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I know everyone is in love with the Guardian Jetbikes as a staple Troops choice for the new codex, but what's the opinion on Rangers and, more importantly, Pathfinders?

I've tried them a couple times so far, and they seem to be improved sniper death on MCs.  The ability to move through cover freely, the +2 to cover, the improved AP1 chance, and Scouts seem to be worth the extra 5 points, while 19 points seems to be overpriced for what Rangers get.

I have been waiting for someone else to chime in, but nothing yet.

My take is that for 24 points, Pathfinders are expensive.  Lets see what they gained - Troops choice.  OK.  However, they lost two very important things:
1) Went from 4+ AP1 to 5+.
2) World Weary skill - which was really good!

And at 24 points, they are 144 points for a squad of 6.  Rangers are just 114 points.  30 points isn't a huge deal, but I don't see much additional gained.  Especially in Hard Cover.

Mezmaron

doubling your chances of AP1 is good. people need to stop comparing them to old broken aliotic and look at them in the new eldar. the more AP1 the better chance you cause a pinning check. also the better chance you put a wound on a monsterous critter. when I have play tested the new eldar I have taken 2 5 man units of pathfinders and enjoyed them every game. especially since the army I have been using really benefits from a pinned squad or 2. (i have been using a mobile assaulty eldar army, 1 unit of harlies, 1 unit of banshees, jetbikes, dire avengers in WS, etc)

the pathfinders usually try and pin things that are a threat to anything I have in the open. or take pot shots at exposed units.

pathfinders are not the end all be all by any means but I don't think they are a waste either, plus I really love the new models.

Their a good unit. In the game I've played against them, I don't know if they made their points back, but they were definitely something that was on my mind the whole game. I was always keeping them in mind when I made my movements, trying to figure out how best to make sure they can't shoot me. It limited a lot of what I wanted to do, so I guess thats a good plus for them.

The ability to have a 2+ cover save is a significant strength. Barring template weapons or the Tau airburst, they are going to be hard to shift by shooting.

I have played some with the current rangers and I really think I should have upgraded them to Pathfinders. Pathfinders are just better then rangers and the cost to upgrade them seems well worth it. Being able to scout, Ignore Diffucult terrain, get an ap 1 shot on 5+ and +2 to covers saves just seems like a great deal for the upgrade price.

Rangers are not worth buying. Pathfinders are debatable. Personally I think they're very decent in a group of 6 as an objective grabber/ap1 firepower. No one wants to shoot them and if you use their range and speed no one will bother assaulting them. They'll get to shoot all game and then move-fleet at the end for a quarter.

I don't think I'd load up on them though because they're awfully expensive, and extremely vulnerable to certain armies (anyone with a throwaway flamer, IG hellhounds, drop pods, etc) and worth shooting at if they're only in 5+ cover (3+).

Personally I'd go for pathfinders over rangers everyday - the upgrade is a major enhancment for the type of role that rangers/pathfinders play (MC killers, holding cover) and if you regulary fight 'zilla nids or anything else with a couple of monstrous creatures then a squad (or possibly 2 against 'zillas) will prove very useful.

That said most stuff in the Eldar codex seems to need some form of support or a partner unit to be really effective. I'm trying a walker squadron myself but couldn't say if that'll be an optimal pairing or not

Longshot, I realize the thing we keep repeating over and over when evaluating these unit types is "it depends what else is in the army." But I think it's more interesting to think about how different kinds of units might synergize in an overall army approach with rangers before just labeling them as not worth buying.

And anyway harlequins--like the ones you are planning for your harlie horde army--are vulnerable to the same list of things that you give for pathfinders/rangers being vulnerable to.