So within the course of 3 months my first and second armies
got released. It has been a fun couple of months, maybe a little expensive…….
but fun none the less.
I’ve been able get several games in with the new elder, even
some with dark elder allies and one in apocalypse using the first edition
rules. So I figured it was about time I did a little list of my likes and
dislikes so far.
Like:
1. All of the new models are gorgeous. They look fast,
sleek, and definitely alien from a human design aesthetic.
Come on you know you want to sell us newer ones....
2. The book is beautiful and had a great lay out. It’s a
great mixing of iconic classic art and a bunch of new pieces. The special
edition is kind of pricy for what it is though considering it really is just a
standard version with a dust cover.
3. Eldar are fast and deadly in close combat just like their
dark kin. This is the first codex to have a lot of different varieties of ap 2
and rending close combat weapons that aren’t strapped to large monstrous creatures.
I think they make up for this pretty well with their lower than normal str
scores (the claw might be a little pushing it though :P).
4. Farseers being base mastery 3 is pretty great. It really
makes Eldrad have some competition with his generic versions. The Farseer table
is kind of lack lacklustre, but it combined with either divination or telepathy
can give you a lot of options before deployment to.
5. Spiritseer are really unique and playable. They gave them
access to cool buff/debuff spells and they make Wraithgurad troops to boot. I’m
bummed about not having warlocks with my wraith units, but my old Bonesinger
model will just be my new Spiritseer. I guess the real bonus is that my
wraithguard leader now can look out sir on a 2+.
6. Warwalkers can dance like crazy since they scout and they
reroll battle focus. They have the potential of having 18” displacement from
where they first deployed turn 1, and that my friends is how you get to side
armour.
Dancing Time!
7. I want to thank GW for making the Eldar planes have
Vector Dancer, though still waiting for the Dark elder planes guys.
8. I really like battle focus; it is definitely a curve ball
kind of thing. It can be used either for allowing a little bonus to short range
weapons or as a mini version of jetpack to protect fragile foot units from
retaliation.
9. It seems every xenos codex is getting neat unique
shooting mechanics. Necrons got tesla and gauss, Dark Eldar got mass poison, Tau
got Ion, and now Eldar got monofilament. I was expecting it to be like the doom
weaver from white dwarf, but instead we get a rending weapon that gets better
on slow people.
10. Wave serpents have become worth their cost. Last edition
they had become a simple means to deliver fire dragons, their cost was really
high for a transport and if you wanted to turn it into an anything more it got
worse.
Hate:
1. The Wave serpent hits this list too because I think they
overdid it a little. The shield gun in my opinion is just too good, ignoring
cover is a really great ability and it really fills the str 7 hole that was
missing in the last edition. But when you start combining it with the scatter
laser and holofields, you’re getting a battle tank that puts out 4 str 6 and
4ish str 7 shots all at bs 4 (most likely all twinlinked) that floats around
with a 4+ cover save for only 135 points. I think there’s a reason wave serpents
magically became direct only overnight.
PEW PEW
2. What the hell happened to Yriel? Granted he wasn't seen
much last edition, but this time around it’s almost like they didn't want to
sell his model. He’s still a close combat dude and he got a little cheaper, but
he lost the ability to take on Teqs and his re-roll successful save gimmick really
hurts him. He will straight up buzz saw though anything that doesn't have a 2+
save, but that really isn't needed in this edition. I honesty wished they had
given him the Wraithguard/blade troops rule; but they just pigeon holed him as
a cheap close combat character that just doesn't add anything your army.
3. Aspect warriors got some nifty new rules, but I guess we
will have to wait for new models. Scorpion, Dragon, and Banshee models are
still good considering their age, but everyone else has a serious case of the
fuglies. Also Banshees no grenades? Are you freaking kidding me?
4. I guess I can understand why Warlocks became legit
psykers. But did they need to still be leadership 8? They are one wound 35
points models that will be risking perils to auto kill themselves. Also still
being an upgrade sergeant of sorts for the guardian units makes it silly they
didn't at least bump it to 9.
5. I own 10 metal Wraithguard that where on 25mm bases.
Thankfully the new models are pretty close in size and I had 10 40mm bases on
hand to convert them to 6th. But it was still a pain in the ass.
6. Wraithblades are an interesting unit and when you start to
buff/debuff intended targets. But like all the other Eldar close combat
specialist (minus striking scorpions) they really don’t have a reliable
delivery system. I don’t see myself fielding them, if they are walking I want
them to have guns and if I’m putting them in transports I’m going to give them
scyths.
Kind of bummed Iyanna doesn't have legit rules
outside of a scenario version
7. I love versatile models that approach the game differently,
which is why when I first heard about the wraith plane that made people run
away I was super excited. Then I saw the rules and price I wasn’t. I get having
a plane designed for air to ground and sure you can build an army around
scaring people away, the problem is that GW priced the plane so high that
there’s really no desire to field it outside of that one trick build idea. Its
guns are also silly being supposedly heavier versions of another gun, but end
up being largely weaker.
Also as a side note I’m guessing this is why marker-lights
lost the ability to lower leadership scores for pinning tests. One of these in
a tau army would be bonkers.
8. Eldar have a serious anti-air issue. Yes they have one of
the best strike fighters in the game, but in the 6th edition
environment that has attempted to adjust to Vendettas and Helldrakes, it’s
almost a joke. It’s one interceptor gun away from being generally useless for
its point cost.
Eldar really have no other options other than fortifications
(walkers and reapers are too expensive in this roll). You can put an exarch
with cool powers on a quad gun or something like you could always do, but
opponent can usually kill the gun easily enough if it worries them.
Versatility right here
9. The Wraithknight is just too big and too expensive. It looks like a super-heavy to me and I do
not like this trend of bigger and bigger robots for 40K. Also what is up with
its weapon choices? It can have 4 weapons but only ever shoot 2, that sword
looks awesome on a KNIGHT model but is clearly the worse choice, and for some
reason it doesn't it get access to other Wraith variant weapons.
10. What ever happened to force org swaps? Other than
wraithguard and ginger step child wraithblades, there’s nothing. I’m really
hoping the supplements will start pushing in that direction.
So that’s it so far. Anyone thing I missed?
