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Hello DakkaDakka!

Returning 40K player here.
First off I dont want to run a DAVU spam list. Its a friendly environment. I want to run strong but non-cheese lists.

So me and my friends are picking up 40K again. I field an Eldar army. I am going to be facing Tau and Necrons.
When we started playing like 5 years ago I built my army around the Hammer and Anvil concept. How viable is this in 7th edition?
I dont own the 7th edition rulebook yet so I am not familiar with all the different scenarios. So basically my above question is if its viable in general.

I thought I would list the units I currently own and plan to purchase. It would be awesome if you guys could provide hints and pointers on different tactics, good synergies etc I can use with the models I own.
Most of our games are going to be 2000 pts.

HQ:
Farseer
Eldrad (Plan to buy. Sometimes to use as Eldrad or a secondary normal Farseer.)

Troops:
2 x 10 Dire Avengers
6 x Jet Bikes

Elites:
3 x Wraith Guards (Plan to buy one additional box)
10 x Fire Dragons
10 x Banshees (Dont really feel like fielding these guys)
10 x Striking Scorpions

Fast Attack:
6 x Warp Spiders
6x Swooping Hawks (Plan to buy)

Heavy Support:
3 x War Walkers
2 x Wraithlords
1 x Fire Prism (Plan to buy)

Dedicated Transports:
4 x Wave Serpents.

Also I think I have a couple Warlocks somewhere.

The plan is to use these units and swap around from game to game (for fun, trying different things and confuse my opponents )
I would love to field my Scorpions but not sure they have a place in an army like this.

Any advice, hints or pointers on what Eldar trickery can be done with these models would be much appreciated!

One quick note: Wraith Guard are a minimum 5 per unit now, and take up two slots in a transport.

Depending on the order of deployment, you have good chances to shape ANY of the deployments into a Hammer & Anvil style. You need to be careful with your Objective placement and mindful of how reserves will enter the game. But otherwise, have fun stretching the board!

The missions you choose to play will have a significant impact on what lists 'work' and what lists don't. Semi-Maelstrom (like those from Frontline Gaming) is very popular. I like Semi-Maelstrom for pick-up games with players that don't consider themselves competitive/go to tournaments. Otherwise, the AdeptiCon Maelstrom is the best. It adds dynamic tension and puts increased importance on being able to do solid risk/reward analysis. AdeptiCon scoring is also interesting (perhaps not better, but definitely interesting) in that all Victory Points go into the same pool.

Here are links:

http://adepticon.org/wpfiles/2015/201540Kchampprimer1.pdf
http://adepticon.org/wpfiles/2015/201540Ktocards.pdf

Below is my 1850 Renegade Open list from last November, illustrating that I like to play from range. Yes, it's got Min-DAVU serpents; this is a tournament list. The S8 Hornets (with their 48" range) and Warp Spiders will give Tau nightmares. Necrons look really strong with the changes to Reanimation Protocols and I haven't played their new codex yet, so I don't have advice for that.

Eldar Primary Detachment with Dark Eldar Allied Detachment (1850)

HEADQUARTERS
•Autarch [Warlord] (Fusion Gun, Scorpion Chainsword, Banshee Mask) 88

TROOPS
•5 Dire Avengers; Wave Serpent (Scatter Lasers, Shuriken Cannon) 195
•5 Dire Avengers; Wave Serpent (Scatter Lasers, Shuriken Cannon) 195
•5 Dire Avengers; Wave Serpent (Scatter Lasers, Shuriken Cannon) 195

ELITES
•5 Fire Dragons (Exarch; Fast Shot); Wave Serpent (Scatter Lasers, Shuriken Cannon) 260

FAST ATTACK
•2 Hornets (4 Pulse Lasers) 160
•2 Hornets (4 Pulse Lasers) 160
•8 Warp Spiders 152

HEAVY SUPPORT
•Wraith Knight 240

ALLIED DETATCHMENT: Dark Eldar
•Archon [HQ] (Haywire Grenades, Webway Portal) 100
•5 Kabalite Warriors [Troops] 40
•1 Venom [Fast Attack] (Splinter Cannon) 65

Have you looked at Vaul's Wrath?

I would think Guardians in cover would make a much better anvil than DAs. The price is so different.

I'd also tone the Aspect squads down from 10 to 6. Aside from DAs, generally, if 6 can't do the job, neither can 10. And what can kill 6 can usually kill 10. For specialists, anyways.

And 4xSerpents you listed is going to be rough. That is a ton of firepower.

@ DCannon4Life

Those links you provided look very interesting. Will definitely have a closer look. Thanks!

I like your army but I am going with non-forge world and also try to avoid DE allies. I think that deep striking, non-scatter Wraithguards and Fire Dragons shooting from open top transports is going to generate to many tears.
Also I am probably going to stick to the models I currently own and the ones I plan to purchase. Atleast for the near future.

Bharring wrote:
Have you looked at Vaul's Wrath?

I would think Guardians in cover would make a much better anvil than DAs. The price is so different.

I'd also tone the Aspect squads down from 10 to 6. Aside from DAs, generally, if 6 can't do the job, neither can 10. And what can kill 6 can usually kill 10. For specialists, anyways.

And 4xSerpents you listed is going to be rough. That is a ton of firepower.

Indeed. It looks very interesting but probably going to hold off from buying it. Might try it out with proxy units in a couple of battles to see how it performs.

Yeah, I agree with fielding 10 Aspects. Most probably only going to field 5 Aspect models with one Exarch. The list I wrote is what models I own

And yes, 4 WS is indeed a lot of firepower.
I am actually glad I bought them all those years ago since moving around on foot vs Tau is probably going to decimate my army very fast.
However if and when I field 4 of them (not always, since I will have several lists), I will impose self-nerfing, meaning I wont use the shield offensively for example.
This to create a more friendly environment since I realize how strong the WS is.

A good self-nerf to Serpents is to give them something other than SL. An EML won't do much, but can be a lot of fun. A BL gives you a chance at hurting a Land Raider. Makes the Serpent not that great a gunboat, but still a stellar transport.

One of our problems is moving units across the board. While Rhinos and Chimeras die fast, they cost so little. Our cheapest option usually costs more than the unit inside (the wave serpent). The Falcon costs even more, only sits 6, and isn't all that durable. And we have no deep strike / outflank / etc shenanigans.

For the most part, I play a lot of FA in my Eldar armies. I often put a 10man DA front-and-center with Asurmen. But it works out to a very weak anvil compared to most factions. Usually lasts long enough for me to either turn a flank and support, or abandon the middle with everything else, and take both flanks.

Point being, with some FA, we might be slower than most armies sans Serpents, but it can work, and be a lot of fun.