DARK ELDAR RAIDERS RULES DARK ELDAR LEADERSHIP All Dark Eldar ships add +1 to the Leadership score generated on page the Leadership table on page 10 of the Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook, giving them a leadership value of between 7 and 10. DARK ELDAR SHIP MOVEMENT Dark Eldar ships move in their movement phase ‘and’ in their ordnance phase. Note they do not move in the enemy’s ordnance phase. Unlike Eldar, Dark Eldar move very much like other races; move a minimum of _ speed, escorts may turn once immediately (or at any one point during their movement) and cruisers may turn once after 10cm (or at any one point after this during their movement). Dark Eldar movement has nothing to do with the sunward edge (Unless there is a Solar Flare!). Come to New Heading and Burn Retros Dark Eldar vessels are incredibly sleek and agile, bearing arrays of delicate fins and operating sophisticated manoeuvring systems, allowing them to turn with an ease horrifying to the crews of Imperial vessels, leaden by comparison. Because of this, Dark Eldar ships do not need to pass a Command check in order to use Come to New Heading or Burn Retros special orders. All Ahead Full and Come To New Heading special orders will have the normal effects for the first ‘movement’ only but the drawbacks remain through the 2nd movement (Ordnance Phase) until the next Dark Eldar turn. Eg If you All Ahead Full you will travel an extra 4d6cm in the movement phase ‘only’ but will not be able to turn during both movement phase and the 2nd movement phase (Ordnance Phase) and will have half weapons strength. Similarly Lock-on will effect both movements turning. Burn Retros is different, as you must remain in the same location for the 2nd movement (Ordnance Phase). As usual all special orders should be declared before movement. SHADOWFIELDS Unlike Holofields, Shadowfields are a form of stealth crossed with physical shield rather than an illusion or projection. This shield is very tightly woven, almost like a second hull and so cannot repel damage as a normal shield, instead it increases the armour value from 4+ to 6+, representing its’ stealth qualities as well. Weapons using the Gunnery table suffer no additional Modifiers from the Shadowfields, they require a 6+ to hit. Note: Bombardment Cannons will still hit on a 4+. Other weapons like lances require a 6+ to hit, as the vessels are hard to track. Nova Cannons, the Armageddon Gun and Star Pulse Generators will ignore the
Shadowfields as they are ‘blast weapons’. Note: Star Pulse Generators will hit on a 4+. Ordnance hits on a 6+. Bombers suffer no modifier for attack runs. Torpedoes will hit on a 6+. A-boats will only attack on a 6+, if they succeed they attack as normal, if they fail they will remain where they are, ending their movement on the ships base where it may attack again in the ‘next’ ordnance phase. BLAST MARKERS, GAS/DUST CLOUDS, SOLAR FLARES Blast Markers and Gas/Dust clouds only slow Dark Eldar vessels by 5cm as usual. There is no roll for damage on a 6+ (unless the Shadowfields have been destroyed). Dark Eldar may avoid damage from the Solar flare by passing a leadership check, if passed they will be ‘blown’ 2D6cm away from the Sunward edge. In the case of a Star Pulse Generator, the vessel is blow away from the firing ship. BOARDING ACTIONS The Dark Eldar are furious and brutal pirates, fanatical in the pursuit of violence and the hunt for captives. Their all-consuming blood lust can often overcome them, leaving them in an uncontrolled frenzy. Dark Eldar receive a +1 in the first round of any boarding action and a -1 in any subsequent rounds. Note: Dark Eldar and Eldar may board in the 2nd movement (after the shooting phase!). THE MIMIC ENGINE A Dark Eldar vessel equipped with mimic engines is able to assume the apparent dimensions of enemy ships, thus allowing the Dark Eldar to sneak up on their prey unseen. The Dark Eldar are able to mimic Imperial, Eldar, Ork and Chaos ships, but not Tyranid or Necron vessels, so the mimic engine has no effect against either of these fleets. Any other fleets not mentioned here, will state if they ignore Mimic engines. A Dark Eldar ship equipped with mimic engines approaches closer to the enemy before the threat is realised and so may make one normal move immediately after deployment, but before either side has taken a turn. In addition, if a mimic engine-equipped vessel is more than 30cm from the enemy at the start of the game (after making its extra move) it may NOT be targeted by enemy ships at all during the first turn of the game, until it itself has attacked another vessel. In the second and subsequent turns it is assumed that the exchange of information between vessels in the opposing fleet will uncover the impostors, meaning the Dark Eldar can be targeted normally. +40pts per cruiser, +15pts per escort. DARK ELDAR WEAPONS Weapons Batteries
Dark Eldar Weapons Batteries have the same properties as Eldar Batteries; they count all targets as closing on the Gunnery table. Phantom Lance This is the Dark Eldar equivalent of the pulsar, using dark matter powered lasers. Roll a dice for each point of the Phantom lance’s strength when firing, with the following effects: D6 Effect A. No hits. 1. 1 hit 5-6 2 hits Leech Torpedoes Dark Eldar ships armed with torpedoes may use leech torpedoes at no extra cost. These must be loaded with a specific Re-load roll, although a ship may start the scenario with them in the tubes by writing a note on the ship sheet. Leech torpedoes cause no damage other than a single, automatic critical hit. Do not roll for the effect of this critical hit, instead the leech torpedo causes a -10cm speed reduction on its target, nor may any All Ahead Full special orders may be executed by the target. Only one 10cm speed penalty applies regardless of the number attached – the effect is not cumulative. However, all leech hits on a ship must be repaired before the movement penalty is removed (e.g. if a ship suffers 5 leech hits, it remains at a reduced speed until all 5 hits have been repaired). When not firing leeches, Dark Eldar ships equipped with torpedo tubes use the rules for Eldar torpedoes from the Battlefleet Gothic rulebook instead. Impaler Assault Module The Impaler is a specialised form of prow mounted attack craft, a little like an assault boat, but large enough to carry enough Dark Eldar assault troops to potentially overwhelm an entire ship. An Impaler may be launched at an enemy vessel within 30cm of the Dark Eldar ship and attacks during the ordnance phase. If an Impaler encounters a fighter sqdrn on the ship it wishes to attack the Impaler has a 4+ save vs the fighter as if it were an Eldar fighter (If the fighter has a save of its own, it can remain on a successful save but the Impaler will still attack, however the fighter can still defend its’ ship against other ordnance. Turrets may fire at the Impaler, in the same way as against ordnance, but require a 6 to hit. When the Impaler successfully moves into contact with an enemy ship, past turrets, roll a D6 on the following table (with Boarding modifiers): 1 = Fail! (Lost for the remainder of the game) 2 = Fail! (Lost for the remainder of the game) 3 = H&R (+1 to roll) 4 = 2 H&R’s (+1 to rolls) 5 = Critical (Not H&R) 6+ = Slave takers, the boarding party found the enemy ship to be poorly defended and couldn't resist the opportunity to take enemy crew as slaves. Roll again:
Slaves takers (Roll a D6): 1-2 = 10Vps 3-4 = 20Vps 5-6 = 30Vps (due to loss of crew the ship takes +1 damage (causing a crit on a 6+).
Boarding Modifiers: *Boarding Value is irrelevant since the Impaler is an attack craft and is not involving its self in a full-scale boarding action. *Blast Markers cancel each other out. +1 if enemy is on special orders +2 if enemy is crippled - 1 if vessel is Chaos or Orks - 2 if Space Marines
- 3 if Tyranid *- 1 if vessel has double boarding value
To launch the Impaler in the next Dark Eldar ordnance phase you must ‘reload’ it as with other ordnance. An Impaler can only be completely destroyed by a failed attack, which would leave it useless by the loss of its crew and so would count as ‘run out’ for that ship only. Impalers against Tyranids: As Tyranids are a nightmare to fight in close combat and it’s very unlikely the Dark Eldar will make use of Tyranids as slaves, the Impaler cannot take slaves from Tyranid vessels, this is shown by the fact it is ‘impossible’ to get a 6 on the Impaler table in any circumstance against Tyranids as they have a combined negative modifier of 4. Impalers against Necrons: Obviously Dark Eldar wouldn't take slaves from a Necron ship but they could steal valuable technology and resources so the slave taking Victory point rules remain the same. Attack Craft Attack craft ordnance in a Dark Eldar fleet consists of Raptor fighters, Razorwing bombers and Slavebringer assault boats. Raptor fighters have a speed of 30cm and need a 4+ to remain in play after removing ordnance as with Eldar fighters. Razorwing bombers have a speed of 20cm and are hit by turrets only on a D6 roll of 6. Slavebringer assault boats have a speed of 30cm and are hit by turrets only on a D6 roll of 6. The Dark Eldar receive a +1 on Hit & Run attacks but may forgo rolling on the Hit & Run Critical Hit table in return for +10 Victory points. This reflects the desire of the Dark Eldar for captives, often when to do so is tactically foolish.
DARK ELDAR CRITICAL HITS Dark Eldar ships suffer a critical hit on the D6 score of a 4+ just like Eldar. When a Dark Eldar ship suffers a critical hit, roll 2D6 on the Dark Eldar Critical Hits table, rather than the normal Critical Hits table.
2D6
Extra Damage
2
+0
Result Mimic Engine Implosion. The Vessels appearance flickers and warps into many illusions of classes of ships of different races. The ship may not go on any special order (except Brace for Impact) until the damage is repaired but gives the +1 Ld to the enemy fleet as it counts as being on a special order.
3
+0
Keel Armament Damaged. The ship’s Keel armament (not its weapons batteries or Launch bays) are damaged and may not fire until it has been repaired. Prow Armament Damaged. The vessel’s integral weapons batteries (or Launch bays) are damaged and may not be fired until repaired.
4
+0
5
+0
Turning Fins Dented. The ship’s sleek shape is distorted by the damage, reducing its manoeuvrability. Until the damage is repaired, the ship may only make turns of up to 45o.
6
+1
Engines Damaged. The ship’s speed is reduced by 10cm until the damage is repaired.
7
+0
Superstructure Damaged. Roll a dice every time the ship attempts to go on to special orders. On a score of a 1 the ship suffers 1 additional damage point. This damage cannot be repaired while on special orders.
8
+1
Manoeuvring Systems Damaged. The ship’s steering fins, turning thrusters and manoeuvring sensors are damaged. The ship must pass a Command check in order to come to new heading until the damage can be repaired.
9
+0
Commanders Slain. A number of the ship’s commanders are killed in the explosions, reducing the ship’s leadership by -3. This damage may not be repaired.
10
+0
11
+D3
12
+D6
Shadowfield Generator Destroyed. The ship’s Shadowfields cease to work reducing the ships armour value to 4+. This damage may not be repaired. Hull Breach. A huge gash is torn in the ship’s hull, causing much damage. Bulkhead Collapse. Substantial portions of the ship buckle under the strain of increasing damage. If you’re lucky, enough of the ship will hold together at least a while longer.
