Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Perhaps There Just Weren't Enough Jetbikes Last Time...

Well, if I am really going to try this Jetbike thing, then it's time to go all in and get nearly every variation I can out of the codex. Sorry, Autarch, you're sitting the bench on this one. So here's the new retooled list I am going to try running. Other than my trusty Rangers (who are ridiculously good sometimes and compliment Jetbikes very well actually) and the often late but clutch Crimson Hunter, (somebody has to pop Heldrakes with a quickness) its all bikes. Dropped the Vypers and the Fire Prisms, they just didn't add what I was looking for in the list.

Eldar 1848

Farseer (Jetbike, Singing Spear)
Farseer (Jetbike, Singing Spear)

Warlock x4 (Jetbike, Singing Spear)
Warlock x5 (Jetbike, Witchblade)

Shining Spears x8
Shining Spear Exarch x1 (Star Lance, Hit and Run, Monster Hunter)

Windrider Jetbikes x9 (3x Shuriken Cannons)
Windrider Jetbikes x9 (3x Shuriken Cannons)
Windrider Jetbikes x9 (3x Shuriken Cannons)

Rangers x6
Rangers x6

Crimson Hunter Exarch (2x Brightlances, Pulse Laser)

If nothing else, playing this list is going to get me VERY familiar with the intricacies of the Eldar Jetbike (since there will be 47 of them now) which may lead to more adept choices for list changes in the future. I'm fairly excited, because even though the bikes have been so-so in play tests thus far, these guys are blast to run on the table. And there's some assault in there too, which I think should add an extra layer of fun.

Model count comes in at an even sixty, and some of those the opponent is really going to have to earn. I think the rework really confronts some of the glaring weaknesses of the last version. Namely Daemon Princes en-mass and Wave Serpents in any large quantity. I should be alright to make Riptides cry as well.

What do you think?


17 comments:

  1. Sweet mother Isha. Thats a lotta dip.

    I am glad you dropped the Vypers. Are you running the Warlocks as a bike council of dividing them among the bike squads? or are you going half and half.

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    1. I'm sad about the Vypers, but building a list around them will have to wait for another time it would seem.

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  2. That decision will be made on a case by case basis, depending on the army I face. The Farseers may not stay with the Warlocks either depending on what powers I roll and what I'm facing, one or two may jump in with the Shining Spears if I get Fortune and the 4++ power for them.

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  3. Generally you have to split your warlocks before you roll for powers, which is stupid but how most people are reading it. Sorry to say that I am still not feeling this list.

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    1. Yes, I am aware of that silly rule. If they go to the Windriders, I will be crossing my fingers for Protect or failing that, using Conceal. That'll only be for armies that aren't laden with Ignores Cover. Other than that, I'm excited to see where the shortcomings of this list decide to show up. List making is one thing, but field testing is crucial. And I think this list would beat my last one most of time, so I feel like I'm moving I'm the right direction at least.

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    2. Long time reader, first time commenter!
      BRB pg. 418 states that powers must be generated before deployment. With the codex entry for warlocks saying that deployment is done after warlord traits, essentially all traits are rolled for before placement/deployment.
      Looking forward to seeing how this list works out!
      Happy hunting!

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    3. Yep. Why are you splitting off before rolling?

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    4. Welcome, StormEagle14! I agree that powers are generated before deployment. Are you citing that page reference as counterpoint to the Warlocks generating powers before you decide what unit they will join?

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    5. CrAzY424, they have to split before rolling if you go purely rules as written. I'll throw up a page ref when I get a chance. This would be a choice thing for GW to FAQ if they ever make one again.

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    6. No counterpoint, just trying to help out with understanding. Look at it this way in terms of order: Roll for all psychic powers, roll for warlord trait, assign warlocks of your choice to squads, deploy units onto board, lather, rinse, repeat! (And by "lather" and "rinse" I mean "buff/debuff" and "rinse the remains of your foes from your jetbikes.") Hope you get some good powers!

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    7. I would love to do that, but the BRB and codex have a specific order you must follow. The codex says to split the Warlocks off IMMEDIATELY after Warlord traits are rolled [Codex Eldar: pg95]. The BRB says that psychic powers are rolled after Warlord traits but before deployment [BRB: pg 424]. Since the codex says to do it immediately after Warlord traits, it happens before powers are generated and thus you never know what your Warlocks will know.

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  4. We can give it another go with the Bike Breaker list again tomorrow night if you want to see how this one fairs..........and know what tactics not to use lol

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    1. Indeed!
      And as Egon once said, "That would have worked if you hadn't stopped me".

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  5. I would try and fit a wraithknight in there, stock it gives you some anti tank, melee and still very mobile and it should draw alot of fire off your bikes if you use it aggressively.

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    1. I love me some Wraithknight, that's for sure. I think the big guy is going to sit out of this list for awhile. At least as long as that Jetseer council is in there. He's just too many points to include alongside that.

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  6. It's a nive themed list, but I worry about it's anti-tank, particularly with a recent trend of an increase in av13 (necrons, predators, hammerheads), and even multiple av1 could be an issue (mainly wave serpents, but also devilfishs & stalkers).

    I think Vypers are a good unit, particularly with scatter laser and shuriken cannon for 70 pts. They're more mobile than war walkers so suit your theme more. However they are fragile so to make the most out of them you need either lots of targets so the enemy make get their target priority wrong, or something tough to distract the opponent (eg. wraithknight). Also wraithknights are deceptively fast being jump MCs.

    Rathstar

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    1. Thanks, Rathstar. AV13 has always been kind of a thorn in my side. Honestly, this list deals with it by assaulting the vehicles. Shooting is getting harder and harder every day to deal with vehicles. At range anyway. You basically need Ignores Cover or a ton of shots with a delivery mechanism for those shots. Since I am boycotting Wave Serpents at the moment, I don't have access to a good source for both of those things.
      I agree, I like Vypers. There were actually six of them in the previous version of this list. I dropped them because they just weren't adding what I wanted. Some day I want to build a list around them, but this isn't going to be it I don't think.

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