Bring Me More Matt Ward Codexes!

[Chris Copeland]

I seriously hope that Mat Ward penned the forthcoming Space Marine codex. The senseless nerd-rage he inspires in a sub-culture of our community has reached such ridiculous heights that it's kinda fun to watch. The digital foaming at the mouth... the helpless digital quivering in rage that the very word "Ward" seems to inspire is worth endless hours of entertainment.

[Cap'nSmurfs]

It's Cruddace. But generally I agree.

[Chris Copeland]

Awww... yer bringing me down, man! It's wickedly entertaining to walk into a game store and loudly say, "Mat Ward" and then watch a third of the nerds fall to the ground, twitching and muttering with helpless rage...


It's Cruddace. But generally I agree.

[Deadlift]

I'm a fan, there I said it :D
Always have been, not the fluff so much but his rules have always been "fun" I am immensely disappointed he hasn't written the new marine codex. As far as I can tell the only thing he has written is the Iyanden supplement, which I really like. Balance wise I think his marine codex might be his best work and is my favorite of his.
My money's on Tyranids. That's his next codex or maybe Orks. But what ever it is it will be my next army.

[Fanboy]

Awww... yer bringing me down, man! It's wickedly entertaining to walk into a game store and loudly say, "Mat Ward" and then watch a third of the nerds fall to the ground, twitching and muttering with helpless rage...

ROTFLOL.
Matt Ward is an idiot. He should be banned from writing codices. All Matt Ward should be doing is making tea at Bugman's, nothing else... Bring back Priestley, Chambers, Thorpe..... all is forgiven.......

[Firewolf]

>> Problem is, Mat Ward doesnae write the entire dex, done by a group of people. Nobody shouts about Jim mcjimson who playtests the dex's for not telling everone that x unit is broken, underpriced etc. Folks need to shut the **** up about his books. If ye dont like Ward dex, dont ****in buy it, simple!!

[Tynskel]

ROTFLOL.
Matt Ward is an idiot. He should be banned from writing codices. All Matt Ward should be doing is making tea at Bugman's, nothing else... Bring back Priestley, Chambers, Thorpe..... all is forgiven.......

No.
NO NO NO NO NO NO.
http://nooooooooooooooo.com

No. Those guys are done. I don't want CHAOS and everything else...

[Cap'nSmurfs]

Bring back Chambers, definitely. Or not! Keep him writing his awesome Dark Eldar series!

The Mat Ward people hate doesn't exist. The internet made him up.

[White Tiger88]

I seriously hope that Mat Ward penned the forthcoming Space Marine codex. The senseless nerd-rage he inspires in a sub-culture of our community has reached such ridiculous heights that it's kinda fun to watch. The digital foaming at the mouth... the helpless digital quivering in rage that the very word "Ward" seems to inspire is worth endless hours of entertainment.

This time the community passed.......Its Ward Save! :cool:

[Wildeybeast]

I'm a fan, there I said it :D
Always have been, not the fluff so much but his rules have always been "fun" I am immensely disappointed he hasn't written the new marine codex. As far as I can tell the only thing he has written is the Iyanden supplement, which I really like. Balance wise I think his marine codex might be his best work and is my favorite of his.
My money's on Tyranids. That's his next codex or maybe Orks. But what ever it is it will be my next army.

Not that this is news or a rumour, but didn't he largely write the 8th Ed rules?

[Galadren]

I'd rather Ward over Cruddace....

[Lexington]

Oh. My. God

You people are adorable. The lot of you. Never change.

[DarkLink]

ROTFLOL.
Matt Ward is an idiot. He should be banned from writing codices. All Matt Ward should be doing is making tea at Bugman's, nothing else... Bring back Priestley, Chambers, Thorpe..... all is forgiven.......

I... assume you're joking around.

[eldargal]

I... assume you're joking around.

Sadly I don't think so.

[Necron_Lord]

I enjoy the Necron codex Ward wrote and the fluff isn't bad either. The only things people can get after Ward about is the 7th Ed. Daemons of Chaos army book, the Dante and Silent King fluff in the BA codex and some of the over the top stories in the GK codex.

[White Tiger88]

I enjoy the Necron codex Ward wrote and the fluff isn't bad either. The only things people can get after Ward about is the 7th Ed. Daemons of Chaos army book, the Dante and Silent King fluff in the BA codex and some of the over the top stories in the GK codex.

*Cough beating a Daemon Primarch Cough*

[Cap'nSmurfs]

...in the Warp, where it's entirely possible that the whole thing was a delusion. Also, Mortarion is an immortal being of Chaos-stuff. Draigo could carve the entire Codex Astartes into Mortarion's various body parts and it wouldn't matter in the long run because Mortarion isn't real anymore. He's part of Chaos now.

So yes, it looks silly, but the codices are written from that faction's point of view. The Grey Knights believe in the legendary exploits of their lost leader. Meanwhile, Chaos rumbles on; Draigo's quest through the Realm of Chaos is ultimately futile, a passing amusement for the denizens of the Warp.

[daboarder]

thats a lame excuse cap, the argument that the codexes are "propoganda" is just a way of passing off badly written material.

Draigo COULD have been awesome if he was a sorta "jerusalem man" character, the lonely penitent struggling on through a hostile world, questioning his faith and yet ultimately determining he IS righteous and just, finding strength in that and continuing on for eternity if he must. Less mary sue "hes awesome cause I say he is"

its the futility of his quest and the fact that he doesn't give a damn that has the potential in that story, not the rofl stomping chaos its written as.

[Cap'nSmurfs]

Well, what I said does happen to be true. I think the irony of the situation is implicit; Draigo's struggle *is* meaningless. It's about more than just reading the words that are on the page. What do you know about Chaos? Does this sound right?

It's like when people went crazy over the Blood Angels/Necrons thing. Ha ha! How stupid! Oh, wait, the Necrons have changed. They have personalities and agency now. Hm. (I agree that the new fluff snippet shouldn't have come so long before the release of that Necron codex, but still. People rushed to claim bad writing without thinking it through.)

I agree that your version would be a much more interesting character, though. Ward does have a tendency to write characters in an... overblown manner when a more subtle touch would be superior. But a subtle touch isn't always Warhammer 40,000's style (depends who's writing it, and in what context). Ward's stuff is the kind of 40k where it's like a big action comic with huge caricatures punching each other. Then they explode, killing a world.

[eldargal]

While I agree the fact is he is in the warp and nothing is necessarily real, that isn't really made explicit so it still sound really stupid. Plus in the same book you have Grey Knights deciding they need to bathe in the blood of SoB to stave off corruption which is just offensive on several levels.

I agree about the Necron/BA thing though, that was completely overblown. Because apparently having the BA and Necrons not be stupid is bad writing now.

[daboarder]

yeah cap, I get that. Its just written so...poorly. I hate to bring it up but a good contrast is the silver knight story in the daemons codex. regardless of if the story is intended as a reference to draigo it is much better written, it breaths life into the story of the unbending, righteous champion who falls at the final hurdle due to being confronted with the one thing he did not expect, pure innocence.'

the difference isn't the subject matter, both are brilliant ideas used dozens of times in literature. but they are WRITTEN so much differently. the silver knight story has character, flair and actual depth, it lets your imagination do the work and expand upon the implications....draigo....still reads like the kind of story I wrote in year 6...just with bigger words.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

We all know that Mat Ward has a hand in EVERY new Codex, right?

[Cap'nSmurfs]

Well, I do. Just as Robin Cruddace does, Phil Kelly does, Jeremy Vetock does, Adam Troke does (to a lesser extent), Jervis Johnson does, the various Assistant Games Developers and Editors do, GW's IP people do, the Miniatures Designers do... etc. etc.

But please, continue to tell me how This One Guy is responsible for all of GW's evils~


the difference isn't the subject matter, both are brilliant ideas used dozens of times in literature. but they are WRITTEN so much differently. the silver knight story has character, flair and actual depth, it lets your imagination do the work and expand upon the implications....draigo....still reads like the kind of story I wrote in year 6...just with bigger words.

How would it make you feel if it transpired that both stories are about Draigo, and that both were written by the same author? Not saying this is the case, just asking what your reaction would be.

[daboarder]

he's not, and I quite like his rules (until GK's and crons dropped) they have been pretty externally consistent with distinct variation for each book.

I still maintain his background is god awful though. (except perhaps the new cron stuff.....which is just really ironic)

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

He's one of the lead designers at GW HQ. xD

So yes, he has a hand in every book that gets on the shelf.

[daboarder]

just to be clear, I meant he's NOT responsible for all GW's stupid, not that he doesn't have a hand in all books.

[Cap'nSmurfs]

My sarcastic remark wasn't aimed at you, daboarder, I know you don't think that way.

[daboarder]

you say the nicest things sometimes cap, I'm more than willing to admit I can be a rabid nerd occasionally!

as to both stories being about draigo....

I'd LOVE IT.

very few characters in 40k actually have evolving stories, tycho is my favourite character bar none. Not only because his story grew, flourished and then came to a glorious gory end, but also because of the real life background for the character.

Lysander is another good one, though to be honest a little ham fisted, he had sublte progression from sergeant to captain to chapter master.....but his final elevation is still written a badly and it tarnishes it a little in my opinion.

with draigo, I just don't see them letting him fall to chaos next book, if they had wanted to imply that the better way would have been to take a page out of the inquisitor book and have his methods gradually get more and more radical and extreme even by Imperium standards, leave just enough doubt about who he was really in the service of, and leave him as a Gk character, maybe even have him cut down another grey knight as way of showing just how far he is willing to go to defeat the powers of chaos, so far that he becomes one.....

kinda like what ward tried to do with mephiston, and again unfortunately failed at......yeah I really don't think that guy is good at writing story. Don't tell me that mephiston is maybe cursed, suggest it and let my mind take the idea and go nuts, thats how the best 40k fluff has always been, usually its a throw away paragraph or an off hand comment, and next thing you know there are entire armies built around the concept.

but yeah I don't see them doing that I'm afraid.

edit: its not really his ideas that I dislike (except the sob blood thing....mans an idiot) its the execution....its just usually SO bad.

[eldargal]

he's not, and I quite like his rules (until GK's and crons dropped) they have been pretty externally consistent with distinct variation for each book.

I still maintain his background is god awful though. (except perhaps the new cron stuff.....which is just really ironic)
Well, in my opinion most of his background is fine, even in the BA and GK books with just a few issues like the Sanguinor (greater daemon of Sanguinius, what?), Draigo, the SoB thing and the SM-Eldar battle in C:SM stand out as being terrible. The Necron book was really good I thought, his background for the WD SoB dex was likewise excellent and actually brought the organisation in line with the scale of the 40k universe by removing the cap on size and number of minor orders. The new High Elf background was just superb I thought and had a distinct feminist sub-plot (I'd be interested to know if that was deliberate) and the background in Iyanden was brilliant and also brought Craftworld population in line with the scale of 40k.

In short, his background has improved over time and I actually think in general his is very good indeed. Of course we don't actually know how much is written by him and how much is a group effort but that isn't relevent really, we are addressing what is written in the books with his name on it.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

That's because Cap is epicsauce.

[daboarder]

Well, in my opinion most of his background is fine, even in the BA and GK books with just a few issues like the Sanguinor (greater daemon of Sanguinius, what?), Draigo, the SoB thing and the SM-Eldar battle in C:SM stand out as being terrible. The Necron book was really good I thought, his background for the WD SoB dex was likewise excellent and actually brought the organisation in line with the scale of the 40k universe by removing the cap on size and number of minor orders. The new High Elf background was just superb I thought and had a distinct feminist sub-plot (I'd be interested to know if that was deliberate) and the background in Iyanden was brilliant and also brought Craftworld population in line with the scale of 40k.

In short, his background has improved over time and I actually think in general his is very good indeed. Of course we don't actually know how much is written by him and how much is a group effort but that isn't relevent really, we are addressing what is written in the books with his name on it.

I haven't read his High elf stuff, though I have heard that he did make a conscious effort to re-include the everqueen, and I'm waiting on my limited copy of iyanden (FINALLY FOUND ONE ON EBAY, AND IT DIDN'T EVEN COST ME EXTRA!!!!)

His sob stuff was alright, more broad concept than detail, but a dwarf dex will do that to an army.

I am one of the few that liked the complexity of having the sororitas be the military arm of both the ecclesiarchy and the ordo hereticus, and operating as an independent check on the power of both, added so much of the missing small details that take a good "universe" and make it a great one. but then imperial politics are one of my favourite aspects of 40k.

[Demonus]

I wish Ward would have written the CSM book :(

The more I read it the more disappointed I get. Damn Phil Kelly! I still think he was given the project a month before it was due and said "whatever, just get it out for release."

[Psychosplodge]

I seriously hope that Mat Ward penned the forthcoming Space Marine codex. The senseless nerd-rage he inspires in a sub-culture of our community has reached such ridiculous heights that it's kinda fun to watch. The digital foaming at the mouth... the helpless digital quivering in rage that the very word "Ward" seems to inspire is worth endless hours of entertainment.


TROLL


As long as no one lets him near the fluff. Considering they apparently aren't doing Army Creep this edition....

[Necron_Lord]

I can agree that the new Necrons codex made the Dante and Silent King story less ridiculous. I also agree with what the creator of this thread was saying, there are some anti-Ward zombies in the 40K world who think ALL of his fluff is like some of his worst and ALL of his codices are OP. These are the same people who whine about Necron air being auto-win or GK being auto-win in 5th. For the most part, his codices age the best and are competitive except for Daemons of Chaos in 7th Ed. which was a bit too powerful for those rules. Phil Kelly's stories may be consistently better, but Ward isn't terrible and his rules and game design are probably the best of the lot.

[LordGrise]

Originally Posted by Deadlift

I'm a fan, there I said it
Always have been, not the fluff so much but his rules have always been "fun" I am immensely disappointed he hasn't written the new marine codex. As far as I can tell the only thing he has written is the Iyanden supplement, which I really like. Balance wise I think his marine codex might be his best work and is my favorite of his.
My money's on Tyranids. That's his next codex or maybe Orks. But what ever it is it will be my next army

Originally posted by Wildeybeast
Not that this is news or a rumour, but didn't he largely write the 8th Ed rules?

No, he's got the upcoming 9th ed Hardcore rules for tournaments - you know, where every model killed on the battlefield goes straight into the propane-fired melting pot conveniently placed tableside. Metal models welcome - Finecast replacements available over in the corner...

Edited to get the quotes - can't seem to get the quote-inside-a-quote thing to work. Apologies to all for the clumsy formatting. Yeesh.

[Chris Copeland]

Troll? This seems amazingly unfair. I clearly stated where I'm coming from. I think the Ward-nerd-rage is overblown and amusing. Cheers. Cope

TROLL


As long as no one lets him near the fluff. Considering they apparently aren't doing Army Creep this edition....

[Psychosplodge]

lol

Does setting out the intention before hand make it not troll like?
Interesting viewpoint...

Just keep him away from the fluff.

[Chris Copeland]

Hmmm. We're going to have to find a way to differentiate between folks who are casually being tongue in cheek and pointing out the silliness of something and folks who go are trying to infuriate others just for the sake of infuriating them (trolling).

I'm putting forth (comically, I think) the proposition that all of the nerd-rage aimed at Mr. Ward is overblown and silly and even deserves a little mockery. Others in this thread seem to agree with me. We think the apocalyptic nerd-rage spewed towards Ward is unwarranted and should stop. Certainly that isn't crossing over the line into trolling, is it?

Cheers. Cope

[Psychosplodge]

Nah, the original troll post was intended to be tongue in cheek :D

[Chris Copeland]

Nah, the original troll post was intended to be tongue in cheek :D

Well, I thought it was pretty amusing and made it's point nicely. Cheers

[Power Klawz]

Its basically the absolute definition of trolling. Saying something on the internet with the intent to garner vehemently contradictory responses, so that you may then continue to egg on your audience with further inciteful comments.

To claim ignorance to the effect such statement would have on a general population of wargaming nerds is self contradictory, as to have the prerequisite knowledge required to offer forth the stated opinion you must also possess the experience which would suggest that such an outcome is a foregone conclusion.

In other words...

TROLL

[Mr Mystery]

Yet how many people will wander into any given 40k thread, and look for an excuse to pick on Matt (possibly Mat) Ward?

And how many are able to actually articulate why he is considered such a poor author? In my experience, it's really rather few. It's a Hobbyhipster thing. It's trendy to rag on him, so never mind actually being able to describe why!

[Chris Copeland]

^this... well said...

[DarkLink]

They're always like "but Draigo is so over the top", and I'm like "you're playing the wrong game if you don't like over the top".

[Mr Mystery]

This is a setting of Gods and Heroes.

Far closer to Science Fantasy than your standard Science Fiction.

Now this is not to say anyone who dislikes any given author I happen to like is therefore wrong, just that it kind of helps to be taken seriously if you can explain why!

[Chris Copeland]

Power Klawz, I suppose I see this as more nuanced than that. I think trolls are going out of their way to enrage people. They post inflammatory comments simply to make folk mad. Their threads and posts seem to have no other point. THIS thread is about pointing out how silly Ward-hating-nerd-rage is. I'm trying to use humor to make my point. Every thread that has some chance of angering some sub-population of our community isn't automatically trolling. Cheers. Good gaming to all. Cope


Its basically the absolute definition of trolling. Saying something on the internet with the intent to garner vehemently contradictory responses, so that you may then continue to egg on your audience with further inciteful comments.

To claim ignorance to the effect such statement would have on a general population of wargaming nerds is self contradictory, as to have the prerequisite knowledge required to offer forth the stated opinion you must also possess the experience which would suggest that such an outcome is a foregone conclusion.

[Chris Copeland]

I actually like Ward's fluff. The Necron codex is amongst my favorites. The Draigo thing doesn't bother me because I think it is more about the denizens of the warp screwing with a hero than anything else. Nor do I mind the SoB bloodbath. I think it shows that the Knights will go to any ends to win the war, no matter how drastic. I don't think they relished what they did... they did it (as extreme as it was) because it was the only viable option at hand.

It does seem to me that there is a section of our community who have just decided to bash Ward (is it Mat or Matt?) no matter what. This seems silly to me.

[MajorWesJanson]

It does seem to me that there is a section of our community who have just decided to bash Ward (is it Mat or Matt?) no matter what. This seems silly to me.

It's not just Ward, either. it seems "trendy" to be negative about GW, to come up with the next "witty" pejorative "Failcast, Dinobots, Baby-carrier," as if doing so earns some sort of GW hater internet cred.

[Mr Mystery]

True dat.

Being a form of sculpture, and therefore arguably art, it's always going to be down to the tastes of the individual as to whether or not they like a given model or not.

But there is again a distinct trend of just disliking them because it's seen to be cool.

Likewise those who appear to have failed to notice that as a company, GW are in the business of making money, and are not in fact some form of peculiar charity....

[Defenestratus]

I too would like more Matt Ward books. I've already grown bored of the Eldar book that PK wrote that people seem to think is a great book... I keep drawing myself towards Blood Angels - even if they are obsoleted in 6ed. My BA army can look like so many different things (DoA, Dreadmob, Tanks Everywhere, Storm Ravens, Terminators, etc..) - where as my Eldar army just looks the same everytime I play it... Dire Avengers in Wave Serpents or jetbike guardians plus salt and pepper.

[Power Klawz]

I think I have some extra pages in my Eldar codex then, as there seem to be a few more entries besides dire avengers in wave serpents.

[DarkLink]

Yeah, Warp Spiders and War Walkers. Go Phil Kelly rulebooks!

[Defenestratus]

I think I have some extra pages in my Eldar codex then, as there seem to be a few more entries besides dire avengers in wave serpents.

Sure - for units that don't really matter.

The "go to" troops choice though is the dire avenger mounted in a wave serpent or the guardian jetbike. The other troops are... sadly lacking.

Granted the "core" of the blood angels army looks the same but it doesn't rely on it thanks to combat squads.

2 troops choices and you get 4 scoring units. How awesome is that? Then you can make the rest of army whatever you want!

[daboarder]

.....wait, are you upset because their are limited "good" troops in the eldar codex, but then comparing it to the Blood angel dex and claiming that


Dreadmob, Tanks Everywhere, Storm Ravens(ok these are pretty good), Terminators,

are good units in that codex?

those units are no more "optimal" than any of the eldar units you've just called lackluster.

Fun to play with sure, but then so are the eldar options.

[Psychosplodge]

Well, it was pretty amusing

and gave me the opportunity to scream troll, which is always appreciated :D

[Cap'nSmurfs]

There's plenty of good stuff in the Eldar book. I don't know what you kids are chatting about.

[eldargal]

There's plenty of good stuff in the Eldar book. I don't know what you kids are chatting about.

Agreed, though there is a problem with the Troops section. Guardians are still meh and make no sense, Dire Avenges and Jetbikes are just plain better. Having said that how many armies have more than 2-3 troops choices anyway with usually one being sub optimal.

[DarkLink]

And Rangers, just like SM scouts, are pretty much useless for anything but being cheap objective holders, in an edition where stuff like Tau and Heldrakes make cheap, cover-reliant objective holders pretty obsolete. Snipers in general are overpriced, really.

[Eldar_Atog]

I would disagree on the Guardians being "Meh". To me, they are a solid choice that have won me multiple games with the new codex. The improved ballistic skill and battle focus have made them a great choice again.

I have to agree about the rangers still being a little weak but they are so cheap that I don't mind. They serve the same purpose as cultists plus they can shoot at range. The perfect thing for finishing off a squad that has been whittled down.

My only disappointments with the new codex are the wraithknight, banshees, and scorpions. So much potential...

[Fanboy]

You are disappointed with the wraithknight..... :confused:........ really, why?

[Eldar_Atog]

You are disappointed with the wraithknight..... :confused:........ really, why?

The model is great but it's just too expensive points wise. The thing is tough but it can only put out 2 or 3 shots a turn. Once I've killed the more serious threats, I can deal with it as an afterthought.

Plus Khaine help you if you are playing against someone with Wraithguard. They will murder your knights with their wraith weapons.

[Fanboy]

Got it. Thanks.

[DarkLink]

Wraithknights are a very good unit, and certainly aren't overpriced in their basic configuration. I'd thought people had gotten over the Wraithknight hate when the codex actually came out, but I guess there are some people out there who haven't figured out how to use them yet.

[Power Klawz]

I never saw any glaring issues with guardians. They're good at what they do, which is guarding stuff. Anything that gets within18-24 inches of a full guardian squad can pretty much kiss its collective *** good bye. Yeah they fold like origami if a helchicken sneezes on them, but so does everything. 9 points for space elves man, everything can't be storm shield termys.

[DarkLink]

Anything that gets within 18-24" of them will probably just shoot them to death first. Camping objectives isn't a particularly good use of Guardians.

[Mr Mystery]

Anything that gets within 18-24" of them will probably just shoot them to death first. Camping objectives isn't a particularly good use of Guardians.

Which still brings its own tactical opportunities, including a strong circle of discouragement around an objective. Between the upping of their BS, and Shuiken Catapults getting a bit of a boost, they punish anyone who goes near them.

[DarkLink]

...yes, I understand that if you just walk into the little Guardian bubble, you'll get shot. I got that. My point is, my stuff with a longer range can just move in at my leisure and shoot you first. Even if you don't die, your scary little guardian bubble isn't so scary anymore. Letting your opponent dictate the terms of engagement is not a tactical opportunity. And, honestly, I don't really think it was that scary in the first place. Shuriken weapons are good, but they're not that​ good.

[Cap'nSmurfs]

The point is, with a few exceptions, there's no such thing as a Bad Unit. Someone out there has found a way to make them work in a list.

There are definitely some units which are more obviously desirable, but I don't think this translates into "some units are Objectively Bad".

[Eldar_Atog]

Wraithknights are a very good unit, and certainly aren't overpriced in their basic configuration. I'd thought people had gotten over the Wraithknight hate when the codex actually came out, but I guess there are some people out there who haven't figured out how to use them yet.


I've seen them played in multiple games and I remain unimpressed. Their main purposes are fire magnet and vehicle hunter.

For me, it's very simple. If I were playing a gun line list, he might be worth taking. He would make a nice anchor for my lines. I am not playing gun line lists though. My current army relies on Guardians in serpents, vypers, jetbikes, warp spiders to take the fight to the enemy.

I've had to play gun line for the last few years due to the weaknesses of the former codex. I'm burned out on it and want to play a more attack oriented list.

[Demonus]

I've seen them played in multiple games and I remain unimpressed. Their main purposes are fire magnet and vehicle hunter.

For me, it's very simple. If I were playing a gun line list, he might be worth taking. He would make a nice anchor for my lines. I am not playing gun line lists though. My current army relies on Guardians in serpents, vypers, jetbikes, warp spiders to take the fight to the enemy.

I've had to play gun line for the last few years due to the weaknesses of the former codex. I'm burned out on it and want to play a more attack oriented list.

Ive had nothing but the best success with my WK. Granted for some reason I thought he was a Character the first time I played him, and that caused him to slaughter a Dante led group of Sanguinary Guard with Priest, but he has still been solid with the 300pt set of SL and Cannon/Shield. Dropping 3 twin linked str 6 ap2 blasts on a unit that deep strikes in and stays in the perfect little bubble is priceless. I think I did 21 wounds the first time :)

I wish he had a better hand weapon though as a cool sword combined with the shield and 2 shoulder mount weapons would be bad ***.

[DarkLink]

I've seen them played in multiple games and I remain unimpressed. Their main purposes are fire magnet and vehicle hunter.


Well, there's your problem. That's not what their main purpose is.

Wraithknights are a very flexible unit. They're fast, tough, they can punch stuff, and they can shoot stuff. They are a jack of all trades unit. If all you try and use them for is to pop tanks and jump in your opponent's face going 'oooggaabbooogaaaboogaaa', sure, they're nothing too special. What they do, however, is fill in a lot of little gaps that the rest of the Eldar army has. By their nature they're not going to generally do something extremely impressive every single turn, but when you add up their contribution in most games they're well worth the points, and they can save you in some matchups, and pretty much all of the Wraithknights bad matchups are well covered by the strengths of the rest of your army.