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Hi Guys!

Love the wraith units (surprise surprise), and having found the webway strike stratagem (I know, I’m late), I am trying to decide between wraithblades or guards to dump 9 inches from my opponents face. Here’s all my thoughts… am hoping someone can help steer these towards a solid concept…

Original plan was Alaitoc, 10 dscyth, 10 cannon. Alaitoc mainly so I can take Illic Nightspear and thematically run lots of rangers and shroud runners, but perma light cover and semi-perma dense cover also seemed like a great durability boost and play to the ranged weapons strength. I would pair them with a warp jump autarch to reroll hits of 1 and try to delete the biggest threats to my army asap. I could also burn a cp to get the spirit seer aura in range, but thought 2 maxed out wraith would get me more mileage then 1 maxed wraith and a spirit seer. Either way, I’m looking at maybe 3-4cp for 10D and 30d attacks.

but imo is too much points (especially if I am also considering some wraithblades or wraithlords in a webway gate or serpent, or a wraith knight in general, for mid board control) which brought me to the idea of webwaying in 10 wraithaxes with spiritseer,ghost walk and an autarch. Much less points for still good dmg and a 4+ invul, but then I start to consider swapping to iyaden (relic = +10 attacks and reduce dmg taken) or Ynnari (attack first) or saim han (reroll charge). Wraith host would also be another plus 10 attack with strat. Not sure if I can do revered by dead on a farseer to reroll charge instead of a spiritseer in the webway, then I could also use strat to put spiritseer aura in range and farseer can also cast protect for +3 invul. But after completely scratching my original plan and spending 5 cp for up to 50str7 attacks, I’m just like “why am I not just taking shining spears”.

Anyways, what do y’all think?

TLDR: are wraith guards (dscyth or cannon) better or worse then wraith blade/axe, when you consider all the worthwhile investments to make each work? What craftworld would you pick? Are wraith worth sitting in a waveserpent , using a webway gate, or dragging out the knight? Is webway gate mainly for board control with the threat of mass close range weapons or gaurenteed melee range? Does webway strike count as strategic reserves for webway gate? Can a farseer learn revered by the dead?

Wraithguard with cannons were amazing up until fire and fade became once a game, now I'd consider them non-viable. This is because previously you could move them in and out of walls and skirmish until the late game when you could push them up and collapse a flank.

Wraithblades with axes are still a viable and competitive option to hold positions and create board control. I consider fortune, and probably protect to be a must.

Thanks for the advice! Battle focus is maybe too inconsistent for wraithguard?

For the blades, would you pair them with a transport, webway gate or use the webway strike? Mostly just a fire magnet?

Well in order for Wraithguard to battle focus you have to run Iyanden, which is a significant limitation. It wouldn't be so bad, except the armor of contempt meta means that everyone is going to be ready to shave off the extra AP anyway.

I footslog wraithblades personally. A little fortune, a little protect, and some LOS blocking terrain and they slowly move up the board. Hold key areas and apply pressure. For instance I like to run hidden path as a secondary. I use rangers and Karrandras to grab it early, then I just march the wraiths towards it. You need some way to get obsec whether that be Will of Asuryan, Sunstorm, or a Phoenix Lord to really control the board.

But yeah, there will be a key turn, usually 3-4 where you just throw the wraiths out really blatantly and try and crash a flank. Things like advance fate dice, and quicken can really accelerate this kind of pressure when you need it.

So in summary, while you could put them in reserve via a gate or whatever, I think their biggest strength is the board control they exert while on the board. In some missions, you literally can't play unless you can hold objectives with something durable.. cough* Tide of Conviction* cough.. So you can also just use them as an anvil when needed. This can also give your casters a safe spot to cast their powers from in a forward position which also generates value for you.