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Hey all,

Been trying to figure out what to take for the 850pt stage in a campaign. I've got 1HQ, 2-6Troops, 1 Fast Attack and 2 Heavy slots that I can choose from. Heres what I was thinking of:

The Avatar of Khaine @ 155Pts

5 Pathfinders @ 120Pts

5 Pathfinders @ 120Pts

Vyper Squadron @ 130Pts
1 Vyper, Scatter Laser, Holo Fields, Star Engines and Spirit Stones

Fire Prism @ 185Pts
Shuriken Cannon, Holo Fields, Star Engines and Spirit Stones

WraithLord @ 140Pts
2 Flamers, Wraithsword, Bright Lance

850Pts

I think the boards will be 4 by 4, but perhaps 6 by 4, not sure. I've spent a lot of points on the vyper, but I'm hoping it'l be able to soak up fire easily and nip in to an objective late game to contest. I'l probably use the Prism to give the Vyper a cover save which should help. The only serious problem I see is the wraithsight on the Lord, looking at my past record for rolling 1's when they're least needed....

C 'n C welcome

Cheers,
Gary

Wow, the Vyper is heavily overpriced. Keep it plain and simple, no upgrades other than weapons.
Starengines for the Prism are redundant. If it can't shoot simply reposition it. No need to move 36'' as it has a very long shooting range.

Well, the MCs and 2 Pathfinder squads is a good start. Give the WL a missile launcher instead of a wraithsword.
As its a campaign you might face some psykers. To this end, a Farseer with roward is mandatory.

Are you playing 5th edition? If not, ignore this.

The Avatar is good. Solid HQ. Draws a lot of fire, soaks a lot of fire.

2 Minimum-size squads of pathfinders is 4th Edition thinking. You NEED a decent mobile and tough troops allowance, or you'll never win any games that aren't Annihilate. Every round your pathfinders move to take objectives, you may as well have paid 16 points less for Guardians.

Your Vyper is far too kitted out. Consider that an Imperial Guard opponent will be paying only slightly more for a Leman Russ. Even with Holo-fields and spirit stones, the Vyper's still going down. Ditch Star Engines altogether, if you use them, you're not firing, and the exorbiant amount of points you spent are completely wasted. Holo-fields and Spirit stones can be justified, but the fact is, for the price of all the upgrades you could take another Vyper, have twice the firepower and force your opponent to split his fire.

Why did you give the Fire Prism a Shuriken Cannon? Are you planning on having your Fast gunship move 6", and so have an opportunity to fire it? Those 10 points could be far better spent. Similarly, ditch Star Engines. If you use them, you're not firing your Prism Cannon, and then you've wasted a turn of firing with among the best weapons in the game. Holo-fields are fine, spirit stones are fine, if possibly unnecessary.

Wraithlord looks mostly fine, but why a Bright Lance? It makes him a little schizophrenic (he wants to get into melee to use his Wraithsword, but he's also got the most expensive gun you can put on him on his back). I'd ditch it and free up more points.

All in all, it seems to me you're trying to use the fewest possible models to build an army (Possibly out of a desire to spend less money), which is severely crippling your ability to flex. Any horde army will give you a lot of trouble, as will any mission which requires mobile troops.

Recommendations: Take Dire Avengers instead of pathfinders, with the free points from de-kitting the Vyper, Prism and Wraithlord take a few Guardian Jetbikes for speed to hold objectives your opponent is ignoring or only lightly defendig.

cheers for the comments

havn't got any Dire Avengers, but they're pretty kool..

i've got:
1 Farseer
3 Warlocks
2 Autarchs on bikes (can probably scratch these as farseers)
1 Avatar
15 Pathfinders
10 Guardians with a Shuriken Cannon
2 Wave Serpents with Scatter lasers
2 Vypers with Scatter lasers and shuriken cannons
5 Warp Spiders
10 Dark Reapers
1 Wraithlord
1 Fire Prism

I'd like to take some Guardians, but they seem to run better when lobbed in one of the wave serpents.

the shuriken cannon on the fire prism felt like a good idea when I was constructing it.. I know my mistake now though

Gave the list some good thought.

I've decided to ditch the viper, the points sink in it was ridiculous, but without the upgrades it seemed like an easy KP (if annihalation is the mission decided)

Got some Guardians in there, who can sit snugly in their serpent and hold objectives, as well as giving the Wraithlord his wraithsight support (I am right when I think that the Warlock's Aura can reach outside of the Wave Serpent arn't I?)

The Avatar of Khaine @ 155Pts

5 Pathfinders @ 120Pts

10 Guardians @ 134 Pts
Shuriken Cannon and Spiritseer with Conceal and a Singing Spear
Wave Serpent @ 125Pts
Twin Linked Scatter Laser, Spirit Stones

Fire Prism @ 170Pts
Shuriken Cannon, Holo Fields and Spirit Stones

WraithLord @ 140Pts
2 Flamers, Wraithsword, Bright Lance

844Pts

Cheers,

Gary

Looks much better, you've got a nice mobile objective holder with a lot of firepower, 2 Monstrous creatures which are damn tough to kill, and a highly mobile tank capable of killing pretty much anything. And yes, I think in the 5th Edition FAQ they talk about a Spiritseer's aura reaching outside a vehicle.

The only thing I'd be concerned with is something you're always going to have trouble with as Eldar, and that's hordes, but they will in turn have a tough time with your Avatar and Wraithlord.

I know your modelling is different, but I'd still recommend against giving the Wraithlord a Bright Lance (the Avatar's Wailing Doom and the Wraithlord's melee will make short work of any vehicles), I'd consider an Eldar Missile Launcher instead, drop the Shuriken Cannon off the Fire Prism and try to use the extra points to plunk down another Pathfinder.

Thanks for the input

hopefully i'l win and nab me another HQ choice, that Avatar is lonely without a mothering farseer to hold his hand xD

The army is questionable. It contains 3 mobile units and 3 static units. Well, I'd make either a fully mobile force or a force with hammer (static units) & anvil (fast, hard hitting counterstrike unit).

I would switch the wave serpent to TL BL or EML and put the EML on the Wraithlord.

As already said, you have an avatar and a wraithlord to cut up tanks. If you are thinking fexes and the like, the TL BL on the wave serpent is actually more accurate. Eldar missile launchers give you best range and a good multi-purpose. If you had TL on the serpent and 1 on the wraithlord and then the fire prism unfocused. You have a pretty nice answer to 1000 pt hoard armies. Only place you really hurt for not having the bright lance is against land raiders and lehman russ front armor and even there you can fouce the fire prism or just cut it up with your monstrous creatures.