Dark Eldar Tactics: Archon Bodyguard.

This article is aimed at presenting a review of the possible unit's that can escort your Archon (or any melee character) into battle. It will cover three major aspects of what we need in a bodyguard unit:

1. Survivablity.
2. Support for your character.
3. Damage output.

So first off, we start with:

Court of the Archon
Personally I think this unit is a joke. It has some interesting combinations that may make it viable but overall the points that are sunk into it can be used for better purposes elsewhere.

Lhamaens would be awesome if you were able to transfer 2+ poison onto a huskblade but unfortunately that would be way to good and as such, we are left with a model that may cause a few wounds but overall doesn't bring much.

Medusae's are a gamble on dice and we all know that at the opportune time for them to work, you will get a S2, AP6 flamer. Take them for a fun game, but leave them out for competitions.

Ur-Guls are a good support model, pumping out 4 str5 attacks on the charge which isn't bad, but isn't good.

Sslyth's are wannabe grotesques. They are supposed to be the tough guys in the Archon's unit and to their credit, they do bring decent strength and toughness. Unfortunately, like the other options in ths court, they are way to many points for what they bring.

Overall the unit is fun but not competitive enough. They lack survivability as the unit is still majority T3 and only have kabalite armour. Furthermore, nothing screams out as being a good support for your character, not even damage wise.

Incubi
Decent armour save, good WS and reliable weaponry? Yes please. Incubi make an Archon unit a killing machine. Their lack of grenades make it a requirement for the Archon to bring the PGL as you do not want to be striking last in any situation with DE. Overall good choice.

Wyches
No....never. Let us analyze this objectively. Do they bring survivability? No. Do they bring overwhelming damage output? Situational. Do they support the Archon? No. A local gamer at my store swears by them as the optimal choice as they bring an invul save to a combat and can blow up tanks. My issue with this is that they will die if their transport blows up and they will die from any form of shooting. Wyches are used specifically to either suicide attack a tank or to tie up something heavy and not to protect anything.

Grotesques
Personally, this is my choice of bodyguard. Good toughness, good strength and decent wounds. These guys can take a power fist to the face and laugh it off. They are essentially wound counters for your Archon to LOS onto. They can bring a liquifier gun and flesh guantlet for support and can pump out a lot of high strength attacks. Overall these guys are my favorite and regularly accompany my Archon(s) on the table.

Trueborn
Situational.......If you are taking the Duke, then by all means, go for a boat load of these guys with Shard Carbines and Splinter Cannons and just watch the shenanigans. If you are running a Blasterchon take a small unit with four of their own Blaster's in a Venom with Night Shields. Overall these guys are really only worth being a bodyguard if you have a shooty HQ as they will die very easily in combat (even more so than Wyches).

These five units are the most common choices among the DE players I have seen. Remember that this is not an army review, it is a BODYGUARD review. Take all of the points objectively and not as a law.

Till next time.

Cheers