One Year On - Unit Review: Troops

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 7^th 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 5^th (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 6^th 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 6^th really.

Wind Rider Jetbikes

A unit I liked at the launch of 6^th 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 6^th, but a unit this tough is a pain when they have objective secured.

Wraithblades

A new variation for 6^th 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 6^th, 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.