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Hey folks.
New to DakkaDakka, old to GW-games, but just returning to actually playing after several years absence. I’m trying to put together (or rather plan since I haven’t bought the figures yet) a 500p Eldar army for 40k. This being the game I played the least when I was still active, I am feeling a bit lost

The list is not meant for competitive play, so having a fun army is more important than winning each battle. Of course, having something which I can expand on later is also a bonus, I don’t want to have to buy models I will never use. Anyway, here is what I have planned right now.

HQ
Autarch (70)
+ Swooping Hawk Wings (20)
+ Fusion Gun (10)
Total: 100


TROOPS
5 Pathfinders (24 each)
Total 120

13 Storm Guardians (8 each)
+ 2 Flamers (12)
+ Warlock with Conceal (25+15)
Total: 156


HEAVY SUPPORT
2 War Walkers with Scatter Lasers (60 each)
Total: 120

Points total: 496


I could add a singing spear to the warlock for the remaining points, just not sure it’s a good move. Anyway, what do you think? Will it fall apart as soon as something looks at it? I wanted to avoid a strong core of Guardians with platforms since I wanted a fun and mobile army, just not sure how it would perform. And will I be able to build on it or will some of these units become worthless further on? The Autarch probably is a gamble, I didn’t want a Seer and I just wanted something which could take on tanks if there where any in a 500 p game.

This is a very small army list, so i know that options are very limited for what you can take, so i'll take this time to say well done.
I say go the spear on the warlock and be carefull with your war walkers as they are very lightly armoured.
i would like to see your list for 1000 and 1500 points

Thanks. Don't have a list for 1000 or 1500 yet, not a finished one. But from what I have been looking at so far, I am getting a bit worried that I will never actually use the Autarch like that in a larger list. A couple of Swooping Hawks to go with him might work, but he is a tank buster and they are not.

Anyway, if anyone has suggestions for a different HQ I'd be grateful. Preferably not a Seer, but I am open for suggestions.

Btw, this forum probably has the ugliest smilies I have ever seen

Yeah I agree that 500 points is far too small. But also agree that you have got a lot there for those points.
Funny enough I played 500 points elder recenetly but I just added existing things from my 1500 army list which didnt work to well.

Farseer w. jetbike, witchblade and mindwar
2x 5 pathfinders
1 wraithlord

A very narrow victory for me but a new game all in it self playing with such little points.

I sugest aiming for 1k. 1.5k will probably be a minium for when the new rule book comes out with all this capturing objectives with just troops.

an autarch with warp pack, chainblade, mandiblasters and fusion gun is good as a HQ and if you dont want a seer try a phenox lord, they are good or prince yeil

Actually, now that I re-read the rules a bit I realise that Hawks actually are at least halfway anti-tank. With the granades and intercept. So perhaps that will be a good extention later on.

Anyway, thanks for the advice.

Lightbringer wrote:Actually, now that I re-read the rules a bit I realise that Hawks actually are at least halfway anti-tank. With the granades and intercept. So perhaps that will be a good extention later on.

Anyway, thanks for the advice.

Swooping hawks are really a bad unit all the way round. Their wings make them fast, but they don't do much once they get where they are going other than die. In 5th tanks are going to be very static things so they are going to be religated to back field units. Hawks will not survive the trip to the enemy back field with T3 and a 4+ save, it just won't happen. The only other option they really have is to jump around and pepper the enemy with S3, assault 2, 24" fire. Not the worst weapon ever, but it's really bad against anything with armor or T4. So unless you are hunting guardians, IG troopers, or termagaunts, you will not be doing all that much. Throw in the fact that hawks are expensive and they are not a unit I would recommend to anyone. It's a shame too because they are some of my favorite models.

As far as the Autarch goes, there are a couple of things...
First is that if the Autarch is not joned to a squad, he will be a big fat target for anyone out there with a big gun. With that in mind, you'll want him running with another unit. If he's going to be tooled up for hand to hand, then you want him running with a hand to hand unit (like your storm guardians). If he is going to be shooting, then you want him with a shooting unit (like your pathfinders). In either case, he probably won't be needing the extra movement from the hawk wings. All in all, the places I've seen Autarchs do the best is either in hand to hand squads in transports or in bike squads that are likely to end up in hand to hand. In general though, I've found that farseers do a lot more on the battle field than Autarchs do, but this is a fun army so do what you like.

Warwalkers are a very very deadly unit. They put out more long range fire power than any other single unit in the game (short of apoc stuff). The only problem with them is that they are frail. Be sure to keep them in cover and keep them at maximum range. Those two things are all you got to stop the enemy from killing them, but they can be very effective if used properly. The trick is to move into line of sight and range of just one enemy unit and then kill it. After it's gone, the enemy rarely has much that they can get into position to return fire. Maxing out the squad should be a fairly high priority in your army expansion. Scatter lasers work very well on them. The other option that I used in 4th was a 50/50 mix of scatter lasers and star cannons, however with the new wound assignment rules, that may not be a good idea any more.

Thanks for the advice! Sounds like some good point, to bad because Hawks are cool.

It turns out I will mostly play cc-tyranids in these really small games, since one of my friends are taking up 40k at the same time as me and we will try to keep our armies matched. This has made me think of two things. First of all a tank hunter Autarch, which I meant to take down any stray rhino and stuff like that, is kind of stupid. Sure, he could fire againt any big nasty bug that runs around... but I don´t think I want to land him 12" away from one of those unless he is tooled up for cc. I do however want him farily mobile in these small games, as long as there is a decent unit I can then ad him to later. I could give him a jump generator unless warp spiders is something to avoid.

Also. Is Storm Guardians really a good idea against Tyranids? I like mobile assault armies... but against giant bugs with a bunch of close combat weapons growing out of their spine?

Storm guardians are roughly a match for termagaunts, but not much else. In general, I think you would get more use out of defenders with a scatter laser. If you want hand to hand punch, striking scorpions or harliquins are your best bets.

I guess I'm lucky they didn't have any Storm Guardians at the store when I went there! Anyhow. I revised the list a bit. Some more firepower nad fewer assault troops. I figure the scorpions with the Aurarch probably can't handle a full strenght unit, but they should be able to mop up damaged units if I can get them close enough. When going for 1000 points increasing their numbers, adding an exarch and perhaps giving them a ride will be high priority.

HQ
Autarch (70)
+ Mandiblaster (10)
+ Scorpion Chainsword (5)
Total: 85


TROOPS
5 Pathfinders (24 each)
Total 120

10 Guardians (8 each)
+ Scatter Laser (15)
Total: 95


ELITES
5 Striking Scorpions (16 each)
Total: 80


HEAVY SUPPORT
2 War Walkers with Scatter Lasers (60 each)
Total: 120

Points total: 500

As a nid player and an eldar player, I have to say that scatter lasers are your friend. Thus, you are one the right track. The more the merrier against nids, especially gaunt hordes. Because they are S6, they should perform reasonably well against the big nasties as well. Do you know how many monstrous creatures he brings to the table? If it's alot, you might want a starcannon or two in there somewhere. A fex with a 2+ save can be really hard to take down.

CrimsonTurkey wrote:As a nid player and an eldar player, I have to say that scatter lasers are your friend. Thus, you are one the right track. The more the merrier against nids, especially gaunt hordes. Because they are S6, they should perform reasonably well against the big nasties as well. Do you know how many monstrous creatures he brings to the table? If it's alot, you might want a starcannon or two in there somewhere. A fex with a 2+ save can be really hard to take down.

At 500 points, I wouldnt' expect to see too many big bugs and I would figure that the pathfinders should be enough to take them down. However if you are up against 2 carnafixes and a hive tyrant then a star cannon on the guardians might be a good plan.

If he brings two carfifexes and a tyrant in a 500p game I'll have beat him to death with a spoon. But for lager games a Star Cannon is going to be in there somewhere.

If he brings a fex or a tyrant you have your lovely unit of pathfinders. What they are designed for IMO.