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HQ = 340 points - Farseer + Warlocks

The skills and armor here are chosen to help play as a direct foil to offensive HQ units on the attack. I didn’t want to go overboard on Warlocks, though I still might have.

Spirit Stones
Warding
Guide
Mind War

6x Warlocks
2x Destructor
2x Embolden
2x Conceal


Troop 1 = 120 Points – Pathfinder Squad x1
5x Pathfinders

Troop 2 = 162 Points - Dire Avengers Squad 1
1x Exarch w/ power weapon + shimmer shield.
1x Exarch powers: Bladestorm.
9x Dire Avengers

Troop 3 = 167 Points - Dire Avengers Squad 2
1x Exarch w/ dual shuriken catapults.
2x Exarch powers: Defend, Bladestorm.
9x Dire Avengers

Troop 4 = 120 Points – Pathfinder Squad x1
5x Pathfinders


Elite 1 = 212 Points – Fire Dragon Squad x1
1x Exarch w/ firepike.
1x Exarch power: Tank Hunter.
9x Fire Dragons

Elite 2 = 145 Points – Wraithguard Squad 1
1x Warlock
1x Warlock Power: Enhance
5x Wraithguard

Elite 3 = 145 Points – Wraithguard Squad 2
1x Warlock
1x Warlock Power: Enhance
5x Wraithguard


Wraith Lord = 140 points
Star cannon
Scatter laser
2x flamer/shuriken.

Wraith Lord = 140 points
Star Cannon
Scatter Laser
2x flamer/shuriken


Please understand I’m not just new to eldar but a new player in general.

My thought process was that I can use the 2 WG squads and the WL’s to defend my home objective. Putting the star cannon on the Wraith Lords gives them a little extra range to help pepper anything oncoming from distance.

The 2 Pathfinder squads are there to support the wraith guards and wraith lords.

The Farseer might be close to being a kamikaze unit. I’m hoping with the Warlocks and Farseer that I can get in close enough with a Wave Serpent to use mind war and try to shut down/kill a HQ unit on the opposing side.

The main objective assault will be the two dire avenger squads moving in tandem. Group 1 will disembark and Bladestorm and then engage melee using the shield for cover.

Group 2 rather than continue in combat on the objective, group 2’s subsequent turn will be using defend and remounting into the wave serpent which unloaded them so they can reload without exposure or move and Bladestorm another unit needing hits.


I didn’t outfit the wave serpents with much to save points.

I still need to shed points to 2000, as I’m at 2291, and would appreciate advice or bits of Eldar strategy.

(Note. I havent even got to play a game yet. Still painting. )

PS - Every infantry unit has a waveserpent with TL Shuriken Cannons. This includes the 5x Wraithguards.

PPS - I dont have any models other than the Pathfinders and 1 set of the DA's purchased. I really like the Pathfinders and want to keep them in the list in one way or another, even if everything else about it changes. I can afford pretty much whatever. I avoided Eldrad because people at my LGS say that he's cheap and people wont wanna play me if I use him.

PPS - I'm not much interested in running Jetbike Eldar.

A few pointers I can give ya.

- Enhance won't do anything for Wraithguard. Either they tie up in combat the whole game once assaulted or they die pitifully to Powerfists/Powerclaw/High str power weapon. I prefer conceal to give them a backup save vs Anti-tank fire.

- Starcannons on Wraithlords are a really bad choice. They are incredibly expensive and wont' do much for the wraithlord. The best configs I have found for them is EML/BL for anti-tank or a base 100pt swordlord. The sword lord has always preformed better for me as for 100pts you jsut move/run up the field soaking up anti-tank fire and keeping it off your serpents.

- Trade the conceal for enhance on your warlocks. Conceal isn't really needed since their 4+ invul is almost never bypassed and the enhacne will make them much deadlier in CC.

- Mind war is really kinda meh. You REALLY want fortune for Lock squads.

- Power Weapon and Shimmer shield is a costly upgrade that you'll really never see do anything. Dire Avengers die horribly in close combat regardless of their upgrades.

- Fire Dragon Exarch isn't worth his upgrade cost. if something doesn't die to 9 normal meltas then 51 pts for one more shot and +1 Str vs vehicles isn't going to help.

Updated to the following..


HQ = 340 points - Farseer + Warlocks

The skills and armor here are chosen to help play as a direct foil to offensive HQ units on the attack. I didn’t want to go overboard on Warlocks, though I still might have.

Spirit Stones
Warding
Guide
Mind War
Fortune

6x Warlocks
2x Destructor
2x Embolden
2x Enhance


Troop 1 = 120 Points – Pathfinder Squad x1
5x Pathfinders

Troop 2 = 267 Points - Dire Avengers Squad 1
1x Exarch w/ dual shuriken cannons.
1x Exarch powers: Defend, Bladestorm.
9x Dire Avengers

1x Wave Serpent w/ TL SC's.

Troop 3 = 267 Points - Dire Avengers Squad 2
1x Exarch w/ dual shuriken catapults.
2x Exarch powers: Defend, Bladestorm.
9x Dire Avengers

1x Wave Serpent w/ TL SC's.


Troop 4 = 120 Points – Pathfinder Squad x1
5x Pathfinders


Elite 1 = 228 Points – Fire Dragon Squad x1
8x Fire Dragons

1x WS w/ TL SC's.

Elite 2 = 245 Points – Wraithguard Squad 1
1x Warlock
1x Warlock Power: Conceal
5x Wraithguard

1x Wave Serpent w/ TL SC's.

Elite 3 = 245 Points – Wraithguard Squad 2
1x Warlock
1x Warlock Power: Conceal
5x Wraithguard

1x Wave Serpent w/ TL SC's.

Wraith Lord = 100 points
2x flamer
Wraithsword

Wraith Lord = 100 points
2x Flamer
Wraithsword


The 2 Pathfinder squads are there to support the wraith guards and wraith lords, who I plan on using to defend my home objective.

I think I can use Emboldens ability to retake a flubbed leadership test with mindwar.

The main objective assault will be the two dire avenger squads moving in tandem using bladestorm, then using defend to retreat back into the WS for a safe reload or perhaps moving somewhere safer, since, apparently DA's fight like wet noodles in melee.


Main changes:

Went from 9x FD's and an exarch to 8 FD.

Reduced WL cost from 140 to 100 by ditching the cannons and going to swords only.

I dont know how that will affect their ability to play slightly defensive. Think just using the 10 Pathfinders and 2 WG squads is enough to defend my home objective so the Farseers, WL's, and Wave Serpents can move downfield for assault?

I still need to shed 62 points.

OK, well first off, welcome to the game! It is a wonderful hobby that will bring you lots of fun, new friends but make your wallet cry.

First off, the list you have is decent, but you make a lot of beginner mistakes.

Eldrad is far superior to a normal Farseer but if you have cry babbies at your LGS, that is a bummer, so work with what you have.

Do not take WG unless you have a ten man squad on foot as a troops unit. They are totally not worth it when compared to firedragons when mounted in a waveserpent. Friedragons do the same thing they do, better and cheaper against any target baring a monolith.

If you do run them on foot, take 10 with a warlock with conceal, and now you have a very tough scoring unit, but that is also very expensive.

If you are running dire avengers in serpents, give them an exarch with dual shuirkats and bladestorm. That is the most effective set up.

All the serpents NEED to have spirit stones, other than that you can get by with minimal gear.

For your seer council, one enhance is enough, and conceal is wasted as they all have a 4++ which is better than a 5+ cover save. Give them all destructor if you want to run these guys, and throw in a bunch of spears as it effectively gives them all las cannons for taking out vehicles.

On the Wraithlords, as has been said, you have a bad set up. There are two ways to run WL's IMO, Eldar Missile Launcher and Bright Lance or with just a Warithsword. That gives you the most optimal configuration. You will have to watch out for wraithsight too, as without a psyker nearby there is a good chance these guys wont be doing anything for at least one turn per game each. You may want to drop them in favor of warwalkers.

Pathfinders are OK, but don't expect them to do much killing. Almost everything has a cover save these days, so I take just one squad of Rangers to save points. They sit on an objective and win you the game, but rarely kill any enemy models.

So here is my suggestion for you.

HQ:

Farseer: stones of warding, ghost helm, fortune
Seer Council: 6 warlocks, embolden, enhance, 4 x destructor, 5 x singing spear
Wave Serpent: Spirit Stones, S.Cannon

Troops:

Dire Avengers x 10, Exarch, dual s.cat, bladestorm
Wave Serpent: B.Lance, S.Stones
Dire Avengers x 10, Exarch, dual s.cat, bladestorm
Wave Serpent: B.Lance, S.Stones
Rangers x 5

Elites:

Fire Dragons x 9: Exarch, Crack Shot, F.Pike
Wave Serpent: S.Cannons, S.Stones
Fire Dragons x 9: Exarch, Crack Shot, F.Pike
Wave Serpent: S.Cannons, S.Stones

Heavy:

Wraithlord: EML, B.Lance
Wriathlord: EML, B.Lance

Again, with bad luck these guys may sit around picking their noses and not dong anything, you may want to drop them for this:

Fire Prism: H.Fields
Fire Prism: H.Fields

That meshes much better with the rest of your army.

If you want to do a Ghost army (lots of WL's and WG) then you need to go pretty much all foot.

Reduce the Fire Dragons to 5x squads. They WILL die, and 5 melta jobs should do the job. Spend the points from the other 5 dragons elsewhere. Exarch + firepike should be removed, just like BlueDagger wrote.

Do not take star cannons. Bright lances or scatter laser (or s-cannons if you are out of points) - nothing else.

btw. welcome to 40k and to the noble and pricy space elves.

Thanks to everyone.

Here's an update.

HQ = 385 points - Farseer + Warlocks

Spirit Stones
Warding
Guide
Mind War
Fortune

6x Warlocks
5x Singing Spears
2x Destructor
2x Embolden
2x Enhance


Troop 1 = 120 Points – Pathfinder Squad x1
5x Pathfinders


Troop 2 = 262 Points - Serpent w/ TL SC/ Spirit Stones
1x Exarch w/ dual shuriken catapults..
1x Exarch powers: Bladestorm.
9x Dire Avengers
1x WS


Troop 3 = 262 Points - Serpent w/ TL SC/ Spirit Stones
1x Exarch w/ dual shuriken catapults..
1x Exarch powers: Bladestorm.
9x Dire Avengers
1x WS


Elite 1 = 238 Points – Serpent w/ TL SC/ Spirit Stones
8x Fire Dragons
1x WS

Elite 2 = 396 Points
1x Spiritseer
1x Warlock Power: Conceal
10x Wraithguard


Wraith Lord = 100 points
Wraith Sword

Wraith Lord = 100 points
Wraith Sword


1863/2000 Points. I’ve hit the point cap I needed by cutting a squad of 5x Pathfinders.

Now I’ve got another 137 points to work with.

I could possibly change my Wraith Lord platform to EML and SL’s.

I could possibly arm my WS a little stronger.

I could possibly add a third WL and some upgrades to my WS’s.

I could possibly reduce my Fire Dragon squad to 5 and buy another set of 5 and another light equipped WS.

I guess currently the army looks to delay popping out with Bladestorm barrages until the WL’s are close enough to attack in melee the very next round.

(Unload, BS -> Next Round, charge/engage WL’s, retreat into WS.)

Then again, wraithsight says I should keep a psyker around my WL's. Possibly buy a squad of 2 Warlocks as a second HQ choice to move with the WL's?

I’ve read conflicting reports of just how many fire dragons are needed and whether or not its worth the points to upgrade to Exarch and buy a firepike. The argument seems to be that the Exarch is pointless because the firepike outranged the rest of his squad anyways so the cost isn’t worth it.

My plan is to use the footslogger WG’s to hold home objective. The Pathfinders will catch up on foot eventually and help hold. I’ve read WG’s suck in the mobilized group of 5 with a warlock… So I figured I might group them ten deep instead. I cant say I know what tactical advantage the WG's have other than the look cool and their weapon seems pretty nice.

The Farseer Council uses leadership re-rolls with embolden on mind war and focuses on HQ unit extermination. I don’t really know a good strategy for them as I’m loath to put my warlocks and farseers on jetbikes.




Still open to all criticism.

Thanks!

Thunderfrog wrote:
(Note. I havent even got to play a game yet. Still painting. )

Try and get a couple of small points games in, these will help you a lot more than any advice given here.
Good luck and have fun!

Yea. I'm just afraid that Eldar were a bad choice.

People at my LGS tell me they are underpowered unless you use Eldrad, but if you use Eldrad they are cheap, and people wont want to play you because you are using Eldrad.

Sortve a dog eating it's tail.

Thunderfrog wrote:Yea. I'm just afraid that Eldar were a bad choice.

Playing Eldar is challenging, sadly they have only a few lists whcih are competitive.
But they are not "bad" as Space Marines are not "uber".
Have fun, play games and sooner or later you will kick ass, even with your "bad choice".

Eldar do not suck, at all. They are very, very good, you just have to be a skilled player to win with them. If you learn to win with Eldar, you will kick that crap out of people.

In over a year of playing my Eldar as my main army, I have yet to lose a single game. They are awesome, trust me.

I have to disagree with what some people have said here.

The Exarch on a friedargon squad with a firepike is such a benefit. It is only 8 points and that extra 6" plus crack shot to ignore cover saves (likes smoke) has been unbelievably good for me in every game.

Taking a large squad goes against conventional wisdom, but it lets you get in two volleys with them. If you have 10 bodies they will most likely survive to shoot again, thereby netting you another big kill. It is preferential to your play style, but I always take as many as I have points for.

Your Farseer is too pricey. He will be either in assault or his WS every turn so windwar will almost never be used. Just giving him runes of warding and fortune will get you by, maybe doom, although since your guys wound everything on a 2+, it will mostly be a waste of points.

And again, you are wasting points on your warlock squad by giving them conceal, they have a 4+ invulnerable save which is BETTER than a 5+ cover save.

Only take one enhance, two is wasted. Load up on destructor as that is a fantastic ability. Take singing spears too, as this makes that squad capable of destroying any target and they are very, very hard to kill with fortune.

Having the 10 wraithguard and 2 WL's does not mesh well in this list. they will be on their own while the rest of your army zips around in speeders.

If you are taking wraithlords with just a wriathsword, take an avatar too along with a seer squad on foot with a farseer, and a squad of harlies and you have a hard core of assault troops.

The way you are running them they just don't fit in well at all with the rest of your army.

Honestly, drop the WG and and the WL for a squad of rangers or two, and 3 fire prisms and you have an army that really meshes well.