Dark Eldar
Encyclopedia
Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
, the Dark Eldar are a Kindred of the Eldar
Eldar (Warhammer 40,000)
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Eldar are a race of elf-like humanoids who look into the future via psychic powers. They are one of the most ancient and advanced races in the universe's history, though younger than the Necrons, the C'tan, and the Old Ones...
, an ancient and advanced race of elf-like humanoids. Their armies usually have the advantages of speed, though they are often lacking in resilience. They are the thematic equivalent of the Warhammer Fantasy
Warhammer Fantasy (setting)
Warhammer Fantasy is a fantasy setting, created by Games Workshop, which is used by many of the company's games. Some of the best-known games set in this world are: the table top wargame Warhammer Fantasy Battle, the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay pen-and-paper role-playing game, and the MMORPG...
Dark Elves
Dark Elves (Warhammer)
In Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe, the Dark Elves are a race of harsh, warlike and vicious Elves. They are also known as the Druchii in most Warhammer fiction books. They cruel, sadistic raiders with much disdain for all other races, especially their lighter kindred the High...
, and indeed Dark Elves in general.
Game background
The Dark Eldar revel in piracy, enslavement and torture, and are sadistic in the extreme. Dark Eldar armies make use of various anti-gravityAnti-gravity
Anti-gravity is the idea of creating a place or object that is free from the force of gravity. It does not refer to the lack of weight under gravity experienced in free fall or orbit, or to balancing the force of gravity with some other force, such as electromagnetism or aerodynamic lift...
skimmers such as Raiders and Ravagers (Troop transports and mobile weapons platforms, respectively) to launch high-speed attacks. They strike with little or no warning, using an inter-dimensional 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 Warhammer 40,000 factions in the sense that they do not occupy many planets, but rather one huge dark city - Commorragh. They are mainly pirates, though are sometimes used as mercenaries.
The Dark Eldar have technology far advanced of those of other species. They make use of technology, including anti-gravity
Anti-gravity
Anti-gravity is the idea of creating a place or object that is free from the force of gravity. It does not refer to the lack of weight under gravity experienced in free fall or orbit, or to balancing the force of gravity with some other force, such as electromagnetism or aerodynamic lift...
devices, splinter weapons, dark matter
Dark matter
In astronomy and cosmology, dark matter is matter that neither emits nor scatters light or other electromagnetic radiation, and so cannot be directly detected via optical or radio astronomy...
(in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, something more akin to antimatter
Antimatter
In particle physics, antimatter is the extension of the concept of the antiparticle to matter, where antimatter is composed of antiparticles in the same way that normal matter is composed of particles...
) weaponry, nanotechnology
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
and psychic artifacts. While Dark Eldar do make use of psychic devices, they do not use psychic powers themselves: psykers could be tracked down by Slaanesh (one of the Chaos
Chaos (Warhammer)
In Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 fictional universes, Chaos refers to the often stereotypically malevolent entities which live in a different timespace, known as the Warp in Warhammer 40,000 and as the Realm of Chaos in Warhammer Fantasy...
gods) and Commorragh destroyed. Because of this, using psykic powers is the worst (and possibly only) crime in Commorragh. In the back story released in the most recent Dark Eldar Codex, it is revealed that the Dark Eldar gradually lost their natural psychic ability during the millennia following the Fall of the Eldar race, and that they are sustained only through the absorption of the psychic power released by pain, torture and anguish of other sentient beings.
Development
Games Workshop decided to make the Dark Eldar as a separate army, after it became fairly common to see gamers collect "Dark Eldar" armies, which are total conversions/customizations of Eldar miniatures while still retaining the standard Eldar rules. It was also relatively convenient to add the Dark Eldar to the existing Eldar storyline without any conflict, right at the catastrophe that destroyed the Eldar home-world.Since the 3rd edition release of Codex: Dark Eldar in 1998, no new army book had been published until 2010 (most armies received an updated army book during the 4th edition era). A revision of this book was made for the 4th edition of the game, but it said "revised, 2nd edition". It was released in 2003 and was the same book save for some changes to Wyches (including Wych led armies), and the addition of arcane war-gear and vehicle war-gear options.
A complete overhaul of the Dark Eldar model range and rules was hinted at in a statement that Rick Priestley
Rick Priestley
Rick Priestley is a miniature wargaming designer and author who lives near Nottingham, England.Priestley worked extensively for Games Workshop...
made in White Dwarf
White dwarf
A white dwarf, also called a degenerate dwarf, is a small star composed mostly of electron-degenerate matter. They are very dense; a white dwarf's mass is comparable to that of the Sun and its volume is comparable to that of the Earth. Its faint luminosity comes from the emission of stored...
343 (US issue 342) saying, "I think it's time that the Dark Eldar, Space Wolves and a few others have their time in the spotlight again..."
The new edition of Codex: Dark Eldar was released in November 2010, along with a completely new range of miniatures including new versions of the Dark Eldar Warriors (now Kabalite Warriors), Wyches and Reaver jetbike models. Subsequently, new models for the Talos and Scourges were released, as well as the new Venom skimmer.
Trivia
The Dark Eldar were featured as a playable faction in the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War computer game expansion, Soulstorm.
The Warhammer 40,000 expansion book 'Battle Missions', released in 2010 includes three scenarios designed specifically for Dark Eldar armies.
Tactics
Most of the time, the Dark Eldar use the hit-and-run style of warfare. All of their transports and warriors follow this same pattern as all of their army is as lightly armored to increase movement. All of the Dark Eldar vehicles - the Raider, Ravager, Voidraven Bomber, Venom, Razorwing - are lightly armored and rely upon speed to keep safe from any incoming fire. Fortunately, some vehicles come with ["Flickerfields"] which allow them a small degree of protection; or "Night Shields", which reduce the enemy's effective weapon range.Kabals and Wych cults
After Asdrubael Vect destroyed the Old Order in the Dark City, he introduced the Kabalite System, in which anyone who kills a Kabalite Warrior had better have influential friends, as the dead Warrior's entire Kabal will be after them for revenge. There is only one person who can wipe a Kabal out to the last Eldar without there being a revolt, and that is the Supreme Overlord of the Dark City, Asdrubael Vect himself.The wych cults are gladiatorial warriors who fight for the ecstasy they get from pain. As with any Dark Eldar, there is hierarchy within the cults. The wyches report to the hekatrix of the squad. The Hekatrii report to the cult's leader, the Succubus.
The Court of the Archon
The Court of the Archon is a squad of 4-9 bodyguards and a Archon. This court was completed in September 2011, with all of the models being available in Citadel Finecast (a special range of superbly designed models). With allowance for the squad to be transported in a Venom or a Raider, this squad can be lethal.- Dark Eldar Archon - The Archon is a master of intrigue and a warrior without peer. These Kalibite lords surround themselves with bodyguards from other ally races because they do not trust their own kind.
- Dark Eldar Lhamaean - These aliens are extremely imaginative lovers, but also poisoners without equal. There kiss is fatal and can kill in seconds.
- Dark Eldar Medusae - These hybrid creatures are highly valuable, with their brutal 'Eyeburst' attack, they can unleash devestation among enemies.
- Dark Eldar Sslyth - These aliens are highly loyal, with their many arms they can have up to four weapons. Snakelike creatures, they are a real powerhouse for the Archon.
- Dark Eldar Ur-Ghul - They are a sightless species whoose sense of smell has become highly advanced. In the game, they are a mere 15 points each!