Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So I wanted to share with you all my idea. Basically most people talk about how the Autarch should just get a scorpion chain sword cuz it's +1 str & the power sword is user str and a mere ap3. Well... Why not pay 5 extra point and use a power maul. It may not seem very delicate & elven but the codex only says power weapon so we can choose. After all, thàt gives six WS6 S5 AP 4 attacks at I 6 with concussion on the charge, assuming you also pay for mandiblasters. Odds are you'll fight to far greater effect this way.

That's actually a pretty decent idea. The advent of power mauls/lances/swords/axes is really interesting in what it can do for units previously restricted to just 'power weapons'.

I can see an autarch actually (gasp!) killing people in close combat now.

Thanks! I have mathhammered out that it is the best CC weapon for killing power against all armour values and gives glancing power up to AV 11.

That sounds super sweet! A Great way to actually fill them one in. Imagine him on a jetbike with warlocks to.

I would go for a powermaul or mirror swords. Mirror swords ignore armor, so are AP2 like or the maul is +2 str and will get rid of scout armor.

 Exergy wrote:
I would go for a powermaul or mirror swords. Mirror swords ignore armor, so are AP2 like or the maul is +2 str and will get rid of scout armor.

According to the Codex Mirror Swords are not an option for the Autarch.

AP2 is no good if you cause no wounds.

Per frustration from Shelegelah you want wounds before you think of saves.

Also going at initiative is critical, a big advantage.

warpspider89 wrote:

 Exergy wrote:
I would go for a powermaul or mirror swords. Mirror swords ignore armor, so are AP2 like or the maul is +2 str and will get rid of scout armor.

According to the Codex Mirror Swords are not an option for the Autarch.

thought they were, maul it is then


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Loricatus Aurora wrote:
AP2 is no good if you cause no wounds.

Per frustration from Shelegelah you want wounds before you think of saves.

Also going at initiative is critical, a big advantage.

against T4 2+, str3 AP2 will get a wound through 33% of the time. str5 AP4 will get a wound through 11% of the time....

that being said, doesnt look like you can get mirror swords so it is moot

 Exergy wrote:

warpspider89 wrote:

 Exergy wrote:
I would go for a powermaul or mirror swords. Mirror swords ignore armor, so are AP2 like or the maul is +2 str and will get rid of scout armor.

According to the Codex Mirror Swords are not an option for the Autarch.

thought they were, maul it is then


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Loricatus Aurora wrote:
AP2 is no good if you cause no wounds.

Per frustration from Shelegelah you want wounds before you think of saves.

Also going at initiative is critical, a big advantage.

against T4 2+, str3 AP2 will get a wound through 33% of the time. str5 AP4 will get a wound through 11% of the time....

that being said, doesnt look like you can get mirror swords so it is moot

Against +3 armor on a howling banshee exarch they are of equal value and against otherwise they are worse.

Removing saves is more important to me than improving wound rolls, though it's all a little depressing. It's a waste if initiative but the cleat is for the best here, no one was thinking about eldar when they redesigned close combat weapons.

 Exergy wrote:
Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Loricatus Aurora wrote:
AP2 is no good if you cause no wounds.

Per frustration from Shelegelah you want wounds before you think of saves.

Also going at initiative is critical, a big advantage.

against T4 2+, str3 AP2 will get a wound through 33% of the time. str5 AP4 will get a wound through 11% of the time....

that being said, doesnt look like you can get mirror swords so it is moot

Who charges Terminators with an Autarch anyway? And on top of that, they generally have an invul save from shields, so that 33% evens out (to 11%) when only 1/3 of those get through. Against most armour though, the Power Maul is the way to go.

Jet Bike and laser lance. S6 and AP3. Only on the charge, but for finishing off squads, he's awesome.

 Lucre wrote:
Removing saves is more important to me than improving wound rolls, though it's all a little depressing. It's a waste if initiative but the cleat is for the best here, no one was thinking about eldar when they redesigned close combat weapons.

So by that logic you would choose star cannons over scatter lasers because they remove saves.

Im still not sure why you would ever take a ground autarch. ~100 games with eldar and i have yet to use an autarch without a bike effectively.
Yriel does everything better for only a slight point cost premium.

Autarchs always needed exarch weapons, not aspect weapons. Would make them so much more interesting.

zephoid wrote:
Im still not sure why you would ever take a ground autarch. ~100 games with eldar and i have yet to use an autarch without a bike effectively.
Yriel does everything better for only a slight point cost premium.

Autarchs always needed exarch weapons, not aspect weapons. Would make them so much more interesting.

Agreed! I never take my Autarch without WJG & a squad of warp spiders.

Well the bs6 Fusion Gun is a decidedly solid weapon. Its really just the close combat options that the Autarch is truely lacking in. And as has been said the power maul gives him some solid versatility.

However you should never actually be taking an Autarch for his Wargear, he only really shines if you play like me and reserve around half of your army every game. That way you get your Reserves on a 2+ instead of a 3+ which helps guarentee you get your outflankers / deep strikers on a 2+. To me that ability is what I pay the points for an Autarch for, his wargear is just to take advantage of his statline, and maybe contribute in a limited way.

I currently run a power sword for no other reason than that is what my 5th edition conversion has, but I whole heartedly agree that the Maul is the best option on him. Just don't confuse "his best option" with "good option" because he will still get his balls rocked by most of the characters in the game. Autarch has always been more of a bully than a duelist. Using the speed of a Bike or Warp Spiders to pick on weaker units, then escaping with Hit and Run and great movement speed.

To contribute directly to this thread, a Power Spear is also a valid addition. With a Warp Jump Generator at least, he should be the one charging (on a bike I think the Shining Spear Lance is the Strongest). So essentially you can get s4 ap3 on the charge which is respectable. Also remember that when rolling with Warp Spiders you should have Withdraw, so you can hop in and out of combat to try to get more turns of charge bonus. That said, you'll be very floppy during your opponent's turn (s3 ap4) but its still an interesting option.

zephoid wrote:
Im still not sure why you would ever take a ground autarch. ~100 games with eldar and i have yet to use an autarch without a bike effectively.
Yriel does everything better for only a slight point cost premium.

Autarchs always needed exarch weapons, not aspect weapons. Would make them so much more interesting.

Yriel is a named character. While i cannot talk for Eldar as a SM player, i will say he is an absolute beast having faced him a few times. Even so, im not a fan of named characters so if i were and Eldar player i would be exploring your own Autarch / Farseer builds. Many disagree and love named characters, Zephoid clearly does, for me though I find multiple Njal, Vulkan etc in tournaments depressing and further, takes the army from my story to a prewritten one.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Sorry Zephoid, retract that, rereading your post you say bike Autarch not named character, my misunderstanding.