The Hellions are Drukhari renegades who swarm out of Commorragh on anti-gravity skyboards, hitting realspace ahead of the main raid as scouts and terror troops. They’re the bottom rung of Dark Eldar society with ambitions far above it, and that’s exactly what makes them dangerous.
What the hellions actually are
Hellions are outcasts, anarchists, and wanted criminals, rebellious by Drukhari standards, which is saying something. Many are aspirants too young to have joined a Kabal yet, and they live by their wits in street gangs that fight Kabals and each other for territory.
They’ve got a chip on their shoulder about the upper spires. Reaver and Scourge gangs look down on them, and Hellions resent it. Outwardly they sneer at the whole system. Privately, most of them want power of their own.
Skyboards, hellglaives, and combat drugs
A skyboard is a single-pilot anti-gravity platform, and it’s the Hellion’s defining possession. It’s less prestigious than a Reaver jetbike, but it’s theirs, and they cover it in trophies and glyphs. Those trophies often include the heads of previous owners, since skyboards change hands in gang brawls.
Their main weapon is the hellglaive, a double-ended polearm with recurved hooks. A skilled rider uses those hooks to snag scenery and whip around corners mid-flight.
- Skyboard: anti-gravity platform with underslung splinter pods
- Hellglaive: hooked double-sided polearm used for brutal turns
- Wych Cult access: agonisers, power swords, and stunclaws
- Combat drugs supplied by the cults in exchange for arena performances
How they fight and who leads them
Kabals and Wych Cults use Hellion gangs as forward scouts, skirmishers, and terror troops. A realspace invasion often opens with howling, drug-fuelled Hellions hitting the defenders before anyone can organise a response.
Gang leaders are called Helliarchs. The most famous is Baron Sathonyx, known as the Lord Hellion.
Known hellion gangs
Hellion gangs have names that sound like what they are: fast, vicious, and short-lived. Several show up across Codex and rulebook lore.
- Blackened Fang
- Bloodshot Blades
- Crimson Helwings
- Ragged Wound
- Scythewing Gang
- Sky Devils
Key facts
- Hellions are Drukhari outcasts and gang members who ride anti-gravity skyboards.
- Their signature weapon is the hellglaive, a hooked double-sided polearm.
- Skyboards carry underslung splinter pods and are heavily personalised with trophies.
- Wych Cults supply them with combat drugs in exchange for arena fights and raids.
- Gang leaders are called Helliarchs; Baron Sathonyx is the most famous.
- They’re used as forward scouts and terror troops at the start of realspace invasions.
FAQ
Are Hellions Dark Eldar or Drukhari?
They’re the same thing. Drukhari is the modern name for the Dark Eldar, and Hellions are one of their subcultures.
What is a Helliarch?
A Helliarch is the leader of a Hellion gang. They’re usually the toughest or most cunning rider in the group.
Why do Hellions work with Wych Cults?
The cults give them combat drugs and protection from rival gangs. In return, Hellions fight in arena matches and join realspace raids.