Perspective on New Eldar

[eldargal]

Lots of grumbling on the internet about the eldar release with a lot of people expressing disappointment. So it's 'get some perspective' time.

A standard GW release is:
Codex
3-4 plastic kits
1-2 Finecast
1 plastic character.

What eldar are getting:
New
Codex
Iyanden supplement
Wraithknight plastic kt
Wraithguard dual plastic kit
Flyer dual plastic kit
Plastic character
Two Finecast characters

In other words three new plastic kits, two finecast characters and a plastic character.

In addition we are getting a repackaged jetbike plastic kit.

So:
New flyers
New Wraithknight
Plastic Wraithguard that are cheaper!
Cheaper jetbikes
A new special character in Finecast (Illic Wossname)
A new character model and unit; Spiritseer.
New codex!
A book on a single Craftworld with new rules etc.

So by all means be disappointed in the lack of new jetbikes, or the pricing but don't go acting like eldar haven't been given a huge boost in this release. Until now the army had barely changed in two whole damned decades, now we have five new units (Wraithknight, Waithblades, fighter, bomber, spiritseer) a 6th edition codex and cheaper plastic Wraithguard.

[Dalleron]

Eldar are one of 40k's iconic armies, and are deserving of some love. Clearly everyone who follows this hobby knew they were getting a new plastic flier. It also seems that xenos armies are all destined to have some pic gaudy plastic thing, see Nids and Tau so far. I imagine orks get something along those lines. But I don't see what the Imperial side get along those lines. That is another discussion.

These new units are inline with the 6th ed releases so far. I don't see how anyone should complain or be surprised.

[DarkLink]

My only complaint so far is that I'll need a new job to afford anything I don't already have (which is pretty much only Wraithnouns and the aspects that currently suck, but hopefully won't very soon). Otherwise, I'm pretty glad I picked up some Eldar a couple years ago for this very moment.

[DrLove42]

My only complaint is the staggering cost of the Iyanden supplement. If I get that supplement (which i likely will) i don't think i can afford the Limited Codex, which I also really want. Bah

My biggest worry is the wraithknight being a AV not a MC.

Is there any indication if the Iyanden is limited stock or will it always be available?

No new Jetbikes, or no new Avatar doesn't bother me. I don't tend to use either anyway. Unless the Avatars rules get really good...

[eldargal]

My worry with the Iyaden supplement is that it will be smaller than a codex. If it is codex sied I'll happily pay codex money for it, I men think of the depth they could explore Iyaden background in in 90+ pages? Well worth it to me. If it smaller than that, then not so worth it and I'll be cranky.

[Lost Vyper]

Well, no one seems to worry about the psychic powers yet...:) If the new codex arrives in every 6-7 years, i´m just going to cop the most limited extravaganza one (cos i´m not gonna invest on any other codexes...maybe DE, but, we´ll see) and a Wraithknight, Flyer, and the new character. It´s going to empty my account too, but hey, it´s not like someone´s twisting my arm to play this game...any info on the new character? Has he/she been around in the older codexes (only other one i have is the one with blue cover, 1999 codex maybe?And he´s not in it)?

[eldargal]

The ranger character was first mentioned in Codex: Necrons 5th edition. Also if GW keep this release schedule up we probably won't be waiting seven years again. Four/five years perhaps, in line with edition cycles.

[SeekingOne]

So:
New flyers
New Wraithknight
Plastic Wraithguard that are cheaper!
Cheaper jetbikes
A new special character in Finecast (Illic Wossname)
A new character model and unit; Spiritseer.
New codex!
A book on a single Craftworld with new rules etc.

It's all true :) But it gets overshadowed by:
- The expectation of crazy prices on new kits;
- The expectation of crazy prices on new books;
- The expectation of one of the most popular Troops choices doubling its price for no apparent reason whatsoever;
- The (admittedly, typical) expectation of some of the new rules for the new/updated kits being too weak.

That's how normal human psyche works: even a single thing perceived as "negative" can overshadow a dozen things that are definitely "positive". And here we have more than one. So a noticeable degree of general negativity is only to be expected, and there is nothing one can do about it.


So by all means be disappointed in the lack of new jetbikes, or the pricing but don't go acting like eldar haven't been given a huge boost in this release.

Maybe it's just me, but that's precisely what I saw people doing so far: expressing their disappointment with pricing and a few other things that they find disappointing :)

[eldargal]

Here, yes. On Dakkadakka and to a (surprisingly) lesser extent Warseer it's been full blown, petulant nerd rage.

The Dire Avengers thing is just obscene, no question.

[lattd]

Could the Dire avengers be 5 finecast older models or 5 pack? if we see dire avengers go up to 15 per squad a 5 man pack could be sensible?

[Mr Mystery]

Dire Avengers thing is odd, but not unprecdented. Orcs in Fantasy had their box sized halved....

But the rest of it, especially those whining about rules you have not actually read please...please for the love of whichever deity you do or don't believe in....shush. At least for now. Just wait until you've got the new codex in your sweaty, clammy hands. And have had a chance to read it. And ideally, actually get a few games under your belt. After that, you'll have what we in the grown up world like to call an 'informed opinion'. Once you've got that, if needs be whine away to your heart's content.

[Kamin_Majere]

My biggest thing about the release is the lack of multi part plastics. I have my original eldar from 2nd edition because all we have gotten since then is just slightly different mono pose metals/finecast while just about all other army, save sisters, have ended up with tons and tons of plastic kits. And i'm not talking characters and special units, i'm talking infantry boxes.

Overall this release is meh to me. I'm hoping the rules work well and it makes eldar a really interesting army in 6th edition, but until the model range is actually updated i'll be stuck making slow progression turning dire avengers into all of the other aspects with more conversion work than should be necessary with the amount of plastic kits ALL other armies have (again with the exception of sisters)

While i will be buying a plastic farseer or two because its a nice model and i like having the whole range of farseers (even scared rabbit), i don't think it will be worth it to change anything else for me. I would need 60 of the new wraith guard and that's a daunting concept, even if i just had 30 shooting and 30 combat wraithguard that still a chunk of money (though if the models are nice i might do it anyways just to have more than 3 poses of wraith guard)

I might eventually get a Fire Gale or 4 though it would go well in my titan legion. 1 Phantom, 2 revenants and then 4 Fire Gales (plus then i can sell old football head the towering destroyer) and while this is nice, it would have been better served IMO by giving us plastic hawks/spiders/scorpions/banshees/dragons/reapers. Multi part plastic kits are sheer joys to use compared to the mono pose solid models we have now.

So yeah i am excited for this release, but i'm disappointed because we are one of the few army left with the vast majority of our units still only available in mono pose metal/finecast

[pauljc]

Just to offer some more perspective, DreamForge Game's Leviathan Crusader is 8.5" and $120. The Stormwall Collossal from Warmachine is only 5.5" tall, and costs $135.

So, I can live with the €90 price tag. :)

But yes, I do agree that the Dire Avenger change is rather rediculous, though not unprecendented, as has been said. Considering that the Tau Pathfinder box comes with 10 men and some very nice drones, for the same price.

On the plus side, however, those Eldar players who already have the very decent quality Avenger plastics from about 2007, do not have to worry. :)

[RebelGrot]

I think it's right to put it in perspective, its some good releases (as long as the Iyanden supplement is codex-size); I'm looking forward to all of it, though I'll be careful what I buy at launch or I won't be able to afford to eat through June.

I think a lot of people had built up ideas of a full range re-release, similar to what the DE got. It was always going to be very unlikely that we got multi part plastics for ALL the Aspects. I personally would really have liked a little loving update to some of the games oldest models - like the bike and Spiders etc but oh well. Plastic Wraithgaurd have me happy enough to be honest - models I've been putting off buying for a decade or so will finally be mine!

Roll on midnight Friday, I'm off to buy some 'half price' Dire Avengers.

[Mr Mystery]

My biggest thing about the release is the lack of multi part plastics. I have my original eldar from 2nd edition because all we have gotten since then is just slightly different mono pose metals/finecast while just about all other army, save sisters, have ended up with tons and tons of plastic kits. And i'm not talking characters and special units, i'm talking infantry boxes.

Overall this release is meh to me. I'm hoping the rules work well and it makes eldar a really interesting army in 6th edition, but until the model range is actually updated i'll be stuck making slow progression turning dire avengers into all of the other aspects with more conversion work than should be necessary with the amount of plastic kits ALL other armies have (again with the exception of sisters)

While i will be buying a plastic farseer or two because its a nice model and i like having the whole range of farseers (even scared rabbit), i don't think it will be worth it to change anything else for me. I would need 60 of the new wraith guard and that's a daunting concept, even if i just had 30 shooting and 30 combat wraithguard that still a chunk of money (though if the models are nice i might do it anyways just to have more than 3 poses of wraith guard)

I might eventually get a Fire Gale or 4 though it would go well in my titan legion. 1 Phantom, 2 revenants and then 4 Fire Gales (plus then i can sell old football head the towering destroyer) and while this is nice, it would have been better served IMO by giving us plastic hawks/spiders/scorpions/banshees/dragons/reapers. Multi part plastic kits are sheer joys to use compared to the mono pose solid models we have now.

So yeah i am excited for this release, but i'm disappointed because we are one of the few army left with the vast majority of our units still only available in mono pose metal/finecast

But think to the future skip.....

Eldar are getting the average number of releases for a Codex release. This includes the essential flier and bigshinytoy, and an existing unit, previously prohibitively expensive plastificated.

But we also see the new...the Appendex (look that's what I'm calling them and it bloody well will catch on OK?). You want plastic Aspect Warriors? I suspect that might be held back for say...the Biel Tan Appendex, as a secondary wave at some unknown point in the future (please note this is speculation and not rumour!). Quite possibly once the other books are out.

Though to give credit to Eldar players, I think the DE, GK and Necron releases did skew kit number expectations. It's easy to forget all three of those were essentially 'ground up' redos of the armies in question.

[Anggul]

It's still ridiculous that they didn't carry out the relatively minor task of making new Jetbike models no matter which way you look at it. Dark Eldar got them, they made a mock-up of one years ago that everyone loved, and yet for some reason didn't make it. Bizarre.

Still, as long as the rules for the already existing infantry are good, I don't mind too much.

[pauljc]

It's still ridiculous that they didn't carry out the relatively minor task of making new Jetbike models no matter which way you look at it. Dark Eldar got them, they made a mock-up of one years ago that everyone loved, and yet for some reason didn't make it. Bizarre.

Still, as long as the rules for the already existing infantry are good, I don't mind too much.

There is this coming: Windrider Jetbike Squad (3)

[Anggul]

There is this coming: Windrider Jetbike Squad (3)

Apparently just a rebox though. Space Marines and Chaos Space Marines are getting the same.

[pauljc]

Apparently just a rebox though. Space Marines and Chaos Space Marines are getting the same.

Derp! Yeah, my bad. I re-checked the order form I got from the GW rep, and it is indeed just a repackage.
I also threw in the, 'so basically the Dire Avengers have been repackaged and are now double the cost?' question, and the rep went straight into, 'yeah, but! Yeah but!' mode. :D

[StarWarsDoug]

EldarGal,
It may not be new to us, but dont forget another boon will be the inclusion, finally, of the nightspinner in the codex. A model for which rules have been virtually unavailable for for a few years. So it can be argued to be a new unit for many.

Cheers.

[GrauGeist]

Let's see:
1. Eldar players have to play twice as much for their full set of rules
2. Eldar players have to pay $30 more for their uber kit compared to the most recent price-topping Tau uber kit.
3. Long-awaited plastic Wraithguard are getting the Possessed treatment with nice kits but crap rules
4. New flyer looks nothing like existing Eldar craft.
5. Plastic Farseer is long overdue, and way pricey compared to WFB plastic Empire Wizard kit.
6. don't care about Failcrap.

Repackaged Jetbikes are worthless, having had new Jetbike scuplt teased for years.

And note the repackaged Dire Avengers - half the models for basically no savings in price.

And that Wraithknight looks like ***. Barrel chested and clumsy, not sleek. Tiny, little girl hands.

Of all of this, I think I'm only getting the basic Eldar Codex.

If / when GW ever pulls their head out of their ***, I'll reconsider, but not likely..

[bfmusashi]

I'll bet you Iyanden is no more necessary than Crusade of Fire and that it contains the same sort of things.

[magickbk]

If nothing else, though, maybe the Iyanden book explains what we might see in the future since this Eldar release is essentially the Iyanden army. A supplemental book for Saim-Hann with new Jetbikes and that rumored bigger tank, one for Biel-tan with plastic Aspect warriors and a big new fancy Avatar, one for Ulthwe with storm guardians, one for Alaitoc with plastic rangers/pathfinders.

The only thing that makes this all not add up properly is that only the 4th codex release of an edition is going this way, as opposed to releasing C:SM and making Dark Angels a supplemental.

[Sainhann]

If nothing else, though, maybe the Iyanden book explains what we might see in the future since this Eldar release is essentially the Iyanden army. A supplemental book for Saim-Hann with new Jetbikes and that rumored bigger tank, one for Biel-tan with plastic Aspect warriors and a big new fancy Avatar, one for Ulthwe with storm guardians, one for Alaitoc with plastic rangers/pathfinders.

The only thing that makes this all not add up properly is that only the 4th codex release of an edition is going this way, as opposed to releasing C:SM and making Dark Angels a supplemental.

New Sain-Hann Codex - $50+

New Alaitoc Codex - $50+

New Biel-Tan Codex - $50+

I will pass on these and will pass on any Codex that costs $50 and is really worth half that.

Remember these books will only be useful and will be replaced in the 8th Edition and by then GW will have the price up to around $75.

[bfmusashi]

New Sain-Hann Codex - $50+

New Alaitoc Codex - $50+

New Biel-Tan Codex - $50+

I will pass on these and will pass on any Codex that costs $50 and is really worth half that.

Remember these books will only be useful and will be replaced in the 8th Edition and by then GW will have the price up to around $75.

I wasn't aware one could remember things that have yet to happen! We truly live in an age of miracles.

[TheStrategist]

Let's see:
1. Eldar players have to play twice as much for their full set of rules
2. Eldar players have to pay $30 more for their uber kit compared to the most recent price-topping Tau uber kit.
3. Long-awaited plastic Wraithguard are getting the Possessed treatment with nice kits but crap rules
4. New flyer looks nothing like existing Eldar craft.
5. Plastic Farseer is long overdue, and way pricey compared to WFB plastic Empire Wizard kit.
6. don't care about Failcrap.

Repackaged Jetbikes are worthless, having had new Jetbike scuplt teased for years.

And note the repackaged Dire Avengers - half the models for basically no savings in price.

And that Wraithknight looks like ***. Barrel chested and clumsy, not sleek. Tiny, little girl hands.

Of all of this, I think I'm only getting the basic Eldar Codex.

If / when GW ever pulls their head out of their ***, I'll reconsider, but not likely..

1. The full set of rules are in Codex: Eldar; Codex: Iyanden is an addition to it, so you cant say that yore being 'forced' to buy it.

2. Yeah, but its also at least 30% bigger than the Riptide. Although I will agree that charging near battleforce prices for just one 'model' is steep.

3. Do you know the rules for Wraithguard/Wraithblades? Pray tell, what are the stats of their weapons; what slots do they take up; do they still require wraithseer support?

4. The fact that it doesnt mirror the nightwing or the phoenix/vampire doesnt automatically make it a bad kit, nor this a valid point for negativity.

5. Still seems to be in line with most recent clam-pack releases...

6. To each his own. Moving on...

Regarding the Jetbikes, yes it sucks that they wont be released with Codex launch; however, options do exist:

-Convert your own. Ive seen conversions using DE jetbikes, CWE jetbikes with converted riders, etc.

-Failing that, get in touch with GhostMiniatures via CoolMiniOrNot, the guy there has very good-looking alternatives...


Pertaining to the WraithKnight; so what if it doesn't appeal to your individual tastes? Conversions go a long way, just saying...


I'll be the first to criticize GW if they deserve it, believe you me. But, try to do it in a more constructive way in the future...

[Gauthic]

-Convert your own. Ive seen conversions using DE jetbikes, CWE jetbikes with converted riders, etc.


Yep made my own (12) a year ago: 4094

[DarkLink]

I'm planning on trying to scratchbuild a Wraithknight. Shouldn't cost more than some greenstuff, a sheet of plasticard, and a couple toothbrushes. The only real question is if I can make it look good. If I can, Wraithknight spam:).

[GrauGeist]

1. We'll see. I'm guessing that Iyanden is more than background and hobby guide.

2. "near battleforce"? The Eldar battleforce is $115. So are are the Apocalypse Stompa, Baneblade and Shadowsword. And it's not 30% bigger. It's 10-15% bigger, which would suggest a price of $95 or so.

3. Stats were shared of WB being A1, which is fail.

Anyhow, enough.

[bfmusashi]

Dude, you don't have the Power of Enough or This Ends Now. Don't pretend.

[Deadlift]

I'm planning on trying to scratchbuild a Wraithknight. Shouldn't cost more than some greenstuff, a sheet of plasticard, and a couple toothbrushes. The only real question is if I can make it look good. If I can, Wraithknight spam:).

Craft world "Colgate" ? We will require pictures you know :)

[Kamin_Majere]

But think to the future skip.....

Eldar are getting the average number of releases for a Codex release. This includes the essential flier and bigshinytoy, and an existing unit, previously prohibitively expensive plastificated.

But we also see the new...the Appendex (look that's what I'm calling them and it bloody well will catch on OK?). You want plastic Aspect Warriors? I suspect that might be held back for say...the Biel Tan Appendex, as a secondary wave at some unknown point in the future (please note this is speculation and not rumour!). Quite possibly once the other books are out.

Though to give credit to Eldar players, I think the DE, GK and Necron releases did skew kit number expectations. It's easy to forget all three of those were essentially 'ground up' redos of the armies in question.

Oh I get it, but really how far into the future should I expect to look? I mean most of the models in my collection are older than some of the guys I play with now. I have bought everything new that has just about ever been produced for the Eldar, but as more and more kits become beautiful multi part plastics and i'm still stuck with mono poses I kinda get disheartened.

I mean the more I think about it the more i will probably replace my wraith guard because the multi part plastic is infinitely more convertible so that's 60 of the jokers i'll be getting (59 I will use because one of my old wraithguard is special and I will never get rid of it) Its just the vast majority of the rest of my army is still stuck in 1994 (avengers not withstanding). Its not that the new sculpts arent beautiful, they really are, its just whats the point of upgrading the models to get more of the same.

I hope we do get more waves with new Appendex (i'll help it catch on) but still after 20 years i've been waiting for plastics more delay just seems mean

[Sainhann]

I prefer to have my old metal Eldar.

1. They are metal

2. Sure they are in one piece, which means not having to spend 30 minutes of putting it together.

3. They are not Finecast Resin

4. They costs less than the price of two Wraithknights.

5. That means I don't have to pay for the current overpriced GW stuff.

[DarkLink]

Craft world "Colgate" ? We will require pictures you know :)
Google scratchbuilt eldar titan and you should be able to find an example. Toothbrushes have nice smooth eldarlike curves.

[imperialpower]

I must admit I was a bit underwhelmed at the amount of new stuff the Eldar got and the lack of new jet bikes is annoying but that didn't stop me from buying a few hundred pounds worth of stuff so in that respect GW have done their job I think.

[energongoodie]

I've just gone for the codex and the sniper. I might get a wraithkniht down the line but for me, this release was all about the jetbikes. I really wanted new ones like the model that was at games day a few years ago. It's only a small point i know and i'm not one for whining but gw would have had so much of my money with that jetbike sculpt.

[Cap'nSmurfs]

I, for one, had an Eldargasm. They were my first army, about (dear god) 15 years ago now. I still have some of the old Guardians with lasguns in a drawer somewhere.

I'm gonna get the codex and begin drawing plans. I need a Wraithknight in my life.