Wave Serpent Shield - my new favorite!

[JMichael]

I was complaining about the new Serpent Shield on my beloved Wave Serpents recently...until I actually used them!
While a single Wave Serpent may not be a huge threat, I tend to run mine in groups of 3 with their cargo(1 Fire Dragon unit and 2 Dire Avenger units).
I often do this to protect my Fire Dragons while they take out my opponent's cornerstone unit.

I often put Scatter Lasers on my Wave Serpents and this will give them Laser Lock on the Serpent Shield.

So imagine 3 Wave Serpents with TL Scatter Lasers moving together in formation. They want to soften up the area before the Fire Dragons get out to fry that big unit (Termies, Broadsides, Land Raider, etc).
When they shoot...36" range, 12 S6 Shots at BS4
THEN 60" range, 3d6 +3 S7 Ignores Cover shots that are now Twin Linked thanks to the Scatter Lasers' Laser Lock.
This gives the 3 Wave Serpents a total of 18-33 shots in one turn!
You can chew up a threatening infantry squad or light vehicles. Not to mention your Dire Avengers disembarking to support/protect those Fire Dragons (who now have a 3+ save).

I have been using 2-3 Wave Serpents to quickly clean up any infiltrators (don't care if you have Stealth/Shrouded).
60" range is huge, not to mention the ignores cover and Pinning!
This combo is new favorite for punching Rhinos from a distance. Well worth the 15 point raise in my opinion.

[Sainhann]

I was complaining about the new Serpent Shield on my beloved Wave Serpents recently...until I actually used them!
While a single Wave Serpent may not be a huge threat, I tend to run mine in groups of 3 with their cargo(1 Fire Dragon unit and 2 Dire Avenger units).
I often do this to protect my Fire Dragons while they take out my opponent's cornerstone unit.

I often put Scatter Lasers on my Wave Serpents and this will give them Laser Lock on the Serpent Shield.

So imagine 3 Wave Serpents with TL Scatter Lasers moving together in formation. They want to soften up the area before the Fire Dragons get out to fry that big unit (Termies, Broadsides, Land Raider, etc).
When they shoot...36" range, 12 S6 Shots at BS4
THEN 60" range, 3d6 +3 S7 Ignores Cover shots that are now Twin Linked thanks to the Scatter Lasers' Laser Lock.
This gives the 3 Wave Serpents a total of 18-33 shots in one turn!
You can chew up a threatening infantry squad or light vehicles. Not to mention your Dire Avengers disembarking to support/protect those Fire Dragons (who now have a 3+ save).

I have been using 2-3 Wave Serpents to quickly clean up any infiltrators (don't care if you have Stealth/Shrouded).
60" range is huge, not to mention the ignores cover and Pinning!
This combo is new favorite for punching Rhinos from a distance. Well worth the 15 point raise in my opinion.

Yes it is but I would warned you to keep them out of assault range of anything that can get it hands of Krak Grenades because while that shield might work wonders against shooting it does nothing against close combat and with AV 10 on the rear Krak Grenades will pop it like a zit.

Yes they are very good and you will see many Eldar players spamming them with around 3-4 and upwards to 6 in their armies.

I think that 3-4 is the right number because at six you are insuring that you can't put some of the other goodies like Warp Spiders, War Walkers & Vypers. Plus to get those six you will need to take smaller squads of Dire Avengers (I.E. 5 man squads) so you will still get 30 Dire Avengers but broken down into smaller groups they don't pack the punch that a unit of ten would.

[JMichael]

Yes it is but I would warned you to keep them out of assault range of anything that can get it hands of Krak Grenades because while that shield might work wonders against shooting it does nothing against close combat and with AV 10 on the rear Krak Grenades will pop it like a zit.

Yes they are very good and you will see many Eldar players spamming them with around 3-4 and upwards to 6 in their armies.

I think that 3-4 is the right number because at six you are insuring that you can't put some of the other goodies like Warp Spiders, War Walkers & Vypers. Plus to get those six you will need to take smaller squads of Dire Avengers (I.E. 5 man squads) so you will still get 30 Dire Avengers but broken down into smaller groups they don't pack the punch that a unit of ten would.

Always trying to keep them out of assault range!
Since DA got cheaper and the Exarch got a bit worse (no more dual Cats) I'm fielding 8 in a unit min.
I sure do love my War Walkers, and have pulled my Vypers out of storage as well.
I feel that that with the Wave Serpents being a bigger threat, it is adding more choices for the enemy to focus on.
And if they choose to focus on my Serpents instead of my Wraithknight, Warwalkers, Fire Prisms, and Vypers...so be it!

[rle68]

THEN 60" range, 3d6 +3 S7 Ignores Cover shots that are now Twin Linked thanks to the Scatter Lasers' Laser Lock

im not sure if its just how you wrote it or... but you are aware you have to get laser lock for each wave serpent in turn and one doesnt give it to the others laser lock says on one model..so it would be d6+1 x's 3 etc etc

if i read laserlock incorrectly please let me know

[deinol]

Yes, laser lock is per model. But each serpent gets a twin-linked scatter laser, so what are the odds of all 1s and 2s on 8 dice? It'll get a lock.

[JMichael]

Yup I do understand that Laser Lock is on a model by model basis. And the Scatter lasers are Twin Linked on Wave Serpents.
Add in a chin Shuriken Cannon upgrade and there's some more S6 shots that will be Twin Linked thanks to Laser Lock.