I got nothin' against Fluger. He's a cool dude.
I'm not just saying that because he lets me crash at his place during TSHFT; I've argued with him plenty here on the internets and, while I may disagree with him all kindsa ways, he argues like a gentleman. It isn't just a bunch of name calling or snippy edits that ignore the main points- when we've walked, we've talked the hell out of things. We still don't agree, but we at least know WHY we don't agree with each other. That deserves some serious respect.
But, as I said, we don't always see eye-to-eye. Fluger's rewrite of the Eldar codex is one of those cases. We had talked it over before he had put it up on the web for general viewing and I gave him some of my thoughts (to put it charitably) then; some of the stuff I mentioned got changed, some other things did not. Fair enough. I realize Eldar are sorely in need of some help these days and fandexes are a popular thing, but I'm afraid I have to label this one, like many, broken as all hell. But because of my compulsive behaviors, I won't just do that, I'm gonna write some lists to back it up.
First list:
(2002)
1 Farseer (175)
Spirit Stones, Runes of Warding
Fury of Asuryan, Guide, Ancient Visions
7 Seer Council (175)
Wave Serpent (140)
Vectored Engines, Spirit Stones, TL Scatter Laser, Shuriken Cannon
5 Fire Dragons (115)
Wave Serpent (120)
TL Scatter Laser, Shuriken Cannon
5 Fire Dragons (115)
Wave Serpent (120)
TL Scatter Laser, Shuriken Cannon
10 Dire Avengers (110)
Wave Serpent (120)
TL Scatter Laser, Shuriken Cannon
10 Dire Avengers (110)
Wave Serpent (120)
TL Scatter Laser, Shuriken Cannon
6 Warp Spiders (156)
6 Warp Spiders (156)
1 War Walker (90)
2 Scatter Laser
1 War Walker (90)
2 Scatter Laser
1 War Walker (90)
2 Scatter Laser
Let's go over the high points of some of these units, for those that didn't read through the linked pdf or who have since blanked on the details. Our Farseer can cast two powers each turn, keeps the same jerk-mode psychic defense he had before, and now rolls 3d6 keep whichever two he wants (so virtually impossible to fail or Perils.) His powers let him dish out Preferred Enemy + Rage + Furious Charge, reroll failed wounds, or cut a unit's Ld in half (and he can cast them all from inside the safety of a Serpent.) Right there, we are off to a strong start.
Our Seer Council has power weapons that wound on a 2+ and is otherwise pretty much the same. They get one special rule (of which we choose Scout most of the time), and voila, first turn assaults. With three attacks each. And preferred enemy from the Farseer (who is not an IC when attached to them of course). Wounding on 2s and cutting through armor. So yes, we are going to multi-assault two units and kill them both first turn.
The Wave Serpent is worth talking about in its own right. 12/12/10, like before, but now instead of max S8 against it, it gets AV14 from the front if you're 12" or more away. That's friggin' amazingly tough. For guns we get six TL S6 shots and five S4 Rending shots, as well as effectively ignoring shaken/stunned and not crashing headfirst when Immobilized.
Fire Dragons? Still awesome. S7 with Tank Hunters now instead, but gain a flamer mode (S3 AP5 2d6 pen) and 18" base range to compensate.
Dire Avengers get three S4 Rending shots each. We could take the Exarch for five shots off Bladestorm, but we don't have the points here.
Warp Spiders can "teleport" (Deep Strike) 24" each turn and get to spread out d3" after doing so to avoid getting template-murdered. Their gun is only 12" range, but drops a S3 Rending Large Blast that tangles things just like the Nightspinner does, causing Difficult/Dangerous Terrain checks the next time they move.
War Walkers have the same rule for AV14 on the front as Wave Serpents do and carry twelve shots worth of guns each.
So what does this army do? Well, for one, put out ninety S6 shots each turn. For two, throw down eight AV14 hulls on the table. For three, have twelve large blasts to drop on jerks. For four, assault you first turn. Scatter Lasers shake every transport in the enemy army (and maybe even wreck some), Fire Dragons evaporate two more, Warp Spiders drop a ton of large blasts onto things. If lots of folks get disembarked, you aim for them (blasts suck when you're clustered from hopping out.) If not, you hope to scatter all over their transports so that they can't move without risking taking damage. Either way, the Council gets off an assault on anything that fell out. Repeat.
List two:
(1852)
Shlaereen the Ghost (120)
10 Pathfinders (200)
10 Pathfinders (200)
10 Pathfinders (200)
3 Rangers (36)
3 Rangers (36)
7 Warp Spiders (182)
7 Warp Spiders (182)
6 Warp Spiders (156)
2 War Walkers (180)
2 War Walkers (180)
2 War Walkers (180
(War Walkers get Scatter Lasers, just as in the last list.)
Shlaereen basically just makes our Pathfinders scoring, that's all we care about. She technically does other stuff, but meh.
Pathfinders have BS5, effectively +2 to cover saves, their Sniper Rifles wound on 3+ and are AP2 always, and ignore cover saves completely. Why yes, that is a gun that you can only take invulnerable saves against, ever, and you can take them in squads. That get a 2+ save 99% of the time. And just for shits and giggles, they also glance tanks on a 5+ as well, in case you run out of targets.
Rangers are pretty crap in comparison and all we do with them is fill minimum troop slots.
Warp Spiders you'll recognize; they provide some mediocre suppression fire and do an excellent job of controlling hordes.
War Walkers... well, each slot is 24 S6 shots. I can live with that.
While it's kinda weak on AT, this list simply disintegrates infantry of any kind. Are you a horde? Enjoy twenty large blasts each turn and then moving through Dangerous Terrain. Are you elite infantry? Those Pathfinder squads cause about six casualties each turn to anything without an invuln. If it's not in a transport, it's dead.
List three:
(1755)
1 Farseer (175)
Runes of Warding, Spirit Stones
Doom, Ancient Visions, Fury of Asuryan
1 Farseer (150)
Spirit Stones
Doom, Ancient Visions, Fury of Asuryan
2 Bonesingers (60)
5 Wraithguard (205)
Wave Serpent
TL Scatter Laser, Shuriken Cannon, Star Engines
5 Wraithguard (205)
Wave Serpent
TL Scatter Laser, Shuriken Cannon, Star Engines
2 Vypers (100)
Scatter Laser, Shuriken Cannon, Star Engines
2 Vypers (100)
Scatter Laser, Shuriken Cannon, Star Engines
2 Vypers (100)
Scatter Laser, Shuriken Cannon, Star Engines
1 Wraithlord (220)
Wraithblade, 2 Flamers, 2 Scatter Lasers
1 Wraithlord (220)
Wraithblade, 2 Flamers, 2 Scatter Lasers
1 Wraithlord (220)
Wraithblade, 2 Flamers, 2 Scatter Lasers
Our twin Farseers are pretty familiar looking, but one important thing to note here: Fury of Asuryan, in addition to everything else it does, lets models that aren't jetbikes-movement charge like Cavalry. Holy shiiiiiiiiiiiit.
Bonesingers give all our Wraithdudes Feel No Pain and do a small extra thing for our Wraithlords in addition (when they die, they instead keep fighting each turn on a 4+ rather than 5+.)
So we take two squads of Wraithguard for troops- T6/3+/FNP is pretty hard to break down. We might consider trading for Fortune on one or both 'Seers for extra protection, but those AV14 transports will usually be enough. Our Wraithcannons are a great way to wreck transports, since they are AP1 and glance on a 2-4 and pen on a 5+.
Vypers help keep the enemy quiet with the same armament as a Wave Serpent, but for 45pts. (We spend 5pts more to get JSJ move.)Bunch suppression fire there, all nice and cheap.
The Wraithlords are where the meat of the list is. Same statline as before for the most part, but three attacks now and WS/BS5. Our sword lets us reroll all misses and we get two Flamers and twelve S6 shots for murdering the crap out of infantry or suppression transports. (We're allowed to fire all four guns at once, incidentally.)
So we have a ton of things with toughness two more than the usual for their frame, all of which are 3+/FNP. And we're suppressing eight vehicles each turn and oh yeah our S10 MCs happen to have a 12" charge range. Because they're jerks.
I expect most of you can see just from glancing over that these lists are utterly disgusting these are, and I haven't even begun to optimize things. I would happily match most of these up against... pretty much any list out there and be confident of winning, if not steamrolling, most matches.
