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Hi guys,

Thinking about an upcoming tourney, and wondering what you guys think of as the best Eldar unit (from the poll list). I'm not going to include farseers/eldrad, or Autarches (obvious reasons) so it is more or less aspect warriors and support units. I intend to run the Fast Attack and Elites units in 6 man squads. There will be no grav tanks, and I intend to use D-Cannons.

If you have tactics, please post a reply, otherwise, a poll answer will be great.

Thanks for your help in advance!

EDIT: Add Wraithlords, Vypers, War Walkers and Dark Reapers to the list. The only options are those listed here or in the poll.

Well lets see; Hawks are terrible (no damage output), Scorpions are terrible (no delivery system), Banshees are terrible (no delivery system), Storm Guardians are sub par and hard to make work in low point games (the only viable loadout is the Flamer squad, which requires an overpriced Serpent), Defenders are ok but helpful for getting bodies on the table and bring a heavy weapon, Rangers are terrible (sub par damage output and getting easier and easier to kill with each new codex, Tau just take them off) and Avengers are average at best but slightly more viable in low point games.

Ignoring the fact that they are one of the few solid units in the codex, how are you not taking a Farseer (or an Autarch)? 1 HQ is compulsory. To answer your question, the best Eldar unit in low point games is almost certainly the Avatar, probably followed by Wraithlords. The Avatar can go toe to toe with any combat character in the game and at low point levels you are much less likely to run into the few characters that can reliably beat him since they tend to be 200+ points (Swarmlord etc). Wraithlords also do well since there tend to be less heavy weapons floating around, and people tend to very little in their armies to deal with them. You also want 2 x 3 Jetbikes, they are the first thing I put into any Eldar army and even at low point levels being able to grab objectives from basically anywhere on the board is very powerful.

Whenever I play against Eldar in small games the best unit has always been this:

5 Dark Reapers inc Exarch.
Tempest Launcher, Fast Shot, Crack Shot.

This unit has been the bane of my existence since 4th ed in 750 pt games.

At 500 points, Swooping Hawks seem to do pretty well. It would really depend on the type of armies you're facing.

I would only take Dark Reapers if you know there's some power armor you're going to be playing against. I would only take the Hawks if you know you're facing off against a bunch of Toughness 3 (tyranids, guard, eldar/DE)

Rangers/Pathfinders are a tough nut to crack in low points games. Full units of Dire Avengers w/Exarch, Bladestorm, and 2x ASC is the best loadout for troop unit that can clear anything off of the board in one turn.

The best units left in the codex aren't listed... the Wraithlord, War Walkers and Farseer totally make up the strength of the army, other parts of the army are usually a little less effective, especially without guide/prescience and other maledictions/blessings.

The reason there is not HQ units is because a Farseer is pretty much compulsory in an Eldar army, and Autarches are terrible at best.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Radical_Edward wrote:
At 500 points, Swooping Hawks seem to do pretty well. It would really depend on the type of armies you're facing.

I would only take Dark Reapers if you know there's some power armor you're going to be playing against. I would only take the Hawks if you know you're facing off against a bunch of Toughness 3 (tyranids, guard, eldar/DE)

Rangers/Pathfinders are a tough nut to crack in low points games. Full units of Dire Avengers w/Exarch, Bladestorm, and 2x ASC is the best loadout for troop unit that can clear anything off of the board in one turn.

The best units left in the codex aren't listed... the Wraithlord, War Walkers and Farseer totally make up the strength of the army, other parts of the army are usually a little less effective, especially without guide/prescience and other maledictions/blessings.

I accidentally hit the enter key before I finished.

How many points do you play in the RTT?

You didn't have the option for a wraithlord. That's the best unit at low points games. It wrecks at 500.

You didn't include Jetbikes which are almost guaranteed linebreaker and denial units, especially if you go 2nd. Out of your options I chose Dire Avengers as they are the -least- overpriced and, don't have some glaring flaw.

Voted Dire Avengers out of the above. Make sure you take more than 6, though, and put in the points for Bladestorm. That's the reason to take them - the ridiculous amount of firepower - other than them being Troops, of course.

I'll echo what's been said about the Avatar though.

Wraithlord, hands down. Otherwise, DA.

I didnt put in Jetbikes as I am working off what I use/have. I dont really want to get 6 odd AU$19 bikes, as good as they may be. New Codex please

I'd say 24 S6 shots from War Walkers from a mere 180 pts., made them almost compulsory. If you are not going to use GJB, Vypers are not a bad option for getting linebreaker, but as they're more expensive (and faster), you need to move them more carefully.

If those are your options then i'd go with DA with build listed above in serpant and rangers (pathfinders not worth it at that point?). Rangers/Pathfinders are very hard to shift from cover as long as you take out flamers or have a counter assault unit. Picking off flamers is what snipers are made for, while youur counter assault unit is a WRAITHLORD! I cannot expplain how good these are at this point level, most armies have bearly anything that can kill it (prey you dont fight DE...)

I also sing praises of the avatar, he is a beast!

Oh oops, $$$ are always a consideration it's true so, based on what you have Dire Avengers are best.

You guys can suck it, Im the only one who voted Banshees.

Harlequins + Farseer w/ Doom+Fortune. Will tear through anything at low points, as is nigh-unkillable.

Harlequins + Farseer w/ Doom+Fortune. Will tear through anything at low points, as is nigh-unkillable; except for Flamers, Torrents from IG hellhounds, Tau with 2 markerlights, or other close combat squads; oh and that squad costs like 350-400 pts.

Several cases I've beaten that same configuration with Dire Avengers with a Shimmershield and average dice.

Really depends on who you fight though, a crap load of lascannons, or templates that don't always have ignore cover? Yea Harliestar can still do some damage.

RancidHate wrote:
Harlequins + Farseer w/ Doom+Fortune. Will tear through anything at low points, as is nigh-unkillable; except for Flamers, Torrents from IG hellhounds, Tau with 2 markerlights, or other close combat squads; oh and that squad costs like 350-400 pts.

Several cases I've beaten that same configuration with Dire Avengers with a Shimmershield and average dice.

Really depends on who you fight though, a crap load of lascannons, or templates that don't always have ignore cover? Yea Harliestar can still do some damage.

Exactly. A whirlwind is like 65 points and it will ruin harlies and just about everything else Eldar.

If the whirlwind ever gets to fire, if it hits, if it wounds (only S4), if the 5++ rerollable doenst save more than half.

Lets give it 50% chance of hitting 5 models since it will probably be barraging.
2.5H
1.7W
0.7 fail after saves.
Yeah, really ruins them.

That is assuming my Warp Hunter doesnt shake/stun/kill your whirlwind first turn since im also barrage, im fast, and the whirlwind is probably my main target.

Even assuming only non-FW, Fire prisms linked are penning on 2s, killing on 4s (essentially 3s because weapon destroyed also removes threat) and hitting almost every time with 82% chance of hitting a rhino chassis if i remember the math on that correctly. .

Also, how many whirlwinds are you running? 3 in a TAC list? highly unikely. Normally SM players need devis, preds, LR, SR, or other HS shot choices.

 zephoid wrote:
If the whirlwind ever gets to fire, if it hits, if it wounds (only S4), if the 5++ rerollable doenst save more than half.

Lets give it 50% chance of hitting 5 models since it will probably be barraging.
2.5H
1.7W
0.7 fail after saves.
Yeah, really ruins them.

That is assuming my Warp Hunter doesnt shake/stun/kill your whirlwind first turn since im also barrage, im fast, and the whirlwind is probably my main target.

Even assuming only non-FW, Fire prisms linked are penning on 2s, killing on 4s (essentially 3s because weapon destroyed also removes threat) and hitting almost every time with 82% chance of hitting a rhino chassis if i remember the math on that correctly. .

Also, how many whirlwinds are you running? 3 in a TAC list? highly unikely. Normally SM players need devis, preds, LR, SR, or other HS shot choices.

Just need to block LOS and keep them at the back of the board really man. Its not rocket science. Only one harlequin has to die (the shadowseer) for the squad to become vulnerable to enemy small arms fire and based on the averages you presented...

Not to mention that we are talking about a low points game. 130 points on two whirlwinds in a 500 points game is very doable.

Kissed-out with a. Shadowseer, Harliestar is like 230pts. That's too much in a 1000pt game, let alone a Farseer. 500pts? Helz No.