IA 8 Elysians: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

So I finally got my grubby little hands on a copy of IA8: The Raid On Kastorel-Novem and was happily re-introduced to my favorite thematic army (outside of my Space Wolves of course): the Elysians. I'm going to go do a quick sumary of what I found good, bad, and just ugly about the new Army list. Of course Dethtron beat be me to it, but I'm cooler than he is so I win....

So without further ado:

IA 8 Elysians: The Good
1). First and foremost, they've brought back the Elysians (you all better be cheering right now...)
2). Valkyries have become dedicated transports, which means you can spam them like a champ and finally play a "true" "Pure" AirCav army. Granted it'll be ridic amounts of expensive points-wise, but it'll be worth it in terms of sheer enjoyment. Oh and it'll cost you $$$$
3). Long Range Ground Scanner - I find this piece of equipment making it's way into all my lists. It's dirt cheap and can allow you to either deny units the ability o infiltrate (ala Chooser of the Slain) or it allows you to have a unit re-roll all missed hits in the shooting phase. This second ability coupled with a vox network and orders means you can pretty much pwn people. For example, use First Ran Fire..Second Rank Fire coupled with this ability and whoever is facing that squad is looking at a lot of dakka.
4). Drop Sentinel's galore - You can add these bad boy as either Elite units OR Platoon attachments. And for a mere 50pts, you got a DS MM. What's that Mech armies? Mass DS MM in your face? Yes indeed.
5). The Lascutter - Back in IA3 and IA4 this thing looked cool until you realized you couldn't use it in CC. Only against stationary vehicles or buildings could it be used. Well they wizened up and now allow it to be used in CC regardless. Granted it's a one hit wonder (you can only make a single attack), but having a S9 PW in a normal squad is just nasty. And it's cheap too, as cheap if not more so than a reg PW for your Squad Leader or Platoon Leader.
6). Aux Grenade Launcher - These bad boys have made a return and I am happy. Especially in Veteran Squads where EVERY Vet can take one for dirt cheap. I'll show you some Vet loadouts later, but basically having a Vet squad that can pump out mass Krak grenades at once is amazing.
7). The Tauros Assault Vehicles - These bad boys come in two variants: a light version and a heavy version. The light version is "me" at best and can either take a HF or automatic GL. The heavy version is where the money's at though. For 65 points you can have one with a TLLC. Which means for the same cost as a Vendetta you can have the same type of firepower in a light vehicle. The heavier variant has slightly better armor (AV11 front instead of 10), but it still has all the good rules, mainly Scout and Fast Vehicle. What's that? Turn 1 sniping of vehicles? Yes please. Plus they have two cool rules that make them more survivable driving in terrain as well as having an ability to possibly ignore "Immobilized" results. What this means is you can almost certainly set them up in terrain to harass enemy vehicles. So what if they have weak AV if they're always getting cover saves.
8). The Airforce - or rather the Imperial navy returns. Which means I get my Vultures back, as well as Thunderbolts and Lightnings. Personally I've realized Lightnings got a little weaker in this edition, as did Thunderbolts, but Vulture really do come through and have a lot of potential. My normal set up for them has them putting out as much dakka as two Valkyries. For about 20pts cheaper.

IA 8 Elysians: The Bad
1). Rules / Equipment - this is just me nitpicking, but nowhere in their rules section does it list the rules for Aux Grenade Launchers or this other cool piece of wargear, Homing Beacons. I know (from having IA3 and 4) how Aux GL's work so I'm not worried there, but the lack of description of how Homing Beacons works aggravates me. I assume they work like Locator Beacons in C:SM but without any verification it's all assumptions.
2). The Sky Talon - fluff-wise it's a cool piece of equipment and the ability to carry 2 Sentinels or 1 Tauros is cool and all but...well really why would I want to DS and then disembark my Tauros when I can have it having an impact turn 1?
3). Advisors - or rather the lack of the Astropath. So we're a army that RELIES on accurate deepstriking and well timed aerial assaults, yet we don't bring with us the dude who can help uss pull off these types of missions more accurately? Ok...

IA 8 Elysians: The Ugly
1). Veterans - truly there is only 1 ugly thing about the Elysians and it's their Veterans. Now I'll preface this by saying the designers openly stated that their intent was to bring IA3 and 4 in line with 5th Ed and the new codex. Well apparently they didn't read the new codex carefully or somehow our Veterans got lost in the warp on their way to being updated...BECAUSE VETERANS ARE ALL BS/WS 3. That's right folks, they're as good as regular guardsmen. Moreover, their Veteran SGT has 1 attack. Actually now that I look at their entry again, somehow their HW Team has 2 A and LD 9 and BS/WS 4....I think there's a big ol' EDITING FAIL on FW's part. I think the HW team was supposed to go where Vet Sgt is and Vet Sgt where HW Team is cuz seriously? LD 9 HW Team? Well holy shh....give me some of them! They'd be nigh unstoppable...for guardsmen. But the "wow" doesn't stop there. They have to PAY to get krak grenades, unlike their codex brothers. Apparently one of the most Elite Guard Regiments has poorly trained vets who forget their basic kit when they go to battle. Go figure. Now since I bashed them enough, some quick upsides. They get ridic amounts of aux GL's; they have the same tri-SW loadout as codex Vets; and they get a new doctrine which gives them camo cloaks and a homing beacon, which is perfect for a squad you want to give a HW to and set them up close to the front lines in cover.


This photo expresses how I felt realizing my Veterans got the nerf-bat in this IA...


Now with all this said, here are 4 different lists I through together, all of which are fluffy and fun and have potential to be competitive (to an extent):

18th Elysian Aerial Infantry Company

HQ:

Elysian Command Squad: Homing Beacon, Medi-Pack, 3X Aux GL (On Medic, Vox, and Vet), Vox Caster, Meltagun, Officer of the Fleet, 1X Bodyguards
Total: 164

Long Range Scanner Section: 2X Guardsmen
Total: 62

Troops:

1PLT, HQ: PCS, Aux GL (for PL), 1X Meltagun, Lascutter, Vox, Krak Grenades
Total: 68

1PLT, 1SQD: Aux GL (SL), 1X Melta, Vox, Demo Charge, Krak Grenades
Total: 113

1PLT, 2SQD: Aux GL (SL), 1X Melta, Vox, Demo Charge, Krak Grenades
Total: 113

1PLT, SW Section: SWS, 3X Melta
Total: 70

2PLT, HQ (same as 1PLT)
2PLT, 1SQD (same as 1PLT)
2PLT, 2SQD (same as 1PLT)

FA:

2X Vendetta
Total: 260

1X Vendetta
Total: 130

1X Vendetta
Total: 130

HS:

Vulture: 4X MRP, Armored Cockpit
Total: 195

Vulture: 4X MRP, Armored Cockpit
Total: 195

Vulture: 2X MRP, 6X Heavy Bombs, Armored Cockpit
Total: 205

Total: 1999

This is basically a typical Elysian infantry company. A little light on troops, but I could always drop a Vendetta and a Vulture to get a 3rd platoon if needed.

5th Elysian Long Range Recon Company

HQ:

Elysian Command Squad: Homing Beacon, Medi-Pack, 3X Aux GL (On Medic, Vox, and Vet), Vox Caster, Meltagun, Officer of the Fleet, 1X Bodyguards, Valkyrie
Total: 264

Long Range Scanner Section: 2X Guardsmen
Total: 62

Troops:

LRS Squad Alpha: EVS, Vox, 4X Aux GL (1 on Vox), Lascutter, 2X Melta, Heavy Flamer, Demolitions, Valkyrie
Total: 277

LRS Squad Bravo
Same as Alpha

LRS Squad Charlie: EVS, Vox, 4X Aux GL (1 on Vox), Lascutter, 2X Melta, Heavy Flamer, Demolitions, Valkyrie, 2X MRP
Total: 307

Pathfinder Squad: EVS, Vox, 4X Aux GL (1 on Vox), 3X Melta, ML, FO - the new Doctrine
Total: 172

FA:
1X Vendetta
Total: 130

1X Vendetta
Total: 130

HS:

Vulture: 4X MRP, Armored Cockpit
Total: 195

Vulture: 4X MRP, Armored Cockpit
Total: 195

Total: 1999

This is a new take on the "Pure" AirCav list with all vets. It is light on troops but makes up for it with: 2 Vultures, 2 Vendettas and 4 Valkyries. Only 2 squads will start on the board: the Scanner section and the FO vets. Everything else can either DS, Outflank, or if I'm feeling wiley, Scout move. Now in Codex IG I argued that ALL Valks should receive the MRP upgrade, yet I don't do it here. Why you ask? 2 reasons: cost and Vultures. To keep costs down and get more out of the army, I kept all Valks vanilla. Now this means you won't always be able to move 12" and lay down withering fire, and may sometimes have to forgo firing in order to get your dudes somewhere, but having 8 S8 Ordnance missiles floating around will scare anyone. Topped off with the Vendettas around, his armor is facing a dilemma. The second reason i kept them vanilla is that Vultures do the anti-horde game better. Whereas 1 Valk can only have 2 MRPs, a Vult can have 4! Twice as much dakka for half the number of vehicles. They are a little more expensive, but again if you spare on the Valks, you can afford it on the Vultures. The general rule of thumb I was taught long ago (and try to replicate in my lists to an extent) is that Elysian vehicles should kill troops and Elysians troops should kill vehicles. This doesn't always work out, but for the most part these lists reflect that.
3rd Elysian Reconnaissance Squadron

HQ:

Elysian Command Squad: Homing Beacon, Medi-Pack, 3X Aux GL (On Medic, Vox, and Vet), Vox Caster, Meltagun, Officer of the Fleet, 1X Bodyguards
Total: 164

Long Range Scanner Section: 2X Guardsmen
Total: 62

Elites:
2X Drop Sentinels: 2X MM
Total: 100

2X Drop Sentinels: 2X MM
Total: 100

1X Drop Sentinel: MM
Total: 50

Troops:

1PLT, HQ: PCS, Aux GL (for PL), 1X Meltagun, Lascutter, Vox, Krak Grenades, Homing Beacon
Total: 78

1PLT, 1SQD: Aux GL (SL), 1X Melta, Vox, Demo Charge,Krak Grenades
Total: 113

1PLT, 2SQD (same as 1SQD)

1PLT, SW Section: SWS, 3X Melta
Total: 70

2PLT, HQ (same as 1PLT sans the Homing Beacon)
Total: 68
2PLT, 1SQD (same as 1PLT)
2PLT, 2SQD (same as 1PLT)
2PLT, SW Section (same as 1PLT)

FA:

2X Venators
2X TLLC
Total: 130

2X Venators
2X TLLC
Total: 130

2X Venators
2X TLLC
Total: 130

HS:

Vulture: 4X MRP, Armored Cockpit
Total: 195

Vulture: 4X MRP, Armored Cockpit
Total: 195

Total: 1994

This is my Mech Recon (Cav) Squadron. Several Sentinels and Venators backed up by some Vultures for horde control.

1st Elysian Reconnaissance Squadron

HQ:

Elysian Command Squad: Homing Beacon, Medi-Pack, 3X Aux GL (On Medic, Vox, and Vet), Vox Caster, Meltagun, Officer of the Fleet, 1X Bodyguards
Total: 164

Long Range Scanner Section: 2X Guardsmen
Total: 62

Elites:

2X Drop Sentinels: 2X MM
Total: 100

2X Drop Sentinels: 2X MM
Total: 100

1X Drop Sentinel: MM
Total: 50

Troops:

1PLT, HQ: PCS, Aux GL (for PL), 1X Meltagun, Lascutter, Vox, Krak Grenades
Total: 68

1PLT, 1SQD: Aux GL (SL), 1X Melta, Vox, Demo Charge, Krak Grenades
Total: 113

1PLT, 2SQD: Same as 1SQD

1PLT, SW Section: SWS, 3X Melta
Total: 70

2PLT, HQ: same as 1PLT
2PLT, 1SQD: Same as 1PLT
2PLT, 2SQD: Same as 1PLT
2PLT, SW Section: Same as 1PLT

Veteran Assault Squad: Vox, Lascutter, 3X Aux GL, 2X Melta, Heavy Flamer, Demolitions, Valkyrie
Total: 274

FA:

2X Vendettas
Total: 260

2X Venators: 2X TLLC
Total: 130

2X Venators: 2X TLLC
Total: 130

Total: 1998

This is another take on the Mech Recon (Cav) Squadron. No more Vulture air support, but they have 2 Vendettas and a Valkyrie which can help out.

I have yet to really play any of these yet, but they may make an appearance in a map campaign soon....


Anyway hope you all enjoyed this little piece on IA 8!