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I didn't really want to start itemizing background quotes, but i suppose I'll have to.

Please find screen grabs of bits of the 1st Ed Eldar background from WD 126 (and later the compilation) and the 2nd Ed Eldar codex.

Elbows, almost all the 2nd Ed Eldar background comes from rogue trader - WD 126. It changed very little. They added stuff like warp spiders, but I think the biggest actual change was the description of exarchs literally melding with their suits from the original spirit merging.

The size of shrines is discussed and them being training spaces armouries etc is mentioned. Every craftworld has at least one shrine to the asuryata aspects.

Bharring, it might seem like I'm nitpicking, but the path system is not about obsession at all. The word obsession has a lot of negative connotations. They describe it as Mastering a discipline. Although focused mastery and obsession are similar, one can be abandoned and the other cannot. Exarchs and farseers are examples of those who become obsessed with their path, which is distinct from those who master it and move on.

This is why, although I understand the similarity in language, i think it is fundamentally incorrect to call the path system obsession.

I'm not sure what you mean by subsets of different paths/aspects.

What i describe is connecting a scorpion warrior to an exarch. There is power claw training and biting blade training. There is no fluff that explains how an exarch can use a weapon not wielded by their students either. But they do. Therefore those weapons are part of their aspect. Ergo, they are within the scope of aspect warriors to use. That is not a stretch, it's just logic.

My description above simply took the current "all warriors wield the same weapon" structure of the units and split them by weapon type - all biting blade squads, all chain blade squads etc. It is entirely illogical to say that an exarch, being the embodiment of their aspect, somehow wields weapons that are NOT the embodiment of their aspect. therefore, part of they must be within the scope of weapons the aspect has access to. Its axiomatic.

As for wraithguard, I'm not sure how you think the system works.

The infinity circuit lies within the wraithbone core of the craftworld, it's not a vault somewhere in the basement. The souls of the dead literally inhabit the walls of the craftworld. The core runs throughout the craftworld, and the ribs penetrate further still.

A soul needs to be extracted yes, but it can be done anywhere the wraithbone core is present so long as a suitable stone is present. And aspect warriors tended to be those more likely to answer the call as they were more warlike.

A spirit seer doing that inside a shrine is no different to another Eldar on the path of the janitor cleaning the shrine toilets. Shrines aren't closed off to other Eldar and not even the warriors stay there, only the exarchs do.

But yes, they would need singer support to continue to function. Originally wraith constructs only needed living Eldar of any type nearby to keep them focused. Repairs are a different matter.

The vehicle crew is an interesting one.

There is very little information about the structure of an aspect. We wouldn't assume an eldar instantly learns their aspect when they join. Given the marital art vibe, you would imagine some kind of grading system. But we never get that kind of detail in the rules or background. GW waxes Lyrical about the 15 different types of marine pants they have and all the different types of squads from novice to veteran,. But all we get with aspects is warriors and exarchs.

I wouldn't call it a stretch to claim that the vehicles could be piloted by novices just starting out - remembering that they can be piloted by people on the path of the Baker on their day off. If aspects weren't already going to war as part of their path, theyd be guardians.

They could definitely be piloted by EX aspects who, like warlocks, still have a kinship with the shrine.

Right, but the WD articles at that point were just basically the fundamentals which became solidified in the 2nd edition book. 2nd edition was already in production (behind the scenes) when those articles started filtering out. A load of 2nd edition stuff appeared in white dwarf before the actual launch of 2nd edition.

You do understand though, everything you're theorizing is just that; theory right? No one's faulting you for that - just don't present your opinion as fact, that's all. I still disagree completely with how you view a shrine, and that's fine. You're not correct, but that doesn't make me correct either.

Except for the Exarch Wraithlord. That's just wrong.