Faction Guide
Drukhari
Raiders from the shadows. The Dark Eldar haunt the hidden city of Commorragh, feeding their immortal souls on the suffering of others. The fastest army in 40k — and the most dangerous glass cannon.
Playstyle
Glass Cannon Raiders
Painting
Medium
Rules
Hard
Starter Cost
~$160
*The Combat Patrol is Haemonculus Covens — tankier and slower than the classic raider playstyle. More on that below.
Who are the Drukhari?
Ten thousand years ago, the Eldar empire fell. Their hedonistic excesses across millennia birthed a Chaos god — Slaanesh, the Prince of Pleasure — who devoured their souls in an event called the Fall. The Craftworld Eldar survived by isolating themselves on vast ark-ships. The Harlequins survived through devotion to the Laughing God. The Drukhari survived by leaning in.
They retreated into Commorragh, a hidden city tucked within the Webway — the ancient pocket dimension that runs between realspace and the warp. There, shielded from Slaanesh's reach, they found a solution to their problem: if you feel pain and suffering acutely enough, it feeds your soul and wards off the god's hunger. So they raid. Constantly. They descend on worlds without warning, take slaves, and return to Commorragh to conduct their awful work on them.
This isn't cruelty for cruelty's sake — it's survival. A Drukhari who doesn't feed begins to wither, to age, to feel Slaanesh pulling at their soul. The suffering of others is literally keeping them alive. This makes them some of the most nuanced villains in 40k: completely monstrous, entirely understandable.
How they play on the table
Traditional Drukhari (Kabals and Wych Cults) are the fastest army in Warhammer 40k. Raiders — open-topped skimmer vehicles that move 14" — carry Kabalite Warriors who disembark, unload a devastating volley of dark lance fire and poisoned splinter shots, then fall back into the Raider and zoom out of charge range. Strike, retreat, repeat.
The cost: almost nothing survives a return volley. Drukhari infantry are fragile. Raiders are lightly armored. If your opponent catches you, you die. Playing Drukhari well means never getting caught — using superior speed and positioning to always have the angle, always have the escape route. It rewards players who enjoy chess-like positioning puzzles.
The Combat Patrol (Covens) plays differently: slower, tankier, with monstrous Talos Pain Engines doing the heavy lifting. Still Drukhari in flavor — still body horror and darkness — but the mobility game is less extreme. A good entry point if you want to learn the faction before investing in Raiders.
Drukhari are for you if...
- ✓ You love speed and positioning games
- ✓ You want the most mobile army in 40k
- ✓ You enjoy outwitting opponents through mobility
- ✓ You're drawn to dark, alien aesthetics
- ✓ Body horror and surgical horror appeal to you
Maybe look elsewhere if...
- ✗ You want a forgiving, durable army
- ✗ You're still learning the basics — Drukhari punish mistakes
- ✗ You want a simple game plan
- ✗ You hate assembling thin, detailed models
- ✗ You want lots of shooting with no risk of dying
The three sub-factions
Drukhari armies can mix sub-factions, but each has a distinct identity and playstyle. The Combat Patrol is Covens. The classic raider experience is Kabals.
Kabals
Noble raider housesThe aristocratic houses of Commorragh. Kabalite Warriors ride Raiders and Venoms — fast, open-topped vehicles — shooting poisoned splinters and dark lances, then retreating to safety. This is the classic Drukhari experience: high speed, glass cannon. The Archon is your commander.
Key models: Kabalite Warriors, Raiders, Ravagers, Archon
Wych Cults
Arena gladiatorsGladiatorial fighters who perform death-sports in Commorragh's arenas and bring that murderous skill to the battlefield. Wyches are exceptional in melee, dodging in combat and making enemy attacks less effective. Fast, melee-focused, and extremely fragile. For players who love high-risk close combat.
Key models: Wyches, Reavers, Hellions, Succubus
Haemonculus Covens
Mad scientist body horror (Combat Patrol)The flesh-crafters of Commorragh. Haemonculi are centuries-old surgeons who modify their own bodies and those of their Wracks into something inhuman. Slower than the other sub-factions but significantly tougher. Talos Pain Engines are monstrous creatures that regenerate wounds. A more forgiving entry into Drukhari.
Key models: Haemonculus, Wracks, Talos, Cronos
Important: If the fast raider playstyle appeals to you more than Covens, consider skipping the Combat Patrol and starting with aKabalite Warriors box + Raider instead. It's cheaper, and you'll be learning the army's actual identity from turn one.
How to paint Drukhari
Using the Combat Patrol (Covens) as the example — dark purple armor with exposed flesh tones, surgical tubes, and bone details. Grim, distinctive, and more forgiving to paint than it looks.
Prime black, base coat the armor Naggaroth Night
Chaos Black spray, then Naggaroth Night (dark purple) over all armor panels. The deep purple is the Drukhari identity — dark enough to look almost black, but clearly purple in good light.
Shade with Druchii Violet
Apply Druchii Violet shade over all the armor. It deepens the purple and creates shadows in the panel lines. Let it dry fully before the next step.
Layer the raised panels Xereus Purple
Apply Xereus Purple to the raised armor edges and surfaces, leaving the recesses dark. Then edge highlight with Genestealer Purple (or Daemonette Hide) on the sharpest corners. This creates the sleek Drukhari look.
Paint exposed flesh (Wracks, Haemonculus)
Kislev Flesh as the base coat over all exposed skin and muscle. Apply Reikland Fleshshade into the recesses. Then highlight back up with Kislev Flesh. For tubes and veins: a thin line of Cadian Fleshtone.
Bone and surgical details
Ushabti Bone on rib cages, bone protrusions, and equipment. Shade with Agrax Earthshade. Drybrush Screaming Skull on top. Metallic blades: Leadbelcher → Nuln Oil → edge with Stormhost Silver.
Eyes and gemstones
Eyes: Mephiston Red base, Blood Angel Red Contrast or Carroburg Crimson shade, small dot of white for a gleam. Gemstones on armor: Moot Green or Caledor Sky base with a white highlight dot. Done.
The Contrast paint shortcut
Prime Chaos Black → applyShyish Purple Contrast over armor → apply Guilliman Flesh Contrast over skin and tubes → pick out metals in Leadbelcher. The Contrast paints shade themselves over black. Not the showroom finish, but Drukhari that look unmistakably Drukhari on a game table.
What to buy first
Start with the Combat Patrol for the most cost-effective entry — but read the sub-faction note above if raiders are calling to you.
Combat Patrol: Drukhari
Includes a Haemonculus (one of 40k's most character-rich models), a Cronos, a Talos Pain Engine, and 10 Wracks — 13 models total. A Haemonculus Covens force: tough, monstrous, and deeply weird. The Haemonculus alone is worth the box for hobbyists.
Search Amazon →Kabalite Warriors + Raider (if you want raiders)
If the fast glass-cannon playstyle is why you chose Drukhari, start here instead. A Raider full of Kabalite Warriors is the core unit of a Kabal army. Learn the movement game from turn one rather than adapting later.
Search Amazon →Paints you need (Covens scheme)
Honest cost breakdown
Combat Patrol: Drukhari
13 models — playable Covens force
Essential paints (7)
Purple armor + flesh tones + bone
Basing supplies
Texture paint + tufts
Clippers + hobby knife
One-time purchase
Superglue + plastic glue
These models need both for fine parts
All-in starter total
~$244Drukhari models are among the most detailed in 40k — assembly takes patience. Raider skimmers have many fine parts. Take your time with assembly; it pays off in the final model.
From the Webway, they come.
Pain is currency. Suffering is life. Choose your sub-faction, grab the Combat Patrol or a Raider, and learn to move faster than your opponent can react.