Warhammer 40K: Do You Agree With ‘Starting A Drukhari Army’ The GW Way?

Games Workshop has a plan in place for how they think new players should start a Drukhari army. But I don’t know if I agree.

Today on WarCom, there’s a new article about how to Start a Drukhari army. It’s pretty standard stuff at this point in the edition as they’ve basically done this for every army out there. But this one hit me a little different. Mostly because of the Combat Patrol and the order of their steps for starting. So let’s outline the GW way to start a Drukhari army to see if you agree — and where I’d make changes.

Starting A Drukhari Army The GW Way

If check out the article, it’s really starts with a primer on the lore of the Drukhari. It’s starts with the birth of Slaanesh, how that wrecked the Aeldari and basically splinted the Dark Eldar off into their own faction. It also goes over the Dark City of Commorragh and how the Drukhari function (loosely) in the lore and on the tabletop. Again, it’s a primer and a good basis for new players to build from.

The next step they recommend is getting the new Combat Patrol. From there, they talk painting tips, and after that it’s Codex purchase time. From there, they toss out unit suggestions like more Kabalite Warriors, Wyches, and Incubi. More advanced unit suggestions include Lelith Hesperax, a raider, and even the Voidraven Bomber.

The last two things they get into are more books to read for the lore and then a link to their store for all the Drukhari range. This all makes sense and WarCom is really looking to showcase the full range of options/thing to buy from GW — hey, they are a business after all and this is basically their way of marketing/advertising.

I’m not pretending it’s anything else. That also means just because it’s marketing doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong either. That said, I don’t think this is the best way to get started with a Drukhari army.

Disagreeing on Drukhari, Respectfully

For me, after the lore primer I think the very first purchase you need to make for the Drukhari army is actually the Codex. This has all the unit rules, more details about those units, and allows you to formulate which options YOU want to lean into. I mentioned this in the Pricing Breakdown for the Combat Patrol, but I honestly don’t think it’s a very good purchase for new players. The deal is fine and all, but it’s the contents of the box I don’t agree with.

Why? While this box might be perfectly acceptable for playing Combat Patrol missions, it’s pushing players into a specific playstyle for the Drukhari. That army is the Haemonculi Covens. If that’s an aspect of the army that appeals to you, then absolutely you should get the Combat Patrol. However, how are you supposed to even know that if you don’t have the codex to learn the options?

The Haemonculi Covens aren’t exactly what I’d consider a “traditional” Drukhari army either. Where are the Warriors and Raiders? What about the Venoms? And what about a regular ol’Archon? Those are the things that players typically start with for the Drukhari and the Combat Patrol features NONE of those.

I said this in the Pricing Breakdown as well, but I suggest you grab the old 2021 Combat Patrol — if you can find it. That is much more of a “traditional” Drukhari army. I think it’s a much better core to build around instead of the Haemonculi Covens. I think deep down even the GW folks know this. Especially when you read this:

“The Combat Patrol gives you a solid starting force based around the haemonculus covens, so the next logical step is to branch out with some Kabalite and wych cult units. Kabalite Warriors are the backbone of many raids, and can lay down a withering hail of firepower with poisoned splinter rifles that specialise in killing infantry – wounding the mighty Custodian Guard as easily as they would a regular Guardsman.”

Emphasis added. If those units are the backbone, why aren’t there any in the Combat Patrol? If you really want to get a sense of the army, shouldn’t you start with, ya know, the core unit?

Build The Army YOU Want To Play

Anyhow, I think I’ve beat this dead horse enough — you get the idea. As for the rest of the advice from GW, it’s fine. Mostly. I think we might just disagree on what all are the right units for your army…but that’s because there’s so many options to work with. And yes, that’s even after they removed quite a few.

At the end of the day, I still think the Drukhari are really a finesse army. They are a glass cannon capable of destruction few armies can match. But that’s only if you are surgical and practiced with them. Each unit has a role to play. That’s why this army, maybe more than any other, really needs it’s players to do their homework and plan before buying kits. Find the aspect about this army that appeals to you and plan with that. Don’t just get the Combat Patrol and phone it in. Unless you really enjoy pain — and I mean receiving it instead of dishing it out. This is not a beginner army. So don’t treat it like one.

Drukhari can be a terrifying army to face off against if the player knows what they are doing. But it’s also an army that will crumble if their player doesn’t know what they are doing. So get a codex, do your homework, and plan you army before you buy anything else.

Do you agree with GW or will you be forging your own path for these Real Space Raiders?

Writer, Editor, Texas Native, and now Tex-Pat, Adam covers all things Tabletop Gaming. Which includes Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, D&D, Board Games and everything else that involves dice, boards, cards and a table.
A hobbyist, player, and collector of miniatures and games, Adam’s current obsession are his Death and Chaos Armies for Age of Sigmar, his Blood Angels and Tyranids for 40k, an expanding collection of Marvel: Crisis Protocol minis, and his ever growing Arkham Horror: The Card Game Collection.

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