| Description: Eldar |
Many thanks to Lord Calsius for this article.
In this article I am going to go through each of the eldar units with a short paragraph of information about them.
HQ
FARSEERS+WARLOCKS+ELDRAD ULTHRAN
Just as the Farseers guide the fate of the Craftworlds, so they guide their armies in times of war. A Farseer can uncover the enemy's intentions, calculate the likely effects of his clumsy attacks, and guide him to his doom. The Farseer himself fights with a grace that makes the enemy seem predictable and slow as he flows around blasts of fire without breaking stride. So powerful is a Farseer that he can obliterate an enemy leader's mind or hurl a battle tank into the air. In the crucible of battle, Farseers shape the future with the skill of master craftsmen their tools are the warriors they lead, and their clay the flesh of those who oppose them.
When the Eldar go to war, their Warlocks accompany them. They use their psychic powers both to protect the Eldar warriors and to bring havoc to their enemies; a thought-wave from a Warlock can instill courage in his cohorts or sear the souls of his foes. Though not as powerful as Farseers, few psykers of other races can equal the arcane might of an Eldar Warlock or match them in battle.
Chief amongst the Farseers of Ulthwι was Eldrad Ulthran. Eldrad lived for a great many centuries and successfully guided his people along the twisting paths of destiny. Time and time again, Eldrad averted disaster for the Eldar race with acts of subtle heroism hidden within severed strands of fate. It was this brave Farseer who sacrificed himself to derail the Despoiler's 13th Black Crusade when it emerged from the Eye of Terror. In his last great act, Eldrad passed into the half-light of Eldar legend. He has become a figure synonymous with wisdom, foresight, and self-sacrifice. A few Farseers believe he still fights on against Chaos in the ether between the spirit world and the material one.
AUTARCHS+YRIEL
Autarchs are the supreme commanders of the Eldar warhost who have a consummate understanding of the art of war. Held in high esteem by seer and soldier alike, each Autarch has mastered many paths over the centuries, including one or more of the facets of the Warrior path. When an Eldar army is led by an Autarch, it functions as a well-honed machine, each component acting in perfect concert with the others. However, it is not purely as a commander that the Autarch excels. When the battle-lust calls, he will spearhead assaults, duel with the leaders of the enemy armies, or destroy war machines with contemptuous ease. Winged Autarchs will often soar at the head of their forces, swooping down into the fray to change the course of a conflict with a single, well-placed kill. Autarchs can choose from a variety of aspect warrior wargear items, so you can make any combination which suits your enemy best, my preferred combination would be banshee mask, warpspider pack with power sword and shuriken pistol. The best combat with the speed and manouvreablity of a warpspider.
Autarch of Iyanden, High Admiral of the Eldritch Raiders and bastard scion of the House of Ulthanash, Prince Yriel is a consummate Eldar commander. He has led his forces to countless victories without fail both on the battlefield and in the darkness of space. It was his fleet that annihilated the Chaos armada during the Battle of the Burning Moon. It was his fleet that vanquished the repulsive bio-ships of Hive Fleet Kraken and saved Iyanden, though in doing so, Yriel has doomed himself to a slow and terrible death. Though he holds the office of Autarch to this day, he still plies the stars, seeking a way to restore his Craftworld to its former glory before he finally fades into myth.
PHOENIX LORDS
The Phoenix Lords are demigods of battle whose legends span the stars, the most ancient of the Eldar Exarchs. They are the embodiments of the Warrior, as the Avatar is the incarnation of the Bloody-handed God Kaela Mensha Khaine.
Like the Exarchs of the Warrior Aspects, the Phoenix Lords are immortal after a fashion. When one of the Phoenix Lords dies, another Eldar dons his armour to take his place and thus his identity. In this way, should a Phoenix Lord be vanquished, they are ultimately reborn into a fresh cycle of existence. No matter how many individuals a Phoenix Lord may have been, their mind is forever the same, driven by the dominant personality of the first and greatest to wear the suit.
Maugan Ra is the Founder of the Dark Reaper aspect, Kharandras founder of the striking scorpions, jain zar founder ofthe howling banshees, baharroth, founder of the swooping hawks, fuegan founder of the fire dragons and asurmen founder of the dire avengers.
THE AVATAR
When a Craftworld is roused to war, and after its denizens offer a terrible sacrifice to Khaine the Eldar's Bloody-handed god of war that Craftworld's Avatar awakens from his smoldering throne as an ancient god incarnate. Bubbles of fiery ichor burst and solidify upon his skin. Tendrils of smoke and flying cinders wreathe him like a dark crown, and thick red gore oozes from his hands and drips from his fingers. In his right hand he carries the Wailing Doom, the weapon of the Bloody-handed God that shrieks as it tastes mortal flesh. The runes upon its blade writhe as they struggle to escape their bondage, as if tortured by the Avatar's fiery grasp.
TROOPS
GUARDIANS
Due to the gradual decline in the population of their race, the civilians of the Eldar are all too often forced to take up arms. Because of this dire circumstance, every Eldar is trained and ready to fight as a Guardian if need be. In some Craftworlds, the Guardians are the most common of all Eldar warriors. They are primarily a defensive force, employed when a Craftworld itself comes under threat, as the Aspect Warriors are often not numerous enough to overcome the hordes of the enemy without support. It is a testament to the skill and technology of the Eldar that even their civilians are capable of engaging an enemy army and emerging victorious. The weapons used by the Guardians vary depending on battlefield role. Guardian Defenders act as support units, manning anti-grav heavy weapon platforms that glide effortlessly over even rugged terrain. Guardian Storm squads are formed from Eldar who were once warriors from one of the close combat Aspect Shrines such as the Striking Scorpions. Some Guardians carry a close-range weapon, such as a fusion gun, which enables them to fire a powerful and deadly blast of energy at any enemy that gets too close.
DIRE AVENGERS
The Dire Avengers are first amongst the Aspect Warriors of the Eldar. They represent the War God as noble warrior. They are merciless to their foes and unwavering in their devotion to their people. When in battle, Dire Avengers use their shuriken catapults to create an impenetrable storm of monomolecular blades. They have an uncanny knack of knowing when to follow this onslaught with a lightning-fast assault and when to carefully draw the enemy forward onto their blades. It is rare to find an Eldar force without a squad of these graceful warriors at its heart.
RANGERS
The Rangers of the Eldar are unparalleled scouts and expert marksmen. Although they adopt a nomadic lifestyle to escape the rigours of the Eldar path, most Outcasts remain loyal to their Craftworlds and traditions. They take on the mantle of Ranger, and often choose to accept a mission from their Seers so that they can continue to serve their people in a useful fashion. Their greatest duty is vigilance keeping a close eye upon potential foes and reporting any source of danger to the Craftworld. In battle, a Craftworld's Rangers will often gather into small groups to take up commanding positions on the battlefield. Blending in with their surroundings, they use their long rifles to deadly effect their energy bolts finding the eye sockets and neck joints of even the most heavily armoured troops.
JETBIKES
Eldar Jetbikes are sleek, one-man craft propelled by powerful anti-gravitic motors. Beautifully designed, the Eldar Jetbike is a wonder of engineering. It is capable of such velocity that without the prodigious reaction speed of an Eldar, it would be more lethal to the rider than his foe. Jetbike riders operate as forward scouts and fast-response strike forces as they speed across the battlefield in a brightly coloured blur before unleashing tight fusillades from their hull-mounted Shuriken weaponry. A common tactic for Jetbike riders is to circumvent enemy lines completely and then close in on the vulnerable rear echelon, where they take a fearsome toll before gunning their engines and speeding off again. Eldar anti-gravitic technology is a source of constant amazement and jealousy to the Adeptus Mechanicus. It is this that enables the Eldar to create anti-grav vehicles ranging from the huge Scorpion Super-heavy tanks down to the one-man jetbikes. Through subtle manipulation of the gravity field, jetbikes combine high speed with incredible manoeuvrability, making them an ideal craft for launching rapid hit-and-run attacks against the enemy.
ELITES
WRAITHGUARD
To the Eldar, death does not guarantee respite from war. With the guidance of a Seer, it is possible for an Eldar spirit to separate itself from the infinity circuit and flow into a spirit stone put aside for that purpose. Such a spirit stone can then be placed within the robotic body of a wraith-construct, imbuing its artificial form with a living intellect. Though this process is abhorrent to the Eldar, none can deny that the resultant combination of fierce warrior spirit and impervious host body is a major weapon in the Eldar arsenal.
The predominant type of ghost warrior is the Wraithguard. These are entirely constructed from the resilient psychoplastic wraithbone, and tower above the Warlocks that accompany them upon the battlefield. The Wraithguard stride purposefully forward with the inevitability of death, the sepulchral silence of their advance punctuated only by the sound of reality itself being torn apart by their dreaded Wraithcannon. They are extremely strong and tough, capable of lasting many rounds of combat, especially if led by a warlock with enhance.
STRIKING SCORPIONS
The Warrior Aspect of the Striking Scorpion epitomises the deadly attributes of their namesake, and they are the most potent of all the close-assault aspects. They are merciless killers without exception, revelling in the hunt and the kill. Perhaps the most sinister aspect of the Striking Scorpion is the legacy of their former master Arhra the ability to stalk the shadows and creep ever closer to their prey before falling upon them like the wrath of Khaine himself.
The signature attack of the Striking Scorpion is made by the weapon pods housed on either side of the warrior's helmet, known as mandiblasters. These are short-ranged laser weapons used to deliver a deadly energy sting in close combat. A mandiblaster volley and the blistering storm of attacks from the Scorpions that follow it is enough to tear the heart out of an enemy force. Their swords give the benefit of +1S, something extremely helpful when fighting against ork armies and other tough opponents where the strength of the banshees is not high enough.
HOWLING BANSHEES
The banshee is a harbinger of woe and death in Eldar mythology, whose cry is said to herald ill fate and can even wrench a soul from its spirit stone. It is fitting that the most feared of all the Aspect Warriors draw their inspiration from this unearthly creature.
Howling Banshees are swift and athletic troops who are most deadly in hand-to-hand fighting. Their Banshee masks contain psychosonic amplifiers that magnify their keening battle screams into mind-destroying shockwaves. This inflicts severe damage to the central nervous system of the Eldar's foe, inspiring a feeling of mortal terror and causing momentary paralysis. A full squad of Banshees activating their masks in unison can cripple an enemy unit before a single blow is struck. The advntage of the mask to make sure your banshees stike first combined withpower weapons make them lethal on the charge against well-armoured opponents, where the chainswords of the scorpions aren't powerful enough. They are useful against Terminators especially for this.
FIRE DRAGONS
The Fire Dragon aspect is modeled upon the dragon of Eldar myth, the sinuous fire-breathing reptile that represents wanton destruction. Fire Dragons are aggressive and warlike and seek nothing less than the total annihilation of their chosen foes. They have an unsurpassed mastery of heat weapons, and take savage delight in the devastation they create. It is said their Exarchs generate a corona of lambent flame around themselves when the battle lust is upon them.
The role of the Fire Dragon is to attack enemy strongholds and war machines with their deadly weapons to destroy well-armoured troops or emplaced weapons. They carry powerful fusion guns that can reduce an enemy to a cloud of superheated vapour in a second. Though short-ranged, these weapons are capable of turning even the heaviest battle tanks into piles of molten slag. These weapons are the equivaent of meltaguns. Get these guys into a falcon or wave serpents and move them from tank to tank, and destroy them. This tactic would require the suppression of anti-tank weapons to make sure the dragons get there in one piece!
TRANPORT
WAVE SERPENT
The Wave Serpent is the main troop carrier of a Craftworld's army. Protected inside its sleek hull, strike forces of Aspect Warriors and Guardians can be transported in safety to any part of the battlefield. The Wave Serpent's energy field projectors generate a rippling bow wave of force at the front of the craft that disrupts incoming fire. Its powerful anti-grav engines give it speed enough to hurtle across a battlefield in seconds. These abilities, combined with superior heavy weaponry, make the Wave Serpent a superb asset to the Eldar warhost in all theatres of war. It is capable of carrying ten models, so fill it up if you can. Also, its twin linked weapons give it considerable firepower. Missile launchers give you the ability to counter both infantry and vehicles, though you may find that some weapons compliment the troops being transported better.
FAST ATTACK
Warp Spiders
The Warp Spider Aspect Warriors epitomise the doctrine of aggressive defence. Using a compact warp-generator housed within their armoured backpack, they can to make short warp-jumps, disappearing and reappearing in the blink of an eye. This enables them to make totally unexpected attacks on their foes, though it does necessitate spending a short time in the Warp. For this reason the Warp Spiders are considered the bravest of all Aspects they risk not only their lives in the name of victory, but also their souls.
The ritual armament of the Warp Spider is the Death Spinner; a highly advanced weapon that extrudes a thick cloud of razor-sharp monofilament wire. Where it touches flesh or soft tissue, it slices through the victim's body, causing an agonising and messy death.
SWOOPING HAWKS
The Swooping Hawks take their name from the wild hunting birds of the Eldar myths, synonymous with vengeance and retribution. In ancient times, the Eldar believed that the spirit of a murdered Eldar would pass into a hawk and hover above the killer as a mark of guilt. The winged Aspect Warriors who take that hawk as their symbol, however, play a much more active role in their foe's destruction.
The Swooping Hawks have the ability to launch high into the air at a moment's notice. Their wings are made from vibrating feather plates and incorporate small gravitic lifters. When the Hawks fly, these wings vibrate with such speed they turn into a blur of colour. The ritual weapons of this Aspect are the Lasblaster a far more efficient energy weapon than the clumsy Lasgun of the Imperium and the grenade pack that they use against personnel and artillery to great effect. They are perfect anti-infantry units. Mass Ap6 shots, along with the grenade pack. Perfect to remove large blocks of orks that can be finished off by a round of shooting from the hawks.
VYPER
The Eldar Vyper is an arrow-swift attack craft with a speed that belies its destructive potential. Originally pioneered by the artisans of the Saim-Hann Craftworld, this light skimmer is designed to give fire support to fast-moving Jetbike Squadrons. Though lightly armoured, it is equipped with a weapon configuration comparable to a tank twice its size, and its sheer speed provides more surety against incoming fire than any amount of armour plating. With a wide range of weapons to choose from, the vyper can be equipped to deal with anything you encounter. I would recommend avoiding the bright lance, these are better off on falcons (one lucky shot could knock out a very valuable anti-tank weapon and vypers have very little armour and you can't afford to lose such a good gun to a lucky bolter round, or similar). However, anything else would be good. Keep moving 12" a turn and you will be able to reduce the damage suffered and cause a lot of your own.
SHINING SPEARS
The Shining Spears are one of the rarest and most specialised aspects. They fight as the spear of Kaela Mensha Khaine, which struck like lightning and killed any foe with a single blow.
Shining Spears ride sleek, gleaming Jetbikes to war, their vehicles' anti-gravitic motors allowing them to skim over even the roughest terrain at breakneck pace. The Shining Spears specialise in delivering hit-and-run attacks, when they careen past the foe and return for another attack in much the same way as the dueling Dragon Knights of the Exodite worlds. Few enemies can withstand such a devastating charge. It is best to avoid long combats. It is vital that you destroy the enemy within the first round of combat, or break them at least. The shining spears will be much more vulnerable and much less dangerous in further rounds of combat.
HEAVY SUPPORT
SUPPORT WEAPON
Some Eldar Guardians operate sophisticated support weapon platforms that are much larger than those used by the Guardian Defenders. These gun batteries mount exotic artillery pieces to provide covering fire for the Aspect Warrior advance. Though the devastating weapons they carry are transported on anti-grav carriages, they are so large they must remain stationary to fire. This is offset by complex targeting arrays allowing them to pinpoint even the most well-hidden enemy troops. There is a choice of Vibro Cannon, Distort Cannon and Shadow Weaver.
FIRE PRISM
Unlike the lumpen and unlovely battle tanks of other races, the Fire Prism is graceful and swift. Despite its aesthetic qualities, the Fire Prism sacrifices none of the killing power associated with heavy armour, and its prism cannon is the bane of the heavy battle tanks of the crude races. The main armament of the Fire Prism is an extremely unusual device that uses a two-stage firing process. A medium-magnitude laser is discharged into a massive crystal prism that greatly amplifies the potency of the shot in a fraction of a second. This energy can be discharged in a focused beam capable of blasting through the thickest armour. Or, it can be dispersed to slay entire squads of enemy infantry. Most unusual of all, sophisticated tracking arrays allow this technological wonder to channel its firepower through the prismatic lens of another prism cannon, forming one all-powerful laser blast that can obliterate any target.
FALCON
The Falcon is the primary battle tank of the Eldar army, its curved silhouette a familiar but much-dreaded sight to their enemies. The Falcon has a twin role upon the field of battle. It has a passenger compartment enabling it to carry a small squad of fighters to the battle front or rescue a beleaguered unit when resistance proves too fierce. It also carries a lethal assortment of heavy weaponry, and advanced targeters that allow it to fire devastating salvos while on the move. I would recommend taking the bright lance on a falcon. Thiis gives it 3 S8 shots, making it a great tank killer.
DARK REAPERS
The Dark Reapers are the most menacing of the Warrior Aspects. They exemplify the War God as Destroyer, and their skull-masked costume echoes that of their founder, the Harvester of Souls. Their armour is the colour of midnight and incorporates a complex set of interlocking plates. Although the Dark Reapers are comparatively slow as a result, this is of little consequence, for their role on the battlefield is that of long-ranged fire support.
The Dark Reapers pride themselves on their accuracy. Their skills are increased still further by powered limb supports that absorb the recoil of the Reaper Launcher, advanced sensor vanes upon their helmets that can lock onto a fast-moving target, and mind-links that allow a Reaper to "see" from the muzzle of his weapon. Their superb aim enables them to dominate the battlefield by pinning down enemy forces and destroying their chosen targets at will. They are the perfect space marine hunters, their weapons fire 2 S5 AP3 shots, at fantastic range. If you can, always take some of these against space marines or Chaos space marines.
WRAITHLORD
Wraithlords are graceful but mighty wraith-nobles that dwarf even their Wraithguard cousins. These statuesque constructs are extremely precious to their Craftworlds and have a supernatural toughness due to their wraithbone construction. Summoned into being by the necromantic processes of the Spiritseers, only a true hero of the Eldar race has spirit enough to animate the gigantic wraithbone shell of a Wraithlord.
If the animating force within the Wraithlord specialised in close assault when it was alive, it will seek to tear apart its enemies with great energised fists or cleave several apart with a swing from its Wraithblade. If it specialised in support, the ghost warrior's energy core will instead be rerouted to power a devastating array of heavy weaponry. Either way, a single Wraithlord can turn the tide of battle; the legends of the fallen heroes within continuing to grow even in death. The Wraithlord can choose to have a sword and a heavy weapon or two heavy weapons. This means you can really change it around to face the enemy. Against tyranids you should take the sword and bright lance, so it can specialise in killing Tyrants and Carnifex. Against Space marines you may be better off with two starcannons.
WARWALKERS
Sacrificing armour in favour of hard-hitting weaponry and manoeuvrability, the graceful bipedal vehicle known as the War Walker is well suited to its role of scout. However, the pilot of a War Walker is not without protection, for the vehicle is equipped with an array of force fields that blur and distort its outline, making it at least as safe as a fully enclosed vehicle.
Being lightly built, squadrons of War Walkers rely on the use of their ranged weaponry to neutralise threats in order of priority. The sheer rate of fire a full squadron of War Walkers can provide is often enough to obliterate an entire platoon of enemy troops in a single volley. They can each choose two primary weapons that can be the same or different, and do not count as twin-linked. This means that they can have huge diveristy to challange any threat or you can gear them up into being able to destroy a single threat easily. Either way, the sheer firepower of these units is a fantastic asset to have, and with the new plastic kits much more easier to get together.
