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In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Dark Eldar are a Kindred of the Eldar, 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 Dark Elves, and indeed Dark Elves in general. The Dark Eldar revel in piracy, enslavement and torture, and are sadistic in the extreme. Dark Eldar armies make use of various anti-gravity skimmers such as Raiders and Ravagers to launch high speed attacks. They strike with little or no warning, using an interdimensional 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 dark city - Commorragh. They are mainly pirates, though are sometimes used as mercenaries.

Dark Eldar, like most Eldar Kindreds, make use of advanced technology, including anti-gravity devices, dark matter (in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, something more akin to antimatter) weaponry, nanotechnology and psychic artifacts. While Dark Eldar do make use of psychic devices, they do not use psychic powers themselves. Psykers are treated as playthings in Commorragh, and given the twisted sadistic nature of the Dark Eldar, this necessarily involves pain and torment for the psyker.

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 homeworld.

Contents 1 History 2 Gameplay 3 Weapons 4 HQ 5 Elites 6 Troop 7 Fast Attack 8 Heavy Support 9 Forge World Vehicles 10 Notable raids 10.1 Medusa V 10.2 Delta 9 11 Notable characters 11.1 Asdrubael Vect, Overlord of the Kabal of the Black Heart 11.2 Kruellagh The Vile, Archon of the Kabal of the Flayed Skull. 11.3 Lelith Hesperax, Mistress of Death 11.4 Drazhar, the Master Of Blades 11.5 Urien Rakarth 11.6 The Decapitator, Mandrake Champion 11.7 No'akei, the Daughter of Pain 12 The future of Dark Eldar 13 References 14 External links

Once part of their sister species, the Eldar, the Pleasure Cultist ancestors of the Dark Eldar were the cause of the Fall. Before the Imperium rose to power, the Eldar ruled the galaxy and spread beauty and grace to all the worlds within it. Perfectly set in their power, they turned their energies inward in an attempt to improve themselves to the point of perfection. Their quest, known as the Path, still continues today. Bringing to their race arts, sciences, and martial training, the Eldar sought to experience emotions and sensations to their fullest extent, disregarding the morality of their actions. Foreseeing a terrible outcome, the Seers of the Eldar warned against these "pleasure cults," warning that no good could come out of them. The Eldar eventually sacrificed so many of their own people ritualistically that it caused the Chaos God Slaanesh to be born, and its birthcries tore a hole in the centre of the Eldar Empire, leaving only a few Craftworlds that had been stationed on the fringes. The hole through which She Who Thirsts (the Eldar's name for Slaanesh) tore from the Warp still remains; it is known by the Imperium as the Eye of Terror.

Thousands of worlds were ravaged by this, killing millions upon millions of Eldar. In the confusion, many more Eldar died fighting one another. A tale of exactly what happened is recounted and is now known as The Torturer's Tale. In preparation, the Seers had crafted vast and unimaginably large space vessels, some the size of large planets. These ships became known as Craftworlds. Though a few Craftworlds were able to survive the Fall and the creation of the Eye of Terror (most notably the Craftworlds of Altansar, Iyanden, Biel-Tan, Saim-Hann, Ulthwé, and Alaitoc), many of those patrolling the area around which the Eye appeared were sucked in and destroyed (most notably Altansar, which re-emerged from the Warp during the 13th Black Crusade).

Over time, Dark Eldar begin to suffer more and more from 'the Thirst'. They develop an all-consuming and ever-increasing need to drink the souls of other beings. It is postulated that the cause of this is the Chaos God Slaanesh, the Great Enemy of the Eldar, who leeches the soul-essence of the Dark Eldar while they still live. Dark Eldar drink souls to stave off this leeching - perhaps by sating the thirst of Slaanesh, or perhaps by replenishing the essence of their own souls with that of the consumed one. Slaanesh will also consume the souls of Dark Eldar whole should they die. Dark Eldar are long-lived but not immortal; drinking souls has a rejuvenating effect that reverses aging, thus Dark Eldar need not fear falling into the clutches of Slaanesh due to death from old age, if they have a constant supply of souls. The usual source of souls are those of the many captives taken during Dark Eldar raids, adding a desperate edge to an otherwise simplistic nature: they are inevitably damned, and so their thirst for death is in part motivated by the gnawing fear that in the end their souls will be consumed.

In the game, many of the Dark Eldar units bear some similarity to the units used by the Eldar army, but twisted to fit in with the darker nature of the Dark Eldar. With the Eldar you have a diverse selection of craftworld armies with unique rules and in general, like the Dark Eldar, Eldar armies are relatively fragile compared to forces like that of the Space Marines. However, this is where the similarities end. Unlike the Dark Eldar, Eldar armies have a wider array of heavy weapons and fast attack platforms and have constantly received additions in regards to miniature line development and additional supplemental rules.

Dark Eldar are lightly armoured and rely more on speed than brute force. In capable hands (and the right scenario) the Dark Eldar are a more than capable force. However beginners may find Dark Eldar difficult to use, as many of the tactics condusive to a Dark Eldar victory require patience, cunning, and even a little daring. Experience is also important for a Dark Eldar general. A beginner might be tempted to forego subtlety and simply attack the enemy, yet the relatively low troop numbers and light armor of the Dark Eldar will almost always result in a defeat in this scenario. Instead, experienced players use flanking maneuvers, screening, and the like to achieve victory. If deployed and commanded to take advantage of their strengths - speed, close-combat prowess, and hard-hitting firepower - the Dark Eldar are a difficult army to defeat indeed.

In-game, the most effective elements in the Dark Eldar arsenal are the Dark Lance, Splinter Cannon and Agonizer. The Dark Lance is the Dark Eldar "equalizer" against heavier enemy units. Though it has a shorter range than that of a Space Marine/Imperial Guard Lascannon, it has special rules when used against super heavily armoured units that the Lascannons would have a slim chance of penetrating. To a lesser degree the subtypes of the Dark Lance (such as the Blaster) provide some degree of additional firepower but have limited range and force the Dark Eldar player to expose his lightly armoured troops to counter-fire. The Splinter Cannon remains one of the most effective anti-infantry weapons and is effectively a light machinegun (LMG) for supporting troop assaults. It even is somewhat effective against better armoured troops due to its high rate of fire and strength. In close-combat the "must have" weapon for Dark Eldar is the Agonizer. Due to its ability to wound even the toughest opponents, the Agonizer compensates for the agile Dark Eldar's relatively low strength value, making for a well-rounded combatant in any assault.

Dark Eldar weaponry is made from light weight materials that are unknown to the Imperium. Dark Eldar have a very small choice of long range weaponry, but can be extremely deadly if designated at the correct foes.

Poisoned Blades - A pair of blades with vicious poisons that will quickly kill any being that is cut by it.

Agoniser - A weapon that directly affects the enemies nervous system, causing an incredible amount of pain

Punisher - Similar in shape to a halberd but designed to be able to slash through anything from a grunt to a tank. Typically wielded by incubi.

Haywire Grenade - A special set of grenades used to neutralize enemy vehicles. It destroys what the dark lance cannot.

Splinter Rifle - The standard weaponry of a Dark Eldar warrior. The ammunition crystal is broken down and propelled through the barrel at high speed, these splinters are often mixed with toxins or other harmful chemicals to cause immense pain to the enemy.

Splinter Pistol - A smaller version of the splinter rifle with blades attached for use as a close combat weapon as well as a gun.

Splinter Cannon - A highly efficient weapon for killing, as the weapon not only has an automatic firing mechanism but it also has no recoil. It can be fired by the warrior while moving. Splinter cannons are a general weapon against armies that rely on numbers rather than armor.

Dark Lance - This is the Dark Eldar equivalent to the lascannon, as it is designed to destroy armoured units. It employs the use of 'Dark Matter' to cause armoured units to violently explode regardless of the armour or totally vaporising a single unit. The main cannon in a Dark Eldar army against enemy vehicles.

Disintegrator - Similar to the dark lance, but designed to destroy infantry units. This weapon can be fired in two different ways - one large blast of 'dark matter' that explodes like a frag grenade, or several smaller blasts which can decimate well-armoured enemy troops.

Note that because the Dark Eldar revel in the torture of other people, most of their weapons don't actually kill the opponent. Instead, they cause him/her such immense amounts of pain that they are incapacitated while still alive. This allows the Dark Eldar to "flavour" their soul....see below. After battle the opponents will be killed and their souls consumed- the unlucky ones go back to Commoragh as slaves.

Dark Eldar Lord The Archons and Dracons of Commorragh lead the Kabals of the Dark Eldar into battle. The Archons are fierce warriors who lead their Kabals ruthlessly, claiming any and all spoils of battle. "Dark Eldar thrive on domination and power, and those who are vicious and ruthless enough will quickly rise to positions of authority. The Dark Eldar Lords lead their servants into battle in the search for slaves and souls, leaving worlds in ruin with a veritable mountain of dead heaped in their wake." - Codex: Dark Eldar.

Haemonculus (plural Haemonculi) are the master torturers of the Dark Eldar. They consider inflicting pain the highest art and are revered among the Dark Eldar. They may be present in the retinue of a Dark Eldar Lord, or leading a Dark Eldar army into battle on their own. These units are special HQ units which also provide added leadership and guidance to the Grotesque units. Their mix of unique weaponry provides much needed firepower when assaulting enemy units with Grotesques.

Dark Eldar Incubi A neutral faction of Dark Eldar who are hired to become a Lord's heavily-armoured bodyguards, and the only units in a Dark Eldar force to use heavy armour. They are often needed to protect their master from his own power-hungry followers as much as from his enemies. They are equipped with great power-weapons in the form of halberds that are able to cut through armour with ease. Their helmets have neurally-linked splinter pistols mounted on them that can be fired using mental commands. The first Incubus is rumoured to be the dark Phoenix Lord, Arhra, who originally founded the Craftworld warrior Aspect the Striking Scorpions before rebelling against the other Phoenix Lords and disappearing into the Webway. Striking Scorpions are indeed known to have a particular hatred for Incubi, who they term 'Fallen Warriors'.

The Incubi remain one of the most effective Close Combat units in the Dark Eldar army and one of the most frightening units in the Warhammer 40,000 game itself. Due to their high threat rating and point cost they become a primary target.

Grotesques are twisted and deformed Dark Eldar, due either to their own need to inflict pain or the attentions of a Haemonculus, although the now twisted forms of other races (usually humans or Eldar) have been found amongst their ranks, having been experimented on by the Haemonculi. They are immune to pain and fearless in battle. Due to this immunity these units become what is known as "fire-magnets" drawing heavy weapon fire away from other less resilient units. These units are particularly effective in "Take and Hold" missions by which they are able to absorb a significant amount of damage while retreating with the objective.

Wyches (singular Wych) are gladiatorial warriors of the Dark Eldar. They fight in arenas in duels with one another, aliens and warp beasts, few survive their first duel but those who live learn quickly. Ruled over by their succubi, the wyches are highly proficient at close-quarters combat, practicing their skills for their entire lives. Wyches use a cocktail of combat-enhancing drugs to improve their performance on the battlefield. Due to their very weak armour save, (6+) the Wyches generally must be mounted on a Raider or be screened to have a chance of survival and remain effective in close combat. If wyches get into close combat, however, they become one of the strongest elites in the game, having weapons that can halve the weapon skills of the opponent, and also ignoring extra attacks for additional close combat weapons. Wyches even have a set of haywire grenades, specializing in bombarding enemy vehicles.

A Mandrake is a type of Dark Eldar whose physique has adapted to make him camouflaged almost anywhere. Advanced infiltrators, Dark Eldar Mandrakes strike from the shadows, surprising and rending their enemies apart. They have shadow-skin, which is possibly from warp exposure, that makes them incredibly hard to see when combined with their stealth. Mandrakes are often cannibalistic and wild, living separate from other Dark Eldar. This makes them among the most feared of all Dark Eldar.

In-game Mandrakes are highly effective infiltrators due to their special rules and are capable of "channeling" the opposing players forces to avoid being surprised by a Mandrake assault. However the Mandrakes have no access to wargear or upgrades and remain largely ineffective against better armoured units despite their high weapon (Close Combat) skill.

A Warp Beast is a creature harnessed by Wych cults and are living embodiments of the fear and terror that slaves experience. They are extremely predatorial in nature and will attack whatever they see. They are always led by a Wych beastmaster to ensure that they attack the intended target.

Warriors are the basic Dark Eldar infantry, and can be upgraded to have heavy anti-infantry weapons or anti-tank weaponry. They may be lead by a sybarite who can take wargear from the Dark Eldar armoury. Smaller squads of warriors can be mounted in a raider to transport them directly to the fight.

The Dark Eldar Raider is a light transport vehicle used by the Dark Eldar. Dark Eldar Raiders transport up to ten Dark Eldar around a battlefield. They are exceedingly fast, yet lightly armoured and are highly vulnerable.

A Dark Eldar Hellion is a Wych who is mounted on a "skyboard", a flying platform from which they assault the enemy forces before they have a chance to fire back. They wield Hellglaives, double sided spears with small splinter rifles built in to ensure maximum damage to the enemy. They often deploy ahead of the army, or even during the battle.

A Reaver Jetbike is a form of hover-bike used by the Dark Eldar for two main roles. The first and most popular role is tank hunting. These speedy vehicles are perfect for hunting and destroying enemy armor, especially when using the infamous Dark Eldar Blaster. The less popular option is using them as assault squads, but is generally not preferred because of their high points cost.

The Dark Eldar Ravager is an anti-grav skimmer gunship. It carries heavy armament, sporting three Dark Lances which may be individually upgraded to Disintegrators. It, like the Dark Eldar Raider, is lightly armoured.

A Dark Eldar Scourge is a Dark Eldar equipped with wing-like jump-packs. Unlike other armies, who have assault-oriented jump-troops, Scourges carry heavy weapons into battle. Generally not preferred by players because of their high points cost and the fact that deep striking with Scourges with dark lances generally mean you cannot fire them in the same turn.

A Dark Eldar Talos is a slow moving mobile torture device, constructed by a Haemonculus. The Talos is a skimmer shaped roughly like a scorpion, armed with two powerful claws and a tail weapon that fires hails of crystal shards. Though slow compared to most Dark Eldar skimmers, the pain and rage of the victim being tortured within makes it a deadly opponent in close combat. The Talos is generally considered another "fire magnet" due to their monstrous stats.

The Forge World subsidiary of Games Workshop currently makes models and rules for two Dark Eldar warmachines found nowhere else.

The Raven is a form of ground attack aircraft armed with two Dark Lances and one Splinter Cannon. They are often used to destroy the enemy's armour to make it easier for Raiders to move about the battlefield. Once they are finished, they will continue to mow down infantry until a path has been formed for the main attack forces.

The Razorwing is similar to the Raven in function. It sports more weapons with two Dark Lances, two Splinter Cannons, and a Horrorfex. The Razorwing is a two seater aircraft that takes a bomber role in the Battlefleet Gothic game. It is no longer in production by Forgeworld.

The Void Dragon Phoenix is a larger aircraft similar to a Eldar grav tank. It is used by Eldar and Dark Eldar

Asdrubael Vect's handmaiden No'kaei, the Daughter of Pain, launched a raid on Medusa V to gather enough slaves to attempt to overthrow Asdrubael Vect. This raid lasted the duration of the Medusa V conflict and was so successful that the Dark Eldar were using slaves as starship fuel. But it was still not enough to gather the support needed to overthrow Vect and No'kaei was betrayed by her followers in the central chamber of the Black Heart Kabal. Her ultimate fate is unknown.

The Delta 9 massacre - which is mentioned in Codex: Dark Eldar twice - was one of the largest raids ever committed. It was from this one raid that the Imperium learned most of what they know about the Dark Eldar. On the page for Asdrubael Vect it mentions a comm reading of the massacre, where a lord (presumed to be Asdrubael Vect himself) says that he will give the humans two hours to escape through the wastes. After that he will unleash his warriors again, and if they wish they can send forth a representative to discuss negotiations. Based on the wording of the comm message and what is known of the merciless Dark Eldar, it was presumably a ploy to coax the colonists into a more vulnerable position, with the offer for negotiations illustrating Vect's usual dark humor.

Asdrubael Vect is one of the most powerful Dark Eldar, having founded Commorragh after the Fall of the Eldar. He is the High Lord of the Black Heart Kabal, the most powerful Kabal in the Dark City. In the past, many have tried to claim power through his destruction, but all have died. Vect rides into battle on the Dais of Destruction, a heavily modified Ravager that carries him and his bodyguard. It is also possible that he is one of the oldest eldar in existence as he was present during the great fall.

Kruellagh The Vile is another Dark Eldar Archon, from one of the less respected Dark Eldar Kabals. This is due to their leader's love of killing, and thus they bring in few slaves.^{[citation needed]} Kruellagh uses the unique Soul Flayer, two long spikes producing from each arm that drain the victim's vital juices. Her name is a pun on Cruella de Vil.

The leader of the Wych Cult of Strife, Lelith Hesperax is one of the most skilled Wyches known. Lelith is renowned as the most vicious fighter in the arena of Commorragh. She has never been injured in combat.

Drazhar, the Master Of Blades is an extremely skilled Incubus. Drazhar's signature weapons are the Disemboweler Blades, a pair of long serrated swords wielded in each hand.

Urien Rakarth is the master Haemonculus in Commorragh. He once had a motive to his work, but now lives only to feed his obsession for pain and suffering. Among his creations are the hideous creatures dubbed 'Uber Grotesques' by their master.

The Decapitator is a Mandrake, but one about whom little is known. What is known is that he has four arms and a deep craving for flesh and blood. Supposedly, his lair is made up of a thousand skulls. He is known as the master infiltrator and is named after his weapon, the decapitator. There is currently no model available to represent The Decapitator. To make a decapitator you must convert a mandrake and other parts.

Former handmaiden and bodyguard of Asdrubael Vect, No'akei has since been cast out of the Kabal of the Black Heart for an unknown reason. Angered by her enforced exile, she led a large force of Dark Eldar to the world of Medusa V, in an attempt to capture enough slaves to bribe Asdrubael's followers and launch a coup. However, when she returned to challenge Vect she was betrayed by her own followers; her current fate is unknown.

After the fourth edition update of the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook in 2004, no new army book has been published. However, the new army codex (for Dark Eldar) is expected to be released in 2008-09, along with a batch of new miniatures. The Dark Eldar are also to be included in the new Warhammer 40,000 Dawn Of War computer game expansion, Soulstorm.

• Thorpe, Gav. The Torturer's Tale. Games Workshop. Retrieved on 2006-02-21.
• Johnson, Jervis; and Thorpe, Gav (2003). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Dark Eldar. Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-307-1. 

• Official UK Dark Eldar page
• Official US Dark Eldar page

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