Some Thoughts On Army Composition

This image has zero to do with my thoughts; I just can't post a blog without pictures.

So, I'm still trying to nail down a list for BOLSCON and Hard Boyz. I don't have too much more time; the deadline for list submission for BOLSCON is this Friday.

Here's the list I ran in my test game last Friday.

1 Eldrad Ulthran @ 210 Pts
Psyker; Doom ; Eldritch Storm ; Fortune ; Guide ; Mind War ; Divination; Fleet; Independent Character; Ghost Helm (GH); Rune Armour (RAmr); Runes of Warding (RofWard); Runes of Witnessing (RofWit); Spirit Stones (P:SpStn); Shuriken Pistol (Sp); Witchblade (WB); Staff of Ulthamar (SofU)

1 Avatar @ 155 Pts
Unit Type: Monstrous Creature; Fearless; Deamon; Inspiring; Molten Body; Wailing Doom (WD)

7 Harlequin Troupe @ 280 Pts
Fleet; Flip Belts; Furious Charge; Hit & Run; Holo-Suit (H-S); Close Combat Weapon (x2); Harlequins Kiss (Hkiss) (x5); Fusion Pistol (Fp); Fusion Pistol (Fp); Shuriken Pistol (x5); Hallucinogen Grenades
1 Harle Death Jester @ [28] Pts
Fleet; Flip Belts; Furious Charge; Hit & Run; Holo-Suit (H-S); Harlequin Shrieker Cannon (HSC); Hallucinogen Grenades
1 Harle Shadow Seer @ [48] Pts
Psyker; Veil Of Tears ; Fleet; Flip Belts; Furious Charge; Hit & Run; Holo-Suit (H-S); Close Combat Weapon; Shuriken Pistol (Sp); Hallucinogen Grenades
1 Harle Troupe Master @ [38] Pts
Fleet; Flip Belts; Furious Charge; Hit & Run; Holo-Suit (H-S); Power Weapon; Shuriken Pistol (Sp); Hallucinogen Grenades

9 Fire Dragons @ 337 Pts
Fleet; Fusion Gun (Fg); Melta Bombs
1 Fire Dragon Exarch @ [48] Pts
Fleet; Tank Hunters; Crack Shot (CS); Dragon's Breath Flamer; Melta Bombs
1 Wave Serpent @ [145] Pts
Energy Field (Wave Serpent); Spirit Stone (V:SpStn); TL Shuriken Catapult (TL-Scat); TL Bright Lances (TL-BL)

9 Fire Dragons @ 337 Pts
Fleet; Fusion Gun (Fg); Melta Bombs
1 Fire Dragon Exarch @ [48] Pts
Fleet; Tank Hunters; Crack Shot (CS); Dragon's Breath Flamer; Melta Bombs
1 Wave Serpent @ [145] Pts
Energy Field (Wave Serpent); Spirit Stone (V:SpStn); TL Shuriken Catapult (TL-Scat); TL Bright Lances (TL-BL)

9 Dire Avengers @ 322 Pts
Fleet; Avenger S-Catapult (ASC)
1 Dire Avenger Exarch @ [69] Pts
Fleet; Bladestorm (BS); Defend (D); Power Weapon; Shimmershield (Sshld)
1 Shimmershield @ [0] Pts
1 Wave Serpent @ [145] Pts
Energy Field (Wave Serpent); Spirit Stone (V:SpStn); TL Shuriken Catapult (TL-Scat); TL Bright Lances (TL-BL)

0 Guardian Squad @ 146 Pts
Fleet
11 G Storm Squad @ [100] Pts
Close Combat Weapon; Shuriken Pistol (Sp); Flamer (x2)
1 Spiritseer (Warlock) @ [46] Pts
Psyker; Enhance ; Fleet; Spiritseer Upgrade; Rune Armour (RAmr); Shuriken Pistol (Sp); Witchblade (WB)

10 Pathfinders (Rangers) @ 240 Pts
Fleet; Infiltrate; Move Through Cover; Stealth; Ignore Difficult Terrain; Pathfinder Stealth; Scouts; Pathfinders; Shuriken Pistol (Sp) (x10); Ranger Long Rifle (RLRifle)

4 Dark Reapers @ 217 Pts
Reaper Launcher (RL)
1 Dark Reaper Exarch @ [77] Pts
Crack Shot (CS); Tempest Launcher (TL)

1 War Walker Squadron @ 255 Pts
Scouts; Spirit Stone (V:SpStn)
1 War Walker @ [80] Pts
Spirit Stone (V:SpStn); Bright Lance (BL); Scatter Laser (SctL)
1 War Walker @ [80] Pts
Spirit Stone (V:SpStn); Bright Lance (BL); Scatter Laser (SctL)
1 War Walker @ [95] Pts
Spirit Stone (V:SpStn); Bright Lance (BL); Bright Lance (BL)

Total Roster Cost: 2499

Some changes are definately needed - just check out my test game below. Here are some thoughts.

The War Walkers gotta go. I modeled them, painted them up, and used them in a tournament in June. Which I won. Just 'cause I wanted to use them! But there were reasons there. First, I believe people become comfortable playing against a familiar list, so I wanted to shake things up a bit; in the same tournament I also painted up and played two D-cannon support units. See where I'm going? Not the best options at all. So while it is good to rattle my opponents and shake up my tactics some, it wouldn't be wise to count on a unit at best untested and inconsistent and at worst complete crap. Now my second reason, not that it really matters but included for completeness, is I have a theory about Eldar at 36 inches that I wanted to test. Moving on...

I have to have units I can count on. The test game proved the War Walkers are crap without Eldrad to babysit, so they gotta go.

Next up, the Guardians. Now, set aside for a moment the fact I completely misplayed them, that unit has been a big winner for me. I've tested it and know how best to utilize it. That said, I think they need a Wave Serpent. I won't waste pixels on the reasons, which are obvious. The only real consideration is should I stick with Enhance or go with Destructor for the Warlock? Enhance makes for a surprisingly effective speedbump/counterattack unit, but since my tactics may change with the addition of the transport, it might be nice to have 3 templates to throw down. This has been done before, so I know it has been effective; that said, in some games I may decide to use the Serpent to transport my Harlequins, in which case the Guardians will go back to their more defensive posture. Enhance is a good tactical choice, giving me some options.

I've learned to appreciate the one unit of Dire Avengers. http://www.yesthetruthhurts.com/2009/07/re-new-mech-monstrous-creature-eldar.html ...for the reasons outlined here! So it seems I disagree with public opinion on this one, at least as far as YTTH goes, but I have to trust my instincts and experience. The internet and blogosphere is useful for a starting point, but it's important to have faith in your own ideas.

Which brings me to the Dark Reapers. I have full faith in this choice. When I had the idea to create an Altansar Eldar list, the general consensus was the Dark Reapers sucked. The best I got was they were a hugely inferior choice for a heavy support slot and that I should go with 3 Fire Prisms. I changed some minds. Look, the Tempest Launcher with Crack Shot hits with Ballistic Skill 5, that's two templates that wound and kill Marines on a 4+ with a reroll. In the game last Friday I killed 8 expensive Vanguard with one shot (the other Reaper and the War Walkers killed the other two). It was the only shot the unit was able to take the whole game, but it more than paid for itself doing so.

Over time, I did cull down my use of Reapers, and other units as well, for that matter, until I only use the one unit most of the time. Same theory as with the Dire Avengers, synergy and support.

I'll post my ideas on this in the future. You know, for the one person who reads this blog. :)

1 Eldrad Ulthran @ 210 Pts
Psyker; Doom ; Eldritch Storm ; Fortune ; Guide ; Mind War ; Divination; Fleet; Independent Character; Ghost Helm (GH); Rune Armour (RAmr); Runes of Warding (RofWard); Runes of Witnessing (RofWit); Spirit Stones (P:SpStn); Shuriken Pistol (Sp); Witchblade (WB); Staff of Ulthamar (SofU)

1 Avatar @ 155 Pts
Unit Type: Monstrous Creature; Fearless; Deamon; Inspiring; Molten Body; Wailing Doom (WD)

7 Harlequin Troupe @ 280 Pts
Fleet; Flip Belts; Furious Charge; Hit & Run; Holo-Suit (H-S); Close Combat Weapon (x2); Harlequins Kiss (Hkiss) (x5); Fusion Pistol (Fp); Fusion Pistol (Fp); Shuriken Pistol (x5); Hallucinogen Grenades
1 Harle Death Jester @ [28] Pts
Fleet; Flip Belts; Furious Charge; Hit & Run; Holo-Suit (H-S); Harlequin Shrieker Cannon (HSC); Hallucinogen Grenades
1 Harle Shadow Seer @ [48] Pts
Psyker; Veil Of Tears ; Fleet; Flip Belts; Furious Charge; Hit & Run; Holo-Suit (H-S); Close Combat Weapon; Shuriken Pistol (Sp); Hallucinogen Grenades
1 Harle Troupe Master @ [38] Pts
Fleet; Flip Belts; Furious Charge; Hit & Run; Holo-Suit (H-S); Power Weapon; Shuriken Pistol (Sp); Hallucinogen Grenades

9 Fire Dragons @ 337 Pts
Fleet; Fusion Gun (Fg); Melta Bombs
1 Fire Dragon Exarch @ [48] Pts
Fleet; Tank Hunters; Crack Shot (CS); Dragon's Breath Flamer; Melta Bombs
1 Wave Serpent @ [145] Pts
Energy Field (Wave Serpent); Spirit Stone (V:SpStn); TL Shuriken Catapult (TL-Scat); TL Bright Lances (TL-BL)

9 Fire Dragons @ 337 Pts
Fleet; Fusion Gun (Fg); Melta Bombs
1 Fire Dragon Exarch @ [48] Pts
Fleet; Tank Hunters; Crack Shot (CS); Dragon's Breath Flamer; Melta Bombs
1 Wave Serpent @ [145] Pts
Energy Field (Wave Serpent); Spirit Stone (V:SpStn); TL Shuriken Catapult (TL-Scat); TL Bright Lances (TL-BL)

9 Dire Avengers @ 322 Pts
Fleet; Avenger S-Catapult (ASC)
1 Dire Avenger Exarch @ [69] Pts
Fleet; Bladestorm (BS); Defend (D); Power Weapon; Shimmershield (Sshld)
1 Shimmershield @ [0] Pts
1 Wave Serpent @ [145] Pts
Energy Field (Wave Serpent); Spirit Stone (V:SpStn); TL Shuriken Catapult (TL-Scat); TL Bright Lances (TL-BL)

0 Guardian Squad @ 140 Pts
Fleet
11 G Storm Squad @ [100] Pts
Close Combat Weapon; Shuriken Pistol (Sp); Flamer (x2)
1 Warlock @ [40] Pts
Psyker; Enhance ; Fleet; Rune Armour (RAmr); Shuriken Pistol (Sp); Witchblade (WB)

10 Pathfinders (Rangers) @ 240 Pts
Fleet; Infiltrate; Move Through Cover; Stealth; Ignore Difficult Terrain; Pathfinder Stealth; Scouts; Pathfinders; Shuriken Pistol (Sp) (x10); Ranger Long Rifle (RLRifle)

10 Pathfinders (Rangers) @ 240 Pts
Fleet; Infiltrate; Move Through Cover; Stealth; Ignore Difficult Terrain; Pathfinder Stealth; Scouts; Pathfinders; Shuriken Pistol (Sp) (x10); Ranger Long Rifle (RLRifle)

4 Dark Reapers @ 217 Pts
Reaper Launcher (RL)
1 Dark Reaper Exarch @ [77] Pts
Crack Shot (CS); Tempest Launcher (TL)

Total Roster Cost: 2478

So here's a new list to try. It has the elements I like, the Fixed and Mobile elements I play off of. But I've still have to give this some thought, since I'm not happy with all the elements. For one, I'd like another Wave Serpent for the Guardians, for the reasons stated above. So what's the solution? Drop them completely or what? I can already tell this won't be the final version; I need more elements for dealing with AV14.

Okay, I'm done with all the rambling, I just wanted to outline some of my thoughts over the last few days.