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Just wanted to get a general consensus here from some Eldar players.

Someone i play often plays Eldar, his lists dont seem to be to terrible from what tiny bit i know of eldar but every time we play he gets owned or just always loses.
This is in no way fun for me any longer lol ( id like to improve my skills ) So i was wondering how the other eldar players are fairing out there?
I usually play IG which may be why lol, but even my Tau and Dark eldar haven't lost to them as yet....
I'm going to use my raven wing this weekend and hopefully he stands more of a chance haha :/


as an example he usually uses something along the lines of this... ( don't have point values sorry )

HQ- autarch ( various combinations ) OR avatar ( i advised him on using eldrad here or a psyker but he usually forgets about his powers so he doesn't run them. Maybe that is the missing link? )

Troop- 10 guardians either storm with flamers or regulars with ML
3 five man squads of dire avengers with exarchs
Wave serpent ( usually ML or Lances )

Elites- 5 fire dragons plus exarch

Heavy support- Wraithlord with lance and ML
2x war walker either ML or Lances


usually play around 1250 pts give or take a 100 pts

Thanks in advance for advice and input!

While I'm no expert on Eldar, I am looking at building up a starting core of Eldar myself. I do hear from some players how 'terrible' Eldar are, or how they can't build an effective all-comers list and have to tailor to even stand a chance. Put simply, I think that's just rubbish. I think the reality is that a lot of players simply aren't making the changes to their armies to be effective in 6th edition. I mean, I look at your friends list and it just doesn't look like a 6th edition list. There is nothing scary about it.

He should really try running a Farseer or Eldrad for a few games. Get him to write out a 'cheat sheet' to get in the habit of using his powers. Something like: "Have I fortuned something that needs protecting? Have I guided the unit most needing it? Is there a good target to doom?" Etc. I'm dead serious. Have him refer to the sheet at the start of every turn, and he should spend a moment to simply look at the table and see how he could use the powers this turn, and also how he might plan ahead for the next turn. Speaking of which, is he trying to play to the missions? A lot of people actually don't even think about the mission until the last turn, it's surprising but common.

I can't give much in the way of specific list advice tbh, because I'm not experienced playing as them. From an opponent point of view, war walkers are still excellent with scatter lasers, especially guided. Jetbikes can be great for late-game objective contesting/grabbing, but keep it a min-size unit and hide them as long as possible (start them in reserve as well). Avengers are better in a bigger squad, 5 are way too easy to kill off. He should consider taking an aegis or bastion as well, his force looks more foot-oriented so it may benefit. Some of the exarch powers are excellent with the quad-gun or icarus, like crack shot/tank hunter. I'm sure some good Eldar players here can give more detail on the better choices and building more effective lists.

In 5th edition, I lost one game over two years of playing them, mind you they were just friendlies but still doesn't take away from my achievements.

Eldar took a pretty hard hit with vehicles and hull points, making many people's mechdar lists pretty fragile. In fact, Eldar are very fragile anyway. I think I'm doing pretty good in terms of a win loss ratio, but I either win big or lose big. With a good list, not like my mixed list, you can dominate the field. I love hammer and anvil deployment type, seeing as I have a lot of long range high AP firepower that absolutely destroys MEQs.

Your friend is using Eldar all wrong. His army is slow and is going to go down to small arms fire fast. I honestly think an Autarch isn't much cop against a Farseer with Divination powers. The Avatar is slow and ineffective, the only thing any good is a fearless bubble. I never take on of those.
Guardians are ok for sitting in your deployment zone on an objective with a scatter laser platform. Make him bring a scatter laser! And make him bring a Warlock for that guardian squad too, it stops them running away. Three five man squads of Avengers quite frankly is stupid, harsh but true. Its all or nothing tbh. Give the exarch two shurican catapults and bladestorm to help with wiping out squads.
Like I said, the army has no mobility. Those fire dragons need a barebones wave serpent to transport them across the field to any tanks that could be on the field. The wraithlord is fine, but an EML and Lance is too much, just run the EML with a scatter laser for str 6 shots. I suggest Rangers, another Serpent or two, more Avengers and maybe one Fire Prism?

I hope this helps.

 Cryogen wrote:
While I'm no expert on Eldar, I am looking at building up a starting core of Eldar myself. I do hear from some players how 'terrible' Eldar are, or how they can't build an effective all-comers list and have to tailor to even stand a chance. Put simply, I think that's just rubbish. I think the reality is that a lot of players simply aren't making the changes to their armies to be effective in 6th edition. I mean, I look at your friends list and it just doesn't look like a 6th edition list. There is nothing scary about it.

He should really try running a Farseer or Eldrad for a few games. Get him to write out a 'cheat sheet' to get in the habit of using his powers. Something like: "Have I fortuned something that needs protecting? Have I guided the unit most needing it? Is there a good target to doom?" Etc. I'm dead serious. Have him refer to the sheet at the start of every turn, and he should spend a moment to simply look at the table and see how he could use the powers this turn, and also how he might plan ahead for the next turn. Speaking of which, is he trying to play to the missions? A lot of people actually don't even think about the mission until the last turn, it's surprising but common.

I can't give much in the way of specific list advice tbh, because I'm not experienced playing as them. From an opponent point of view, war walkers are still excellent with scatter lasers, especially guided. Jetbikes can be great for late-game objective contesting/grabbing, but keep it a min-size unit and hide them as long as possible (start them in reserve as well). Avengers are better in a bigger squad, 5 are way too easy to kill off. He should consider taking an aegis or bastion as well, his force looks more foot-oriented so it may benefit. Some of the exarch powers are excellent with the quad-gun or icarus, like crack shot/tank hunter. I'm sure some good Eldar players here can give more detail on the better choices and building more effective lists.

Totally forgot about his walkers! lol added them in...
The list was mostly 5th ed as he hasn't added any new models since 6th.
Unfortunately for him my IG isn't chim heavy but is Mech heavy so HIS mechs are usually focused AT units and his troops do troops...
My suggestion was ML across the board, and eldrad, as i believe that would be most effective ( all comers Style ) for what he has. ( the Dire's he only has 15, thats why small squaded. )
Maybe just more investment in models may be a good solution lol. ( trying to work with whats available though maybe add a proxy or 2 for testing purposes )

Now with eldrad, can you use 4 of the same power? or just once each?
also, can you pick from codex and BRB or just one or the other?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Tyranid Horde wrote:
In 5th edition, I lost one game over two years of playing them, mind you they were just friendlies but still doesn't take away from my achievements.

Eldar took a pretty hard hit with vehicles and hull points, making many people's mechdar lists pretty fragile. In fact, Eldar are very fragile anyway. I think I'm doing pretty good in terms of a win loss ratio, but I either win big or lose big. With a good list, not like my mixed list, you can dominate the field. I love hammer and anvil deployment type, seeing as I have a lot of long range high AP firepower that absolutely destroys MEQs.

Your friend is using Eldar all wrong. His army is slow and is going to go down to small arms fire fast. I honestly think an Autarch isn't much cop against a Farseer with Divination powers. The Avatar is slow and ineffective, the only thing any good is a fearless bubble. I never take on of those.
Guardians are ok for sitting in your deployment zone on an objective with a scatter laser platform. Make him bring a scatter laser! And make him bring a Warlock for that guardian squad too, it stops them running away. Three five man squads of Avengers quite frankly is stupid, harsh but true. Its all or nothing tbh. Give the exarch two shurican catapults and bladestorm to help with wiping out squads.
Like I said, the army has no mobility. Those fire dragons need a barebones wave serpent to transport them across the field to any tanks that could be on the field. The wraithlord is fine, but an EML and Lance is too much, just run the EML with a scatter laser for str 6 shots. I suggest Rangers, another Serpent or two, more Avengers and maybe one Fire Prism?

I hope this helps.

I dont mind the Blunt honesty as sometimes it is needed. But yes your advice was helpful and I thank you.

Wave serpents i find not to shabby as all shots are no stronger then str 8, but he needs the lances to take out my av 14. Ex: ( this happens a fair bit ) first turn( if i get it ), 2 exterminators take out both walkers, or a walker and a serpent, My Hvy weapons squads can then kill the rest of his Mechs( with orders mind you ) leaving him with just troops, at that point its over. This is a normal game for him vs my guard lol if i dont get first turn its just takes an extra turn, unless im rolling terribly. lol Thus i don't use guard against him no longer haha. against my Tau was probably the closest he has gotten TBH.

Just give his War Walkers two scatter lasers each for 16 shots between them, and make them outflank so he can get your squishy guard tanks from behind. If he only has 15 avengers, run a 10 man and a 5 man squad at least, but I recommend he get more.
Eldrad can only use three powers per turn, as is his rules, and no, you may not use Guide, Guide and Guide in the same turn, this is also stated in the codex. For small point games you are playing, Eldrad is too expensive to field, so run a Farseer with spirit stones so he can trade in two cheap powers for ones from the Divination table. I'm not sure if you can keep 2 powers and trade in another 2 for divination.

Maybe remind him to use his powers instead of letting him forget. When I started Eldar, I forgot all the time, I only remember in the assault phase. When I started though, my "friends" were not keen on reminding me and decided they'd like to use my little experience against me. I learned though, and tended to destroy their army by turn 3 or 4.

Alright no farseer, facing IG heavy tanks with crappy overcosted vehicles as his only hope...


1 Add Eldrad guide makes his vehicles accurate, Fortune keeps his stuff alive, Doom kills with his S4 attacks.

2. 3 units of 5 firedragons. Your IG vehicles will not like it.

3. EJB with warlock attached. This is speed and death for vehicles.

4. A little weaker but 2 farseers with 3 falcons... BL or EML add to that a guide and you have 75% hits with 3 shots. A very pricey option is 2 BL walkers ... with a guide this should eliminate vehicles or at least ding them so they can't shoot.

5. Wraithguard are an option but rather costly.

6. Swooping Hawks with haywire grenades.

7. Most of your stuff has AV 10 on the rear... that means they don't like manueverable S6 shots.... Warpspiders, Vypers, EJB with cannons.

I like shuriken cannon waveserpents with 5 fire dragons... that should be about 600 points. Eldrad and guideseer for about 300 add 3 falcons for about 500 points and 3 5-man dire avengers for about 180 points... This should give an IG a run for its money.

It might help to realize that running MSU with Footdar is not ever really going to hold up. Eldar play style is all about maximum force applied (often simultaneously) to pintpoint targets, then mopping up survivors. If the Alpha strike fails, and/or the opponent rallies the Eldar will fall flat on their face. They have no second chances, no durability in their forces.

Second, he should prolly max out those DA and Stormies. If he is going to run the Avatar, he should position him for a counter charge, protecting the mobs. A potential 12" charge will deter most assault units from getting too eager. The Fire Dragons should ride in the Serpent for some tit-for-tat anti-armor, or on foot as a combo bait and counter for walkers. That Wraithlord is rather pricey for an AT role, considering how strong he is for assault (should probably loose the EML), but if used to deny a flank, supporting the Avatar and Stormies or as a standalone hunter, not too bad a deal. The War-walkers should pretty much march with the Dire Avengers to annihilate any infantry forces and ground out other vehicles.

Artillery (the Shadow Weaver, D-cannon or Vibro-cannon HWP) are great additions for this style of play. Granting much needed range and firepower.

Another tactic to advise him to use is a heavy flank. Mob up and push out in a large blob, focusing on one objective at a time. Never send any unit out into assault unless backed up by the WL or Avatar.

If he uses Eldred stick him in a unit of DA, Doom thier target and Guide the Warwalkers for the same; leaving him free to fortune the DA he is with or the Avatar.

"He who hesitates is lost". All or nothing is how he needs to fight win with such a fragile force.

I feel Eldar are holding up well so far this edition. They are not top tier, but they pack a bunch. My most succesful lists so far have been footdar that maximize str6 weapons. I think in an 1850 I've gotten somewhere around 70+ Str 6 or higher shots a turn. With some Guide or Prescience support, this can be simply devestating.

When I have moderate to good luck, I'm a steam roller. I only ever really lose bad when my dice only roll high for leadership tests.

I've won most of my games that I've played with Eldar in 6th, but I don't play competitively, and I wouldn't even bother bringing them to a tournament (at least not with any expectations to win). I play at 1500 mostly, and I always include at least one farseer. I find that just the book powers work well. I just can't make myself give up fourtune, so I haven't really done much with the book powers. I usually bring one or two far seers with fortune and either doom or guide (sometimes both) depending on where they'll be, with spirit stones.

I usually put one with a full unit of 10 harlequins with DJ, Shadowseer and maxed out kisses, as well as 2 fusion pistols. The death jester isn't necessary, but it gives them something to do while you move up, as fleet no longer allows you to run and charge in the same turn.

2 Fire prisms is another favourite of mine. You can absolutely destroy squads with them, whether it be the single shot or combined shot.

I always bring at least one squad of pathfinders as well. taking out those special weapons is handy, as well as sometime pinning squads.

A squad of fire dragons is, of course, all but mandatory. I run them in 6 man squads with exarch and fire pike in a wave serpent.

Dire avengers are... ok. Not great, but not the worst. I run them with a dual cat bladestorming exarch in a squad of 10 in a serpent. Hop out, blade storm, hop back in, redeploy and bladestorm again. That's the theory anyways. DA are still quite fragile though, so it's not difficult to severely hurt the squad before you can jump them back in the serpent.

Autarch and Avatar? No thanks. They just can't compete with the psychic powers you get with a farseer. If you don't like using psykers, Eldar probably aren't really for you IMO. It's kinda the only thing that saves them at this point.

The main thing about Eldar, whatever you bring, is you need to really think about what you do before you do it. Think ahead, like a farseer would, and try and forsee the consequences of moving your unit here, shooting at those guys, and assaulting. If you make a wrong move with any unit (other than maybe wraith guard) that unit is gonna die, almost for certain. They have always been unforgiving, but with them being 2 editions out of date and having to compete with tons of other armies that can basically match the aspect warriors at what they do, and in many cases do it the same or better for fewer points, any game is going to be a careful balancing act that will often hinge on how your rolls go.