I've been recovering from my injury, but it has considerably slowed all my hobby work. Hopefully I'll have some big things to show off soon, but it's all slow going right now. In the mean time, here's the next part of my review:
As
I've said before, I'll be covering the Wraithguard and Wraithblades
in troops as I think they are nearly always taken with a spiritseer
in order to convert them to troops.
I
may be alone in this belief, but in the future I'd like to see
Wraithguard simply moved to troops.
Guardian
Defenders
This
is a unit that, prior to the release of the dex, I expected to become
about 6 pts a model. GW went a different way and boosted their BS,
WS and Ini to a standardized elf level, and gave the bladestorm buff
to catapults, and battle focus rule all for a single point. For a T
3 model with a 5+ save I'd say they got the unit right, and the
change to allowing full size squads to have a second heavy weapon
felt like it was too slow in coming, but was a welcome change
nonetheless.
Game
Play – I tend to use this unit one of two ways. My preferred style
is a full 20 models with 2 heavy weapons that can unleash a hellish
amount of firepower to units brash enough to deep strike nearby.
With battle focus they actually have a prayer of getting in range to
shoot despite being on foot. If I need them to remain steadfast on
an objective a model with a Shard of Anaris backs up the unit well.
When I attach a warlock I enjoy giving them a singing spear, for some
dreadnought threat, or for synergy with a dual bright lance unit,
dropping some serious threat to transports considering getting close.
Alternatively a minimum squad or squad with heavy weapon and warlock
make for a good unit in a Wave Serpent. Not quite the same threat
range as Dire Avengers, but their speed can catch a foe off guard.
Don't forget the unit now has Plasma Grenades so if you're close
enough it's good to throw one for that blast. The T5 of the weapon
platform will generally make no difference to the unit, but the 3+
save can be a life saver against small arms fire. I can think of
more than one occasion it's been able to tank 5 or more wounds on a
unit, all but nullifying incoming fire.
In
7th: They are essentially unchanged in their performance and use for
7th edition, though in a standard combined arms detachment
they gain Objective Secured, which, of course makes them a difficult
nut to crack when placed on an objective in cover.
Dire
Avengers
The
frontline unit for the eldar and most common aspect, this unit got a
bit of a price bump, but also got some noticeable buffs battle focus,
bladestorm (a vast improvement over their old power), counter attack,
changes to wargear such as the improved shimmer shield.
Game
Play – A lot of players like to use a 5 man squad with no upgrades
as a Wave Serpent tax. I didn't like that tactic to make scoring
falcons in 5th (stupid that units could score sitting in a
vehicle) and I like it just as little now. My preference is to use a
full squad of 10, occasionally in a serpent, but generally I prefer
them holding the front line, or pressing forward on foot, under the
protection of a shimmer shield. I'll often run them with an Autarch
that has a shard to make them fearless, or two units with an Avatar
supporting them. All those 5+ invul saves can be a tough nut to
crack.
Phoenix
Lord - I have not used Asurmen, but I have faced him multiple times
from multiple players. All but I think one or maybe two times he
managed to get that reroll 1's on the save, effectively giving him a
2+ rerollable. It required low AP weapons to take him down as he was
all but immune to small arms fire. He is no joke, and to have a
“remove model from play” weapon can occasionally shock cahracters
like Lysander, and synergizes with terrify and horrify.
In
7th: Counter Attack is automatic now, which is a blessing for me
because I always forgot to test the LD until after. I can't imagine
I was the only one. Otherwise, the CAD bonus rule makes them a unit
to be reckoned with and they're as reliable as ever.
Storm
Guardians
This
unit is certainly solid, but they just don't fill enough of a
stand-out role for me to use often. They can support better units in
combat, but they can't do too much on their own. In the prior book I
loved the unit in a Wave Serpent, with two flamers and a Warlock with
Destructor. In 6th the unit took a bit of a hit when DTW
made Destructor unreliable. Then it became a randomly acquired
power, and then harder to cast. However, the bump to BS made the
fusion gun a more tempting option, plus the bladestorm rule means
they can be flexible enough to do some extra damage to units with
good armor.
Game
Play – I have a friend that uses a unit of 20 to support his
wraithguard, but units like the wyvern or phoenix bomber just erase
them from the board. I use 10 in a wave serpent, nearly exclusively
with dual flamers. The idea is to hit as hard as I can with a round
of shooting against a unit in cover, and then tie up said unit.
In
7th: The same as 6th really.
Wind
Rider Jetbikes
A
unit I liked at the launch of 6th because they got that
wonderful 5+ jink meant I could give the warlock leading the unit
destructor. At the new book's release I often defaulted to conceal
because they could get a meaty 3+ cover save or 2+ going flat out.
Game
Play – I like using units of 6 with two Shuriken cannons and the
firepower they put out is gross. I usually take a Warlock with
singing spear to give the unit the option of conceal and a singing
spear. They have the speed to get around to the weak armor on a
vehicle and any opponent that ignores them is mad.
In
7th: Jink has changed, which means they can often have their
firepower reduced (thankfully their weapons are twin linked), but it
means with conceal they're pulling in a 2+ save and their speed means
they're a beast in Maelstrom missions.
Wraithguard
A
dependable unit when shifted to troops in the old book, but then they
got Str 10 weapons back (thrilling in that they can more reliably
splat characters) along with a price drop. They also got the option
for D-scythes. I have used scythes, but have been horribly unlucky
with them. That said I have heard them described by some as “pure
wrongness.” No ability to mix weapon types is kind of a bummer.
Game
Play – I feel like smaller units are too fragile to get the job
done when on foot, so I tend to use units of 5 in a Serpent, and
almost exclusively so for scythes. Send them after a specific, high
priority target and try to devastate it. Be warned, thanks to the
bladestorm rule mirror matches are especially punishing to
Wraithguard units.
In
7th: The same as in 6th, but a unit this tough is a pain
when they have objective secured.
Wraithblades
A
new variation for 6th it finally created a close combat
variation for Wraithguard. I do wish you could mix and match weapon
types.
Game
Play – I play with 5 of either variations, but I have come up
against 10 strong squads of both, and the Axe version is incredibly
survivable.
In
7th: The same as in 6th, but a unit this tough is a pain
when they have objective secured.
OVERALL
Eldar
have some of the best core troop options in the game. It can make
for very difficult decisions when building an army, and even though
the Storm Guardians are roughly the worst option of the bunch, there
really aren't any bad options.
BUILDS
Guardians:
20 on foot with two bright lances. Sit back and hold an objective.
Dire
Avengers: 10 on foot with an Exarch with power weapon and shimmer
shield. If at all possible give them fearless and take the centre of
the table.
Storm
Guardians: 10 in a Serpent with two flamers. Go after the most
vulnerable units.
Windrider
squads: 6 with two cannons. Attach a Warlock with singing spear.
There is virtually no wrong way to use this unit other than
sacrificing them for no gain.
Wraithguard:
5 with D-scythes in a Wave Serpent. Fly them out towards their
target quick. Don't take the chance of getting stranded with an
immobilized vehicle. If you can get on an opponent's victory spot in
cover people will NOT want to charge you to clear you out.
Wraithblades:
5 with axes on foot. Hold them back and use them to counter the
opponent's units that make headway into your deployment zone.
