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I've come up with this list to combat the knight guard type armies that are popular.
The plan is for the prisms to sit back with the walkers providing the best screen they can. The rest advance up in a deathball with asurman providing invulns and melee threat along with the lord's. Masses of Biel-tan shuriken fire and psychic support.
Any thoughts on the list?

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Aeldari - Craftworlds) [42 PL, 771pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

Craftworld Attribute: Biel-Tan: Swordwind

+ HQ +

Farseer [6 PL, 115pts]: 2. Doom, 3: Falcon's Swiftness, 4. Executioner, Craftworlds Warlord, Faolchu's Wing, Shuriken Pistol, Singing Spear

Spiritseer [3 PL, 65pts]: 4. Protect/Jinx, Shuriken Pistol

+ Troops +

Dire Avengers [3 PL, 64pts]
. 4x Dire Avenger: 4x Avenger Shuriken Catapult
. Dire Avenger Exarch: Two Avenger Shuriken Catapults

Dire Avengers [3 PL, 64pts]
. 4x Dire Avenger: 4x Avenger Shuriken Catapult
. Dire Avenger Exarch: Two Avenger Shuriken Catapults

Dire Avengers [3 PL, 64pts]
. 4x Dire Avenger: 4x Avenger Shuriken Catapult
. Dire Avenger Exarch: Two Avenger Shuriken Catapults

+ Heavy Support +

Wraithlord [8 PL, 133pts]: Ghostglaive, 2x Shuriken Cannon, Shuriken Catapult, Shuriken Catapult

Wraithlord [8 PL, 133pts]: Ghostglaive, 2x Shuriken Cannon, Shuriken Catapult, Shuriken Catapult

Wraithlord [8 PL, 133pts]: Ghostglaive, 2x Shuriken Cannon, Shuriken Catapult, Shuriken Catapult

++ Total: [42 PL, 771pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe


++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Aeldari - Craftworlds) [17 PL, 332pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

Craftworld Attribute: Biel-Tan: Swordwind

+ HQ +

Warlock Skyrunner [4 PL, 70pts]: 4. Protect/Jinx, Shuriken Pistol, Twin Shuriken Catapult, Witchblade

Warlock Skyrunner [4 PL, 70pts]: 5. Quicken/Restrain, Shuriken Pistol, Twin Shuriken Catapult, Witchblade

+ Troops +

Dire Avengers [3 PL, 64pts]
. 4x Dire Avenger: 4x Avenger Shuriken Catapult
. Dire Avenger Exarch: Two Avenger Shuriken Catapults

Dire Avengers [3 PL, 64pts]
. 4x Dire Avenger: 4x Avenger Shuriken Catapult
. Dire Avenger Exarch: Two Avenger Shuriken Catapults

Dire Avengers [3 PL, 64pts]
. 4x Dire Avenger: 4x Avenger Shuriken Catapult
. Dire Avenger Exarch: Two Avenger Shuriken Catapults

++ Total: [17 PL, 332pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe


++ Spearhead Detachment +1CP (Aeldari - Craftworlds) [48 PL, 895pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

Craftworld Attribute: Alaitoc: Fieldcraft

+ HQ +

Asurmen [9 PL, 175pts]

+ Heavy Support +

Fire Prism [9 PL, 160pts]: Twin Shuriken Catapult

Fire Prism [9 PL, 160pts]: Twin Shuriken Catapult

Fire Prism [9 PL, 160pts]: Twin Shuriken Catapult

War Walkers [4 PL, 80pts]
. War Walker: Starcannon, Starcannon

War Walkers [4 PL, 80pts]
. War Walker: Starcannon, Starcannon

War Walkers [4 PL, 80pts]
. War Walker: Starcannon, Starcannon

++ Total: [48 PL, 895pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe

Not sure if this an anti-knight list with all these starcannons. Not very effective if you ask me.
The classical way would be Fire Prisms, Serpents or Falcons with S8 weapons, Fire Dragons and Wraithguard using Doom and Guide.

 wuestenfux wrote:
Not sure if this an anti-knight list with all these starcannons. Not very effective if you ask me.
The classical way would be Fire Prisms, Serpents or Falcons with S8 weapons, Fire Dragons and Wraithguard using Doom and Guide.

I don't really envision the war walkers as part of the anti knight force, that's down to the prisms, wraithlords melee and sheer volume of shuriken fire.
I see the walkers providing long range elite hunting, some screening of the prisms and a deterrent to the smash captain tactics.
Edit: I forgot to mention that this is meant to be an army that can fight with knights but has enough flexibility to deal with non knight armies.

Wraithlords are meh as they have too less damage output and are too slow.
How should they ever reach the Knights?

A wraithlord advancing in the first turn covers 9-14 inches whilst putting out respectable amounts of fire from its four shuriken weapons.
From my experience and watching bat reps a knight list rarely stands back in a gunline, at lest not all of the knights. I'd hope to catch at least one in melee or if the knights focus on the lord's then they're not shooting the prisms.

Even with linked fire, prisms arent gonna put down a 4++ knight in the first turn. Since you can't Vect the Ion Shields thats either two knights with 4++ or one with a 3++. As soon as you declare your linked fire you're committed to a target.

Which means the counter volley is gonna cut the lords to pieces turn one, turn two the prisms go pop. Meanwhile Smash cappy, the scouts and the mortar guard bubble wrap are cutting your Avengers to pieces. Even with Asurmen's 4++ a guard squad with FRFSRF will put down a full Avenger team in RF range each volley.

With alaitoc and reflexes a visible prism will be -2 to hit. They may go down in a turn but it won't be a trivial matter. The same for wraithlords, with T8 and reasonable wounds and saves they're fairly durable but cheap enough to eat the cost of they do.
Assuming all three lord's haven't gone down, it's a pretty brave smash captain that charges the shuriken bomb. With asurman and a lot of mortal wound psychic output within, the captains may do damage to the screen but will be unlikely to survive the next turn.
Ion shields are a real pain but how I'd do it is to unload as much shuriken fire into the closest (and hopefully doomed) knight as possible. There's close to 100 shuriken shots in the main blob, mostly at 18" on top of an 9-14" advance more so it's not a small threat range. If he doesn't rotate because he's waiting for the prisms to declare then they get to go against the worse invuln. If he does rotate then hopefully you can target a non rotated knight with the prisms or even dump everything into the rotated knight if it has taken significant damage from smites and shuriken fire.
The star cannons can either start melting guardsmen or plinking something bigger if need be.
I'm not saying this is the perfect list but I'd like to think it could do some work without being too cheesy or soupy.

You're making the assumption that your screen is actually going to survive contact. It won't.

If you're up against the 32 you'll lose half to them, and another quarter to the Scouts screening Slammy and his boyfriend. If it's the Brigade version, the Guard infantry volley takes out your entire Avenger cadre, while HWTs, FAs Scouts and the Castellan melt your Wraithlords. Follow that up with the slammy charge, then the supporting Catachan banzai and you no longer have anything except maybe a skyrunner or two, your walkers, and your prisms left on the board for an easy turn 2 and 3 mopup.

Ah, I was thinking about a multiple knight list with some guard and a slamguinius led Blood angels battalion.
By the sound of it you're talking about a single knight and blood angels with a lot of guard?
In which case I'd obviously focus the shuriken fire into the guard and scouts. 100ish shuriken shots will do plenty of damage to the squishy guardsmen. With eldar speed and being able to advance I'd hope to get the first real mass volley before taking the return fire from the infantry.
There's a good case for taking out the war walkers and bringing in a couple of squads of ten swooping hawks with hawks talon exarch for 80 more shots.

If you replace all of the wraithlords with wave serpents then you might have a chance. The knight would either have to go for your fire prisms on the first turn which can hide behind your wave serpents, or they would have to focus fire a wave serpent down to get to your less squishy than usual dire avengers with asurmen

This list will get stomped by Knights + Guard.

There is a reason why people run Ynnari Shining Spears. Fire & Fading reapers will also help you.

Doom & Jinx are a must, but it seems like you've identified that.

I think I'd put out this list now. Got plenty of shots, 64 last shots and thirty avenger shots to deal with guard and should be mobile enough to get into position to get the best of turn one shooting.
Put the fire dragons in the webway, one unit of reapers in the falcon who then moves into midfield with the avengers and hawks. The other reapers and a unit of avengersr in the serpent.
Two units of reapers, a falcon and a pair of hunters put out some quality heavy support. Good psychic and re-roll support round out a better army, in my reckoning anyway. I'd probably split off a spearhead detachment for the extra command point.


++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Aeldari - Craftworlds) [103 PL, 1999pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

Craftworld Attribute: Alaitoc: Fieldcraft

+ HQ +

Autarch with Swooping Hawk Wings [5 PL, 117pts]: 5: Mark of the Incomparable Hunter, Banshee Mask, Craftworlds Warlord, Forceshield, Reaper Launcher, Shard of Anaris, Shuriken Pistol

Farseer [6 PL, 110pts]: 2. Doom, 4. Executioner, Shuriken Pistol, Witchblade

Spiritseer [3 PL, 65pts]: 4. Protect/Jinx, Shuriken Pistol

+ Troops +

Dire Avengers [3 PL, 64pts]
. 4x Dire Avenger: 4x Avenger Shuriken Catapult
. Dire Avenger Exarch: Two Avenger Shuriken Catapults

Dire Avengers [3 PL, 64pts]
. 4x Dire Avenger: 4x Avenger Shuriken Catapult
. Dire Avenger Exarch: Two Avenger Shuriken Catapults

Dire Avengers [3 PL, 64pts]
. 4x Dire Avenger: 4x Avenger Shuriken Catapult
. Dire Avenger Exarch: Two Avenger Shuriken Catapults

+ Elites +

Fire Dragons [12 PL, 192pts]
. 7x Fire Dragon: 7x Fusion Gun
. Fire Dragon Exarch: Dragon's Breath Flamer

Howling Banshees [6 PL, 107pts]
. 7x Howling Banshee: 7x Power Sword
. Howling Banshee Exarch: Shuriken Pistol & Executioner

+ Fast Attack +

Swooping Hawks [6 PL, 107pts]
. 7x Swooping Hawk: 7x Lasblaster
. Swooping Hawk Exarch: Hawk's Talon

Swooping Hawks [6 PL, 107pts]
. 7x Swooping Hawk: 7x Lasblaster
. Swooping Hawk Exarch: Hawk's Talon

+ Heavy Support +

Dark Reapers [7 PL, 173pts]
. 4x Dark Reaper: 4x Reaper Launcher
. Dark Reaper Exarch: Aeldari Missile Launcher

Dark Reapers [7 PL, 170pts]
. 4x Dark Reaper: 4x Reaper Launcher
. Dark Reaper Exarch: Reaper Launcher

Falcon [9 PL, 165pts]: Crystal Targeting Matrix, Shuriken Cannon, Spirit Stones, Starcannon

+ Flyer +

Crimson Hunter Exarch [9 PL, 175pts]: Two Bright Lances

Crimson Hunter Exarch [9 PL, 175pts]: Two Bright Lances

+ Dedicated Transport +

Wave Serpent [9 PL, 144pts]: Shuriken Cannon, Twin Shuriken Cannon, Vectored Engines

++ Total: [103 PL, 1999pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe

So I've a few questions. Why run a falcon when a wave serpent is strictly better for its points? Why run Crimson Hunter Exarchs when Hemlocks are able to smite knights as well as auto hit with their d sythes? Hemlocks also come with spirit stones as standard. The rest of the vehicle upgrades outside of vectored engines.
What is your Autarch trying to do with wings and a reaper launcher also? Seems like he wants combat with the banshee mask and wings but also wants to sit back and fire his launcher.

The falcon carries better firepower and goes hunting in midfield, plus I just like falcons.
Between the reapers and the hunters they put out 18 las cannon grade shots at 48" range hitting on 3+, rerolling 1's if the autarch supports the reapers and he provides some counter charging for the reapers. The mask is free and the wings let him fall back and shoot.
With everything having 48" range they stay -1 to hit, -2 for the hunters so I'd have to just bansai in a hemlock on it's own. The hemlock is a great unit but doesn't fit this list.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Looking again I might swap out the fire dragons for a unit of Wraithblades with swords to ride in the serpent to add a bit more staying power in midfield, plus Wraithblades are pretty nasty on the charge.

You can check out thi video of a great Eldar matchup vs Knights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smInca65JYM

3 prisms, 3 Hemlocks, Farseer, Wave Serpents. he could have made it nastier too by being Alaitoc, but Ulthwe is a good second.

I love wraithlords, but thinking they will make it into combat with knights is a dream.

Blocking Knight's movements with fliers they can't charge is invaluable. Also a squad of shining spears works wonders against a doomed knight, denying the invuln.

 bullyboy wrote:
You can check out thi video of a great Eldar matchup vs Knights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smInca65JYM

3 prisms, 3 Hemlocks, Farseer, Wave Serpents. he could have made it nastier too by being Alaitoc, but Ulthwe is a good second.

I love wraithlords, but thinking they will make it into combat with knights is a dream.

Yeah, that's a great showing for the eldar. The knight player was pretty unlucky in his first turn though. Knights going first would be a rematch worth watching.
It's true that catching a knight in combat with lord's is tricky, which is a shame because they average over six wounds if healthy. But at 133 pts they're not super expensive and with up to ten shuriken shots they can do good work against a screen or even plink off the odd wound on a nearby knight. They're a reasonable distraction carnifex in that respect.

kingheff wrote:

 bullyboy wrote:
You can check out thi video of a great Eldar matchup vs Knights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smInca65JYM

3 prisms, 3 Hemlocks, Farseer, Wave Serpents. he could have made it nastier too by being Alaitoc, but Ulthwe is a good second.

I love wraithlords, but thinking they will make it into combat with knights is a dream.

Yeah, that's a great showing for the eldar. The knight player was pretty unlucky in his first turn though. Knights going first would be a rematch worth watching.
It's true that catching a knight in combat with lord's is tricky, which is a shame because they average over six wounds if healthy. But at 133 pts they're not super expensive and with up to ten shuriken shots they can do good work against a screen or even plink off the odd wound on a nearby knight. They're a reasonable distraction carnifex in that respect.

I keep my Lords pretty barebones (113pts with glaive) since it doesn't feel like much of a loss when they are taken out. I wish the webway gate was more playable as I'd put a pair in there in a heartbeat to get some deepfield threat.

And yes, I would love to see that battle replayed with Knights going first.

 bullyboy wrote:
You can check out thi video of a great Eldar matchup vs Knights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smInca65JYM

3 prisms, 3 Hemlocks, Farseer, Wave Serpents. he could have made it nastier too by being Alaitoc, but Ulthwe is a good second.

I love wraithlords, but thinking they will make it into combat with knights is a dream.

The eldar had some insanely good rolling early on, but nevertheless that's a great example of how it can go. Personally I'd have committed two fireprisms to preserve the shields but hey Lawrence took a risk and it didn't especially pay off. Not a biggie.

I especially liked the mindwar shenanigans with the hemlocks, not a combo I'd thought of but it seems very strong. The mortal wound output of eldar shouldn't be sniffed at, and @OP I'd definitely look into it. Trading the falcon and a CH for a serpent and hemlock would be stronger and allow the mortal wounds to pile up.

You can buff the mindwar even more with embolden on the farseer for a four point swing in leadership, not always going to come off but it's potentially devastating. Combine that with an incomparable hunter index autarch with reaper launcher and you can really do damage to the opponent's chain of command.
I'd want to redo the list if I was to include hemlocks, they're awesome but I've set it up for a gunline.
As a very rough idea I'd probably swap out the reapers, falcon and hunters for shining spears, wraithguard with cannons and hemlocks if I was to run hemlocks.