Pondering Eldar - Input from Experienced Players Appreciated

[Kawauso]

Hey all.

This is mostly a thought exercise, as I don't have any Eldar models and it's unlikely I'll be able to change that any time soon. I know there's a new codex rumoured, but I can't help tinkering with army lists as a part of the hobby I enjoy, and I have a long-term goal of acquiring a minimum 1500-point army for every faction in the game.

So long story short, I've been thinking about Eldar lately. I think I'd want to build an Iyanden army; I like the fluff and the units they use and I think painting them would be fun. It would also give me an army with a lot of yellow in the palette which, presently, I don't have.

So in constructing this list I want to stay true to the spirit of Iyanden. That said, I also want it to be effective enough that it plays well (it doesn't have to be tournament-worthy, but a decent take-all-comers list); something my opponents and I could have fun with. I also want to keep things cost-effective, monetarily speaking, and one way to do this is to use the current battleforce to its fullest potential. With all of that said, here's the list I've devised for a 1500-point level.

Input is greatly appreciated - especially from veteran Eldar players! I've never used the codex before so I don't have as firm an understanding of it as I'm sure many of you do.


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HQ
Farseer - Runes of Warding, Spirit Stones, Doom, Mind War (joins the Dire Avenger squad)
-135



TROOPS
Guardians - x10, +Warlock with Conceal, Scatter Laser HW platform
- 135

Guardians - x10, +Warlock with Conceal, Scatter Laser HW platform
- 135

Rangers - x5, Pathfinders
- 120

Dire Avengers - x10, Exarch with Bladestorm and Power Weapon/Shimmershield, Wave Serpent with TL Bright Lance
- 297



ELITES
Wraithguard - x5, +Warlock with Destructor and Singing Spear, Wave Serpent with TL Scatter Lasers
- 328



FAST ATTACK
Nightwing Interceptor
- 145



HEAVY SUPPORT
War Walker Squadron - x2 with 2x Shuriken Cannons
- 80

Wraithlord - 2x Flamers, Wraithblade, Scatter Laser
- 120



TOTALS:
- 1495 points

- 50 models
- 44 infantry
- 2 transports/tanks
- 2 walkers
- 1 flier
- 1 monstrous creature


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I think one of the things I like best about this list is it would provide a fun hobby project and all it takes to acquire is two battleforces, a Seer Council, a Wraithguard kit, a Ranger kit, a Wraithlord and a Nightwing from FW. But as I've said, input's appreciated!

[Power Klawz]

I don't play eldar very often (especially the last few years, I don't feel the codex has aged well at all.) but I'd make a few basic suggestions.

When you're using dire avengers, don't go for the cutesy close combat options. Dire avengers will get tossed into their own lockers if they get into close combat with anything more fearsome than grots. Instead just go double shuriken catapult elf-rambo with the exarch and bladestorm anything that gets too close for comfort. (Then run away if anything is left standing.)

Guardians... How should I put this? Did you ever play team sports as a child or young adult? Did you ever come across a team that for whatever reason, just wasn't up to par? They were probably dejected looking and even scared, you felt really sort of bad even playing against them. That team is eldar guardians. They don't do anything particularly well except die and take up points. They are in dire need of a serious points normalization to be anything resembling effective. Skinny space elves with 12 inch weapons don't last very long in the grim darkness of the far future.

Farseers and avengers go together like bread and more of the same bread. Obviously fitting but not really all that sexy. Maybe stick that farseer on a jetbike and have him blaze around bestowing awesome dust on whatever particularly needs it that turn, I don't know. Having him footslog it with the ballerinas minus their bus is a good way to get him sniped by something that costs about 1/10 of what he does. (Kroot will do this alla night long now baby.)

Wraithguard, Rangers, the Wraithlord and war walkers are all pretty solid choices. Maybe think about upgunning them a bit though. A full section of war walkers with killy shooty things and a farseer in tow will wreak untold devastation upon the usurper races.

Maybe I'm getting carried away here, basically my suggestion is drop those guardians back at eldar junior college where you found them, put some scarier guns on your big zombie robots and maybe grab a transport if you can swing it (and maybe put something mean spirited in it that just wants to prove to the universe that even though he is 98 pounds he can still curb stomp a space marine.)

Or, alternatively, wait a few month before dropping the cash. I can almost guarantee there will be something new and awesome available and you'll be much better equipped to make army list decisions for the future with a new codex. (and maybe those guardians won't be such wet blankets anymore.)

[DrLove42]

Give the Wraithlord a Lance instead of a gun instead of the scatter. Expensive, but dependable.

I'd consider shoving the 2 Guardian squads together. 3 troops is enough in 1500, and 10 guardians will just fold too easily. Use the points from losing a warlock to give the war walkers scatter lasers not cannons

[Lost Vyper]

War Walkers (always Scatter Lasers) and a Guide from Farseer, Wraithlord = 2x Flamers, Blade, BL... DA´s, hmmm, on the last games the PW+SS have kept them alive a bit longer, but to unleash their true potential, more DAKKA (With Guide from Farseer)! HQ = Eldrad, if you place him fe. With DA´s and the WW´s are close by, you can Guide them both and still Fortune yourself+the DA´s. Eldrad is also nice with his 3+ invl. save (Fortuned of course)...these answers seem to go more or less the way everybody on the board thinks, but that seems to be the consensus, and that´s good. :)

[DrLove42]

War Walkers (always Scatter Lasers) and a Guide from Farseer, Wraithlord = 2x Flamers, Blade, BL... DA´s, hmmm, on the last games the PW+SS have kept them alive a bit longer, but to unleash their true potential, more DAKKA (With Guide from Farseer)! HQ = Eldrad, if you place him fe. With DA´s and the WW´s are close by, you can Guide them both and still Fortune yourself+the DA´s. Eldrad is also nice with his 3+ invl. save (Fortuned of course)...these answers seem to go more or less the way everybody on the board thinks, but that seems to be the consensus, and that´s good. :)

I think people answers are more or less the same becuase Eldar only have the one build that stands any chance. and even then you have to do everything right for it to work.

My Eldar are in their case until they get a new book

[Defenestratus]

I think people answers are more or less the same becuase Eldar only have the one build that stands any chance. and even then you have to do everything right for it to work.

My Eldar are in their case until they get a new book

Eldar around here have been doing great.. they just won a big tournament here in Orlando and I think that 6th edition works well with their current book (although I'm more than ready for a new book)

People seem to be hemming and hawing about Scatter laser war walkers these days. I don't know why. They've always been really good and nothing about 6th edition has really changed that dynamic but I'm getting a huge pushback from a few players that they're now broken in 6th edition. So broken that they think that they're going to twin link their guns (I actually have a $100 bet that they won't do something stupid like that).

Anyways. War walkers, scatter lasers, farseer with guide or prescience.

If you're going to take a WL, might as well put a lance on him as he's the only codex BS4 option you got for them. Take the BL off of the serpent and give it two shuiken cannons (or scatter lasers if you have the points).

Lastly, if you are playing Iyanden then you should really just pony up and buy the wraithseer from FW. He's a perfect addition to the list and he's a badass model.

[DrLove42]

If they twinlink War Walkers guns like Wraithlords to answer is simple.

1 Scatter Laser and 1 Shuriken cannon. Sure its one shot less, but....

[Defenestratus]

If they twinlink War Walkers guns like Wraithlords to answer is simple.

1 Scatter Laser and 1 Shuriken cannon. Sure its one shot less, but....

Thats what I keep telling him. He's like "oh well they'll make it so expensive that you can't do that..."

What a moron he is.

[Power Klawz]

I predict that you'll see a more severe price drop across the board than you saw with tau when it comes to Eldar. Their weapon options, infantry costs and vehicle costs are astronomical compared to basically every other army. If anything, you'll see war walkers get slightly better due to more cost competitive weapon options.

[Kawauso]

Just wanted to say thanks for the feedback, all. :)

I'm positive I won't be starting this army any time this year, so it's likely they'll have a new codex whenever I get around to it. Just wanted to kind of test the waters with an idea using what they have available now so I have some ideas for a starting point.

Thanks!

[kyfer]

June seems to be the time to wait for, hope it'll provide some more ideas from there :) Good Gaming!

[Dave Mcturk]

never had any joy with ww... except maxed out with EML hiding at the back ... once... ! [was playing v marine rhino rush... it was very funny...]
play against DE / NEC / CSM mostly and a three ww unit is an easy first kill for opponent !
wish we had armour 13 'shielding' like triach stalker

[Dave Mcturk]

was playing and Eldar oppo once who swore by his 2 X 3ww formations [!] ... warp spidered them all to death by turn 2....... then took out his poor GJB objective hunters... game over turn 3......

[jgebi]

and their off, what did you do good man what did you do

[Dave Mcturk]

civil war... not pretty ...