Freakshow Tactica: Leadership based tactics for all types of Eldar. (Updated 4/23/15)

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**Jimsolo**

koooaei wrote:What about an alliance with SM 1-st company taskforce that adds another -2 ld penalty if there are 3 or more units within a certain distance? Drop pods count in too.

I'm putting together another installment down the line for this exact idea. (Specifically, allying in Space Marines.) Dark Angels are another possibility, with the Ld shenanigans available from Interromancy.

Champion of Slaanesh wrote:I'm interested in maybe adding in some dirty eldar tricks to my slaaneshi csm mainly to magnify the power of my blast masters pinning. Anyone got any suggestions

The best option would be Deep Strikers coming in among and behind the enemy, radiating fear bubbles out around them. Grotesquerie squads in Raiders and Scalpel Squadrons would be my big pick. You can also Deep Strike people carrying the Mask of Secrets, Armor of Misery, or who are capable of throwing out Terrify.

**Champion of Slaanesh**

I will have to try that. Could always justify it by saying they are crone world eldar

**Jimsolo**

I'm going eventually add some Slaanesh daemons to my collection with the same justification.

**noghri**

Any change with the release of 2nd Edition of IA:11? Mainly for Wraithseer, Shadow Specters and the Farseer. Thanks.

**DirtyDeeds**

noghri wrote:
Any change with the release of 2nd Edition of IA:11? Mainly for Wraithseer, Shadow Specters and the Farseer. Thanks.

So far it looks like the Corsairs got a massive boost AND they have access to the Mask of Secrets (hello easy to hide allied character~). Also, there's a psychic power that allows a unit to move as of they were deep striking anywhere on the table. Roll a d6 for every 6 inches you move, take a wound on a 1. I THINK you can assault after doing this (I don't have the book, this is just what I saw from websites). I could see a squad of grotesques not caring about the wounds.

**the_scotsman**

Spoiler:

This is what I'm looking at for incorporating some Freakshow Tech into my existing Harlequins. I've got two Jesters and two psychic Shriekers cashing in on 3 debuff sources. The harlequins are split into a bully troupe (steals the kabalites ride and runs around with the masque jester), a Kiss troupe and an anti-heavy caress troupe. Since my harlequins historically have struggled with overwatch, I am trying out adding an autarch to the Zephyrglaive skyweavers with a banshee mask to break me into tough enemies like Wraithguard.

The idea is to make hard targets crumble with Haywire melta and the good old D, and combat cover saves with loads of melee. Against flyers I can just hope mobility and avoidance is enough because I have literally zero chance of downing a flying unit (though I can shriek MCs).

**locarno24**

A very interesting article.

The big weakness, of course, is vehicles - but for the most part vehicles aren't too big a deal, and Dark Eldar and Harlequins can rack up enough haywire weapons not to be overly concerned.

I've been wondering about trying a Tyranid version of this list after blundering into the tactic accidentally. The Tyranids have quite a few potent tools at their disposal for this sort of thing - Psychic Scream is - sadly - not the primaris power, but you can hope for one or two iterations of it with the inevitably 2-3 hive tyrants flapping around.

A nova Ld attack in a freakshow environment could be nothing short of terrifying. It's only 2D6+2. not 3D6, but still, add in a few extra penalties and people start losing a lot of models, and a flying tyrant can get into position very easily.

Randomly, Tyranids are especially good at killing each other with this; their big trick is (unsurprisingly) Shadow In The Warp.

-3 Ld on psykers isn't too big a deal because the psyker is normally in a unit that's not - so his leadership doesn't drop below theirs - but that's still a point or so off, and if you catch something like a Greater Daemon or Daemon Prince - or a Hive Tyrant!) , then let the party times roll.

The other tools the Tyranids bring to the party are the Neural Node formation and the Assassin Brood.

Neural Node is....so so...normally. The Malaceptor is a ML2 monstrous creature with a deeply unimpressive statline. But it automatically gets a focussed witchfire power that attacks Leadership....and can (unusually) hit vehicles as well. With freakshow support it might just become dangerous enough to pull its weight. Zoanthropes are a lot better, and again essentially get a psychic shriek analogue - but this time one that generates warp charge that you can then use for a 'free' warp blast shot - giving you something very effective to throw at tanks and walkers. Plus, they have T4 and a decent invulnerable save, making them harder to put down than most freakshow units. Plus, it comes with an 18" range Shadow in the warp in this formation.

The Assassin Brood is another nasty tool. Expensive, but not bank-breakingly so, at 380 points. It's actually quite tactially useful anyway - lictors can deep strike in without penalty and have move through cover - meaning you can hold them in reserve and snatch unguarded tactical objectives without wasting an expensive Webway portal strike on the job. More importantly, they have an area effect -1Ld, and Deathleaper comes in with an addition -D3 Ld on a character of you choice.

Plus, Lictors are pretty badass in a fight if they need to be - S6 rending attacks again can smash transports and similar to get at the psychicly-susceptible brains inside.