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This morning I was reviewing the Eldar rumors on Warseer when I realized something: per the rumors, Wraithlords will be able to carry two heavy weapons, with the duplicates reverting to twin-linked (Tau style I'd assume; if they word it like the Nids codex, that will be an absolute coup).  Yes, alternatively, it will be able to carry a sword in lieu of a second heavy weapon that allows it to reroll hits in CC, which will complement the stock S10 and MC abilities.

That being said, with the looming price increase of the Wraithlord and looming price decrease of all Eldar weaponry, could the Wraithlord serve as a fire-support platform like a TL LC/ML dreadnought?  A T8 platform sitting in 4+ or 5+ cover firing off two heavy weapons each turn.  Does that sound reasonable?  Based entirely on these rumors, which, coming from Brimstone, are as close to true as you'll find, here's what I've got.  You can take it as you will.

First, they're going to make the WL more expensive.  How expensive?  We don't know.  If it's a typical GW nerf to make the Marine players happy (even with the new model they want to sell) I could see the WL reaching 95 pts.  20 pts on a 75 pt model, a nasty 27% increase.  I'd like to see a mere 15 pts (20%), but I'm afraid GW is too bent on "fixing" the "problem" that is T8.  10 pts is just a pipe dream.  I'd gamble we'll see a 95 pt stock WL.

Second, they're going to decrease the price of all heavy weapons.  The starcannon is being made heavy 2, but all other stats will remain unchanged.   The rumors  say that everything is cheaper, except the Bright Lance which is slightly cheaper.  I'm not sure how to interpret that.  That sounds like 10 and 5 pts respectively, but I've also heard rumors of a 25 pt Starcannon platform for Guardian squads, and I've even heard of unifying heavy weapon costs across the board.   Let's assume the worst and assume the 10 and 5 pt respective decreases. 

Here are some possible loadouts

Bright Lance/Eldar Missile Launcher: 95 + 40 + 40 = 175
175 pts for that?  Ouch.  At what pt cost does a T8 platform with a BS4 BL and EML become viable?  I mean, it would be nice to bust tanks, but with a stationary range of only 36", which is important because the idea is that this guy sits in cover and fires every turn, it seems expensive.  All you need is one ruined building with a good field of fire and you're in business.  A forest will do too.  A 4+ or 5+ cover save combined with the T8 is just nasty.  And this guy doesn't need to seek out combat.  He can plug away with 2 heavy weapons all game.  But he's worth so many VPs.  2 wounds yield 88 VPs, while 3 yields all 175.  And you wonder how much you need that EML, because dropping it (using our numbers) gives you a mere 135 pt platform, only 10 pts more than what you used to pay for your tank-popping WL.  I think this loadout leaves us with two questions.  First, is 36" enough range for a dedicated tank-buster that would like to remain stationary (I somehow doubt it).  Second, at what price does this loadout finally seem like a good idea?   I think I'd take it for 150.

Star Cannon/Scatter Laser: 95 + 35 + 35 = 165
This one is about popping infantry.  Now that the scatter laser has double the shots of a starcannon, the two are much close than they used to be.  This guy  kills 0.74  and 1.11 MEQs per turn (no cover) with the Scatter Laser and Starcannon respectively.  But it's still too expensive.  Not for 165 pts.  Unlike tanks, infantry are far more ubiquitous, so the 36" range won't matter if we're just hunting infantry.   The second question from the previous loadout still applies: at what point cost does this version seem reasonable?

I'm not sure about the TL versions of anything except maybe the Bright Lance.  I'm not sure how they'll break down the pt cost (I'd imagine something close to half price for the second weapon if the TLing is done Tau-style).  But the present WW pays full price for TL duplicates, so I'm not really sure.

Well, in retrospect, I think we lack the data to put together an accurate picture of what a fire-support Wraithlord would look like in the new book.  The pt costs I estimated all appear too expensive for the amount of firepower, particularly when we hear that the Falcon is going to be cheaper stock and include cheaper weapons.  Regardless, assuming GW gives half a damn about selling their new WL models, I figure the pt costs can't be as high as I quoted; in fact, I believe that there's a good possibility that the WL will serve as an excellent fire support platform.   It can stay out of range of plasma guns, and with T8 and a cover save, should be able to ride out many storms, just as it does now, except with increased (perhaps even double?) the firepower.

Well, if nothing more, I hope this post put some ideas in people's heads so that the resident tacticians can at least start thinking about the idea.

The tank-busting idea is worth another look. A tw-brightlance on a waveserpent (spiritstones and vectored engines if rumors are true) cost equally the same and provides mobility. I'm not sold on a dedicated shooty wraithlord just yet - but could easily be swayed. I still see the Falcons as the shooty workhorse of the heavy selections.

What about wraithsight? Odds propose that it'll occure once per 6-turn game. Does one take the chance that it won't happen on "that critical turn" or employ a warlock/spiritseer babysitter?

You have to have a babysitter. Have to.

But there's a big difference between the 2 heavy weapon wraithlord and the LC/ML dread. The dread is giving up his dreadnought ccw, and with it his high strength and armor shredding in hth. It sounds like the wraithlord is still going to have the same offensive power in hth as it does now. So really the wraithlord can have its cake and eat it too. It would be a great shooting/counterassault unit.

Crawling brings up a good point...the draw back is that it moves only 6 inches a turn. This might be a good counter/support unit if it can be effectively worked into a list. I just don't see Mech Eldar using these, unless there's 4-6 waveserpents with 2 WL.