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Heading to my first tournament in a month or so, and the list concept is below. I'm looking for opinions on it's balance and effectiveness.

HQ - 135
1. Farseer - 100
2. Warlock - 35

Elites - 0
*None*

Troops - 806
1. Dire Avengers - 142
- 9 Avenger
- Exarch
- Battle Fortune
-Wave Serpent - 145
-TL Scatter Laser
- Shuriken Cannon
- Holo-Fields
2. Dire Avengers - 142
- 9 Avengers
- Exarch
- Battle Fortune
-Wave Serpent - 145
-TL Scatter Laser
- Shuriken Cannon
- Holo-Fields
3. Guardians - 110
- 10 Guardians
- Starcannon
4. Windrider Jetbike Squad - 122
6 Bikes
2 Shuriken Cannons

Fast Attack - 276
1. Crimson Hunter - 160
2. Swooping Hawks - 116
6 Hawks
Exarch
Hawk's Talon

Heavy Support
1. Fire Prism - 140
Holo-Fields
2. Fire Prism - 140
Holo-Fields

Ideas? Also, if anyone can tell me what I'm in for, it'd be greatly appreciated. This is my first game outside of my group of close friends.

As long as the tournament isn't too competitive you should be ok. Lots of scoring and anti-horde, meq and teq covered with the fire prisms, adequate anti-air with the wave serpents.

Personally I would change a few things though.


I love the idea of swooping hawks, but unfortunately they will probably under perform but if you like them then go for it but I would drop the exarch, I really don't think it is worth 20 points for 3 s5 shots. With the risk of the list being a little cookie-cutter, I would drop the avenger squads down to a minimum without the exarch, and take 3 squads in serpents with scatter laser and holofield.

I dont bother with warlocks, I can see how useful they can be, but I would drop him and a shuriken cannon on your jetbikes and take a second crimson hunter. I like redundancy in my lists and crimson hunters are so fragile you cant rely on one, so I think it really should be 2 or none.

Hope I got my maths right there but good luck whatever you decide to take.

My son plays Eldar, and he assures me Exarchs are not a good use of points. If you believe that you can use the savings else where.
"Serpant Spam" usually takes the form of minimal Avengers in each, so you can afford more Serpants....

Based on your points I assume the tournament is 1500.

You can do max avenger squads in serpents if you want. Typically, guardians the same job for less, but avengers have their uses. If you want an exarch, don't take battle fortune. For only 5 points more, you could get a shimmershield and power weapon. This gives your entire squad a 5++, and a power weapon over just a 4++. Much better investment.

Consider making your crimson hunter an exarch, although depending on the battle you may be able to guide it. The hunter is there to pull AA duty first and foremost. It is an expensive but lethal tool, so as soon as it comes on you want it to nuke whatever you point it at. Some people say it is not worth it as the hunter costs more than most fliers, and won't make its points back by shooting down a cheaper flier. I see it as neutralizing a threat, freeing up your serpents to do their thing and taking out something that could be major trouble. Either way, its up to you as both arguments have merit.

Hawks can do an exarch, but always spring for the sunrifle. S5 is not a big deal, but Ap3 can be and blind is huge. The exarch also reduces the scatter of the grenade pack, and gives you a BS5 plasma/haywire grenade. You can go naked, but I always take the exarch and sunrifle if I can afford.

Not sure you need a warlock and farseer with the guardians. Makes a decent firebase, but it is the only foot and slow squad you have. The tanks, bikes and fast attack will outpace. Consider just a warlock, or a cheap spiritseer. Maybe put your farseer on a bike, and run the guardians naked as a cheap support fire squad. Your OK on troops, so maybe even switch them to a vaul support squad(if you have the batteries) and put your farseer/psykers there.

Overall, you should be OK in most FLGS tournaments, with a balanced and effective list. Some highly competitive/spammy lists may be a problem, but the list can certainly hold water.

 Dr. Serling wrote:
Based on your points I assume the tournament is 1500.

You can do max avenger squads in serpents if you want. Typically, guardians the same job for less, but avengers have their uses. If you want an exarch, don't take battle fortune. For only 5 points more, you could get a shimmershield and power weapon. This gives your entire squad a 5++, and a power weapon over just a 4++. Much better investment
...
Not sure you need a warlock and farseer with the guardians. Makes a decent firebase, but it is the only foot and slow squad you have. The tanks, bikes and fast attack will outpace.

I misread Battle Fortune's rules... I thought it gave the team a 4++. Oops.

I wanted a Bikeseer but have no money. I was going to throw him in a serpent with the Avengers. Would that be a bad idea?

You can't cast psychic powers inside of transports anymore so definitely either put your farseer either on a bike or on foot.

Here's what I would do with your list:

Farseer 100
Warlock 35

2 x 10 Dire Avengers 320
Exarch w/ powerwep/shimmershield
2 Wave serpents 270
TL Scatterlaser, Holofield

20 Guardians 220 *farseer & warlock here
2 Scatterlasers or 2 Starcannons

Crimson Hunter Exarch 180 (I don't own one but I always see people bring the exarch)
5 Warp Spiders 95

Fire Prism 140
Holofield

2 War walkers 140
4 Scatterlasers

1500pts on the dot