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.

Just gave my eldar a try in 9th. Points changes were rough. My 8th 1250 list was almost 1700...and that's ridiculous (I know, everything went up...umm yeah, my SM's 1250 went to 1380, and my IG 1250 to 1490...), but something for another topic.
I am here for Wraithblades.

The axe and shield seems such a no brainer, am I missing something??? Not only is the 4++ a massive thing in these latest editions of leafblower 40k, it's a cheaper build!?!?!? I keep expecting that too change. (Maybe it has and I missed it?

Anyway, my thoughts have always been the axe and swords were well balanced against each other (bonus strength, -1 to hit, 1 less attack more damage vs less strength, no minus, 1 more attack).

Thoughts for 9th?

I usually run protect and sometimes the 5+ ignore wounds on them (I do run a unit of wraithguard next to them, and this isn't really for tournaments, more a run what I have).

Does a unit of Sword armed wraithblades with protect become durable enough to warrant 8 points more a model and no 4++? (seems too many ap3 and above weapons in my opinion, and that's obviously the cut off for the difference)
(And sorry if I already missed the thread on this, just point me the right way)

Umm, both varieties of wraithblades are 40ppm at the moment so that's not an issue. The axes are a bit lacking in damage output but the durability is very good. I like the swords too, probably not competitive, but with hunters of ancient relics, supreme distain and enhance they really can dish out a lot of attacks.

wait a minute. my cheat sheet has the swords costing 10....is it wrong? Just checked my friends and they are free. My mistake.

At the same cost, they do balance better.

Give em axe and shield, then cast protect on a unit of 10 (I know msu is the way to go in 9th). T6 3++ hitting at S7 DD3 will absolutely destroy anything they go against

If you're wanting damage output, swords with hunters of ancient relics would be a worthwhile choice with the aforementioned stratagems from kingheff. I've seen 5 or 6 in a Wave Serpent be effective in being a good objective contester as well as being a tough nut to crack inside a Wave Serpent.

Axes and shields are more durable and I have considered both options but they ultimately don't make the list as I feel Crimson Hunter Exarchs are better value and cost about the same.

I run axe and shield (always have) but made some swords recently. I don't plan to use them much until I see the new codex, shields are just better. Durability is more important in an objective game and I run mine with Wrath of the Dead and Hunters of Hidden Relics.

Generally speaking, if I can afford 5 to 10 Wraithblades I give them all axes and use them to clog up the middle of the field.

If I can afford 15 Wraithblades, I add 5 with swords and use them to counter attack anything that engages the axes.

If I can afford 5 and a Wave Serpent I usually take swords and send them to move obliquely onto an objective.

Yeah now that the axes and shields cost the same I'm strongly in the axe camps.

Yes the swords can dice chaff, but at damage 1 the output does not seem worth it with the necessary support and giving up the durability. Ive always found swords underwhelming even with the buffs. The axes shine with protect but its not necessarily IMO. But as its protect/jinx the psyker will have utility even if protect no longer seems like good option you can still cast jinx. I think axes with fortune are very good and protect is just a cherry on top.


Weirdly though I think the wraith-guard fists are better than what the CC variant can take. Its still D3 damage and no to hit penalty.. with -1 AP. Id take the wraithguard fists and shield over axes or swords lol. But we ahve what we have... GW be GW

Whether fortune or protect is better depends on what hits you. If you're fired at with small arms fire with no AP, protect is way better, as it halves the incoming damage (instead of a failed save on 1 and 2 it's only 1), goes for AP-1 as well, especially in cover. Against anything high AP, fortune and protect have the same effect statistically (reducing 1/3 of incoming danage). So generally protect is better to have. But then again, having both is exponentially better than each on their own. And then, there's me always wanting to cast jinx on that doomed target...

I've played many, many games with Wraithblades on TTS and I've always used the axe/force shield combo.

They are tough as nails on the table. With protect and fortune, or Ulthwe, or Alaitoc they are very hard to kill.

They fight like their armed with pillows though. They will not kill anything serious for you.

The only way I've been able to kill anything dangerous is to take the full 10, Iyanden, with the Psydrome which gives them double attacks, with the Spiritseer (Iyanden has a strat which boosts their spirit mark to 12" ans reroll all misses), Doom and Enhance for +1 to hit.

Then they killed 5 Allarus Terminators no problem. That was like... 1 game though.

They are great for plugging a gap in terrain midboard or absorbing punches.

I used to like wraithlords and seers for a more offense focused alternative to blades. Eradicators and secondaries put an end to that though, unfortunately. When marines were more about bolters and flamers they were inefficient enough to be a pain to remove but those days have sadly passed!

Great thoughts, thanks. I've also decided the shield is worth far too much in the current game (I always have protect up). I also have been running wrath of the dead, but combine it with Expert craftsmen because I run units of 5. (I just find the reroll 1 to hit and 1 to wound massive. Basically used every single turn they do something.) A spiritseer is generally close by, and since my group has approved, a bonesinger (not really great but I have this cool conversion...)
I doubt I'm uber competitive with this, but I am enjoying running the wraith host.

If you're in for 5 you might as well go in for ten imo! you'll be spending a lot of precious casts on them to keep them top-tier-tanky, so you might as well have enough bodies to block out part of the board, and threaten some damage in CC.

Just a quick one - phantasm becomes crucial with a 10-blob, as you will often need to redeploy them if you get second.

Cpt. Icanus wrote:
Whether fortune or protect is better depends on what hits you. If you're fired at with small arms fire with no AP, protect is way better, as it halves the incoming damage (instead of a failed save on 1 and 2 it's only 1), goes for AP-1 as well, especially in cover. Against anything high AP, fortune and protect have the same effect statistically (reducing 1/3 of incoming danage). So generally protect is better to have. But then again, having both is exponentially better than each on their own. And then, there's me always wanting to cast jinx on that doomed target...

While fortune and protect may save the same amount of initial damage, fortune has the benefit of greatly increasing the likelihood that your opponent will waste damage on overkilling individual models.