Khrystan’s 1850pt Eldar List for Warhammer 40K
November 5, 2012 by beerogre
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Darrell & Andy have been sent a list from an old friend (and opponent) Khrystan… what will they think of his proposed Eldar Force?
Eldar Army
1850/1850pts
HQ
Eldrad Ulthran
(210pts – 1 model)
- Staff of Ulthran
- Runes of Warding
- Runes of witnessing
- GhostHelm
- Spirit stones
- Rune Armour
Phoenix lord Maugan Ra
(195pts – 1 model)
The Maugetar
Troops
Guardians
(110pts – 10 models)
- Bright Lance
Guardians
(95pts – 10 models)
- Scatter Laser
Dire Avengers
(96pts – 8 models)
Wraithguard
(396pts – 11 models)
- spirit seer
- conceal
Elites
Fire Dragons
(137pts – 7 models)
- exarch
- fire pike
- crack shot
Fire Dragons
(121pts – 6 models)
- exarch
- fire pike
- crack shot
Heavy Support
War Walker Squadron
(180pts – 3 models)
- Scatter Lasers
Wraithlord
(155pts – 1 model)
- Flamers
- Bright Lance
- Missile Launcher
Wraithlord
(155pts – 1 model)
- Flamers
- Bright Lance
- Missile Launcher
a banshee with axe has been FAQ’ed it counts as an executioner so gives +2S. thats all
Like Andy I stopped playing my Eldar a while ago but if you guys want to try and make a list that works from my collection I would gladly give it another go (this is from memory as it’s all in storage now).
HQ
Yriel
Avatar
Eldrad
Farseer + 6 Warlocks (mix of swords and spears)
Maugan Ra
Fuegan
Jain Zar
Baharroth
Elites
5 Striking Scorpions (Exarch – Scorpions Claw)
5 Fire Dragons (Exarch – Firepike)
20 Wraithguard
10 Banshees (Exarch – Executioner)
10 Harlequins (including Troupe master, Death Jester and Shadowseer)
Troops
10 Dire Avengers (2x Exarchs one with power Weapon and Shimmer Shield other with twin catapults)
40 Guardians (Support Weapons – 2x Bright Lances, 2 Starcannons, 2 Shuriken Cannon)
10 Rangers/Pathfinders
10 Storm Guardians (2x fusion guns or it may be 1x fusion and 1x flamer)
4 Wave Serpents with Starcannons
Fast Attack
5 Warp Spiders (Exarch – Powerblades)
5 Swooping Hawks (Exarch – Hawks Talon)
6 Vypers – Swappable weapons
Heavy Support
Support Weapon – Shadow Weaver
10 Dark Reapers (2x Exarchs with Tempest Launchers)
Wraithlord – Bright Lance and Wraithsword
3x Falcons – Shuriken Cannon and Brightlance
2x Fire Prism – Shuriken Cannon
I may have an extra Fire Prism still in the box that I got as a gift just before I quit using them.
I love the look of the models, especially the storm guardians but they just never did it on the board. I ended up playing the same list all the time and it was boring. One big block of Wraithguard (2 in very big games) with Eldrad and the Wraithlord that trudged up the middle of the board and Pathfinders sniping from the back while small Dire Avengers squads hid in wave serpents to jump on objectives late in the game.
I did enjoy using the Avatar every now and then because watching him rampage through buildings into hidden squads of IG was hilarious.
Can’t wait till the new book, it seem like its been forever and still gotta wait probably close to a year. What do you think about using allies to bolster some of the weaknesses in the Eldar? Both Dark Eldar and Tau are battle brothers i think.
I encountered an Eldrad w/ massive unit of wraithguard unit before. My necrons just skirted around the unit and murdered the rest of his army. It was basically 1/4-1/3 of his army that stayed on an objective behind an aegis line not doing anything the whole game. I just ignored that objective and captured the rest.
eldar are actually the only army that can ignore perils of the warp due to ghosthelms giving a 3+ save against it
also just whack him with divination…. 4POWERS
and he can cast one twice i used this to great affect in a game saturday gone. dire avengers can’t overwatch during the turn they’ve fired it but after there next turn they’ve reloaded so can overwatch with a bladestorm
. alot of people in my local area curse my eldar army in the new edition due to the increase in the worth of shooting and divination is just vicious with pathfinders or (suprised me) fire dragons.
prescience is nice on them but there’s better units for prescience.
and the hull points has actually made them more resilient as far as i can tell.
) Biggest problem i find with eldar is moment we lose a unit…. well we’ve lost something essential.
ill also assure you that 400 points of wraithguard just slaughter anything that gets in twelve inches only flaw is 3+ save rather than 2+ and to take them as troops cant get in a vehicle eldar currently have.
Im screaming to take tank hunters on the fire dragons and wave serpent has that rule that blunts shooting…
those wonderful war walkers have 8 shots each
ill be honest i rarely use the wraithlord to kill things but its a very handy bullet magnet
@barretem30 i personally like our current book but i am incorporating some dark eldar for fast moving cheap troops ( 10 warriors on a raider is ideal for lurking until you need to grab an objective
y so loud ?
any reasons why your video intros regularly blast off my neighbors ears?
Well we want them to pay attention too
where’s the Avatar in this list? having everyone in 12″ Fearless, would be invaluable
I have:
Autarch w/ Power Weapon and Pistol
Farseer with Runes (Warding and Witnessing, Spirit Stones)
2 10 man squads of Dire Avengers (exarchs have dual catapults and Bladestorm)
6 Scorpions (exarch has Biting Blade and Shadowstrike)
5 Wraith Guard
I think Nazghallion is right that the ghosthelm does give eldrad a chance to save on a 3+ for perils, but i think he can do a maximum of 3 powers per turn, not 4 (spirit stones plus staff). I have used eldrad with 10 wraithguard and 2 wraithlords as in this list to some effect, but having something that can bail you out of an assault is important – this list struggles with that.
I’m thinking about making an elder army. At least 18 pathfinders, 2 troops of harlequins upgraded and two prescience farseers. Starting with 1500pts and expanding later. Any advice on what other units to add that would compliment the units I already have listed?
I still play Eldar quite regularly. They are definitely not the easiest but they are my army of choice.
You are right in saying a lot of people have not faced Eldar and it is one of their strengths. I do like to chop and change my list depending on what I’m facing. The core of my army pretty much stays the same.
HQ
I’ll take a Farseer runes of warding witnessing and Ghosthelm for perils save 3+ The three Eldar powers that don’t need los Doom fortune & guide. and I’ll put him in a Falcon.
I generally take an Avatar as well or another Farseer with Divination.
Troops
Two Squads of 10 Dire Avengers including Exarch both mounted in Waveserpents
Pathfinders 7+
Elites
6 Fire Dragon including Exarch in a Falcon.
I also quite often take a Nightspinner.
Yes there are no assault vehicles but who the hell do you want to assault apart from kroot or guard? 6th has not been kind to Scorpions or Banshees, shame because I do like Scorpions.
One of the units that now features a lot in my games since 6th are Warp spiders with their 22 S6 shots in fact that is one of the few positive things about the codex is the amount of S6 multi shot weapons there are.
Page 31 – Howling Banshees, Executioner.
Replace the last sentence with the following profile:
Range S AP Type
- +2 3 Melee, Two-handed
latest FAQ says this
I’ve been playing Eldar for a while now and I have a few things to say here. Warning bit of a rant here.
While I don’t use Eldrad as he is too slow for my play style I believe Eldrad too be quite powerful for a several reasons. He is one of the few T4 characters for eldar and has a 3++ save with a witchblade and a weapon that ignores armour. Being able to cast fortune on the unit he is in allows this to be a re-rollable 3++ save which is simple brilliant.
How can you make him more survivable? Harlequins are your answer here and for several reasons. Harlies with the new rules for the shadowseer process a 2+ cover save if they are in any terrain that at least gives a 5+ cover save. By placing Eldrad in here and giving them fortune you get a unit on foot that has a 2+ cover save that you are able to re-roll.
Even if your opponent can ignore cover they will have a 5++ re-rollable save which is still not too shabby and let’s face it there are not a great deal of weapons that negate cover saves at long range.
Harlies also are probably one of the best CC units in game. They will usually be striking first with their high I value, have a fair number of attacks, have rending when you give them the harlequin kiss (which is a huge mistake if you don’t), have furious charge and a decent weapon skill. Not to mention if you position them correctly with a farseer (farseer on bike is better or Eldrad) they will ignore taking terrain tests completely making them able to transverse the field at a decent speed.
With a farseer doom makes harlies even better. On the turn you charge it will be 3′s to hit a marine with 4′s to wound re-rolling thanks to doom and 6′s will rend.
The thing I find about eldar is that you have to play to their strengths which are using the right tool for the right job. If you through your units into situations they are not designed to deal with they will disappear unlike space marines. So designing a balanced list will produce more wins than a spam list (mind you some exceptions do apply bringing fire prisms in pairs for instance is much better then bringing a solo prism).
I also try and focus on speed which is how I believe eldar are too be played. My typical list looks something like.
Farseer on bike – runes of warding, runes of witnessing, stones, fortune + (which ever power you think will be more useful between doom and mind war)
5 warlocks on bike – enhance, embolden, 3 x destructor
6 Guardian jetbikes – 2 shuriken cannons, warlock with embolden
6 Guardian jetbikes – 2 shuriken cannons, warlock with embolden
5 Pathfinders
2 x Fire Prisms
10 Warp Spiders – exarch, withdrawal, duel spinners
+ A unit of spears or another unit of jetbikes or Ages defence line
I find this list plays to eldars strengths. The seer council is insanely difficult to get rid of. Re-rollable 3+/4++ which you can re-roll if you fail thanks to embolden and if you still manage to fail you can ghost helm that perils away. Witchblades are great for dealing with hordes/tanks and the heavy flamers from destructor is great.
The bikes are able to jump shoot jump to help minimize casualties and with 6 str 6 shots a turn with re-rollable leadership tests when they do have to take tests is great. Plus let’s not forget all the above units get jink so a 5+ cover save at worst even if you’re in the open.
The fire prisms are more useful than in the precious edition thanks to the fact that the str doesn’t drop if the template scatters. Tanks/ infantry have to fear this vehicle plus they too get a jink save.
Warp spiders are great as they can blanket the enemy in str 6 fire and have a healthy 3+ armour save which is great for eldar. With the new pre-measuring you can really help them stay out of combat with their jump shoot jump. Finally if desperate enough 24 shots at str6 are bound to annoy fliers.
Even with this list you can chop and change to suit what you need to do as they’re still plenty of points left to throw around.
Anyway, thanks to anyone dedicated enough to read this.
@concreteus definitely agree fire prisms work best in pairs (Ive seen someone go for three… terminators do not like that!) spec since one only has to be able to see the other aka hide one behind a building while the other hangs around on the edge of cover and blast away
(in this case holo fields MAY still be worth it so any pens you can choose a result that wont stop you shooting) afraid i cant stand shining spears myself… don’t really know why… surprised with the seer council on bikes always wanted to try it but not sure if it’s worth the points or money I’d have to spend to convert it (most players in my local area are WYSIWYG rats
) so id love some feedback on them!
Shinning spears are incredibly hard to use and I think that’s what drives a lot of people away from them. However in this edition they are improved greatly. The skilled rider upgrade means that you get a 3+ jink save when you go flat out which is brilliant. I find a unit of 5 with that upgrade can with-stand a stupid amount of fire power.
Once again if you fortune them with Eldrad or another farseer and then do this then you have a unit that has a 3+ re-rollable jink save that can move 48″ in a turn. This allows you to place them anywhere you want. This should pretty much guarantee you the charge and when these guys charge they are simply devastating.
The seer council on bike I believe is the strongest unit in the book and is definitely worth their points cost. There is not a game that goes by where my opponent doesn’t usually throw every drop of fire power they can muster in an attempt to get rid of them. Due to the re-rollable 4++ they are probably one of the most annoying units to get rid of.
Combined with the brilliant amount of damage they can put out and people have the right to fear them. While their weapons do not ignore armour you rely on the amount of damage they can put out. Remember those destructor flamer templates hurt like hell and while you cannot snap shot with them when charged you can snap shot their twin linked catapults when can also knock down a person or two.
I find the best set up to be the simply witchblade instead of the spear for the simple reason that you keep the extra attack from pistol + CCW because like I said before the unit relies on amount of attacks to get the job done effectively.
Even when they drop down though an opponent would be foolish to let them do as they please. While they took a nerf this edition their ability to deal with pretty much any armour should annoy your opponent.
Also picking off smaller units like Darrell’s long fangs is a great job for these guys. For a simple reason. It doesn’t matter if you’re getting shot by 15 missile launchers a turn thanks to the re-rollable invulnerable save (although if you use your terrain correctly and use your units in sync like an eldar player should then you should never be getting hit by this amount). This unit thrives at being able to take shots like this as the best way to dispatch a council is to use mass fire power. Ironically enough the best tool to deal with a council is the simple bolter as it forces more saves, which even with fortune you will end up failing in the long run.
A good thing to note as well is if you’re on your last round any eldar jetbike unit can make an impressive 48″ move which will allow you to contest any point your opponent has and this can be game breaking. No point is safe from the reach of an eldar jetbike and your opponent would be foolish to overlook this matter.
If you’re playing that mission where there are only 2 points then your opponent will have to come and get yours because they cannot guarantee that their point will be theirs on the last turn due to this movement. This lets you dictate the battle which is how Eldar play best. Outmanoeuvre your opponent and hit them with the speed and fire power you have available. Never give them the chance to fire all their shots by flanking the board with speed while forcing them to shot down narrow fire lanes. These strategies give us an advantage that only the dark eldar can match,
Finally just remember this, while a seer council is incredibly strong and versatile unit and while under weight of fire power they will eventually collapse as they rely on your ability to get fortune off (which with a set up like I have provided is basically guaranteed as an opponent cannot “deny the witch” and you get that re roll if you do fail). Use them to strike key elements quickly in your opponents force for them to be most effective. When used correctly they will always earn their keep.
still not sure why you think witchblades are good anti armour we lost the str7 on them…. did gain armourbane but average on 2d6 +3 is 10… agree there great infantry killers though :L however the singing spears are str9+ 2d6 versus vehicles… id be inclined to take a combo of spears and blades. You have convinced me to try them! i will have to see if i can blag a proxy for once…
You’ve basically answered you’re on question here.In combat you strike the rear armour value and I’d say at least 80% of the vehicles out there have a rear armour value of 10. meaning on average you will glance them at least. A unit of 5 plus the farseer on the charge gets 18 attacks.
I’d say you’ll be getting quite a few glances as well as some that miss and some that pen as well. So against basically any transport your pretty much guaranteed to at leasat glance it to death.
Like I’ve been saying as well with the council they work more effectively the more there are. So with a decent amount hitting a higher value vehilce you still have a good chance to kill higher armour value targets. Would I run my council at a land raider or monolith? If there was nothing else left then probably however with a balanced list there should be other units for this type of job like fire dragons, wraith guard, swooping hawks (they are not as bad as before but still fragile), vibro cannon (these are actually decent), and anything with a lance.
The spears are a bit of an issue I believe that technically they too are str3 + 2d6 as it states they are just a witchblade that can be thrown. However I can understand the argument that they are still str9 + 2d6 as well. However I use them as str3 as to not cause a problem down at my local club.
I’m glad to hear that you will give a seer council a try I hope that they preform brilliantly for you.
I love eldar. the problem is I play round a mates place, like a sort of club with 3 or people. The issue I have is that they make the lists once I’ve shown up with my stuff (all ready to go). so when they see my eldar box, out comes the flamer spam, colossus’ and hydra’s = me buggered! without cover, the pointy ears are toast. :-s
At least before if you took harlies they could not be seen at all most of the time, now they just get a cover save… screwed.
Well before you put your stuff on the table why don’t you all make lists at the same time in separate room. Then you can all have lists that are not tailored at you.
I have to agree with this statement you’re mates tailoring a list against you is a pretty low thing to do. If they truely play like that you could always return the favour I suppose.
Btw I believe that the hydra does not have interceptor therefor it can has to snap shot at ground targets, so make sure he is not hitting you on normal BS. If they want a play a game like this make sure you call them on everything.
yeah… definately against those wraithguard, i would rather have pathfinders, and maybe a defence line, this army does not seem to have much counters to flyers apart from mass shots from scatter lasers