Topic: Building an Exodite army with Codex: Dark Eldar – Part 1

[Daeron of Lorien]

In this article, I will cover the Dark Eldar special rules and wargear with an Exodite interpretation.  Additionally, within my Maiden World’s backstory, the four clans represented by Dark Eldar rules include units specific to certain clans while other units can be found in all of the clans.  In this article, I will review the clan-specific units. 

Since most players favor a single army and don’t knit together several codices as I have done, it will be up to the individual modeler to determine how best, within his own army, he can use the same base model for different units from more than one codex.   In reality, the possibilities are almost unlimited, especially with the variety of old and new models for most of the Games Workshop units available now, so it would be beyond the scope of these articles.

The units will be presented in the order they appear in the codex and if I have not written an Exodite equivalent unit for that entry, I will try to explain the challenge I faced.  Maybe the reader can see something I missed and add even more Exodite flavor to the codex.  If the unit is one I use as-is, then it will be listed at the end of the unit list with some general comments as needed for that unit.

One final note, as I explain the backstory of the unit, you will see a mix of traditional Exodite fluff coupled with my own interpretation to match the story of my own Maiden World.  My intent is not to rewrite the fluff but to simply write my own story for a single Maiden World located on the Eastern Fringe in Tau space.  It should serve as a starting point for the reader to launch out on his own interpretation or craft it to be more in line with the traditional Exodite fluff.

Special Rules
The Power from Pain special rule is the heart of the Dark Eldar with almost every unit having this rule.  Though there is nothing in the Exodite fluff that would give the Exodites this rule, my Independent Clan backstory provides the rationale.  Since the Eldar feel emotions much more strongly than humans, what would happen if they were trapped in the void and subjected to decades, or even centuries, of ork, pirate and raider attacks with no end in sight?  I believe they would develop a ‘healthy’ sense of vengeance which would simmer under their psyche until battle would cause it to boil over and provide them with enhance abilities in combat.  “Power from Pain” becomes “A Taste for Vengeance”.

The Combat Drugs rule and the proliferation of poisoned weapons is actually very easy to explain for Exodites.  Being that they live in closer association with Nature, they would use naturally occurring chemicals in herbs and animals to create both poisons and performance enhancing potions.  Thus was born the Herbal Stimulants and poisoned arrows. Remember part of the illusion is the language you use during the battle.

Exodite Weapons
The Exodites are Eldar and left their homeworld equipped with Eldar tech so Dark Eldar weapons don’t fit exactly.  You can use the same weapons but remove some of the spikes or sharp edges to make them look a bit more pre-Fall.  A simple name change can allow you to use the same Dark Eldar weapons but give them an Exodtie feel.  Splinter weapons become Needler weapons.  Blasters and blast pistols are lance rifles and lance pistols.  Dark lances can be called bright lances because the stat lines are identical and the old Eldar tech would not have been replaced with the dark matter equivalent.

Close combat weapons may require a bit more thought.  Not only are name changes required, but most also require a modeling makeover.  For example, the Agonizer is not an Exodite flavored weapon.  However, its stat line is that of a poisoned power sword.  Now you have an Exodite version. 

One of my favorites is the Exodite Glaive in place of the Klaivex and the Dragon Glaive both for the Archite Glaive and Demi-klaive.  Here, the similar weapons can represent differences in the combat style of the various warriors.  A full list of the weapon equivalents is at the end of this article.

However, much of the Exodite fluff refers to them using wraithbows.  So if you would rather use bows for some of your infantry, it will not be a problem.  Many of the Dark Eldar infantry weapons are poisoned with ranges of at least 18”.  These can all be represented by wraithbows using poisoned arrows and has the benefit of remaining consistent with the weapons in the Eldar codex.   The 12” ranged pistols can be handbows as well.

In many ways, the Dark Eldar Codex allows the creation of a large wraithbow based army with some options for adding dragons.

Independent Clan  Sergeants
All of the infantry units can have a single model upgraded to a character (sergeant).  In the back story of Lorien, these characters carry the title of ‘count’ and are the lowest level of leadership or nobility in the Independent Clans.  Regardless of the unit name, the character upgrade is always referred to as the count.

The Blood Song, Fire Wings and Storm Blades Clans

These three clans follow a similar organization that is very similar to the typical House Clans that founded Lorien.  They make extensive use of Eldar based technology but favor the wraithbow as the standard infantry weapon.  Given the fact that the clans survived the Exodus by fighting their way to Lorien, they committed themselves to maintaining their martial traditions as a matter of not only their identity but their survival.  Even the farmers, craftsmen and artisans are skilled warriors.  In fact, in most cases, they are more skilled than their House Clan brethren.

The Archon – Clan Lord/Lady
The Clan Lord and/or Lady is the supreme leader of an Independent Clan serving much the same role as the Dragon Lord of the House Clans.  They guide their clans and lead them in the defense of their homes.  Sometimes they determine it is necessary to strike out through the webway to distant worlds they see as a threat to Lorien. 

Court of the Archon – Court of the Clan Lord
Each Clan Lord will have a retinue consisting of a mix of bodyguards, advisors and pets.  The clan lord will often take to himself a courtesan (Lhamaean) lover.  Though the relationship is romantic in nature, the practical and militaristic realities often lead the clan lord to select lovers that that are not only extremely imaginative lovers but also herbalists without equal. 

Most Clan lords will acquire lesser drake or lesser wyrm eggs as gifts from other barons, nobles or blademasters as a symbol of their position.  When the young lesser drake or wrym hatches (Ur-ghul), they easily bond with the clan lord and will be very protective of him.  Unfortunately, though they share a strong resemblance to the Drake and the Wyrm, they lack the thick scales and as such are not resistant to injury like their larger kin.

Clan lords are usually very skilled beast handlers and often able to tame a specific dragon (Sslyth) native to Lorien.  This creature uses poison spittle as its primary weapon though it also has vicious claws and teeth. 

Clan lords are often accompanied by hand-picked bodyguards (Madusae).  The position at the side of the Clan Lord is one of the highest honour.  Tasked with the work of defending the Clan Lord, they are equipped with Dragon’s Fire Flamers which are more deadly than the standard Eldar Dragon’s Breath Flamer.

Haemonculous – Duke
The Duke is the leader of an extended family group within the clan.  They serve a dual role of leading their portion of the clan and keeping fresh the memory of the atrocities experienced during the Exodus.  They inspire their troops in battle, fanning the flames of vengeance more adeptly that the Clan Lord himself.

Kabalite Warriors and Trueborn – Glade Guard Archers and Dragonborn (apologies to Skyrim)
The typical independent clan warrior, these warriors are experts with wraithbows and poisoned arrows.

The Wood Elf Glade Guards built as archers fit the mental picture I have for the Kabalite warriors.  I think the standard kabalite warrior model will serve as a good base for the Dragonborn warrior.  Their armour has a very draconic feel and can be used to visually differentiate the Elite from the Troop unit.

The Dark Knives Clan

The Dark Knives clan is unique among the independent clans.  They were the last to arrive on Lorien and suffered some of the most horrific depredations during their journey.  They make use of herbal concoctions more than the other clans and are committed to the art of close combat fighting as a way of exacting their revenge in the most personal way possible during battle.  This clan is the closest of the Exodite clans to the Dark Eldar in this sense but without actually falling to the depravity that defines the Dark Eldar as a race.

The females favor combat knives whereas the males favor the Exodite glaive.  The leaders of this clan favor the dragon glaive almost universally.

Drahzar & Lelith – Blademaster an Blademistress of the Dark Knives Clan
These two are the head of the Dark Knives clan.  They epitomize the ideals of the close combat style of fighting and serve as a model for all in their clan.

Succubus– Blademaster/Blademistress
These are leaders of each of the six families in the clan.  They are responsible for not only governing their families but also ensuring the training remains sufficient to yield the most capable of Exodite close combat warriors.

Incubus – Heavy Infantry
These units, as yet unnamed, are not as common in the Dark Knives clan. They are the heavy infantry who prefer to enter headlong into the enemy and allow the more lightly armed close combat specialists time to harass the enemy flanks or weaker units.

I chose to model this unit using the Dark Elf Black Guard kit.  Their halberds make a good show for the klaive (Exodite glaive) and little conversion is necessary. 

Wychs and Bloodbrides – Close Combat Specialists
The basic warrior of the Dark Knives clan, they rely on speed and skill, enhanced by herbal stimulants to survive in combat. 

These can be a challenge to model due to their light armour and blade/pistol wargear.  The Wych models can be used for the Elite unit since their armour, just like that of the kabalite models has a very dragon like look.  However, the Troop unit may be a bit harder to model.  Using Wood Elf Glade Guard with swords and Corsair handbows is a possibility though it is hard to justify the lower armour save for the unit if the same models with bows are used for the Kabalite warriors.  For this reason, I have not settled on a model yet.

Exodite Equivalent of Dark Eldar Weapons
I have come up with some Exodite Equivalents for Dark Eldar weapons that are merely name changes but convey the right feel. Others I have created an Exodite version of the weapon.   If they are not listed here, I have not changed the name or come up with an alternative for the weapon yet.

Agonizer = Poisoned Power Sword
Archite Glaive = Dragon Glaive - Dragon Glaives are elegant polearms expertly balanced for use in one hand..  Primarily used by the Dragonmasters, there are some Independent Clan warriors who prefer the Dragon Glaive over the Exodite Glaive and have developed a martial art that gives the wielder a choice between single and two-handed use.
Baleblast = Witchbow - The Witchbow is used exclusively by the Spirithunters.  It fires a psychically charged arrow with powers similar to the spiritseer’s witchstaff or the dragonsinger’s ashenrod.   
Blast Pistol = Lance Pistol
Blaster = Lance Rifle
Dark Lance = Bright Lance
Demiklaives = Dragon Glaive - Dragon Glaives are elegant polearms expertly balanced for use in one hand.  Primarily used by the Dragonmasters, there are some Independent Clan warriors who prefer the Dragon Glaive over the Exodite Glaive and have developed a martial art that gives the wielder a choice between single and two-handed use.
Disintegrator Cannon = Pulsar Cannon - The Pulsar Cannon is a plasma based weapon of ancient design.  Similar to its more modern counterpart, the Starcannon, the Pulsar Cannon fires a burst of plasma energy that can penetrate any infantry armour and lighter vehicle armours.  Though slightly weaker than the more modern Starcannon, the Pulsar Cannon has a higher rate of fire.
Eye Burst = Dragon's Fire Flamer
Flesh Gauntlet = Poisoned Punch Dagger - One variety of dagger favored by many of the dukes is the punch dagger.  It is a symbol of their position and a very dangerous weapon.  Envenomed, as almost all Independent Clan weapons are, it is even more deadly.
Haywire Blaster = Lightning Blaster
Heat Lance = Heat lance
Hellglaive = Hussar Sabre
Hydra Gauntlets = Dark Knives - The Dark Knives clan favors the use of wickedly jagged knives in combat.  These blades tear at flesh more than slice through it so they cause more serious wounds.
Klaive = Exodite Glaive
Liguifier Gun = Liquifier Gun - The Liquifier gun is an acid projector that uses the digestive fluids of several of the native dragons.  The chemical composition varies as the different fluids do not always mix evenly so the weapon’s lethality varies with each shot.
Phantasm Grenade Launcher = Gas Grenade Launcher
Shardcarbine = Light Wraithbow
Spirit Syphon = Exo-suit Flamer
Spirit Vortex = Sunburst Projector
Splinter Cannon  = Needler Cannon
Splinter Cannon  = Exodite Ballista
Splinter Pistol = Needler Pistol
Splinter Pistol = Exodite Handbow
Splinter Pods = Light Rider Wraithbow
Splinter Rifle = Needler Rifle
Splinter Rifle = Wraithbow
Stinger Pistol = "Gold" Needler Pistol - The Gold Needler Pistol is a status symbol used exclusively by the leaders of the Independent clan tribes.  It is a more ornate version of the standard needler pistol but also includes more potent toxins.
Wrack Tool = Poisoned Blade