This is my Eldar army template, for those wishing to create an Eldar army.
Unit Critiques
Sadly, the Eldar army has a few bad units.
Wraithguard
Still costs like a terminator, but doesn't perform like one.
A terminator comes with a 2+ armor save, 5+ armor save. A wraithguard has a 3+ save, and can be given a 5+ cover save via a warlock.
A terminator has a stand-off shooting capability, that isn't as strong as a wraithguards but does not require moving into 12" to fire.
Wraithguard's range is so low, it virtually requires a vehicle to deliver their firepower which isn't impressive against anyone but...terminators.
Sadly Fire dragons get more shots that are more effective (against everything but Monoliths) and for less.
Terminators all have power weapons. Wraithguard do not.
Compare the points value, and I hope you see how Wraithguard do not impress me.
Howling Banshees
No way to scout, no way to deliver, Harlies do it better.
Tend to suffer from the universal problem of a unit trying to assault out of a transpor that is not open topped, i.e. die to small arms fire.
However they do make a good countercharge unit if you are playing gunline eldar, and feel that you must paint some models with armoured breasts (I have 20, so sue me). Excessivly effective against assault terminators when combined with doom. -- wiskinator
Warp Spiders
With the changes to the vehicle damage table, say goodnight to this unit.
Yes, you can fire alot of shots at short range.
Then the enemy fires back, and your unit isn't in such good shape.
Edit by Xen: I'd beg to differ: The changes to the damage table now allow the spiders to penetrate a vehicle, albeit with the negative modifier to damage table due to ap-, and the spinneret rifle just got better in every way. Lethal as ever vs AV 10 and infantry.
Counterpoint by author: As someone who has noticed alot of 5E experts come along lately, here is how it actually works.
Spiders can only penetrate AV11. On a 6. Then they can only kill the vehicle on a 6.
In short, their effectiveness is a smidge above that of Necron Immortals but ONLY if they roll that 6 to pen.
They can roll a 5 and destroy a vehicle.
When it comes to glancing hits, they are WORSE than Necron warriors are because they need to roll a 6 to even take a weapon off.
Sadly, that classifies them in the suck range.
When you look at just how dangerous it is for Warp Spiders to be on the battlefield, and play with them...you see them for what they are. A unit that has sucked for years and will continue to suck until their weapons are improved.
Spinneret rifle is one shot. I should take a unit for one short-range subpar shot that might, just might, kill a terminator?
Warp Spiders do suck. They can't be hidden any more, and since every army runs into the middle of the table now...where do you plan on hiding your expensive do very little unit?
Torrent of Fire is the name of 5E, and that absolutely wrecks Warp Spiders.
22 points for a T3 marine? Why yes, please take more of them and my army thanks you for it.
Swooping Hawks
Imagine two squads of guardsmen, that can move 12" and fire their lasguns 24".
Yeah, not too impressive, is it? Not for 21 points per.
Support Weapon battery
Pretty much all 3 suck, unless you max them out (so that's 3x3).
These units are dangerous in numbers like that.
Used singly or in conjunction with other heavy support units, they lose the scare factor and gain the laugh factor.
Special Characters
All the non-Phoenix Lord special characters are good choices.
Phoenix Lords
Still a very mixed bag, but everyone seems to have one thing in common: Pricey!
Asurmen
Uhh he's a tarpit, but with the new CC rules...he's a dead tarpit.
Baharroth
This guy's reign of terror is over. He'll never be good again.
Jain Zar
Sadly, her best place is with...Harlequins.
Karandras
Yes, I'll take two please. Scout, fleet, massive attacks on the charge...nasty!
Maugen Ra
Mr. Everything. He can shoot, he can assault...he's a bad bad man.
Fuegan
He's like a mini-Maugen Ra. Not quite as good, sadly.
Choosing an Army
Now comes the time where you have to decide what kind of army you want to run.
What Flavor are you?
There are essentially 4 'flavors' of Eldar.
Mech Eldar, Foot Eldar, Bike Eldar, and MC Eldar.
I will show you how and why you run each of these lists.
All of these lists will be 1850 points.
Mech Eldar
This is for those that like the tanks.
HQ
- Autarch, Fusion Gun. He's there to give you +1 to your reserve rolls.
Troops
- 4 x 9 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ TL Bright Lances
Fast Attack
- 3 x 2 Vypers (or 2 x 3 if you prefer) with Scatter Lasers
Heavy Support
- Fire Prism w/ Shuriken Cannon
- Fire Prism w/ Shuriken Cannon
- Fire Prism w/ Shuriken Cannon
Tactics
This army runs much like a Tau mech army.
Your DA units move up and knock out infantry formations by ganging up on them, usually 2 at a time.
The Wave Serpents knock out enemy tanks.
The Fire Prisms help with hard to kill tanks, or fire blasts at infantry.
The Vypers help with hordes and enemy vehicle squadrons.
You don't engage in CC, because the enemy is dead before he gets there.
You do stick the Autarch with a DA unit, of course.
Foot Eldar
Foot Eldar run a bit differently than a Mech Eldar list, but tend towards the same tactical concepts.
This one is built for assault.
HQ
Elite
- 2 x 9 Harlequin Troop. Fusion Gun x2, Shadowseer, 8 Kisses.
Troops
- 2 x 7 Dire Avengers.
- 4 x 10 Guardian Defender Squads with Bright Lance.
Heavy
- 2 x 4 Dark Reapers, Exarch with Crack Shot and Tempest Launcher.
Tactics
This army is fairly straightforward.
Jain Zar and Karandras hitch rides with the Harlequins. Anyone who wants to tango with these combined units in CC, please sign here. Your next-of-kin will be notified.
The Dire Avengers are escorts for the Harlequins (they sit behind the Harlies). They have a 4+ cover save. They can hurt large enemy units (the bane of Harlequins). After the Harlequins run forward and assault someone, they can fall back through the Dire Avengers. Thus, a nice speed bump for the other guy to overwhelm. And then the Harlies hit home again. Yes, I know the Phoenix Lords do not have Hit & Run. You send them off into a different unit, which they deal with, while the Harlies deal with their own.
The Guardians sit back and try to kill tanks at range. The Dark Reapers will draw fire (and that's ok, you want them to) and will continue to do so until the tempest launcher exarch is dead.
S4, re-roll to wound...BS5 to reduce scatter...two templates...AP3...no cover saves...yeah, it sucks to be on the receiving end of that. Usually everyone hit just dies. ;)
Jetbike Eldar
Ok it's 1851 points, sue me. lol
HQ
- Farseer, Doom, Fortune, Jetbike, Spirit Stones, Witchblade
- Farseer, Fortune, Jetbike, Runes of Warding, Witchblade
- 2xSeer Council, 6 total Warlocks, Jetbikes, Witchblades, 4x Destructor, Embolden, Enhance.
Troops
- 2x Guardian Jetbike Squadron, 9xJetbikes, Warlock w/ Embolden, Witchblade; 3x Shuricannons
Heavy
Tactics
This is a mobile firepower/assault army. You can direct your attacks wherever you need to, against almost all armies out there.
The Seer Councils do most of the work, the Jetbike squadrons and Fire Prisms are support for the councils not the other way around.
Since I've had several requests for Destructor spam, here you go.
You don't run the standard spearlock on the jetbike guardians because their role isn't to hunt tanks.
They support the Seer Council, whittling down the enemy so the Seer Council doesn't get overwhelmed.
The Fire Prisms take out mobile enemy units so only the Eldar are mobile. If it's a horde, the big template is excellent for dealing with that.
MC Eldar
HQ
- Avatar. Well, he IS a MC.
- Farseer, Runes of Warding, Runes of Witnessing, Spirit Stones, Doom, Fortune, Singing Spear
Elite
- 3 x 3 Wraithguard, Spiritseer with Spear/Destructor.
Troop
- 2 x 10 Guardian Defenders, Warlock w/ Conceal, Scatter Laser
- 1 x 10 Guardian Defenders, Warlock w/ Conceal, Shuriken Cannon
- 2 x 10 Guardian Defenders, Warlock w/ Embolden, Missile Launcher
Heavy Support
- 3 x Wraithlord, Flamer x2, Bright Lance, Wraithsword
Tactics
It's a moving castle.
The Guardian squads with Conceal each stand in front of a Wraithguard unit, who in turn stand in front of the Wraithlords.
So everyone gets cover saves.
Avatar makes the Guardians fearless.
The Guardians with the missile launchers sit in the back guarding objectives (They have embolden so they stick around once the Avatar moves away.)
They can move forward with the castle if there are no objectives.
The Wraithguard provide close range melta-class fire, their warlocks give slightly longer range anti-tank fire and anti-horde templates.
The Farseer keeps the Avatar around, and Dooms whatever is lucky enough to be in range for you to fire your army at.
Wraithlords and Avatar are your countercharge force, with re-rolls to hit on the Wraithlords and the Avatars 3+ to hit everything...you should do well in CC if you fortune the Guardian unit most likely to take a beating in CC, to minimize your casualties.
You do have long range anti-tank and horde killing on the Wraithlords.
Just remember to keep moving in a bunch towards the enemy, you don't have a ton of shooting but anyone that gets close will fear the shooting you do have.
The End
I hope this helps new people. These are all excellent armies that have performed well for me in my many playtests.
The author of this article is Stelek.
Feel free to PM me with questions.
