Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So wraith lords are really cool, but also seem to have sort of missed out on a lot of the improvements Eldar received in the recent books. They aren't bad, but they could definitely use some love. Additionally, I know many people are frustrated that there's no way to run a purely wraith construct army without including a wraith knight. So, with that in mind, here's the Ghost Shrine formation. I tried to give each aspect a set of flavorful abilities that didn't alter their power levels too severely or cause them to overshadow their living counterparts. While this formation's restrictions definitely don't overshadow the improvements the units in this formation benefit from, I feel that the inclusion of a wraith lord (normally considered a sub-optimal choice for Eldar) helps to balance things out.

What do you think? Too over the top? I feel like a struck a pretty could balance, but worry my wording may be sloppy in places.

Ghost Shrine Formation

Requirements
1 wraithlord
1-3 wraith guard or wraith blades (see below)

Restrictions
Depending on the warrior aspect selected, this formation must include either wraith guard or wraith blades be included (but not both). Additionally, the aspect selected may require units in this formation to take certain pieces of wargear.

Special Rules
During army creation, select one of the following aspects. Each aspect imposes its own restrictions upon units in this formation and provides its own set of benefits. Regardless of the aspect selected, the wraith lord in this formation gains +1 WS and BS.

Avenger Aspect: All units in this formation gain the Defensive Tactics rule. The wraith lord in this formation must be equipped with at least one shuriken cannon and gains the Battle Fortune rule. Wraith blades may not be included in a formation with this aspect.

Dragon Aspect: All units in this formation may reroll results on the vehicle damage chart. The wraith lord in this formation gains the armorbane rule and must be equipped with two flamers. Wraith blades may not be included in a formation with this aspect.

Banshee Aspect: All units in this formation gain the Fear rule, and enemy units charged by any unit from this formation suffer a -1 to their Initiative during the first round of combat. The wraith lord from this formation must be equipped with a ghost glaive, and wraith guard may not be included in a formation with this aspect. The wraith lord from this formation gains Fleet.

Scorpion Aspect: All units in this formation gain the Stealth rule until they charge or roll to-hit. The wraith lord from this formation gains Preferred Enemy against a single unit of the Eldar player’s choice chosen during deployment. The wraith lord from this formation must be equipped with a ghost glaive, and wraith guard may not be included in a formation with this aspect.

Spear Aspect: All units in this formation gain Furious Charge. The wraith lord from this formation must be equipped with a bright lance and ghost glaive. The wraith lord from this formation gains Monster Hunter.

Hawk Aspect: All units in this formation gain Battle Focus. The wraith lord from this formation must be equipped with a scatter laser. Wraith blades and d-scythes may not be taken as part of a formation with this aspect.

Spider Aspect: All units in this formation gain the Interceptor and Adamantine Will rules. The wraith lord in this formation adds shadow weavers to the list of heavy weapons it may take. Shadow weavers taken on a wraith lord from this formation cost 15 points apiece. Wraith blades may not be taken as part of a formation with this aspect.

Specter Aspect: When they target an enemy unit for shooting, wraith guard in this formation may substitute their normal shots for a single Strength D AP 2 large blast provided the unit numbers at least three models at the time they select their target. The wraith lord in this formation gains the Shadow of Death rule and may choose to take a prismatic cannon (see Codex: Harlequins) in place of one of its heavy weapons for 5 points. Wraith blades and d-scythes may not be taken as part of a formation with this aspect.

Reaper Aspect: Units in this formation may reroll to-hit rolls of 1 when shooting provided the target of the target of their attacks is farther away than half the range of the weapon being fired. For example, a wraith lord firing at a target 7” away would benefit from this ability with its shuriken catapults, but not with its scatter laser as the target would be more than 6” away from the shuriken catapults but less than 18” away from the scatter laser. The wraith lord in this formation must be equipped with an Eldar missile launcher, may not be equipped with flamers, and gains the Fast Shot rule. Wraith blades and d-scythes may not be taken as part of this formation.

I'd suggest less restrictions and less new options. I can't think of any other formations that give access to new types of weapons. I would make it a little simpler.

Avengers = Defensive Tactics
Dragon = Preferred enemy (vehicals)
Banshee = May re-roll a single dice on the charge.
Scorpion = Stealth until they charge or roll to hit
Spear = Furious charge and Wraith Lord gains Monster Hunter
Hawk = Interceptor
Spider = Defensive Grenades
Specter = Your's could work, do you scatter large blast? You probably should, large blast str D from an elite choice seems silly.
Reaper = They gain the Reaper Range Finder.

You don't actively need to restrict the units in the formation, you should encourage the units based off the buffs. And added new options to units just seems like a weird precedent.

This doesn't really fix the problem of the Wraithlord not being much good thanks to it's weapon upgrades being far too expensive. Wraithblades are in a similar position as they lack any real ability to deal damage.

So for what I'd do, first change the Wraithlord so that it's 100pts base, and make the Shurikan Cannon and Starcannon a 5pt each upgrade and the Bright Lance, Eldar Missile Launcher and Scatter Laser a 10pt each upgrade.

For the Wraithblades make them WS5, A2 and the Ghost Swords are AP2 and the Axe looses unweildy. Give them Fleet as well.

Then, change the Wraith Host Formation to

1 Spirit Seer
1-3 Wraithguard or Wraithblades in any combination
0-2 Wraithlords
0-1 Wraithknights

The formation keeps it's perk of any Wraith units within 18" of the Spirit Seer re-reolling To Hit and To Wound.

@AlexIsAwesome:

I'm generally all for promoting incentives rather than limitations. With some of the aspect benefits, however, it felt a bit off not to limit them. Wraith blades with stealth, for instance, produce a slightly more durable wraith blade that can cross the table relatively safely. without using a transport. I wouldn't mind dropping the restrictions on the wraith lords, but it seems like sort of a missed opportunity.

I mostly like your suggestions for the aspect benefits, though a few of them seem a bit off. Spider guard with defensive grenades seems a bit odd, and reaper range finders is just a bit overt. I was hoping to make it feel less like these guys had been given specialized gear and more like they were remembering their lives in more vivid detail or translating the talents they had in life into something they could use in unlife. Overall however, I agree that my rules could stand to be streamlined.

@Imateria:
That might work as a complete rework for the wraith lords and blades, but I was hoping for more of a plug & play sort of thing than a modification of the units' data sheets. ^_^;

Mostly, I just wanted to give wraith lords and their pals a thematic little boost. You aren't just bringing a ws 4 wraith lord to the table; you're bringing a former exarch and her undead banshee shrine!

Thanks for the feedback, guys!