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I have taken up playing 40k again after a looooong break.
20+ years in fact.
Back then I used to fight for the Imperium and had a lot of fun kicking xeno butt.
Last year, my son decided he liked the look of the models in the local geedub and decided he wanted to gather an Eldar force.
I was happy to lend a hand, but him being 12 and more used to the immediate gratification of video games, his interest faded but mine was rekindled.
So there I was with a bunch of really nice looking models which I have had a total blast painting.
I joined a local gaming group, but can only get there once a month, although I have played in a couple of tournaments, the most recent of which was a really excellent
two dayer. (Astronomicon, Vancouver.)
I really like the Ulthwe theme which means few or no aspects, and I have gone mech. Jetbikes, Wave Serpents, Fire Prism etc.
Most often play at 1500pts but I am horrified by the seeming imbalance of the older Eldar codex to the newer 5th ed stuff. eg guard and most recently Blood Angels.
Was Eldar a bad choice or do I just need more practice?

I wouldn't say it's a bad choice, as more then half of the codices are from third and fourth edition. I would suggest just play more games, and read other codices so you know what you opponents units are capable of.

It's one of the best 4th-ed codexes available, but mech is the way to do it in 5th edition. The aspects are key now that you don't have access to the craftworld book for Black Guardians - Dire Avengers are one of the best things out there. You may want to try 'counts as' Dire Avengers/Black Guardians, using a Warlock to represent an exarch and directing their fire for better effect. Otherwise, a Seer Council build can still be very effective.

They've always been a very finessey army, and don't forgive mistakes easily. They're still very, very scary when used properly, and cannot be underestimated in capable hands.

Hey
Welcome to Dakka!
It was a great choice I play Ulthwe too, although I do dabble in aspect warriors a little more than is normal for the craftword Guardians are pretty poor at the moment, your much better off with Dire Avengers painted black Wave serpents (unfortunately) are the only way to effectivly deliver troops. You already said you have Fire Prisms, as ong as you have two of them you should be alright

Welcome to dak dak! I have been devastated by Eldar many many times. You just need more practice is all. Definitely a finesse army.

Agreed on all counts!

Don't worry about Eldar - they still rock!

And welcome to Dakka Dakka!

Welcome!

Welcome back!

Any army can be lethal in the rights hands. IMO, there is no 'bad' choice so long as you like your army. I like my army, I hardly ever win, but I consider it a good choice.

Good to see people getting back into hobby, and you picked/got left with an awesome army.

Eldar mech is fantastic, W Serpent is up there with best dedicated transports. I play Saim Hann and recently tried using less serpents and it's a lot harder

Give them twin linked missile launcher and shuriken cannon and they can handle most things, krak on armour or shuriken cannon and plasma missile on troops, amazing combo

Stick with them, not the easiest army to use but capable of doing the business against all the newer armies, and when they are re-done they will be top tier again

Milk was a bad choice.

Eldar just take practice

welcome to dakka and back to WH

Thanks for the welcome and encouragement.
I like the idea of black DA's.
Milk on a hot day? Blaagh!

Hello and welcome.

Hello and welcome to Dakka!

Welcome to dakka mate.

Welcome to Dakka!

Welcome to Dakka Dakka!

WeLcOmE

Of all the "dedicated" craftworld themes, Ulthwé is probably one of the more competitive ones. 10 Storm Guardians with dual flamers and a Heavy Flamer Warlock flying around in a Wave Serpent is not only fluffy but extremely powerful. Toss in Doom from a nearby Farseer (that doesn't even have to get out of his own Wave Serpent) and that's a nearly guaranteed dead unit of whatever you were roasting.

Sprinkle in Fire Prisms and whatnot to taste and you have a pretty mean army that adheres to Ulthwé fluff without question.

Welcome (back)

I can't speak to your choice of army, as I play fantasy, but I must say your choice of avatar image is top-notch

Eldar can be awesome if you understand how to play it.

They have the most advanced weaponry in the game. Their tanks (with holofields) can never be fired at with anything greater than Str8 and you can't use the 2D6 for penetration with melta guns. Unless you fire at the rear..

Their warriors are highly specialised so you don't have Fire Dragons wading into close combat, or Striking Scorpions assaulting vehicles. But used together they are devastating.

Wave Serpents and Fire Primsms are awesome. And even Jetbikes can contest an objective well.

When people say Eldar are weak, it's simply cause they're assaulting when they should be shooting, and having overhigh expectations of what their Aspect warriors can really do.

Indeed.

Eldar are an older codex, so there are less OTT units and things to throw straight into the enemy. But we still have a few tricks up our sleeve.

Since you want to go Ulthwe, I'd reccomend Storm Guardians. They perform similar to big squads of Dire Avengers, (2 flamers and Destroctor hits targets about as hard as a bladestorm).

Wave Serpents and Fire Prisms are also amazing. Wave Serpents, although too expensive to be amazing, are good transports. The energy field rule (which Corennus mistakenly called a holofield- holofields are on falcons or prisms and force enemy pens and glances to roll 2d6 take the lowest) is excellent for keeping stuff alive and getting it to destination.
Its kind of a bummer that guard can take Valkries and Vendettas which have something ridiculous like 3 tl las cannons, and can drop troops after turbo boosting (via deep strike) and still cost less than our Serpents, but you can rest knowing that Serpent are a bit more durable and don't take up a fast attack slot, and our turn for codex creep will come in due time.

Also a squad of warlocks and a farseer on jetbikes would be a sick addition. With fortune they have re rolling 3+ save and 4+ invulnerable. Most enemy armies will have alot of trouble bringing that unit down, and since witch blades wound on a 2+ and are s9 vs vehicles, they are terrifying to monsterous creatures, and vehicles.

Remember, Mech Eldar is an army about speed. You'll find that your fire power is moderate at best, and your troops are frail. If you try to stand and have a shoot out with the enemy you'll get out shot quickly. Mech Eldar win by using their speed to focus their fire power into your opponents weak points, all the while hiding their own weak points.

Hi there. I have that same story of giving up for years and starting again - only 10 years in my case. It was finding the black library books in my local library that got me back. Hey if you wana see imperial models you might remember from the 80s I'm doing a blog on collecting them at the mo.
hope to see you around!

Welcome back to gaming and welcome to dakka.