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So, I am converting and painting a 1000 point Eldar Pirates army. It has to be fluffy, so it is all about surprise and speed... I have 222 points left to spend to make the list below useable at 1000 points. I own pretty much everything in the Eldar range, 3 or more units-worth of most things, except for Shining Spears (which I could buy, I suppose) and support weapon batteries (which would not fit this list anyway). The list below is the units I want to include. Either the cheapest option or no options at all have been taken for each unit so far.

I can add units, or simply add options and equipments to what I already have in the list.

At the moment I can't see the list doing much of anything. The counts-as-Avengers will probably spend most of their time in the Falcon. The counts-as-Hawks will be used to take out vehicles with Haywires, or finish off units that are almost at breaking point already, so an exarch with a power weapon and skyleap might make sense? At 1000 points, is it worth upgrading the scouts to Pathfinders? The jetbikes are just fluffy - how do you use them effectively? Should they have a warlock? Shuricannons? People tell me Vypers are naff, but they are soooo fluffy! Stand off and shoot, or get in a mix it up?

Please offer advice on what to add to make this a fluffy but effective force, (and how to use it?)...

HQ

Khaimen - Autarch, Hawk Wings, Power Weapon

Troops

Red Reavers - 5 counts-as-Avengers

Silent Slayers - 5 scouts

Khaine's Corsairs - 9 Jetbike Guardians

Fast Attack

Vultures - 5 counts-as-Hawks

Callous and Ruthless - Pair of Vypers with Shuricannons

Heavy Support

Clenched Fist - Falcon, Shuriken Cannon

Fluff is the only reason I could see to take swooping hawks Even then it's kind of iffy . Jetbikes are covered in pirate fluffiness. I'd suggest dropping the hawks and taking 3 more bikes so you can take 2 squads of 6 with 2 shuriken cannons each and then putting your autarch on a jetbike with the usual fusion gun, mandiblaster, laser lance build. This way you've got two scoring squads who jump into cannon range, wreak havoc, and disappear, as well as a str6 power weapon/melta gun that can be in your opponents face on turn 2.

As for the vypers, I'd take scatter lasers and a shuriken cannon on both. And for your falcon, try and fit in holofields.

If you still have points after this, I would add a warlock with embolden and a spear to each jetbike squad, (making 2 squads of 7) and then increase the ranger squad size.

Isn't a falcon with a single shuriken cannon a bit of a waste? Especially when the only thing it can transport is a squad of Dire Avengers.

For fluffiness, I'd lose the Dire Avengers and spent the money on Cool Falcon Weapons or more scouts/jetbikes...you need some anti-armour weaponry and it seems the Falcon may be the best place to put it..

How about warp spiders over swooping hawks? I'd still consider them 'fluffy', and as people have pointed out, hawks really are pretty bad.

Also, it's ALWAYS worth upgrading to pathfinders.

I've already put a lot of work into converting my Hawk Autarch and some of the Vultures, so they stay, despite being... less than optimal. Thanks for the advice though! I had thought about actually increasing the unit size, so you'll be glad I ruled that out! I think I will take an exarch with power blade and skyleap though, in order to make them acting in co-ordination with the autarch a fair threat in combat.

Don't forget, the Falcon was listed with Shuricannon as that was the cheapest option. I think an EML may be the best option, as I can move at cruise, get my 4+ save and still fire a plasma missile, or stay slow to get extra anti-tank. Do you not think it is worth having the counts-as-avengers sat in the Falcon to make it scoring? With Holofields as well, it could be a major nuisance for my opponent.

Are jetbikes squads of 6 big enough to be surviveable at 1000 points? Or is the answer "No, that is why you need Embolden!"?

I agree about scatter lasers on the Vypers. Are extra shuricannons worth it though, seeing as that means moving within 24" to use them? Keeping 36" range means I can go very wide on either flank with them and/or the Falcon and still have a decent set of targets.

Thanks for the advice. I'll post a new version soon.

I had a close look, and I agree, Pathfinders are choc-full of win.

Fifty wrote:Don't forget, the Falcon was listed with Shuricannon as that was the cheapest option. I think an EML may be the best option, as I can move at cruise, get my 4+ save and still fire a plasma missile, or stay slow to get extra anti-tank. Do you not think it is worth having the counts-as-avengers sat in the Falcon to make it scoring? With Holofields as well, it could be a major nuisance for my opponent.

I didn't think a vehicle could get the 'movement save' and still be capable of firing a defensive weapon? I thought they could only fire if one other weapon could normally fire. Which would be up to 12", but only at >12" do you get the movement save?

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

It is because Falcons count as "Fast".

They still get the 4+ save if they move 6-12", I think, but they can fire 1 main and all defensive weapons, exactly as if they had moved 1-6".

I'll check the rules later.

Now, 5th edition, you need to move >12" ('flat out') to get the 4+ cover save. This precludes firing weapons.

It did used to be that fast skimmers could move 6-12", get the defensive bonus, which was considerably better back then, and still fire with almost total freedom. Happy days.