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So the Guardian Battlehost allows for free Heavy Weapon Platforms for the guardian squads with 'em.

So I'm wondering what might be the best options.

Right now I have Star Cannons as a hold-over from the way I had 'em set up before. Figure it gave them good Anti-Heavy Infantry/Light Anti-Tank capabilities. Other options are better for straight anti-tank or anti vehicle but then I'm looking at the Eldar Missile Launcher.

It is by far the most expensive option normally, but free is free. And now Eldar Missile Launchers ALL carry all 3 kinds of missiles. This seems like a pretty good deal for all-around combat capability.

Any recommendations or thoughts on this?

When all the options are free, we simply have to look at the role that each weapon plays, and how each of those roles interacts with what we want our Guardians to be doing:
While guardians are nasty at close range against all non-vehicle targets, they cannot engage at long range, and cannot threaten AV11+. We either look at the heavy weapon as a way to increase their power in their current niche, or as one that allows them to compete better outside of their niche, or a weapon that can help both.


Shuriken Cannon -- People mostly talk about Jetbikes with Scatter Lasers even when the SCannons get shred for a turn in the formation, so I think you have much better options. The only reason you'd take this is to further focus on the shuriken catapults that Guardians have. If you're only taking on things that a Catapult would hurt, a Cannon isn't that bad. An SCannon, if it rends, is better than a SL at taking on MCs.

Scatter Laser -- If you need more S6 non-AP shots, this doesn't hurt at all. A good all-rounder. Helps at long range, but is a generalist weapon -- it's bad AP means it struggles to put meaningful wounds on MCs at range, and also struggles against AV12+.

Brightlance -- The bright lance has probably the best statline of all the weapons in S8 AP2 Lance. It can put reliable wounds or hull points onto enemy models. However, it doesn't add much when the Guardians are actually in range to shoot something -- It adds one more wound onto whatever they're shooting at. If it's infantry, the Catapult rends will do a lot more damage, similar situation with MCs. If it's a vehicle, you're wasting guardian firepower for a single BL shot. In short, Brightlances hedge your bets in that they make Guardians capable of contributing from longer range, but it doesn't help them much if they actually move up.

Starcannon -- I think this still might be the best option -- The Starcannon's range allows for contribution by Guardians from afar, in the same manner as the BL. It's still crazy at taking on MCs. Furthermore, it synergizes with what Guardians want to be shooting at anyways: heavy infantry or Monstrous Creatures. Even against light infantry, the two shots means you get meaningful wounds, instead of a single die from a BL.

EML -- You know, even with the EML being entirely free, I'm not too sure they're that good. Long Fangs fell out of favor in 6th even when they still had the discount. The simple fact of the matter is that missile launchers aren't really good. It does have the longest range of all the three, so they can contribute from the farthest away, but a single Flakk shot, AP4 Frag small blast, or Krak shot, just doesn't seem that amazing to me. Flak isn't good against Winged Hive Tyrants, although serviceable against AV flyers, Krak is inefficient against Vehicles, and singular small blasts are really unreliable.

So overall, I'm probably going to go with the Starcannons. I don't have any guardians, but am thinking of building towards the battle host.

I pretty much agree with your assessment. I see no reason to take anything except the eldar missile launchers on them. They're free, and by far the most versatile. You've got an anti-infantry, an anti-armor, and an anti-flyer shot all in one.

As a matter of fact, with being able to take free platforms, I could see several potentially successful builds using two of the Guardian Battlehosts.

I actually like the Guardian stormhosts too. The free special weapons on the squads really improves their value, in my opinion. 72 point for 8 S3 T3 models with 3 attacks on the charge each. 2 of them get power swords, and 2 others get your choice of flamers or fusion guns. At 72 points, that's a bargain.

I'm currently working on putting together two more squads of guardians for the battle host, and I plan on using the EML on the two I'm building to go along with the BL I currently have. My reasons are because I'm not using any wraiths, and they way I built my list I have very little that could deal with either Flyers (outside of guiding something with volume) or AV 13+ so the BL and 2 EML's at least give me something.

I would go with the Brightlance. It allows your guardians to have a shot at killing something meaningful on their way into 12" catapult range.

EDIT: EML is actually better. If you don't see AV 13+ Forgot that it was free

Missiles, easily the winner.

In a codex lacking skyfire, getting a few Str7 skyfire shots for free is awesome.

Yeah, they're rubbish against Av13/14 where Bright lances are better. But are you really expecting a lone Str8 Ap2 shot to do much? That's what the Wraithknight is for

Belly wrote:
Missiles, easily the winner.

In a codex lacking skyfire, getting a few Str7 skyfire shots for free is awesome.

Yeah, they're rubbish against Av13/14 where Bright lances are better. But are you really expecting a lone Str8 Ap2 shot to do much? That's what the Wraithknight is for

Crimson Death formation... you're not ever going to be scared of fliers

zerosignal wrote:

Belly wrote:
Missiles, easily the winner.

In a codex lacking skyfire, getting a few Str7 skyfire shots for free is awesome.

Yeah, they're rubbish against Av13/14 where Bright lances are better. But are you really expecting a lone Str8 Ap2 shot to do much? That's what the Wraithknight is for

Crimson Death formation... you're not ever going to be scared of fliers

Sure, if you want to dedicate 440 points for air cover. The formation and its bonuses are great, but there is a high cost to take it. How much AA do you need in a reasonably sized list?

zerosignal wrote:

Belly wrote:
Missiles, easily the winner.

In a codex lacking skyfire, getting a few Str7 skyfire shots for free is awesome.

Yeah, they're rubbish against Av13/14 where Bright lances are better. But are you really expecting a lone Str8 Ap2 shot to do much? That's what the Wraithknight is for

Crimson Death formation... you're not ever going to be scared of fliers

If you can afford it. It's not exactly cheap. Easily half to a third of your points cost in 1k-1500 point games.

BL or EML. Depends on the rest of your list.

In a Guardian or Aspect heavy list, a few Brightlances to threaten the odd Landraider or other heavy armor, actually does a lot. While it doesn't synergize with the Shuriken Catapults while shooting, it does synergize with them on a tactical level.

10+ Shuriken Catapults say, in no uncertain terms, 'you don't want to be here'. Its not a huge deterrent, but with the short range, most opponents will stay away. So you'll often just be firing the heavy weapon. But 1 per 10 isn't a lot. So a long range low chance to be outstanding is optimal. So being able to potentially explodes a Landraider, and having a decent chance of some other nasty pen at long range, synergizes perfectly. If they don't engage the Guardians close up, you take some scary potshots. If they do, the Guardians do some damage close up.

At cost, the EML would almost always lose. But for free, it can have its uses. If your list is full of heavy AT (Lances and Wraiths), or you need the additional range, EML gives you options. Worse against GEQ than SL, worse against vehicles than a BL, worse against MEQ/TEQ than a StarCannon. But a decent shot against anything.

I prefer Brihtlances, myself.

Keep in mind that the threat range of the guardian cataplut in the Defender Battlehost is 24".
You can move 6, and you'll always get a 6 for battle focus, then shoot 12.

This can let you close in for a kill (while giving out preferred enemy) quickly.

-Matt

Personally I prefer the EML, mainly as it can fairly reliably hurt most things your opponent puts on the table. I've been using quite a few recently and they seem to be doing far more than my other heavy weapons

Given that it's a battle host, it's relevant to consider what the other units will be taking. My War Walkers will be my EML platforms (6 of any of the missiles on a platform guaranteed to move 6 with Battle Focus is good). My Vyper (I refuse to take more than one; long-term hate-hate relationship there) will be x2 Shuriken Cannons, my bikes (I will take them in a small CaD) will be Scatter Lasers. So...Bright Lances or Star Cannons. Probably Star Cannons as Fire Dragons are too good not to include (part of the CaD).

So...Star Cannons! Now I have to paint some!

I'd be tempted to try star engine warwalkers, even if it is just with shuriken cannons.
A 9" battle focus is pretty good.

DCannon4Life wrote:
Given that it's a battle host, it's relevant to consider what the other units will be taking. My War Walkers will be my EML platforms (6 of any of the missiles on a platform guaranteed to move 6 with Battle Focus is good). My Vyper (I refuse to take more than one; long-term hate-hate relationship there) will be x2 Shuriken Cannons, my bikes (I will take them in a small CaD) will be Scatter Lasers. So...Bright Lances or Star Cannons. Probably Star Cannons as Fire Dragons are too good not to include (part of the CaD).

So...Star Cannons! Now I have to paint some!

If you're planning on taking both a battle host and fire dragons, there is little argument for not taking an aspect host to make those fire dragons all BS 5.