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.

Hi, i'm pretty new to Warhammer and got a second hand army for pretty dirt cheap compared to the cost of them new, how can I improve them, what would be better and do I have everything I need for being able to play vs other beginners. My army list is:
-16 guardians
-5 swooping hawks
-5 warp spiders
-An Eldar warlock with singing spear
-An Eldar warlock with witch blade
-7 rangers
-3 jetbikes
-7 fire dragons
-5 howling banshees
-5 dark reapers
-Eldar Farseer

Well maybe get some transports for a start. Eldar have really good mobility with fleet of foot but they are paper thin when they come up against strength 4/5 shots which are plentiful from MEQ boltguns heavy bolters etc (most beginner armies are space marines in my experience)

Get some bigger guns. Guardian weapons platforms, war walkers, fire prisms, and falcon grav tanks are examples.

I'd avoid buying into a wave serpent for now. The serpent is powerful yes but it can be seen as "seal clubbing" in beginners games due to its potency.

Another item to consider is a wraithknight or a wraithlord

You don't need wave serpents.

I beat the pants of salamanders using the following list.

Autarch: Banshee Mask, Scorpion Chainsword, Fusion Gun, Warp Jump Generator
Warlock x2
Guardians x11: Star Cannon
Guardians x10: Star Cannon
Guardians x10: Star Cannon
Swooping hawks x5
Swooping hawk Exarch: Sunrifle
Crimson Hunter Exarch
Warp Spiders x10
Wraithknight
War Walkers x3: Scatter Laser, Scatter Laser, Star Engines

Sadly since they are second hand I have NO idea what upgrades they have, but I think it will be a great brancher to get into warhammer. I'm thinking of getting a wraithknight as a hard-hitter eventually

First off welcome to DakkaDakka!

Secondly, what do you like fluff wise, model wise, competitive wise (other then beginner for now).

We can help you more when you say like "I want footdar theme" or "stealth themed". But for beginning games just play the foot units incorporating all you have.

 Arbiter wrote:
First off welcome to DakkaDakka!

Secondly, what do you like fluff wise, model wise, competitive wise (other then beginner for now).

We can help you more when you say like "I want footdar theme" or "stealth themed". But for beginning games just play the foot units incorporating all you have.

Alright. I dont have the codex with me yet so i dont know many of the tactics, but I like the idea of heavy bombardment and suppression while a few units can flank them and destroy them. Most of my warhammer experiance is from the warhammer 40k Ret 2. game where I loved the eldars look and there ability to teleport and speed boost to swarm and flank people

In that case, I'd recommend getting more Warp Spiders and at least one more Swooping Hawk - they are both fast units, spiders being one of the best options in the codex. Hawks get a grenade attack when they arrive from reserves, which is either a small blast if up to 5 models, but a large blast at 6 or more Hawks!

I'm assuming the Guardians didn't come with any heavy weapons - little floating platforms on their own bases, as the box used to be just 16 whereas now it's 10 including a platform. So if you're able to track down a pair of those second-hand with 2 crew each, that would bring you up to 20 with 2 heavy's (the maximum unit size for guardians, suggest Bright Lances as the heavy weapon choice). Stick a Warlock with them for some psychic power.

Next up are Dark Reapers, which obviously fit the "bombard from range" part. Some players aren't keen on them (they're expensive points-wise, and are about as survivable as you expect a T3 W1 model to be), but I often bring them and they normally prove useful when combined with my Farseer (Perfect Timing psychic power particularly ).

Fire Dragon without a transport aren't completely useless, but a canny opponent will be able to avoid them with anything you'd be wanting them to deal with.

The Banshees though, are probably best left on the shelf unless the new edition shakes things up for combat units.

 ionusx wrote:
I'd avoid buying into a wave serpent for now. The serpent is powerful yes but it can be seen as "seal clubbing" in beginners games due to its potency.

One of my 40k pet peevs is when someone tells someone else they shoudnt get wave serpents because there to good.
DONT buy 7 of them. 1-3 is fine, especially if you are going to use them for there transport.

I believe what he is saying is "don't play serpents for now" probably because since all the players are just beginning is he shows up with 1 tank that starts to rape house, they might get turned off.

@OP

What I would do are a few things,

1) for the guardians buy a box of avengers and after putting them together shave their crests off so they look like the other guardians (or is WYSIWYG isn't a problem don't bother), for the platforms get 40mm bases and take your weapon of choice (I suggest BL), and take some rocks and make something along the lines of a BL turret (its simple and when you do find/buy platforms your not losing a lot).

2) to fit the bombardment theme for your heavies I recommend 2 units of reapers (5) with starshot missiles and exarch with same as rest, put a farseer in each unit for max effect, then take a use of vaul's wrath batteries of anything but D cannons and put a warlock with them.

3) for fast 30 spiders are for you, they fit the theme 100% and in units of 10 delete just about anything (though they will cost a chunk of change).

4) for elites unless you get a serpent I wouldn't recommend playing any of them except some units of scorpions or harlequins.

Hope this helps!

Most of the info here is pretty good. I'll just list all of the units that fit your theme and their general role so you can pick and choose what you think sounds neat.

Bombardment:
- Vaul's Wraith Support Batteries - They're artillery in the traditional sense. Long range motionless fire support. Barrage blast weapons come stock.
- Rangers - They don't put out a lot of damage, but they are great at camping objectives in your deployment zone in ruins or other cover.
- Night Spinner - Has a 48" large blast barrage template that can also be fired as a torrent if the enemy gets too close.
- Dark Reapers - Long ranged missile launcher infantry. Can be upgraded with high strength shots. The squad leader can be given a Missile Launcher giving him a blast template. It can also be upgraded with anti-air shots if you're expecting flyers.

Flanking Clean Up Crew
- War Walkers - very light armor, and an INCREDIBLE amount of shooting, and can come in from reserves on the sides of the table to flank and destroy just about anything.
- Warp Spiders - Can use their mobility to teleport across the battlefield when the time is right, or they can deep strike in. A really good amount of shooting, and some fantastic mobility.
- Swooping Hawks - Not as mobile as the Warp Spiders, but can also Deep strike. They don't scatter when they deep strike and they also get to throw down an extra blast (or large blast) template when they drop. Great shooting vs lightly armoured infantry, and effective in assault vs vehicles.
- Shining Spears - The epitome of cleanup crew. They can outflank like the War Walkers. They are jetbikes with lances. They can wreck a LOT of faces in close combat, especially on the turn they charge.