Elves in SPAAACE!!!: Codex Eldar Craftworlds Review Part 3

Hello again, faithful readers. This is part 3 of my codex review of Eldar Craftworlds. In this section, I'll be going over the Fast Attack, Heavy Support, and Lord of War options for the codex. This is going to be a fairly long one, but I really don't want to break it up, otherwise it'll be really short, so this is how its going to be.

Wave Serpent

The Wave Serpent is the primary transport of the craftworlds, though its capacity to deal death has earned it a fell reputation among the enemies of the Eldar. Atop its turret it mounts a twin array of heavy weaponry that blasts priority targets, forcing the enemy to lie low as the grav-tank swoops down for its passengers to deploy. But it is the thrumming tsunami of energies that precedes it that gives the tank its durability - and its deadliest offensive weapon. Not only can this serpent shield disperse the most violent of onslaughts, it can also be discharged against the foe, rippling forward at great speed to slam them in the ground in a mass of broken bones and shattered armour.

Ah the infamous Wave Serpent. Well, I think even the most pessimistic person will agree that they have been nerfed into balance now. Firstly, and I think this is the most important change, the Scatter Laser lost the Laser Lock special rule, so they no longer are twin-linked all around if you take one (lets be honest, with 4 twin-linked shots at bs 4 you were getting laser lock). In addition, the Serpent Shield was nerfed pretty heavily. First, it has gone down to strength 6, and its range has been reduced to 24" instead of 60". Also, it is now heavy 2d6, which is better than the d6+1, but it can only be shot one time, and if you do, it takes away the shield for the rest of the game. Still, its a fantastic transport, and I really think that it is worth the points, with out being better armed than any battle tank in the game. The best part about the nerf is that I no longer feel dirty taking more than 2 of them, so I think that's a good sign. Kudos to Games Workshop on this one for nerfing a unit without making it worthless.

Swooping Hawks

Soaring on the hot thermals of war, the Swooping Hawks appear almost angelic from a distance. Those who fall under their attention soon realise the truth - though these airborne Aspect Warriors are heralds of victory to their fellows, they carry the message of death to the foe. Long-barrelled lasblasters flicker, cutting down lightly armoured opponents, as compact grenade packs sow disaster through the enemy's ranks. Wherever a rival for aerial supremacy presents itself, the Swooping Hawks dart in, clamping haywire grenades to the fuselage of the aircraft in mid-flight. In their wake they leave nothing but a lightening-scorched hunk of metal that plummets into the carnage below.

Swooping Hawks are a weird choice, and while they got nothing but buffs, I'm still not overly impressed. First of all, their grenade packs are the same, and they were pretty good before, so that's a nice thing. They also kept Skyleap, but now it's granted by their wings, which means an Autarch with Swooping Hawk Wings also gets Skyleap. The wings also make them jump infantry, but instead of moving 12", they get to move 18". Finally, they gained the Intercept special rule, which sounds really awesome, but I don't think will actually come up ever. If a unit of Hawks moves over a flyer of flying monstrous creature, they make a Strength 4 AP4 attack with the haywire special rule that always hits on a 4+. Flyers are always hit on their side armour. This is pretty good, but its way better against flyers, and they'll likely be able to position themselves in such a way that you can't get over them. Additionally, if you're moving around, you're not using your skyleap, which may be better. Lastly, the Exarch gained the Herald of Victory rule, which allows them to Deep Strike without scattering. Kind of a nerf, as they used to do it without the Exarch. Oh well. I'm not into them, mostly because they seem to be trying to do too much at once. They have anti-infantry guns and their grenade packs, but then they also have Haywire grenades and their flyer killing abilities. Makes them a little confused in my opinion. If the grenade pack had Haywire they'd be a lot better in my opinion. Still, not a bad choice.

Warp Spiders

At first, a Warp Spider ambush is little more than a shiver in the air. Reality thins like a parting weave, revealing the armoured forms of Aspect Warriors. Even before their outlines have hardened from the haze, the Warp Spiders open fire with exotic death spinners that hurl out great clouds of monofilament wire. Wherever the wire ensnares a target, it writhes and tightens, constricting all the more as its victim struggles - and in the process slices finger, limb and head from his lacerated body. But the Warp Spiders are rarely there to witness his death - with a crackle of energy, they brave the tides of the Warp once more, as impossible to catch as the breeze.

Wow. If Warp Spiders were good before, they are amazing now. First of all, their Warp Jump Generators got even better, as you only lose a model on double 1s now, instead of any doubles. Next, the monofilament rule has gotten better... I think. Their weapons are still strength 6, but now they wound based on initiative instead of toughness. This is about the same against marines and stuff, but better against most monstrous creatures (other than Daemon Princes and Greater Daemons). Most importantly though, they gained the Flickerjump rule, which makes it so if they get shot, they can immediately move 2d6" in any direction, moving over any terrain in the way. If the move takes them out of range, then the shooting attack is lost. This is awesome, especially against short ranged shooting attacks, or if there's line of sight blocking terrain. These guys got a buff for free where they didn't really need one, and they're probably the most trolly unit in the game.

Shining Spears

Like the Dragon Knights of the Exodite worlds, the Shining Spears live to joust. They do so at breakneck pace, jetbikes their steeds, and their weapons laser lances that can burn a hole through a man's torso. Such is the mastery they have over their jetbikes that the rider and the steed can be considered one and the same. Through dense forest and urban decay the Shining Spears fly, silver-white blurs that jink faster than the eye can see. The quarry barely has time to register the attack as the lightening-swift Aspect Warriors bear down upon them, laser lances glimmering in the gloom and then discharging intense blasts of energy that lay low man and monster alike.

Shining Spears are genrally considered one of the weaker choices in the codex, and I am inclined to agree. That being said, they did get some decent buffs. Firstly, they all gain a 4+ cover save so long as they moved, and if you jink it increases to a 3+, as they have Skilled Rider. Pretty sweet. In addition, the Exarch gains a new rule that allows him to re-roll failed To Wound rolls against Monstrous Creatures, and Armour Pen rolls that are not Penetrating hits. Their main problem is that they're quite expensive, and they're a melee unit that only gets one base attack, and really relies on killing their opponent on the charge. If you get one bad round of rolls at the wrong time, you'll see a significant amount of points evaporate pretty quickly. Also, for whatever reason, they don't have Hit and Run, which is sort of weird, considering they're supposed to be a fast, hard-hitting unit that comes in and speeds away. Still, they're not terrible, and they certainly can be used if you want to.

Crimson Hunter

Leaving a blood-hued blur in their wake, the Crimson Hunters are the assassins of the sky. Perhaps the most unusual of the Aspects of Khaine, they embody the role of the remorseless hunter, who takes wing only to bring destruction to his chosen foes. Armed with pulse lasers and bright lances capable of reducing a man to a pillar of flame in a pinpoint, stabbing beam, the Crimson Hunters can surgically remove the leaders of an enemy army in a single pass. Yet their true genius is displayed in air-to-air combat. They train every waking hour to excel in ariborne duels, their fabled reflexes giving them the edge even against the gladiatorial pilots of the Dark Eldar.

The Crimson Hunter hasn't really changed, but it has gotten cheaper. They also gained Skyhunter, which allows them to re-roll armour pens against against flyers. If you upgrade to be an exarch, you also get to make Precision Shots on a 5+, which is very strange for an air-superiority fighter. I'm really not sure why they bothered with that, but it's a free upgrade, so whatever. Overall, I'm not hugely impressed by them as they have no defensive capabilities whatsoever. If your enemy brings a single skyfire/interceptor thing (like a defence line) you're going to be hurting bad, as you're only AV 10, and if you jink you'll probably miss all your shots, so that sucks too. I really wish they had some sort of dodge rule like shrouded or access to Holo-fields, but alas, they do not. There is a formation for them which I will go over later, and it makes them much better though, so I think you will still see them, but only as part of the formation.

Vyper Squadron

Arrow-swift and highly manoeuverable, the Vypers of the craftworld warhosts boast a speed that belies their destructive potential. It is the way of the Eldar to favour sheer swiftness over any amount of armour plating, and so the Vypers make maximum use of their adroitness to pick the battles in which they fight. A well-drilled Vyper squadron moves as one, capable of performing hit-and-run attacks on the vulnerable side or rear of a gun-tank, or of evading enemy interceptors sent to bring them down. Notoriously reticent to get too close, Vypers work best at range, harrying the outriders of the foe before boosting past to pour yet more firepower into them from a new vantage point.

I think I really like Vypers. For 150 points you can get a 3 man sqaud packing 6 Shuriken Cannons, which is really quite cheap. In addition, they're pretty quick, and while they down have much armour to speak of, they're still generally more durable than a unit of jetbikes. You can also upgrade their weapons for pretty cheap. For only 15 points you can take an Eldar Missile Launcher, which comes stock with Flakk missiles (called Starhawk missiles because Eldar are fancy-pants), making them a decent and cheap anti-air unit. I would love to use these guys, but I don't have any yet. I think a couple of 3 man missile squadrons would be awesome anti-air, and Missile Launchers are good against basically any target. I think these guys are very overlooked, partly because they don't pack quite the same punch as War Walkers, but I think their mobility more than makes up for it.

Hemlock Wraithfighter

The etheral scream of the Hemlock Wraithfighter drives a spike of terror into the mind, and even its flitting shadow can bring a brave man to his knees. The energies that pour from this eldritch craft are born of a psychic union between the living and the dead. Each Hemlock is piloted by a Spiritseer, a powerful psyker capable of assailing the minds of those below him with morbid visions. Stranger by far is his co-pilot, for the Wraithfighter is crewed by a dead Eldar soul who controls weapons that would drive a mortal insane. As the Wraithfighter passes over the foe, its D-scythes flare bright - a silent second later, the craft's victims slump, their souls severed from their bodies.

This is a unit that has caught my eye in the new codex. It was sort of crappy last edition, but I think it's quite good now, though it is very expensive for an AV 10 flyer. The first thing about it is it is a Psychic Pilot level 2, with access to everything a Spirit Seer can take, which is already pretty cool. I think that the only one I'd bother with is Telepathy, since the Hemlock doesn't benefit from the other disciplines that much, and Telepathy is just so damn good. Secondly, it has something called a Mindshock Pod, which causes units within 12" to subtract 2 from their Ld when taking morale, pinning or fear tests, which is ok, I guess. I would have rather this been just a straight -2 Ld, so that you could synergise with Telepathy a bit better, but it's not bad. Lastly, it comes equiped with 2 Heavy D-Scythes which is just an 18" small blast version of a regular D-scythe, meaning it can dish out some pretty awesome (though with the -1 to the D table, not overwhelming) firepower. I think the thing that makes them so great is a combination of their weapons and mastery levels. If you can get Shrouded, (or take Conceal/Reveal) then you can rip around with a constant 5+ cover save, meaning you don't necessarily have to jink, so you can fire your D-scythes every turn. In addition, Psychic Shriek is one of the best offensive powers out there, so between the two, you can really do a lot of damage. I think we'll actually be seeing this flyer this edition.

Dark Reapers

The grim, skull-like mask of the Dark Reaper surveys the landscape, every foe, mortal or machine, rendered only as prey. His is the power to slaughter from afar, for his ritual weaponry is a missile launcher of devastating potency. Chambered pods line a narrow spindle, the weapon lightweight enough to track even a speeding jetbike or jetfighter. Salvoes of missiles rip across the field into enemy infantry whilst perfectly placed shots hurtle skyward to tear open the aircraft of the foe. None can escape, for the Dark Reapers can bring the most agile of foes low. Even the fearless warriors of the Adeptus Astartes find their armour little use against the salvoes of these Aspect Warriors.

Dark Reapers are the first heavy support unit of the codex and are in my opinion one of the best units an Eldar player has access to. They are pretty pricey, especially considering they're still toughness 3, but they have a host of rules and wargear that make them awesome. First, they have their Reaper Launchers which come stock with Starswarm Missiles, (48" S 5 Ap 3 Heavy 2). This is good on its own, but you also have the option to take Starshot Missiles as well, which give you Krak missiles at 48" range. I would do this every single time, as it really gives you the ability to deal with anything from infantry to medium and even (if you're lucky) heavy tanks. Next, they also have a rule now called Inescapable Accuracy which allows them to be twin-linked against anything that Zoomed, Swooped, Turbo-boosted, or moved Flat out in the previous turn, so they can engage flyers and FMCs with decent reliability, especially if you take the Starshot missiles, as Flyers tend to not stand up to strength 8 shooting very well. They also all have Reaper Rangefinders which allows them to ignore all jink saves, making them amazing against bikes, FMCs and Flyers, especially considering you're AP3. Finally, the Exarch gets Fast Shot, so can fire one extra shot than normal, giving him a great damage output. This unit is one of my favorites because there truly isn't much of anything that won't be worried about them being on the table, and if you think they're good now, just wait until next week when I talk about the formations...

Vaul's Wrath Support Battery

In support of the Eldars' front line assault come the artillery batteries known as Vaul's Wrath. Shadow weavers spin monofilament webs that glitter in the gloaming, turning the battlefield into a scene from some demented abattoir. Nearby, vibro cannons charge up, their gut-wrenching subsonic pulses rising slowly to an unbearable shriek as their sonic energies combine to literally shake their targets apart. Distortion cannons are strangest of all, for they open temporary rifts to the Empyrean within their targets, and in doing so banish them to the Warp. The wrath of Vaul is not to be underestimated, for the ingenuity of the Eldar knows no bounds, nor a shred of mercy.

I'm not a huge fan of the Vaul's Wrath Batterys, but just like everything in the Eldar codex, they definitely aren't bad. They're quite cheap for either the Vibro Cannon or Shadow Weaver, though the D-cannon is quite a bit more expensive, and on a toughness 7 platform, they're fairly durable too. The Shadow Weaver is the base option, and is decent for 30 points. You get a 48" range S6 Ap6 barrage small blast with the mono-filament rule, which is pretty good for thinning out hordes of infantry, especially in groups of 3. For the same points, you can also take Vibro Cannons, which are 48" S7 Ap4 Heavy 1, but for each shot that hits from the unit, you add 1 to the strength, and subtract 1 from the Ap, for a potential S9 Ap2. Not bad for clearing out vehicles, Heavy infantry or MCs, but it wouldn't be my go-to choice, which is a shame, because I think they're awesome fluff-wise. Last is the D-cannon, which you may have eguessed is a S D weapon. this one is a 25 point upgrade from the other two, and has a very short range of 24" that makes me less keen on it, personally, but having a 3-shot small blast multiple barrage at strength D is pretty scary. There is one other new option for these guys that I think is excellent. You can now take a Warlock as part of the squad, and as the Primaris power of Runes of Battle is Conceal/Reveal (Shrouded for the psyker or remove it from another unit), you can park them behind some good cover and hang out with a 2+ cover save all game. My main beef with the unit is just that there are other things in the army that can give you a similar or better damage output while also being more mobile, so I just don't think they're that great.

Falcons

The curved silhouette of the Eldar Falcon is a familiar and much-dreaded sight to the enemies of the craftworlds. A mainstay of the Armouries of Vaul, the Falcon strikes in a perfect balance between adaptable utility and raw firepower. Its pilot sends the craft gliding smoothly across the battlefield, and sometimes high above it, for it is a favoured tactic amongst Falcon crews to gather in the thunderheads and dive down upon their prey like their mythical namesake. Advanced targeters allow a Falcon's gunner to pick the perfect weapon for the task, laying tanks low with pinpoint shots from its pulse laser and scattering infantry with rapid-firing energy weapons and volleys of shuriken.

The Falcon is back guys! Thanks to the much-needed nerf to the Wave Serpent, and the Wraithknight being moved to the Lord of War slot, there is once again reason and space in an army list to take Falcon Grav-tanks again. The Falcon is sort of a multi-purpose toolkit for the Eldar and boasts a transport capacity of 6 models, a Pulse Laser (48" S8 Ap2 Heavy 2), a Shuriken Catapult (which you can, and should, exchange for a Shuriken Cannon) and one other heavy weapon of your choice. Personally, I like either a Brightlance, Shuriken Cannon or Scatter Laser, but there isn't really a bad option. You also have access to all the regular stuff from the Vehicle Equipment list, and I'm a fan of Holo-fields as they now are a 5++, so you won't have to jink as often, allowing you to bring the power of your guns to bear every turn. Lastly, they can now be brought in squadrons of up to 3. Weird right? I wouldn't bother unless you were taking a unit of 3, because they gained a rule called Cloudstrike. If you have a 3-tank squadron, they gain the Deep Strike special rule, and the first Falcon placed on the table does not scatter, with the other two just needing to be depoloyed within 4" of it. My god. Take a squadron of 3, load them up with Fire Dragons and Dire Avengers, take some Bright Lances, and drop in turn 2 and reduce half the enemy army to slag immediately. I really like the Falcon, even without the Cloudstrike rule, so I thin that its worth taking to any battle.

Fire Prisms

The Fire Prism is graceful and swift, though it sacrifices none of its killing power for manoeuverability. As it darts across the battlefield, its prism cannon fires a tight beam of blinding light that punches through the hulls of its armoured prey. At the touch of a rune the pilot re-calibrates his two-stage laser array, and the cannon disperses its beam, blasting enemy infantry to scorched ruin. Sophisticated tracking arrays allow this technological wonder to channel its firepower into another prism cannon. When a squadron of Fire Prisms focus their destructive power into a single shot, the all-powerful beam of laser energy that sears out can cripple even the behemoths of the Imperium.

While  the Fire Prism isn't the most popular choice on the internet, I think that they still have a good place in an Eldar army. They have nothing other than a Shuriken Catapult, which can be upgraded to a Cannon, and a Prism Cannon. It's this Prism Cannon that I think is great. You get 3 firing modes. The first is a 60" S 5 Ap 3 Large Blast, the second, a 60" S 7 Ap 2 Small Blast, and the last is a 60" S 9 Ap 1 Lance. This allows a Fire Prism to deal with any threat on the table fairly well, though I think it is best suited for the role of tank-buster, with the lance shot. In addition, if you take it in a squadron (up to 3 tanks) They can link their Prism Cannons to add 1 to the strength and subtract 1 to the Ap, for a total of +2/-2. This is ok, but I think for the most part, I'd just rather have more shots. The thing that seems to turn people off is that it's still only 1 shot, but if you take a Farseer with Guide and Prescience, you can be twin-linking 2 of these bad boys a turn, for some pretty good reliablity. Also, with a strength 9 Lance, there isn't a vehicle in the game that isn't at least a bit nervous of a Fire Prism, as you're glancing everything on a 3, and penning on a 4+. Thats pretty good odds, especially when you're blowing them up a 1/3 times you get a pen. I think they're one of the under-rated units of the codex.

Night Spinners

When the Night Spinners prowl, the doom brought upon the enemy is silent, subtle and horrific. Humming into view on a cushion of anti-gravitic energies, these skimmers use their doomweavers to send tangled clouds of monofilament wire high into the air. The wires drift down, as light as gossamer - yet where they touch the enemy they leave only visceral remains behind. Each strand is so robust it is virtually unbreakable, yet so thin it can cut through every substance known to realspace without slowing. Those caught beneath a monofilament cloud are sliced to ribbons, whilst those directly in the doomweaver's sights are reduced to little more than bleeding red sludge.

Just like the Fire Prism, the Night Spinner is a really overlooked unit. I wrote an article about them awhile ago, and since the Night Spinner hasn't changed a lot in the new book, I think most of what I said still applies. The main thing that has changed, is that they are now weaker against vehicles, as monofilament no longer is a +1 S against I 3 or worse, but it's still a potent vehicle. Just like the Fire Prism, a squadron can join their shots to add a shot to the firing model's total and add an extra strength to it. So a unit of 3 would get to fire 3 shots at Strength 9, which is really scary for most armies, as you're looking at 3 Large Blasts that are pinning and Barrage, AND sort of rending. They also can still fire their Doomweaver like a flamer, which is nice, and the Monofilament Shroud rule does not specify that you can't use it to fire 3 flamer shots in the same way, so that can be really handy to get rid of a unit that comes too close. Again, I'm a fan, as Barrage is awesome, and Doomweavers are awesome, so this makes Night Spinners awesome.

War Walkers

Those that think they have escaped the main Eldar assault are often hunted down by cannon-armed War Walker squadrons. Enemy convoys are torn apart by hyper-focussed lasers before they realise they are under attack, platoons melt away under a hurricane of shuriken cannon fire, and the fighter planes of the foe are brought screaming down to earth like balls of fire hurled from the firmament, Even those enemies that are able to retaliate often find their shots deflected by the squadron's shimmering force fields, while any quick enough to get embroiled in close assault learn that the kicking, stamping legs of the War Walkers are deadly weapons in their own right.

War Walkers are an old favorite of many an Eldar player, so I think I should be honest when I say I have never actually used them before. From what I can tell though, they're like slower, more heavily armed Vypers. Basically, you're an AV 10 walker with 2 heavy weapons, a 5++, and scout, which is pretty nice. You can be taken in squadrons of 3, and your base points cost with Shuriken Cannons or Scatter Lasers is 60 points, so you're not too expensive. I think the way I'd run them is throw on a pair of weapons (pick what you want a squadron to kill, and outfit them accordingly) and then outflank them to come on the board and blast units and vehicles from the side. I think they are especially good for anti armour, because regardless of what you give them, you can probably destroy a vehicle by shooting its side, or even rear armour after outflanking. A good investment for any army.

Wraithlord

Wraithlords are graceful yet mighty monarchs of the dead, each towering war-shell inhabited by the soul of a hero from ages past. Those who once trained in the arts of the long-ranged kill bear long-barrelled cannons that sow death even as streams of shuriken shoot from weapons mounted upon their wrists. Those who prefer to feel the splash of blood on their wraithbone bodies cleave whole ranks of the foe with curving ghostglaives or smash through rockcrete bunkers to seize the prey beneath. Only the true lords of the Eldar race have the strength of will to animate a Wraithlord; they are valued indeed, for the fusion of vengeful spirit and supernatural toughness is all but unstoppable.

Wraithlords are one of the only units not to change at all from last edition. This can be seen as either a good or bad thing, as they were generally considered lackluster then, and I think that opinion will remain the same. I think that they're pretty good, personally, as you can kit them out with as much firepower as a War Walker plus have some strong assault ability too, but they are quite expensive. Still, even just sitting them in cover with your Dark Reapers or grav-tanks with a couple of heavy weapons firing down range is pretty good, as they're toughness 8 with a 3+. If you use them in this way, you can also use them as a counter charge unit, to help scar away things that might want to assault your more vulnerable units. I think used properly (i.e, not just walking them up the middle) they can be a pretty decent unit.

Wraithknight

Though all of a craftworld's immortal ghost warriors are giants, the Wraithknights are true colossi. Crewed by both a living pilot and an Eldar soul, the construct moves with a speed and precision that belies its size. though they loom over even the Wraithlords the accompany to war, these machines are still dextrous enough to run through the ruin of a shattered Imperial city or leap across the fang-lined chasms of the crone worlds. It is their duty not only to bring destruction to those who would oppose their craftworld, but to preserve its continued existence, for, of all the Eldar's creations, it is the Wraithknight that is trusted above all others to collect the waystones that keep their race safe from the gluttonous appetite of Slaanesh. In battle, Wraithknights typically use heavy wraithcannons to hurl their foes into the hell-realm of the Warp, though others may sow molten carnage amongst the enemy's ranks with a long-barrelled suncannon or charge into the heart of combat, prismatic shields flaring and sentient ghostglaives scything down soldiers and lords alike.

Ah the Wraithknight. The unit responsible for untold rage-quits and Eldar players everywhere getting their nightly bath of the tears of other gamers. Well, I'm proud to report that rather than toning it down, or adjusting its points to be reasonable, Games Workshop have seen fit to buff them up even further! Most important of the changes, is they are now Gargantuan Creatures, which brings to them a slew of special rules like Feel no Pain, and allows them to fire as many guns as they can carry, all at different targets. While their points did go up, they are still only 235 points with the most expensive loadout. Secondly, their Heavy Wraithcannons are now, you guessed it, strength D, and with 36" of range, people are crying foul all over the place. Personally, I don't think that's all that bad, as you can get strength D elsewhere easily in the codex, and with only 2 shots, you're not that likely to be getting the fabled 6 more than once or twice a game anyways. The second option was my favorite in the last edition, and is still fairly good, but losing the Scatter Laser's Laser Lock rule hurt it. The Suncannon and Scattershield is still a pretty good choice, especailly if you want to decimate infantry. you get 3 strength 6 ap 2 small blasts from the gun, and now you can fire all your weapons, so you can take a couple of other weapons to shoot as well. I really like this one as you get a 5++, which is very important for keeping your knight alive. Lastly we have the Ghostglaive and Scatteshield. This is my new favorite, as it is just devastating. The Wraithknight got a special rule when using the Ghostglaive that makes it strength D, which in my opinion, it should have had from the beginning, as it was +1 strength on a strength 10 model. When you combine 4 (5 on the charge) strength D attacks at initiative 5 with stomp attacks, it makes the melee Wraithknight loadout a beast, able to wipe out entire units of infantry in a turn or two. In one game that I played, a single Wraithknight killed a Daemon Prince, 3 units of blood letters and a unit of plague bearers by itself and still had 2 wounds remaining. It's seriously insane. So yes. The Wraithknight is definitely broken, though by no means unkillable, so if you're an Eldar player and you don't have one of these, get one, use it, and watch the tears flow.

Avatar of Khaine

The molten demigod of war blazes from legend into reality, his almighty bellow of bloodlust fuelling an unferno in the hearts of all those Eldar who hear it. The living Avatar is an ancient war deity incarnate, rivaled in power only by the incalculable energies of the mightiest Daemons of the immaterium. His eyes glow like embers, and as he moves, his body of burning iron crackles and spits fire, while tendrils of smoke and cinders wreath him like a dark cloak. His mere prescence insites the Eldar around him into a black and merciless rage, the fires of the Bloody-Handed God's battle lust crackling within them. he marches through the flame and fury that the foe sends in his direction without breaking stride, laughing cruelly as the Wailing Doom tastes hot flesh and rich, spurting lifeblood. None can truly stop the Avatar, for even should he somehow be slain, his mortal form returns to his iron throne at the heart of the craftworld. There the towering statue awaits the call to a new war, and another chance to spill lakes of gore in Khaine's name.

The Avatar is the second Lord of War for the Eldar, and one that I don't think will be appearing in any competetive form. That's not to say that he's bad, but compared to the Wraithknight's insanity, he's kind of a chump. He's not too expensive, less than most of the Phoenix Lords in fact, and comes with a bunch of rules that really help a melee-oriented Eldar force. Firstly, his Khaine Awakened rule gives all Eldar units within 12" Fearless, Furious Charge, and Rage. this is absolutely fantastic for any of the melee units that we have, particularily Banshees and Scorpions. Second, he is immune to all flamers, melta, Pyromancy powers (as if it needed to be worse) and weapons with the soulblaze special rule, which is hilarious if you play against a Chaos player who gets the boon that makes his weapons gain the Soul Blaze rule. Not huge, but the resistance to melta will definately come in handy. Finally we have the Wailing Doom, which can be used as both a melee and shooting weapon. If you shoot it, it's a meltagun, and in melee it's +2 strength Ap 1 and armour bane, meaning you'll be Strength 8 (9 on the charge) in melee, which is pretty great. I think the thing that kills him for me is that he still only moves 6", so by Eldar standards, he's incredibly slow, especially for a melee unit. Also, while toughness 6 is respectable, it isn't going to keep him alive for long, especially if they turn some anti-tank guns on him, so he's not really the toughest MC out there, and he probably won't last long. That said, if you're running a Footdar army, he's sort of a must, and he's a big buff for any melee army as well. Good for fun games.

And with that we have made it through an analysis of every unit in the Eldar codex. Next week I'll be going over the formations, warlord traits, psychic powers, relics, and detatchment. It's gonna be cool.

Elves in SPAAACE!!!: Codex Eldar Craftworlds Review Part 2

Welcome back everyone! Its time for part 2 of my review of the new Codex: Eldar Craftworlds. This part will go over the Troops and Elites sections of the codex.

Guardian Defenders

As extinction overshadows the Eldar, it is tragic that those who might propagate their race are forced to take up arms. Guardians are citizen warriors driven by the simple desire to survive and feulled by the fury of a regal people denied their birthright. In the glorious panoply of their world-ships, the Guardians fan out in support of the craftworld's specialist troops, heavy weapons platforms smoothly traversing the corpse-dotted wastes in their wake. Foes that come too close do not live long to regret it, for though Guardians are not as skilled as their Aspect Warrior brethren, the colume of flesh-ripping shuriken they lay down can surpass even that of the Dire Avengers.

First up are the Guardians. These are a pretty good, cheap troop unit, which while they're fragile they can really put out a ton of firepower. They each carry a shuriken catapult (12" S 4 Ap 5 and any to wound roll of 6 is ap 2) and plasma grenades, and come with the standard Eldar Special Rules, Ancient doom (Hatred v.s Slaanesh, and -1 ld on fear tests against Slaanesh), Battle Focus (can shoot and run in the same turn) and Fleet. For every 10 models in the unit, they can take a heavy weapon platform, which is a heavy weapon fired by a guardian as if it were an assault weapon. They can also have a Warlock leader if you want a bit of psychic support, and with the Runes of Battle primaris power being Conceal, it's a pretty good option for getting your Guardians into range. Personally, I'm not a huge fan, as their weapons only being 12" is just too short of range to make an effective shooting unit, but some people really like them, so I guess its just preference. By no means a bad unit.

Storm Guardians

There are citizens in each craftworld that feel the flame of war kindle in their breast. Should necessity dictate it, these warriors-to-be are gathered into tight groups and sent to fight in support of the Aspect Warriors. Although they lack the protection afforded by Aspect armour, they fight with all the skill and grace of their kind, their elegant chainswords and blades sweeping into the foe, chopping through limbs and joints before their adversaries can retaliate. Where the enemy's warriors hide behind armoured hulls or hunker down in cover, this citizen militia will bring fusion guns and flamers to the fore, burning the foe into the open where the killing can begin in earnest.

Storm Guardians are an interesting choice, and while at first I thought they were sort of crap, I'm starting to think that maybe they're not so bad. Really, they're just a melee/special weapon unit that is sort of like a unit of Guardsmen with a better stat line. The unit starts at 8 models, which is sort of weird, but you can add up to 12 more, for a total of 20 models, which is kinda neat, as you can sort of drown people in numbers. You can also equip 2 models in the unit with either a Flamer or Fusion Gun, and also equip 2 models with Power Weapons. I like the idea of taking a couple of Fusion Guns and Power Axes and just seeing where that takes me. All this being said, these guys won't be winning many fights for you, so only throw them up against weedier units, or in support of your Aspect Warriors like Striking Scorpions or Howling Banshees.

Windriders

In battle, the jetbike riders of the Eldar operate as forward scouts and fast-response troops, speeding across the battlefield in a brightly coloured blur before unleashing tight fusillades of shuriken. At the last moment before he hurtles into the enemy line, the Windrider fires, shredding his awed foes with the paired shuriken catapults that allow the jetbike its impressive rate of fire. With a twist of the handlebars, the pilot veers away to safety, turning his steed for another pass. It is considered a singular hnour for a Guardian to ride to war within the Windrider hosts, sun glinting from his jetbike cowling and air swirling in his wake.

Not only are Windriders (formerly known as Guardian Jetbikes) the best troop unit in this codex, I think I can make a strong argument that they're the best troop unit in the entire game. 51 points buys you a unit of 3 Eldar Jetbikes which move 12", can turbo-boost 36" and get an assault move of 2d6". That's a possible 60" of movement in a single turn. They also can each take a Scatter Laser or Shuriken Cannon, which turns your 3 man unit of incredibly fast moving troops into a crazy weapon platform too. I've been loving a unit of 3 with Scatter Lasers for a small unit footprint. You can move out from behind line of sight blocking terrain, fire, then jump back in with your assault move. In addition, if you take them as part of a Combined Arms Detatchment then they'll be objective secured as well. 10/10. Would use.

Rangers

Those that walk the winding Path of the Outcast are amongst the most cunning of all Eldar. By travelling the winding capillaries of the webway, loose groups of Rangers appear unbidden, emerging from strange portals that the enemy could pass close by and never notice. Clad in chameleoline cloaks that mimic their surroundings to such a degree that their wearers are rendered almost invisible,  Rangers form an elite corps of snipers that typically shun the front line, choosing instead to alter the course of battle from afar. Picking the choicest targets from amongst the opposition's ranks, these expert marksmen can hit an enemy commander in the eye socket from extreme range.

Well, as much as I like Rangers, I'm sorry to report that they still are pretty lackluster. They come with all the rules that you would expect from a sniper, Move Through Cover, Infiltrate, and Shrouded, and of course the Ranger long rifle. The long rifle, as far as I can tell is just a regular sniper rifle, despite what the fluff may tell you. I was really hoping that they would bring back the rending on to hit rolls as well as to wound rolls that they used to have, even if it came with a points increase. As it is, they're ok objective campers, but I just find that they don't really deal any damage to speak of.

Dire Avengers

Those marked for death by these Aspect Warriors are not killed cleanly, though their demise is always spectacular, for the shuriken catapult is never more deadly than in the hands of the Dire Avengers. These warriors consider the hurling of the bladed disc the truest of Khaine's red arts; at war, they unleash them in great slicing hurricanes, delivering death by a thousand cuts in the time it takes a man to scream. Despite the grisly manner in which they visit destruction upon the foe, the Dire Avengers are considered the epitome of the noble warrior - an indication of just how pitiless the craftworlds can be when their anger is roused.

Dire Avengers are the last of the troops in Codex Eldar Craftworlds, and one of the better ones. They haven't gone up in points at all, and have all the same stuff as before, with a few differences. First off, they lose Counter-attack, but gained a rule called Defence Tactics. If a unit consisting entirely of models with this rule is assaulted, they can either fire their Overwatch at BS 2, or they can gain Counter-attack and Stubborn. Most of the time, I would choose the improved Overwatch most of the time, especially against anything T 4 or better. In addition, the Exarch gains Battle Fortune for free which grants a 4++. Lastly, all Exarchs in this codex gain an additional wound now, but their armour save is not 3+ across the board. Still, I think that's a good trade off, as the worst armour save an Aspect Warrior has is still a respectable 4+. Dire Avengers are probably the best all-around Troop choice, aside from Windriders, and they're relatively cheap for all the stuff you get out of the unit.

Howling Banshees

To hear the cry of the Banshee is to die. The piercing, psychosonic scream that precedes the assault of these bone-armoured warriors renders those who hear it all but helpless. These mind-destroying shockwaves buy the Howling Banshees time enough to strike, each Aspect Warrior taking a head or slitting a throat with a sweep of her glittering power sword. In their Aspect Shrines, the Banshees practise their lightening assaults each and every day, refining their techniques and acrobatic skills. To them, there is no greater pleasure than turning the poignant fury and despair of the Eldar race into a weapon, another tool in the arsenal of the craftworlds with which to destroy their foes.

Howling Banshees are the first Elites choice in the codex, and I'm please to say that they are actually fairly viable now. That is thanks mostly to their Banshee Masks, which cause Fear, and make the Banshees immune to being Overwatched. They also have gained the Acrobatic rule, which allows them to add 3" to its maximum run or charge move, as well as counting them as having assault grenades. They also got 2 points cheaper, and the Exarch got  the War Shout rule, which forces models in combat with her to subtract 2 from their Ld. I think that these girls have gotten quite a bit better, but they still are one of the lesser units in the codex. While a unit of I 5 models with power swords is scary, they're still wounding a good half the units in the game on 5s, which is a little rough, especially considering they only 3 attacks each on the charge. The main thing that kills them for me though is the lack of assault transport in this codex. They really benefit from Dark Eldar or Harlequin allies, as they can get some access to open-topped transports. Even being one of the worse choices in this codex they are far from bad, and so I'd recommend trying them out.

Striking Scorpions

Sinister and unsettling even to their allies, the Aspect Warriors of the Striking Scorpions stalk their intended prey for hours, even days. Once they are in position they will wait with limitless patience for the foe to come within reach. In their minds they play the impending kill over and over, savoring a thousand different permutations. At a single word from their Exarch the Striking Scorpions suddenly burst from concealment. Chainswords whirring, mandiblasters spitting needles of white fire, the Aspect Warriors fall upon the prey. The emerald of the Striking Scorpions' armour is soon streaked red, the torn bodies of the foe falling in pieces to the ground in bloody sacrament to Khaine.

Striking Scorpions are the sneaky, heavy armoured counterpart to the Howling Banshees, and I think they're quite a bit better. Just like most things, they haven't changed a lot, just little bits and pieces. Firstly, Mandiblasters now auto-hit at initiative 10 and wound on a 4+, which is pretty decent. Secondly, They gained the Shadowstrike rule. If the unit infiltrates, it gets the Shrouded rule until it shoots (including overwatch) or fights in close combat. With Stealth, this means that in basically any cover they'll have a 2+ cover save at the beginning of the game, until you either shoot or fight. This rule will really help them get to combat. The Exarch also gets the Stalker rule, with grants him an extra attack in a challenge for each point of initiative higher he has than his opponent. As he is I 6, he'll almost always be getting at least 1 attack extra, so its a pretty great rule. If you equip him with a Scorpion's Claw, he'll have 6 attacks at S 6 I 6 plus his mandiblaster on the charge against an I 4 enemy. That's crazy. In my opinion, this is the go-to close combat unit in the codex (exluding HQ's and LoW)

Fire Dragons

Fire Dragon Aspect Warriors consider themselves destruction made manifest. Though short ranged, their fusion guns channel so much thermal energy into their targets that even the adamantium-plated rockcrete of a Sanctum-class bunker can be melted away like tallow. Destroying an enemy war machine is barely a challenge to these anti-armour specialists - those vehicles redoubtable enough to survive a volley of fusion gun fire are soon reduced to bubbling slag by discus-shaped melta bombs. Nowhere is safe from the white-hot rage of the Fire Dragon, for even the mightiest fortress affords scant protection.

Outside of Destroyer weapons, Fire Dragons are probably the most ridiculously reliable anti-armour in the game. While they aren't cheap, each one totes a Meltagun and meltabombs, plus they now get the Assured Destruction rule, which allows them to add 1 to their roll on the Vehicle Damage table. With Ap 1 weapons, this means that you're getting an explodes result on a 4+, or 3+ for an open-topped vehicle, meaning that destruction is pretty much as assured as possible. On top of that, the Exarch gained the Crack Shot rule, which allows him to re-roll one failed To Hit, To Wound or Armour Penetration result per turn. This makes him all but guaranteed to damage what he's shooting at. I've used these guys a couple of times, and I'm very happy with how they perform. They were pretty good before, and they're crazy good now. Definitely one of the overlooked winners of this codex.

Wraithguard

The ghost warriors known as Wraithguard move with the measured certainty of those who have known death, and now exist only to bring it to others. Those too slow to evade the approach of these long-limbed wraithbone constructs pay dearly for their complacency. These vengeful heroes of ages past bear long-barrelled wraithcannons and distortion scythes - weapons so fiendish no mortal could wield them - that tear temporary vortices in the fabric of reality. Those caught by their fell energies are sucked in, their bodies distorting like blood spiraling down a drain, to a hellish death in the otherworld of the Warp.

Alright everybody, here's the big deal of this codex. The thing that has so many people up in arms. The Wraithguard. They haven't changed in price at all since last edition, but have gained a pretty serious boost. All distort weapons are now Strength D. This means that for 160 points I can now take 5 T6 3+ save models with 12" strength D weapons. If you want, you can upgrade to the D-scythes for 10 points each, which turns their weapon into a flame template, but you subtract 1 from your result on the D table, meaning no 6s for you. So, how insane is this really? Well, I think people are making a bigger deal of it than it is. Firstly, your range is pretty short, meaning that you pretty much need either a Webway archon (allies), an infiltrate warlord trait, or a transport. Next, while T6 seems awesome at first, you have to remember that virtually every army out there has the means to pack S 6 or 7 guns with ap3 or better, meaning you still can't just toss them at things all willy-nilly. They will go down to plasma or melta guns pretty quickly, and will take 32-42 of your points with them. However, if you do get them in range... Well, lets just say that there is a good chance that whatever you shoot at will be deleted from the board. With the Wraithcannons you only need a single 6 to take out virtually any single thing in the game, whearas the D-scythes will waste most stuff through number of hits, even though you do no damage on a 1 or 2.  Are they powerful? Yes, absolutely, especially if you build a list around them. Are they as game breaking as everyone says? We'll see, but I'm thinking no. What makes them a real threat is that you have so much other stuff in the codex that is amazing, that even if they get focused down before they can do anything, you'll have an extremely powerful force still at your fingertips and basically unharmed. If they don't, then you can feed them your D (yes, a penis joke. I'm not above those.)

Wraithblades

There are those of the Eldar race whose rage runs hot beyond the point of death. Denied the battle they craved in life, their birthright ripped away from them by the deeds of lesser mortals, these spirits are fuelled by the fires of wrath. These immortal killers bear weapons reminiscent of the blooded warrior, axes and swords so large they can cut down men in droves. They close upon their adversaries at a loping run, wraithbone bodies all but glowing with the need to wreak violence. Finally they slam home, their ghostswords taking heads from necks as ghostaxes split victims from shoulder to groin. Truly, the Wraithblades are the undying avengers of the craftworld's lost people.

Wraithblades are a weird choice to me, and while they got better, they still are sort of a let down. They're a couple points cheaper than a Wraithguard, and are basically a close combat version of them. They can use either a pair of Ghostswords which gives +1 strength and an extra attack for 2 ccw, or a Ghostaxe and Forceshield, which gives +2 strength, a 4++, but makes you unwieldly. Personally, I prefer the axe, as the invuln save and higher strength will allow you to go toe-to-toe with basically anything else in the game and possibly win. Their main problem to me, is that a Wraithblade only gets a single attack, and while they have Rage now, it still means that it'll be fairly easy to simply tarpit them. I think their main strength will be to use them in tandem with other assault units to help them pack a punch where needed, and the other unit (I'd use scorpions) can come bail them out if they get tied up.

Anyways, that's all for Part 2 of this codex review. I aim to get Part 3 up sometime next week, which will talk about the the Fast Attack, Heavy Support and Lord of War units. It's going to be a big one, so stick around!

Elves in SPAAACE!!!: Codex Eldar Craftworlds Review Part 1

The Eldar used to hold the galaxy in their grip, but the decadence and pride of their race brought a terrible doom. Now they fight an endless battle against the dying of the light. Their peerless technology, supernatural skills, and piercing foresight are the only things standing between them and extinction. Seers, warriors, and civilians alike go to war in the glorious heraldry of the creaftworlds, outclassing the savages of the lesser races with dazzling displays of martial supremacy. Time is running out for the Eldar, but they fight on, determined to blaze brightly once more before the darkness of oblivion claims them forever.

Hello again faithful readers! It's been about a month since the new Eldar codex came out, and I've had the chance to play a few games with the new book. So, this is going to be a big one, as there are a lot of units and stuff to go over, so it will be at least 3 parts, maybe 4. The first part will be going over the units and all their changes. Let's get down to it.

Eldrad Ulthran - High Farseer of Ulthwé

Eldrad Ulthran, High Farseer of Craftworld Ulthwé, has lived for over ten thousand years. In that time he has guided his people, riding out the Fall of the Eldar and the rise of the Imperium. The ripples of causality he sets in motion have changed the face of the galaxy, though many are hidden severed strands of fate. It was Eldrad who prevented the Hrud infestation of proud Saim-Hann that would have otherwise have reduced it to rotting mulch, who thwarted the malefic works of the Necron dynasties, and who stopped the Days of Blood from coming to pass. His psychic might has broken Titans, boiled the blood of Daemons and slain kings and heroes without number. The millennia have taken their toll, and Eldrad's body is slowly turning to psychic crystal. Yet he cannot rest. As the fate of the galaxy teeters on the brink, the hard-won experiences of the past  show that the lesser races will only hasten the rising threat of Chaos. If the Eldar are to weather the coming storm, their greatest Farseer must fight on with every weapon and strategy at his disposal.

Eldrad is perhaps one of the most iconic units of the Eldar, and he's pretty good. He comes with the standard Farseer loadout and statline, except for he's T4, thanks to his crystaline body. He also gets a couple of unique items that grant him a 3++ and an AP3 force staff that on a 5+ can generate a Warp Charge after casting a power. He's also a level 4 psyker who can take powers from Sanctic Daemonology, Divination, Telepathy, or the Runes of fate. Any of these choices is pretty good, so it really depends on your army composition. Overall, for his points, he's pretty good, so I think he'd be a good addition to most armies.

Prince Yriel - Autarch of Iyanden

Prince Yriel is arrogant and deadly in equal measure. Whether as High Admiral of Iyanden's grand fleet, commander of the Eldritch Raiders, or master of the battlefield, he leads his warriors from the front, diving into the fray with a wry smile on his lips. Some mistake Yriel's bravery for recklessness, but the prince cuts such fools down without a second thought. It was Yriel and his Eldritch Raiders that saved Iyanden at the last moment from the rapcious hordes of Hive Fleet Kraken, the Corsairs' timely return from exile turning back the Tyranids before they could destroy the craftworld altogether. The tipping point came when Yriel took up the Spear od Twilight - an incredibly powerful but cursed relic - and slew the synapse beast leading the invasion, a creature that could not be harmed by mortal weaponry. Since that day the prince has rejoined his craftworld His destiny has become inextricably intertwined with that if Iyanden, and the fate of the Eldar themselves.

As Eldrad is the super version of a Farseer, so is Yriel a suped-up Autarch. He has the same stat line except he gets an extra wound and attack, which isn't bad, but he is still only toughness 3, so he's prone to being instant-killed. He gets a 3+/4++, but his Cursed rule means that in combat he must re-roll all saving throws of 6, making him that much easier to kill. On the other hand his Spear of Twilight is pretty good. Ap 3 with Fleshbane and Armourbane means that he can threaten most targets, including vehicles, but really it would have been nice to see Ap 2 on it, considering how bad the Cursed rule is. He also has a special attack called the Eye of Wrath, which once a game centers a large blast over Yriel during his initiative step and anything under the template (friend or foe, but not Yriel himself) suffer a S 6 Ap3 hit. It would be awesome if it didn't affect friendlies, but as it is, it just means that you'll be killing all your buddies. Useful in a last stand situation, but not great. Overall, he's one of the poorer choices in the codex. I wouldn't bother other than just for fluffy games.

Illic Nightspear - The Walker of the Hidden Path

Illic Nightspear of Alaitoc has wandered the Path of the Outcast for thousands of years, slaying monsters and men alike as he seeks out the paths that span the stars. Legends fall like footprints in his wake - that he fights the rise of the Necrons, that he searches for the lost Seerstones, and that he seeks to transcend the mortal plane altogether. Such is Nightspear's knowledge of the webway it is said he can arrive unheralded upon any planet, stepping through ancient portals as easily as he draws breath. Over the centuries, Illic's knowledge of that twilight realm have saved many craftworlds from calamity. He has guided countless warhosts through its winding paths to do battle on far-off worlds, always arriving from an unseen quarter to turn the tide of war. Though Illic prefers to fight alone, he has garnered a great following, especially amongst the Pathfinders of his craftworld. His worth to the Eldar does not end with his guidance through the labyrinth dimension, for his accuracy with a long rifle is unmatched in all the galaxy.

Illic Nightspear is basically the Phoenix Lord for Rangers. Unfortunately, that means he kinda sucks, because Rangers suck. That being said, he's not all that expensive and brings some interesting things to the table. He's actually got an Autarch's stat line, but with an incredible BS of 9, meaning you're basically always going to hit. He comes stock with a 5+, but no invuln, which is a really crappy deal for any special character in my opinion. he also has a Power Sword and Shuriken Pistol, so with his WS and I of 6, he's not even too bad in combat. His main use however, is his special rules. He has infiltrate, but can do so anywhere on the board, regardless of enemy placement, and if he's with a unit of Rangers they get to come along. In addition, all of his shots and all the shots of any Rangers he's with are precision shots. That's pretty good for picking out icons and special weapons, but unfortunately, he has nothing that eliminated or reduces Look Out Sir! rolls, which is sort of stupid for a super alien sniper. He also comes with an AP 2 48" range Sniper Rifle that inflicts instant death or a penetrating hit on a roll of 6 to wound/penetrate, which while circumstantial, can be pretty sweet. Again, not the best, but if you're running a Ranger heavy army, not a terrible choice.

Asurmen - The Hand of Asuryan

Asurmen is the first and greatest of the Phoenix Lords, and his teachings led to the creation of the Aspect Warriors, by whose valour the Eldar race is kept alive. During the time of the Fall, Asurmen abandonned his home world and led his disciples to a barren planet, eventually named Asur in honour of its claimant. There, he founded the Aspects of Khaine, and his brightest pupils became the legendary Phoenix Lords. Just as the Avatar at a craftworld's heart embodies the bloodthirsty deity Khaine, Asurmen is the warrior ideal of the Eldar made real. He is a demigod of battle whose legend spans across the stars, for Asuryan has given him the ability to cheat death forever, and kings, Daemons, and star gods alike have fallen to his blade. Though Asurmen vanished millennia ago, there persist reports of him battling the agents of the Great Enemy from the Eye of Terror to the Eastern Fringe. Some even whisper that in these, the darkest of days, Asurmen has returned to lead his people to war once more.

Asurmen is the first Phoenix Lord, and he is really a beast. All Phoenix Lords have an impressive stat line (7 WS,BS and I, 4 S, T, and A, 3 W and Ld 10 with a 2+ save), plus Fearless, and Eternal Warrior, but he is the only one to have an invulnerable save (a 4++, which becomes 3++ in combat). He also comes with a twin-linked Avenger Shuriken Catapult and a +1 S Diresword, which is awesome. He also gets all the stuff that a Dire Avenger gets, which is nice. He also gets to hav D3 Warlord Traits from the Craftworld Eldar table if he's your Warlord, which is ok, but really nothing to write home about. I think that he's worth the points, but I wouldn't actually use him alongside Dire Avengers. Put him with Banshees or Scorpions instead to help them pack a bit more punch, and tank some hits with his good armour and invuln saves.

Jain Zar - The Storm of Silence

A whirlwind of silvered blades, Jain Zar is as deadly a fighter as the Eldar race has ever seen. She is the matriarch of the Howling Banshees, and a fierce heroine to all who follow in her teachings - in every Howling Banshee shrine across the galaxy, the candles of night are kept burning for her return. First to learn the arts of the warrior under Asurmen, Jain Zar was a passionate Eldar swordmaiden famous for her speed and ferocity. Once her training was complete and she donned the mantle of the Phoenix Lord, she was transformed into the Storm of Silence. Since that day she has traveled the webway extensively, teaching the art of the Scream that Steals and the Ending Blade. Jain Zar's weapons are vicious even for an Exarch of the Howling Banshees - the Blade of Destruction, is a long-bladed polearm with which she delivers deadly lightening strikes with ease. Meanwhile, the Silent Death scythes through the foe before they can even get close, lopping off heads and then quickly returning to her waiting hand.

Jain Zar is another close combat monster, though her thing is all about gutting the enemy before they can strike back. She's got all of the Howling Banshee rules, with a couple of changes. Firstly, Her Banshee mask, in addition to causing Fear and denying Overwatch (amazing already), also causes any enemy units within 6" to subtract 5(!) from their WS and I to a minimum of 1. My god. Basically, this means that nothing ever hits her or her unit on anything better than a 5+ (except Khârn) and everyone is going after her and any Exarchs with her. In addition, she has some pretty good Wargear. Silent Death is a 12" S user Ap2 Assault 4 weapon, and the Blade of Destruction is S user Ap 2 Shred. Unfortunately, she doesn't get an extra attack for two close combat weapons, but she's hitting on 3's and with Shred it really helps her reliability. On top of all this, her special rule is called Disarming Strike and allows you to sacrifice an attack in a challenge to take away one of her opponent's weapons that phase. This is amazing against so many things that you could be fighting, but is especially good against anyone with a Daemon Weapon, as you're essentially removing attacks. Lastly, her Warlord trait means that if she Joins a unit of Banshees, they all get to add 6" to their run and charge moves, making them incredibly fast even when footslogging. Well worth the points in any list that is going to be melee-centric.

Karandras - The Shadow Hunter

The eternal master of the Striking Scorpions, Karandras has become synonymous with the slinking shadows that presage a sudden and violent death. His armoured body  may lay hidden and dormant for many decades, lurking in the twilight between worlds until the Eldar need his intervention. Just as all seems lost, the Shadow Hunter will burst from legend, his ritual weapons ready to destroy the foe. When he emerges from the darkness, he darts into the midst of the enemy in a blur of emerald armour. First comes the white-hot burst of the Scorpion's Bite, a mandiblaster powerful enough to penetrate the Terminator armour of the Adeptus Astartes. Then comes the main attack as Karandras somersaults into the fray. His energised gauntlet spits a hail of shurikens before its pincer grip crushes bone. Roaring like a predator-beast in his off hand is a biting blade of immense size, its razored teeth chewing the flesh of all those within reach. So does the Phoenix Lord mercilessly slaughter his foes by the dozen before fading into shadow once more.

Karandras is the Striking Scorpion character, and while probably not as great as Jain Zar, he's still a solid character in his own right. He gets the stuff a Striking Scorpion would, though for whatever reason doesn't get the exarch power, which would have taken him from decent to amazing. He is, however, the only Phoenix Lord to have two close combat weapons, and they're pretty great weapons. The first is his Scorpion Chainsword (+1S Ap6), which is ok, but the second is a Scorpion's Claw which houses a Shuriken Catapult. The Claw itself is essentially a Power Fist, but for one huge advantage. It strikes at his initiative of 7, meaning he's instant-killing your characters before they get to even attack. Crazy. In addition, he has a special mandiblaster that wounds on a 2+ (4+ against gargantuan creatures) and ignores armour saves. Yikes. This means that on the charge he has an auto-hit at I 10 that wounds on a 2+, and 6 S 8 Ap 2 attacks at I 7. He can basically beast an entire squad all on his own. He also gets a rule that allows him and a unit of Scorpions to be held in reserve and outflank on turn 2 and come in from any table edge. This would be amazing if they could assault the turn they arrive, but as it is, you may be better off just infiltrating for a probable turn 2 assault. A good choice if you want a good beatstick character.

Fuegan - The Burning Lance

Reborn in fire a dozen times since his inception as a Phoenix Lord, Fuegan the Burning Lance is a figure who generates both terror and inspiration. Though his disciples are many, Fuegan's quest is not to ensure the Eldar's rise from the ashes through patient instruction and cautious strategy. Instead, his plan is to cause so much destruction that he becomes one with the very concept, binding the Dragon of myth to his will. In his footsteps, entire worlds are set ablaze. His gaze is flame, and those who earn his wrath are swiftly reduced to ash and smoke. No matter the Exarch that dons his ritual armour, Fuegan always dedicates himself utterly to the systematic persecution of the Eldar race's enemies, pitilessly burning the champions of the lesser races from the tapestry of history. To wound him is merely to fuel the fires of his anger. Such is the unquenchable wrath of the Burning Lance that legend has it at the Rhana Dandra, Fueagan will be the last to fall - and in falling, the last flame of hope for the Eldar will be extinguished.

Fuegan is the most expensive Phoenix Lord (alongside Asurmen) and also the only one with a different profile (S 5 instead of 4). He is also a total wrecking ball when it comes to dealing with vehicles, fortifications, or heavy infantry. He comes stock with a Firepike (18" meltagun) and Meltabombs, meaning he's dealing with any vehicle he looks at, as well as the Fire Axe. An Ap 1 melee weapon with Armourbane. He also has a slew of special rules to help him on his quest to wreck your shit. Firstly, he gets Feel no Pain, which is nice, since he has no invuln. Second, he gets Crack Shot, the Fire Dragon Exarch power which allows him to re-roll one failed To Hit, To Wound, or Armour Penetration roll a turn, (and there is nothing saying that this doesn't apply to melee... so that makes the Fire Axe all the better). Lastly, he has Unquenchable Resolve. This increases his Strength and Attacks by 1 for each wound he takes, which last the whole game. Ideally, you'll take 2 wounds immediately, and then no more ever again so that you can walk around with a S 7 butcher with 6 Attacks, but more likely you'll just get increasingly stronger here and there. As cool as Fuegan is though, I'm not so sure I would bother most of the time. For the points you spend on him, you could pretty much just get a whole unit of Fire Dragons, and that will do the job better than he will alone. If you do take him, I'd suggest running him with a melee unit rather than with Dragons.

Baharroth - The Cry of the Wind (insert eagle screech)

Baharroth is the Poenix Lord who most embodies hope for the Eldar race - a slim chance for ascension delivered on the point of a blade. Naturally gifted at sword play, marksmenship and the limitless scope of aerial battle, Baharroth learned the arts of war under Asurmen when the Fall was still in living memory. In those times, he was vibrant and youthful, rejoicing in the sensation of the sun on his wings. Since then, he has died and been reborn many times. Innumerable battlefields have felt the pure white light of his anger, and countless terrors have fallen before his might. Though he moves with the grace of a zephyr, Baharroth attacks with hurricane force. Looping and soaring through flak-churned skies, he places pinpoint blasts of blinding laser fire into those who dare trespass on his domain, sending airborne interlopers hurtling down towards an unmarked grave. His flitting shadow is the first and last warning his victims are granted, their doom lunging after them out of war-torn skies.

Baharroth is, to me, the most disappointing Phoenix Lord. He gets basically no rules, and while he's by far the cheapest (only 170, while the rest hang around the 200+ mark), he doesn't bring a lot to the table. He gets the Hit & Run rule, which while its one of the best in the game, it's on a model that isn't really amazing in combat, and who's Aspect is pretty terrible in combat. He also has a rule that forces all units within 6" of him when he Deep Strikes to take a Blind test, which combined with his Herald of Victory Exarch power isn't terrible, but it's really not that reliable. He also gets a Power Sword that causes Blind, so it seems like Blind is what he is centered around, and yet he has a Hawk's Talon (S 5 Ap 4 Assault 3) instead of a Sunrifle (which is S 3 Ap 3 Assault 3, Blind). I dunno. He's an ok harassment unit, but 170 points is a little steep for what he brings to the table. I wouldn't bother, other than for fun games, or if you're playing against Tau (they would hate this bullshit!)

Maugan Ra - The Harvester of Souls

When Asurmen taught the arts of war, it was Maugan Ra that fell furthest from the fold. He fashioned baroque weapons of occult nature, learning how best to kill his prey before they had a chance to strike in turn. Not for him the shining swords of his brethren, but instead dark and sinister artefacts that defied categorization. In Maugan Ra's hands, even the most outlandish weapons share the precision of Kurnous' own arrow. This discovery led to the creation of the Maugetar, a weapon that fires plate-sized shuriken, each covered in bio-toxins so virulent even a scratch causes the Phoenix Lord's  victims to detonate explosively, killing all those nearby. Since then, the most morbid of Asurmen's pupils have founded shrines across a hundrer craftworlds, Maugan Ra's Dark Reaper diciples valuing the spectacular long ranged kill above all else. As the 41st millennium winds to its grisly conclusion, the Phoenix Lord has brought hope from the unlikeliest of places, rescuing the lost craftworld of Altansar from its incarceration within the Eye of Terror.

Yeah! Maugan Ra! This is one of the models that first attracted me to the Eldar. A big dude wearing a bone suite with a scythe gun? Awesome. And now he has rules that make him as awesome as he looks.Weirdly enough, he shares none of the special rules of the Dark Reapers, and really, I'm not sure they're the best unit for him to join. He carries the Maugetar, a Shuriken Cannon with 36" range, S 6 Ap 5, Assault 4, Rending, that can instead be shot at S1 Ap 5 Assault 1 Rending, Poisoned 2+, Pinning, and any model killed by the shot gets a Large Blast marker placed over them and everyone under the template takes a S 5 Ap 4 hit with Ignores cover. Really, he's sort of like a suped-up Death Jester. If that weapon isn't good enough for you, just wait. He can shoot it twice in the shooting phase, either at the same target or at different targets. In addition, the Scythe on the blade counts as a Melee weapon that grants +2 S at Ap 3. Finally, he gets the Night Vision rule, which is helpful for keeping him effective even in night-fighting games. I would put him with a unit of Dire Avengers. When you move into position, their already considerable shooting can be supplemented with 8 S 6 rending shots that are hitting on a 2+/5+. That's pretty awesome. Of course you can put him with Dark Reapers, and with their Starswarm and Starshot missiles it'll make a really great anti-everything unit, and he'll be there to pack a wallop if they get assaulted as well. Really, it's all a matter of personal choice.

Autarch

Autarchs have a consummate understanding of the way of the warrior, and the future of the race has been shaped by their excellence in the arts of death. They follow the Path of Command, gaining a wider appreciation of battle than any other and directing the warhost on the most efficient path to victory. Theirs is a burning obsession to see war itself conquered and made subservient to their will. Under their hawk-like gaze, each warhost plays its part in a complex battle plan, and in turn has a role in the grand war that spans the stars. When a craftworld army is led by an Autarch it functions in perfect concert; aerial strikes cut off the enemy commander's supply lines, Aspect hosts strike at the heart of his army, and Windrider hosts enact sweeping flanking manoeuvers. An Autarch will spearhead critical assaults himself. Gifted ritual weapons by the shrines to which he once belonged, he swoops in to cut down enemy leaders with his sword and cripple their war engines with blasts of deadly energy.

Autarchs are an interesting choice and one that I haven't really used a lot, mainly because I prefer the psychic support of a Farseer or Spirit Seer, and rarely play reserve-heavy lists. That being said, they are a decent beat 'em up unit, that can be customised to do basically anything. You start with just a Shuriken Pistol, Plasma and Haywire Grenades, and a 3+.4++. From there you can take either a Warp Jump Generator, Swooping Hawk Wings, or a Jetbike. You can also take either a Banshee Mask or Madiblasters. The Shuriken Pistol can be replaced with a Fusion Pistol. Then you can take up to 2 aspect warrior weapons. A Scorpion Chainsword, Avenger Shuriken Catapult, Lasblaster, Deathspinner, Fusion Gun, Laser Lance (if you took a jetbike only), Power Weapon, or a Reaper Launcher with Starswarm Missiles.You can also take items from the Remnants of Glory list. Now, your loadout will depend on what you want him to do, but I like the idea of giving him a jetbike, Banshee mask, and Laser Lance and Fusion Gun, and then sticking him with some Striking Scorpions. On top of his weapon options, you also get the Path of Command rule which allows you to add or subtract 1 for your reserve rolls, which you get to decide individually for each unit. This is really handy for getting your units when you want them and keeping them off the table if you don't, so he's a must in a reserve heavy list.

Farseer

The Farseers that guide each craftworld are perhaps the most powerful of all psykers, for by leading the Eldar along the paths of fate they can bring salvation or doom to entire races. They are masters of prediction, and even in battle they perform their subtle art, casting up wraithbone runes and interpreting changes in the glowing icons as they circle in the air. Runes of witnessing allow them to follow subtle traceries of cause and effect, whilst runes of warding, when used in conjunction with elaborate ghosthelms, guard them against the dread intrusions of Slaanesh and his dark brethren. So equipped , Farseers can uncover the enemy's intentions, calculate the effects of his clumsy attacks, and steer him to his doom. Farseers fight with a grace that makes the enemy seem dull and slow, flowing around blasts of fire without breaking stride. All the while they shape the future, ending a vital life with a thrust of the witchblade, guiding an ally to a miraculous escape, or coordinating a sudden attack that breaks the enemy's will.

Farseers are largely unchanged from the last edition. They're still Level 3 psykers, but can no longer generate powers from Malefic Daemonology (thank goodness). The Ghosthelm they get allows them to negate a wound they take from a Perils of the Warp by burning a Warp Charge, which is pretty damn handy. The only other thing that has changed is that they lost access to Runes of Witnessing and Runes of Warding. Instead, they get these for free (yes, free) in the form of the Runes of the Farseer rule. Once in each psychic phase, a Farseer may re-roll any number of dice used in a single Deny the Witch test of Psychic Test, potentially negating Perils of the Warp. Wow. This is huge, and I've already used this to great effect. If there is a  power that you really need to go off, you can pretty much just make it happen. Save a dice for if you get a Perils, and then throw everything else at the power, then re-roll every dice that failed. Even if the enemy has 20+ dice, it's basically impossible to beat a power going off with 6 or 7 successes. Plus, it makes your focused witchfires just that much easier to do. A huge buff here.

Warlock Conclave

When the Warlocks of the craftworlds join their minds, the fate of worlds can hinge upon their actions. Whilst the Autarchs deliver curt instructions to their squad leaders, the Farseers whisper their subtle intent via telepathic link to the Warlocks that fight alongside them, and in doing so, change the course of battle. Maelstroms of force swirl around each Warlock Conclave, growing more potent the larger the brotherhood becomes.These unknowable energies allow the battle seers to sap the life essence of the foe, conjure blasts of psychic fire to boil out from their mystical third eyes, or grant unnatural strength to those Eldar nearby. As true sons of Khaine, these militant psykers will plunge into combat at the slightest provocation. Witchblades and singing spears are swung in graceful arcs, leaving corsucating webs of energy behind them as the Conclave carves through the ranks of their adversaries. They do so with joy in their souls, for of all the seers of the Eldar hosts, the Warlocks are the fiercest and most violent of all.

The Warlock conclave is a weird choice to me. It consists of between 1 and 10 warlocks, which can be either on foot, or mounted on jetbikes, and they all count as a brotherhood of psykers. They're different, however. If you have up to 3 Warlocks, they are a level 1 brotherhood (meaning they know 1 power off the Sanctic Daemonology or Runes of Battle table), 4-6 is level 2 and 7+ is level 3. They work differently though, in that each Warlock in the conclave generates a Warp Charge point, making this an amazing way to farm Warp Charges (10 dice for a 350 point investment isn't too bad). I think that Sanctic Daemonology is probably the way to go with these guys, as the Runes of Battle don't really offer a unit of Warlocks a whole lot. I think I like this unit, as it is a major threat to most things on the board, especially if you have another psyker or two that can benefit from a massive Warp Charge pool.

Spiritseer

The Spiritseer has a dual existence, caught on the cusp of life and death. The power of life he delivers to the ghost warriors of the craftworlds, not only by placing the spirit stones that animate them within their wraithbone shells, but by using his psychic powers to enhance and invigorate them during battle. The gift of death he brings to those who threaten the craftworld. The Eldar dead sleep lightly, their spirits adrift within the infinity circuit, and they can be roused to great wrath. With whispered words the Spiritseers commune with these spirits, the souls of the living and the dead linking through the veil. By bridging the gap between this world and the next, a Spiritseer can focus the killing power of his charges, resolving the swirl of emotions through which they see the material plane into the bloody spectacle of war. A simple gesture from a Spiritseer can see his enemies assailed by lithe, powerful constructs that are all but indestructible, each immortal hero burning with a cold malevolence from beyond the grave.

Like the Farseers, Spiritseers are relatively unchanged. They still come with a witchstaff, pistol and their 4++, and are still level 2. The main thing that has changed with them is their Spirit Mark rule works a little differently. Instead of nominating a single unit within 12" to be marked, now it's all units within 12". A wraith unit can re-roll to hit rolls of 1 against any Spirit Marked unit both in melee and close combat. This is really great for Wraithguard carrying D-Cannons, or Wraithblades in combat, but not helpful for D-scythe Wraithguard or Helmock Wraithfighters. The other thing that has changed, to probably no one's surprise is that Spiritseers no longer make Wraithguard troops choices. Not a huge deal, since everything can score now, but kind of a pain if you wanted to do a CAD with only wraith stuff. Oh well. They're still a pretty good unit, especially if you just want a cheap HQ choice, or are running a Wraith host.

And with that we have come to the end of Part 1 of our series. Next week we will go through the Troops and Elites sections, followed by the Fast Attack and Heavy Support, and then lastly, all the Formations, the new Detachment, Relics, Powers and Warlord Traits. Tune in next week!