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.

Hey all,

As the title implies, my 40k addiction has now progressed to want to make Space Elves. I've primarily been a Guard player, so I have no idea where to start. I'd love to get advice on the factions within Eldar, what first units to pick up, etc.

Thanks in advance!

Dark Reapers are currently amazing, but likely to become trash in a month.

You can never go wrong with Guardians.

You can NEVER go wrong with a wave Serpent.

Farseers are cool.

Shining Spears are pretty bad ass.
5 Wraithguard never hurt.

War Walkers are pretty sweet this edition.

 deltaKshatriya wrote:
Hey all,

As the title implies, my 40k addiction has now progressed to want to make Space Elves. I've primarily been a Guard player, so I have no idea where to start. I'd love to get advice on the factions within Eldar, what first units to pick up, etc.

Thanks in advance!

I would advise anyone looking to buy now to wait a little for the March changes. Doubly so if you want to invest in Eldar, considering expected changes to some of their top units.

There are a few Start Collecting sets that are a good buy to get you started.
But in general, I'd start with some Guardians, a Serpent and a Farseer Skyrunner

I started Eldar last summer with two Wave Serpents, ten Wraithguard and a Wraithlord. Threw in a Farseer and a few Spiritseer for some HQ. I then decided that my Eldar were going to be my "good" (most competitive) army and went with reapers, WW, and a Hemlock. I now don't play them because I was crushing everyone in my casual/new player gaming group.

As mentioned, Dark Reapers are always superstars.

All the units mentioned above have worked really well for me, although my favorite are probably my WW. They are magnetized and I really enjoy all of the weapons options available.

I also have Howling Banshees and Swooping Hawks. I've not been too impressed with either of them, but it may just be me not using them correctly. That, and there's not much room for them in our 1250 point games.

How do Eldar typically play? More ranged combat, close combat, buffs, etc?

However you build the list.
All options are possible.
All options are fragile.

Most importantly, what is it that draws you to Eldar? There's probably a play style or one or more models that made you choose Eldar over Orks, I'd recommend getting that first!

Eldar generally play maneuverable short-term to midrange ranged. We can do melee if we want to, but since a lot of our units are fragile it's not necessarily easy. Wraith units even this out a bit, but they are expensive (shining spears are currently doing well, but they will probably be nerfed to "ok" or worse come March). Our buffs are excellent but mostly single target, so you have to plan their use a bit more.



Here's some general stuff I learned:

Eldar non-wraith infantry is expensive and fragile. You'll probably want to put aspect warriors in transports (or use the deep strike stratagem, but that works on 2 units max). Actually you probably should do the same for wraith units, as they are slow and short-ranged.

Wave serpents are insanely tough, especially when using the 3x shuricannon/spirit stones/vectored engines loadout. If you're not transporting a high threat unit (wraiths or fire dragons) then I'd go for an actual gun, ctm and spirit stones instead.

Eldar have lots of buffs/debuffs that are applied by psykers. You have options here too, but imo you can't go wrong with a doom/something else farseer or a protect/jinx spiritseer. 6 fire dragons in half range will damage a repulsor. 6 Guided dragons in half range shooting a Doomed repulsor will vaporize it.

With Elder you generally can't just rely on strength/toughness in numbers like you can with guard. We don't really do guns with 40 shots. You have to focus your shooting and movement on specific targets (as you do with every other army, but more so for the elves). Use your mobility to overload a flank, stuff like that.

My favourite units right now are Farseer and warlock conclave with 4 Warlocks.
Doom, Executioner. Pritect/Jinx, Quicken/Restrain.
Stratagems for +1 casting roll and double casting distance.
Just so man shenaningans you can do with that.

Quicken Banshees into enemy gunline to criple their shooting.
Restrain on superfast enemy melee units and watch how they crawl.
Wipe out whole elite infantry squads with Smite & Executioner.
Or just wreck this super tough enemy with Jinx & Doom.

It's just fun.

I'd get whatever you like best to start with!

There are no really poor Eldar units and so many build options these days it would be hard to go wrong. Whether you like wraiths, bikes, aspect warriors, guardians, all can be mixed or a list in their own right.

I'd say the only 'must have' to get the full Eldar experience, is a Farseer.

I would suggest for fun and flexability just adding to what others have said.

A start collecting box
1-2 wave serpents
2 boxes of 10 gaurdians
1 box of rangers

This gives you a whole small army in a battalion.

If budget provides add
Elites like wraith and reapers or some shining spears and bikes for a faster army.

The above start gives you enough to play and decide what direction you want your eldar army to take.

I would echo:
Wave Serpent
2x10 Guardians

Then maybe a Farseer and a Warlock and an additional Troop.

shortymcnostrill wrote:
Most importantly, what is it that draws you to Eldar? There's probably a play style or one or more models that made you choose Eldar over Orks, I'd recommend getting that first!

Eldar generally play maneuverable short-term to midrange ranged. We can do melee if we want to, but since a lot of our units are fragile it's not necessarily easy. Wraith units even this out a bit, but they are expensive (shining spears are currently doing well, but they will probably be nerfed to "ok" or worse come March). Our buffs are excellent but mostly single target, so you have to plan their use a bit more.



Here's some general stuff I learned:

Eldar non-wraith infantry is expensive and fragile. You'll probably want to put aspect warriors in transports (or use the deep strike stratagem, but that works on 2 units max). Actually you probably should do the same for wraith units, as they are slow and short-ranged.

Wave serpents are insanely tough, especially when using the 3x shuricannon/spirit stones/vectored engines loadout. If you're not transporting a high threat unit (wraiths or fire dragons) then I'd go for an actual gun, ctm and spirit stones instead.

Eldar have lots of buffs/debuffs that are applied by psykers. You have options here too, but imo you can't go wrong with a doom/something else farseer or a protect/jinx spiritseer. 6 fire dragons in half range will damage a repulsor. 6 Guided dragons in half range shooting a Doomed repulsor will vaporize it.

With Elder you generally can't just rely on strength/toughness in numbers like you can with guard. We don't really do guns with 40 shots. You have to focus your shooting and movement on specific targets (as you do with every other army, but more so for the elves). Use your mobility to overload a flank, stuff like that.

I really just liked the look of the infantry models and general look honestly. There was no one specific reason, but it wasn't really related to play style. I got the codex, so I'm gonna look more into models. Just looking for a change of pace from my Guard army, though to be fair, I've also got Grey Knights to build, but as said, 40k is a bit of an addiction isn't it?

Ah, in that case I'll third KiloFIX and vaurapung's advice. For me it was the falcon, swooping hawks and vypers. And the psykers of course. And the wraithlords. And the storm guardians. And banshees and dragons. And I'm beginning to think asking "what's your favorite" was the wrong question...

Nids, eldar and orks here, the addiction is real!

What got me was the wraithlords and the gaurdians. One day ill get enough space marine helments to swap my gaurdian heads out for the space marine helmet and have my storm troopers.

Eldar really shine in their mobility; webway strike, wave serpents, deepstrikers, take your pick. I personally love Striking Scorpions and Swooping Hawks for their inexpensive nature and ability to complicate enemy survivability.

Here soon when the Eldar get revisited and rebalanced, we'll see what they can bring to the field but thus far, Farseers, Wraithguard, Dark Reapers and Wave Serpents are awesome. War Walkers are nice inexpensive backline units, and Scorpions give GEQs and MEQs trouble.

The SC box is the way to go for any new Eldar player. You get a lot of options for what you get, really. The wraith models are pretty darn cool and they paint up quite easily. What I really like is that you can go either way with the models, make them shooty or choppy. That and you are only 1 Heavy slot away from a Spearhead Detachment! You could get another SC box or just another Heavy and have a small battle forged army.

I haven't played with them outside the kitchen table yet but I really like the War Walker. I picked up one more of those and a Wave Serpent for now and what I've got so far smokes the hell outta my DG and Primaries.

I have to echo that Farseer with Doom is the biggest game changer in my lists.

Assuming your not going for some specific fluffy theme (like biel tan aspect theme or Iyanden wraith theme) I would just fill your basic battalion out, Farseer and a couple of Warlocks are super good and then fill your 3 troop with a combination of 20 man Guardian units and Rangers.

You can add pretty much plug and play anything into that core.

 admironheart wrote:
I have to echo that Farseer with Doom is the biggest game changer in my lists.

Yes, this is what stomps my other two armies. I cast doom on whichever unit I want my Wraiths to stomp, shoot em up with the War Walker a bit, then charge in my Wraiths. Pretty much decimates. I can't wait for the rest of my army to get here. Wraithblades and Farseer in a Wave Serpent, with Webway Striking Guardians and Fire Dragons, War Walkers on the flanks with two melee Wraithlord running up the middle. Some Dire Avengers for objective chillin'. Doom that Deathstar and then hit it with 20 Biel Tan Guardians, a triple Shuricannon WS, and some War Walker love. You might not even have anything left for the Wraithblades to charge!