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Hey folks! I've been a fan of the 40K universe for a long time, but am now finally getting ready to start playing. Several friends (mostly also newbies) and I are starting an escalation league, and I'm approaching the deadline for locking down my initial 500-point army list. I've been reviewing a lot of suggestions in various forums, and I think I've come up with something that should work, but if there's anything I've overlooked, I'm sure this is the place to have it pointed out. :-)

As far as the opposition, here's what I know:

Ultramarines
Dark Angels (bike-heavy)
Space Wolves (one of the two veteran players)
Sisters of Battle (Saint Celestine leading)
Chaos Space Marines (Nurgle-oriented, with Plague Marines)
Tau (Commander Farsight and lots of Fire Warriors)
Necrons (the other veteran)
Either Tyranids or more Necrons

So here's what I'm thinking:

HQ:
Farseer w/Singing Spear (105)

Troops:
10 Guardian Defenders + HWP w/starcannon (110)
6 Rangers (72)
3 Windrider Guardians w/1 shuriken cannon (61)

Heavy Support:
Wraithlord w/2 flamers, ghostglaive, bright lance (145)
OR
Fire Prism w/shuriken cannon and holo-fields (150)

I'm figuring the Farseer will accompany the Guardians to try to hold the center, the Rangers will infiltrate and camp a distant objective while sniping targets of opportunity, and the Windriders will pop in and out of cover shooting until they race for a late objective in turn 5. Either heavy support option can handle anti-tank duties; the Fire Prism has good flexibility and can blow up MEQ (of which there will be a lot in this league), while the Wraithlord is a beast in close combat. The Starcannon was likewise chosen to deal with MEQ armor, but could certainly be swapped out for a different choice.

Comments and suggestions appreciated!

I am no expert about Eldars or the 500pts format, but this seems to be a nice list overall if you plan to play semi-competive or fun games. I would recommend the Fire prism over the Wraithlord (these things are just sick).

At 500 points wraithlords are insanely difficult to deal with(unless you go up against DE) so you can use it as a bully. Make sure to ALWAYS take 2 guns(dual lances for AT and sword is my favorite build) as you need your heavies to carry a lot of longer ranged shooting. You can drop a ranger and maybe the singing spear from the seer. Prisms are great too though, but I never take the cannon. The rest of the list is fine, and with a farseer for guide and/or prescience, should be good.

Thanks for the feedback. I'd love to keep the Singing Spear, as I like the idea of having some extra punch if something big comes after the Guardians. Maybe I'll start the Wraithlord with one Bright Lance and a Shuriken Cannon, if I can't coax the league to give everybody one extra lousy point. :-)

i would drop the rangers, there real purpose is to hold center objectives, they have really no damage output. then with the extra points i would get a couple war walkers instead of those heavys you listed. changing the list quite a bit, but it will do great.

Hmm. I worry about having enough troops/bodies if I do that, since I'm hearing that low-point games tend to be more about numbers.

I would drop the rangers for a blob of 20 guardians, i played a 750 game (250 points more) and they worked very well as as a fire magnet letting my spears murder stuff.

For a heavy in a small game i like wraithlords with duel lances to punk tanks and sword for the master crafted attacks in CC
very few units can hope to hurt him ( if they have sternguard then that may hurt a lot).

This is my opinion and if you don't have the models then i believe that the original list can be used very well with enough experience, and welcome to the 40k universe!

Couldn't get to 20 Guardians that way, but 16 might work...

Thanks for the feedback and the welcome!

Well, I'd go for two Serpents w/ small unit of Dire Avenger inside and a Spiritseer.

thats is the best and most competitive list, but, some people want to have a nice freidnly list.

Personally, I'd try

Farseer

2x3 Jetbikes (for Troops)

7-10 Warp Spiders

1-2 Wraithlord

People will cry. They will be scared. You will win.

qballony wrote:
Personally, I'd try

Farseer

2x3 Jetbikes (for Troops)

7-10 Warp Spiders

1-2 Wraithlord

People will cry. They will be scared. You will win.

Well, CSM could field one or two Helldrakes and then your Warp Spiders will be in danger.

Yes. They have always been able to do that. That does not mean you do not take them. You play safe with them, until the held rake comes on, at which point you guide them, maneuver behind it and shoot it down...

People still take spiders because they are maneuverable enough to deal with heldrakes

qballony wrote:
Yes. They have always been able to do that. That does not mean you do not take them. You play safe with them, until the held rake comes on, at which point you guide them, maneuver behind it and shoot it down...

People still take spiders because they are maneuverable enough to deal with heldrakes

Maneuvering behind a Helldrake does not really help since the template can be placed at any side of the model.

How about a this list, it should be able to handle most other lists out there at this points level.

Spirit seer - 70

10 Guardians - Bright lance - 110
10 Guardians - Bright lance - 110

10 Warp spiders - Exarch w/fast shot - 210

Maneuvering behind is just for getting rear armor.

 wuestenfux wrote:
Well, I'd go for two Serpents w/ small unit of Dire Avenger inside and a Spiritseer.

Well aren't you living on the edge...

Alright, your list seems good and will work, but one thing I'm thinking is that 3 bikes are cool, but can't do much alone. A warlock will be great force multiplier there.
I was thinking this (didn't want to change the original list too much):

Farseer - 105p
Singing Spear

10 Guardians - 110p
Starcannon

3 Windrider Guardians - 116p
Shuriken Cannon
Attached Warlock with Singing Spear

Wraithlord - 165p
Glaive, dual Bright Lance, dual flamers

Total of 496 points, or you can leave one SS at home and get another body for Guardians.
There's never too many meatshields.


Guardians will hold the home objective with Farseer, or advance midfield to create a 12" no-go area of death.
Jetbikes will flank and harrass small enemy units, hopping back to cover with their assault phase cheat move.
The Lord will hang with the Guardians to give them a CC-punch and shoot vehicles all the time.

So nobody likes the rangers, eh? Fair enough...I'm not crazy about the miniatures anyway. :-)

@soomemafia, I find your list intriguing. The question is if I'll be able to come up with a decent warlock-on-jetbike conversion before we start play...

I think you can put Guardians in WS can you? WS are so cheese right now.

I can indeed put the Guardians in a WS, but I'm not sure I want to drop the Wraithlord for one at this point level. Once we get to 750 or 1000 points, I'm sure the WS will be busy...