Eldar Killer List Part 2 • Fighting Fire with Fire

So let's talk about our good old friend the Wraithknight. I'm gonna to make two important points off the bat:

• Lords of War should be restricted to 0-1, this can include Imperial Knights. One Wraithknight is very manageable.

• Anybody that wants to play two or more is a cheese ball. Don't support events that don't enforce my first point. I'm not going to be playing any pickup games versus anybody who wants to put down more than one.

That's really all there is to it. Fuck'em.

Eldar Killer List • Fighting Fire with Fire

This is an idea a friend approached me with to see if it's viable. The concept is to design a black list to destroy the new eldar. This is a pro active movement in counter to simply just complaining. What we know is that unrestricted the following units are the most popular so far...

• Windriders with scatter lasers (Scatbikes)

• Wraithknights

• Wraithguard

These are the units I think we will see get the most time on the table at first from competitive eldar players so we will focus on them first.

Windriders
The scatbikes are highly mobile and can throw down a ton of long range S6 fire power (up to 48"). These units are the objective secured units which grab objectives and mow down most any enemy unit suspestable to S6... Only T10 (e.g., Iron Armed Great Unclean One) and AV13+ is immune. Jetbikes have some inherent weaknesses such as leadership 8 - failed morale checks force them to fallback 3d6". One great counter is the new Space Wolf flyer with Hellfrost large blast which I have successfully used to counter Warp Spiders. The flyer puts the scatbikes on the defensive and force eldar to focus on it. The Heldrake is another excellent counter. If eldar are forced to bring more anti air to protect their scatbikes it helps to reduce their net sum.

Psychic Shriek combined with Terrify is also a major deterrent to scatbikes. Be'lakor, Severin Loth and Tigurius all can provide this combination. Be'lakor can be really good if well played and the Librarians can get the job done using drop pods or flyers with transport capacity.

Another great solution is the Typhon plus it can be very survivable if properly buffed. The Typhon has the range to pushback scatbikes, preventing them from going on the offensive.

We don't know yet what will be the optimal build for scatbike units in terms of number of Windriders per unit and total number of units so we will come back to this discussions as more prevailing data is available.


I will focus on the Wraith units in the next two articles in this series so stay tuned for more. This is how we have to think - being positive and willing to adapt. The good news is we already have all the tools we need.

Our good old friend the Wraithknight...

So the D Thirster cost more points than the new Wraithknight and is initiative 1. How is that fair and why would you ever buy a D Thirster? This shows to me that some of the developers like Phil Kelly do not care about game balance.

There is a lot of talk about the new eldar codex and what to do about it. The new eldar have ranged D out the yin yang which has always been taboo in competitive 40k. I don't like to pull out the banhammer just yet and think there are two very simple solutions:

- Use the old rules for Distort in place of D.

- Limit armies to 0-1 Lords of War.

This is very simple and lets eldar players take the units they want to field.

Guest editorial by TK - 40k Deep Analysis

Hey, everyone it's your friendly neighborhood Black Blow Fly here to blow your minds again and spark your over active imaginations. I have a really special treat for you this week... a guest article from my good buddy TK. TK stands for exactly what you think it is - this guy has some really amazing party tricks and I can tell you a lot of guys don't want him anywhere near their GFs. So onto the real deal... Enjoy !!!

This week, rather than a scenario, I wanted to talk about the game of Warhammer 40,000 itself...or, to be more precise, the various play styles present within the game. Players of Privateer Press’s Warmachine and Hordes games may recognize some of the terms and play styles that I will discuss here. My intention is not to steal thunder away from those games, as what I am talking about is a core part of tabletop war games in general. Rather, I want to encourage 40k players, who may never have considered the game in this particular way, to use what I talk about here to enhance and improve their game play.

The new assassins

Why Eldar will impact the game more than you imagined

I think the game design by GW is to go through cycles. A new über codex is released to end each cycle and start anew. Change can be painful and forces us either to adapt or withdraw. A good example is the new Wraithguard unit with D flamers - mount them in a dark eldar raider with a webway portal Archon - they can and will delete most any unit in the game with average rolls. Many people told me there's no way Wraithguard would get D flamers but they did just as I predicted after perusing the rumors just leading up to the new release. To counter this you can use cheap bubble wrap to protect your prime units, hold them in reserve, run MSU, stock up on intercepting units, or invest heavily in flyers and FMC hoping you get to go first... I'm sure there are other counters too such as a drop pod army for Space Marines or even mechIng up.

The point is if you don't adapt it could be very painful because you're going to see a lot of new eldar armies and those players wont be holding back at all. If we consider the new undercosted Wraightknight which is now a gargantuan creature it has FNP and is immune to instant death so you'll you have to delete it one wound after another.

I'm already wondering what will come next to counter the new eldar. D weapons are the antithesis of Necrons as they get no save at all. The T5 Wraiths with RP sounded great up until just now - right ? Spreading out for maximum coherency will also help as a counter and could be the best approach to squaring off versus the new eldar.

So the previous cycle began with the advent of seventh edition - Orks, Dark Eldar, Grey Knights then finally Blood Angels were all debuffed only to await this new release of the eldar. Many of us hoped foolishly that eldar would be debuffed but the writing is on the wall and it didn't happen... In fact the exact opposite occurred.

We must accept the change and adapt.

Eldar codex - see it all for yourself ...

40k Batrep: BikeStar vs. Rogue Space Wolves and Chaos Daemons (ATC Mission)

The Inquisition has sent an Imperial decree to Chapter Master Kadorr of the Storm Lords that a rogue detachment of Space Wolves have been located within their sector and must be terminated with extreme prejudice. Wolf Lord Arn of the Iron Wolves Great Company will join them in the hunt with his personal cadre to assist. The rogue element has been reported consorting with daemons from the warp. A swift message must be sent to serve as an example for all !

Yesterday I had a practice game for the ATC fielding my BikeStar...

Storm Lords CAD - White Scars chapter tactics
Chapter Master - Bike - Auspex - Artificer Armor - Power Fist - Shield Eternal /Warlord

Librarian (Level 2) - Bike - Force Axe - Meltabombs

Command Squad
Bikes - 4x Meltabombs - 4x Grav Gun - 4x Stormshield - Company Banner - Thunderhammer
Apothecary

5x Biker - 2x Grav Gun
Attack Bike - Multi-Melta
Sergeant - Combi Grav - Meltabombs

5x Biker - 2x Grav Gun
Attack Bike - Multi-Melta
Sergeant - Combi Grav - Meltabombs

Iron Wolves Detachment Company of the Great Wolf
Wolf Lord - Thunderwolf Mount - Runic Armor - Thunderhammer - Stormshield

Rune Priest (Level 2) - Bike - Runic Armor - Force Axe - Meltabombs

Iron Priest - Bike

Iron Priest - Thunderwolf Mount - 2x Cyberwolf

9x Grey Hunter - 7x chainsword - 2x Meltagun - Power Axe
Wolf Guard - Stormshield - Power Fist


Here is my opponent's list to the best of my memory:

Space Wolves CAD
Rune Priest (Level 2) - Rune Axe /Warlord

Rune Priest (Level 2) - Rune Axe

Rune Priest (Level 2) - Rune Sword

Rune Priest (Level 2) - Rune Staff

8x Grey Hunter - Plasmagun
Rhino

x Grey Hunter - Meltagun
Rhino

x Grey Hunter - Flamer
Rhino

Chaos Daemons CAD
Lord of Change (Level 3) - Staff (+2S) - Grimoire of True Names

Bloodthirster

13x Horror - Icon

13x Horror - Icon

So what about the guys who said relax there is nothing to worry about ...

Warhost formation bonus is they always run 6 inches

Avatar is LoW, but mainly the same

I cannot see any psyker being able to get malefic daemonology

Serpents are 110 points, and shield is now: S6, Assault 2D6, Ignores cover, One use only. looks liek 24 inch range still has defensive bonus until used.

No changes on Battle focus of the bladestorm rule. No hints on the Iyanden codex

Wraithknight is LoW (295 points), Jump gargantuan creature
Sword + Shield: Free (Sword is Strength D)
Sun cannon + Shield: Free

Wraithguard/blades are not tropos anymore if taking a Spiritseer (Only Elites)

Crimson hunter basically the same, but 140 points only.

Banshees +3 to runs and assault , ignore I penalty for charging into terrain

Scorpions 17 each infiltrate stealth shrouded until they fight in combat or fire.

Hawks: 16/model, they move 18″, and when moving over a Flyer the can do a special attack. Hits on 4+, S4, AP4 Haywire

Spiders are 19, monofilament rolls vs I to wound now with T used to calculate Id

Shining spears have 4+ cover save if they moved the previous turn. 25/model. Lance is: 6″, F6, Assault 1, Lance. In combat: +3F when charging. Both are AP3.

Guardians: Same

Dire avengers: They overwatch with BS2

Wraithblades: Same but 30/model and have Rage.

Hemlock: Same cost, has Lvl 2, can choose Daemonology (Sacred), Telepathy and Battle Runes. D-Scythes are a special D weapon as mentioned above.

All Distortion weapons are Strenght D. All of them. But the scythes apply a -1 when rolling on the D table, and the strenght is considered to be 4 when calculating the instant death.

Heavy Vehicle Squadrons!
YEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Up to three!!!!!!!! And they have special rules if done so:
Falcon: if Deep Strike, first Falcon does not scatter. Others are place at 4″. Falcon can DS only if taken in a unit of 3

Fire Prism: For each additional Fire Prism firing +1S / -1AP

Night Spinners: +1S for each Night spinner

Primaris: Guide (no changes)
1: Executioner: Focussed witch fire. 24″. Target receives 3 hits, always wounds on 2+. If target diez, another model receives 2 hits. If target dies another gone receives 1 hit.
2: Fatality: You re-roll to wound or to penetrate when firing at target unit. 24″
3: Will of Asuryan: 12″ bubble of Fear and Adamantium will
4: Fortune: As always
5: Mind fight: Mainly the same.
6: Ancestral Storm: Warp charges 3 (5″ blast), Warp charge 4 (Apoc blast), 24″, Haywire, wounds 2+

UPDATES (yes even more)

Guardian battlehost: Vypers, Warwalkers and Vaul’s support batteries get preferred enemy if they have a unit of Guardias at 12″. Guardians can purchase a Platform for free.

Windrider host: Once per game all formation gets Shred when firing shuriken weapons

Guardian Stormhost: Vypers, Warwalkers and Vaul’s support batteries get preferred enemy if they have a unit of Guardias at 12″. Storm guardians can purchase 2 special weapons for free.

Seer council: They harness Warp charges with 3+.

Aspect Host: They re-roll LD tests and get +1 to WS or BS.

Dire Avenger Shrine: Once per game, Shuriken weapons are Assault 3. +1 to BS

Crimson Death: Preferred enemy (Flying things), 4+ cover save, and if Jink, may re-roll the cover save.

Wraithhost: Get battle trance, if targe is at 18″ or less from spiritser, reroll to hit

Let's assume eldar take the Nerf - where will the meta go ?

I know a new codex is to release soon for the EZ win eldar. Let's suppose they take some hits from the old nerf bat...

Dire Avengers must be 10 man strong minimum and wave serpents lose some of their uber effectiveness such as serpent shield being a one time use and holofield not as good. I know some diehards were really hoping this would just be another supplement but that's not the case. I haven't seen any actual rules yet except for some of the detachments and formations.

Nothing really jumps out me to say Booh but you never know... But then again to be honest I think they're done. Supposedly the head Cheesemeister Phil Kelly was put on a short leash this time around... As broken as it is you can't really expect it to get much better.

If indeed eldar drop from their current perch upon the top of the meta then you can expect to see some major shifts in the overall power level. Right off the bat I see Space Marines and Space Wolves vaulting up a few notches and rightly so in my opinion. The great thing about the latter is their codex and supplement are still fresh so it will at least be a couple years before they get whacked by the old nerf bat. Generally speaking every army that doesn't involve eldar should move up in scale filling the new vacous vacancy left behind by the pointy ears.

The good news for eldar players is they get some new toys to play with now ...

Rejoice eldar !

Not every tournament is ATC or Ardboyz ...

If you're going to a local tournament where none of the players attend any major events is it cool to bring five Flyrants knowing ahead of time no one is bringing much Skyfire? Two opponents quit by turn 2.