shoulderpad-style" gun on their Dark Elf-turned-Dark Eldar conversions. I donno, but it seems like a cool idea to me.

DakkaDakkaDude

[KwiKwag]

Originally Posted by Gorbad Powerklaw

They don't have those funky helmets the Incubi have, plus Ex's have more dynamic poses in my opinion.

For me, having the main weapon looking like what the real incubi are using is more important than the modelling of the t-helm. Most of my opponents don't even ask what a t-helm is let alone what one looks like.

You can either do as DakkaDakkaDude suggests (I did on a reaver succubus) and do the "Predator" style shoulder mount or give them a pistol and say there you go. I just cant see anyone getting upset saying, "hey you cheater, I dont see a 5 point splinter pistol helm anywhere on there - you get only one attack!" if its on the list (you do play with a list right?) then its on the character regardless of the model.

P.S. I do like the Executioner Champion the best but there is only one of them, grrr >

[Commander Nearsight]

Thanks for the replies. I like that shoulder pad idea very much.

I guess I'll include some Incubi in my army. If I could only be bothered to paint my last 500 points list Orks... :P High school somehow drained some of my enthusiasm.

[Siruk]

Incubi are excellant in CC and very hardy, but only against other heavy CC beasts such as monstrous creatures, death companies etc.

I use them because my friends enjoy including said things in their lists, and since you play only marines, I suggest using them, but only once you get up past 1000 points. They are very good against marines purely because you can sling them in their against the opponents HQ as back up to your own lord, and they will take out everything your lord doesnt have enough attacks for.

But they are a gamble, if the raider goes down, they are effectively heavily armoured meat shields for your lord that slow him down.