Monday, June 24, 2013

Continuing to learn the Eldar Codex... Kind of a rolling review...

So, mostly looking closer at the things I plan on fielding...

My Army will likely be led out by a Spiritseer as I am REALLY liking the Wraiths for Troops.  Yes, they are a bit slower and their weapons may well be short ranged overkill.  I am looking at the Fearless and extremely high Toughness.  I will be fielding one as the D-Scythe unit and one as the "normal" ones, both at 5 strong in Wave Serpents.  Not sure if I will be sending my Seer with one squad or not.  But Distort weapons are looking like a terrifying answer to the big nasty things out there...  Tau uber suits, Demons, etc...  Whatever, I roll a 6 to wound and ID it at AP 2, so only the 5++ for a lot of things.  I do not think that the army, if I based it COMPLETELY on Wraiths would work given the small numbers on my side and the inability to stand up to a real torrent of fire...  Kind of like my DA force...  But as the "anchor" or "anvil" for the rest of the Army I think this will work well.

Swooping Hawks...  I am REALLY liking them.  I think they will be the thing that actually wins me a few games.  Large Blast, no deviation on the Deep Strike and then a torrent of shooting...  I think they will be assassinating things like IG Command Squads, Marine Scouts, etc...  Line Breaker if they live I guess...  But have to be a LOT more careful with these lads than a standard Marine Assault element.  They have bad armor, but are very mobile...  Decent shooting, though only Str 3 for the most part, so I'll be hoping to roll well on the cause wounds and hoping they roll poorly for armor saves.  The Exarch's weapons have changed a bit with this edition, have to say I am kind of liking it, but have only gotten a few games in with them, so not 100% convinced which to use.

Scorpions:  Standard HtH, flanking to hit the enemy in the vulnerable areas, hopefully...  Still annoyed they cannot Assault out of Reserve, but...  Keeping the squad cheapish, the Exarch is an absolute beast in Challenges or just HtH in general with Chain Sabers...  Kind of an "eh" option overall I think.  I feel like I NEED something to deal with HtH threats, and I can have flankers come in on my own edge to be mobile reserves, or more likely attack the enemy strong point and go for Line Breaker and disruption of their firing line...

Heavy Support:  It is CROWDED there.  Honestly I am thinking I will continue to play the things I have for the last few editions with one exception...

The Dark Reapers finally get to come back from their shelf exile.  No jink cover saves mean I think that Eldar and Tau are going to be really hating seeing these lads on the field.  It kind of goes without having to say it, I will be using the AT missile upgrades for all of them.  So, either 2 shots at Str 5 AP 3 or one at Str 8 AP3...  I guess pinning might come into effect some times, but I have not seen it happen often :-)...  Exarch's weapon, the Tempest Launcher I have might be the thing to keep playing, though without Split Fire, it may be wasted some times...  But Night Vision, Fast Shot and people playing for the Night Fighting hoping that I cannot see them to shoot at them?  Might be getting First Blood a LOT with this unit on the field...

War Walkers:  The more I use them, the more I like them.  Still unhappy that the AAA option for the EML is even more expensive, I think that EVERY missile launcher should just have the damn Flak option built in at the base cost of the ML, but I'm just an Engineer, not a game designer, what do I know...  The 5++, move shoot move option and the weight of fire these lads can put down range is really quite impressive.  The standard weapon mix has shifted, but better balanced I think.  No longer really going dual Scatter Lasers for everyone, the SL/Bright Lance option they came with in the most ancient times seems to be the one I have the best luck with.

Wraith Lords:  Still lacking the ++ save and still vulnerable to massed poison or AT shooting, but these guys are still insanely powerful for Armies not prepared to deal with the T8 Monster hitting their lines...  And now I can get 2 Heavy Weapons without the stupid "twin linked if you buy 2 of the same"...  Wow, that was stupid.  But is also past edition.  Now, they are pretty darn powerful.  I tend to keep mine in a "free safety" position as a mobile reserve should anyone try to crash my lines...  Yes, I played American Football for a while in the ancient times because my HS did not have a Hockey team at the time, I was a Free Safety and I played like Gary Fencik or Doug Plank...  NOT nearly so well, but I had no particular problem playing the game a "bit rougher" or fighting if it came to that.  The Linebacker and I would arrainge it to have one of us get to the player (receiver or QB) and hold him.  NOT tackle, just set him up to be hit really hard by the next guy.  Technically legal as the player was NOT down, but a bit dirty...  Getting myself tossed out of the game as long as I took their QB with me was a net win for my team :-)...  But keeping the WL back to guard objectives and snipe with heavy weapons makes for a rough choice on the other side of the table...  Ignore it, give up the objectives being held and just take the 2-3 Heavy Weapon shots/turn or crash in and hope for the best.  Oh, the WL is a Character too :-)  So, precision shots, challenges, etc...

Fire Prism/Night Spinner:  YES...  I am liking the various fire options for both of those tanks.  I HAVE and have played the Fire Prism several times.  The 3 choices are awesome, and with Holo Fields, it is an annoyingly survivable light Tank.  NOT something I can just drive up the middle of the field daring them to shoot me like a Land Raider with the 4++, but...  Overall I think a better tank.  The Spinner is one I am looking forward to trying.  My initial thoughts are that it depends too much on good rolls to be useful overall. Yes, it can Pin, Rend, etc., and it has the Torrent template option which would murder the enemy bikers of doom that hit the field here...  But with just average rolls?  I think the Prism is still the better one at least for me...

Vaul's Wrath:  Support Weapons?  The D-Cannon looks amazing, and if I can put it up in a Bastion or behind an Aegis line?  Maybe.  But the 24" range kind of kills it for me.  If only they did not have so many other Heavy options I just feel are better...  So, a gimmick option for me...  I HAVE 2 old D-Cannons, so I can legally field them, but honestly I do not see this happening often.

Wraith Knight:  Eh...  Yes, he would be better than the WL...  But a monstrously huge target.  I will probably get one eventually, and I do think I could easily make it work with my army...  Just do not think I NEED it now, and with real life expenses being what they are...  Mind, should someone want to pick up some ancient firearms or an old motorcycle :-)...  But, something for "later" I think.

Falcon:  The only one in the section I do not see myself using.  Ever.  It costs the same as the Fire Prism, and the Pulse Laser is not as good as the Prism's main gun.  Yes, it has transport capability, but 6 models?  And it is NOT a dedicated transport option...  If it were, I could see using them all the time, but giving up one of my 3 HS slots for a substandard tank/transport option?  No thanks...

So, for my armies the choices are: War Walkers, Wraith Lord, Fire Prism and Dark Reapers...  All of which are ~ equal for me, depending a bit on the makeup of the rest of my force...  But I tend to play a VERY mobile Eldar style, even with Wraiths...

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