I have made a few realizations and
found some new things that actually may re-purpose some units. As I
have said before you have to try and get out of the old way of doing
things. I am realizing this building and playing the new Chaos
Marine Codex. I should have been really doing it with the Eldar. It
just so happens you can teach an old Seer new tricks.
So first lets look at the vehicles.
Many players, including the internet forum meta, denounces vehicles
and says they are not as useful. In fact many go so far as to say
that transports are dead and useless now. Although there have been
some very successful tournament armies that are foot slogging, I
think that the main reason they have been tournament winning is
because people are still getting use to the game and are not ready
for new and different things. I have to say that vehicles aren’t
dead and transports are defiantly not useless. Lets take a look
first at the Eldar's 2 transports. The ubiquitous Wave Serpent and
the Falcon.
If it has done anything the new edition
has helped out Falcons. The first thing that popped into my head is
that you can actually fire all the weapons on the Falcon now. Moving
the standard 12 inches most players move their fast skimmers, IE
cruising speed, means you can fire both the turret weapons at full
ballistic skill and snap for the chin mount. I would also like to
point out that this makes Vypers more effective as fast moving fire
support platforms. This means whatever squad you transport can make
its way across the table faster and still have good fire support.
The Pulse laser, the main gun for the Falcon, got a bit of a boost as
a tank killer as well. Being AP 2 it now gets a +1 on the pen table.
So I ma going to dust off my Falcons
and give them a new test drive.
Well next time I am going to talk
Vypers, Fire Prisms and War Walkers. I am also going to cover
Artillery. Apparently I have been using Vibro cannons wrong.
Apparently they don't require line of sight.
Until next time.........
Blood Runs, Anger Rises, Death Wakes,
War Calls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DEATH TO THE FALSE EMPORER!!!!!!!!
In that game I also learned that Farseers have 3 wounds instead of two. I wonder how long I have allowed that little nugget to remain uncorrected. Oh well, I guess getting your HQ slain by a Warpsmith over several rounds of glorious combat has its benefits.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to critical thinking about the Eldar vehicles in your future posts. I am also trying to think up new ways to use the old toys. Mainly my 9 Vypers that still have 4th edition dust on them.
-"Seer" George
Unfortunately I disagree with the majority of this post. Although Falcons are now able to sit back and shoot more effectively, their BS3 makes them less effective. The loss of holofields (under the old rules it would take an average of 9 penetrating hits to take one down, now it takes 3 pens or glances guaranteed.) Jink is ok but limited.
ReplyDeleteNot being able to assault the turn after zooming up hurts as does the fact that vehicle results hit the transported units. So if I shake the wave serpent of falcon (a likely result). The fire dragons inside can only snapfire the next turn and can't use their melta bombs.
Steinerp,
ReplyDeleteFalcons did get better. They can move and shoot more effectively (which is a huge benefit in an of itself nowadays), their weapon selection is still pretty decent and they are comparatively "cheaper" now because of not having to take Holofields (which I think are now obsolete/worthless).
Unfortunately, they did not become anywhere near good. As you point out, the BS3 is limiting and Jink is a bonus but barely worth factoring into the equation. I would rank the Falcon at a "C" rating. Neither great nor terrible.
As far as Eldar tanks go, I am kind of in love with the Night Spinner right now but my "go to" tank is the non-upgraded Fire Prism. For what it can do, 115pts is very equitable.
True, Wave Serpents took a HUGE hit with the shaken/stunned transfer to embarked units and the inability to assault from the transport. But over all, given the mobility, forcefield and twin linked turret (with the option of full movement and still firing the underslung Shuriken Cannon) the Wave Serpent is a legitimate choice on the battlefield. So far, they have been treating me right in 6th. I give them a "B".
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThe Blanket BS 3 on all Guardian piloted vehicles is kinda a thing you have to just accept. Since the hallowed days of the Crystal Targeting matrix you cant really control that your citizen soldiers are average like an imperial guardsman.
ReplyDeleteThe ability to assault from the Wave serpent is kind of moot as you could not do it in 5th regardless if it moved. I moved assault troops in a serpent rarly, basically only my seer council. I infiltrated and set striking scorpion units forward to save points.
You do make some decent counter arguments though gentlemen
Crystal Targeting Matrix didn't help with BS. Just a trick on movement. Though, I have my fingers crossed it will make a return in the new Codex.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, I didn't do a whole lot of assault troop movement in Wave Serpents. It was too predictable.
And I am glad you finally replied to your own blog, SeerK. I was beginning to wonder. There aren't enough experienced Eldar players communicating out here for my tastes. I look forward to your next entry.