Eldar in 7th Edition
I've been trying to write something up about the big seven but I usually run out of steam and move onto something else. So I started a post and have been adding to over a few days, and it's pretty much done. This is mostly bias towards the Eldar as it's my main but will of course cover other things as well.
So how are boys after the new rules have come out? Like most of the armies they have gained in some areas and suffered in others but over all they have come out pretty well. Sadly for may an opposing player the SeerStar is still running strong and may even be stronger then it was before (how it handles the new armies people will be fielding will show in time though). But lets get into some of the things I've noticed, mainly rules changes that will affect the Eldar in large.
I'll probably keep updating this as I go along.. as I've started getting into it I'm getting too much info haha..
Jink ->
Pros - It now grants 4+ Cover and you don't have to move. So that first turn you can get a jink save should you need it.
Cons - If you jink you snap shot next turn and you have to declare if you are going to use it before they roll to hit. So you could jink and they roll poorly missing you completely, they still got you to snap next turn.
Mitigation - Use LOS, sometimes that will be impossible but by using the board and even your own models you can still keep yourself somewhat covered. Pick a Wave Serpent and have him take point, other models can stick behind him. They will get cover from him and remember your have that serpent shield, depending on what it shooting at you it might be a better idea to just convert it to a glance (if you have the HP or haven't fired). It just requires more calculation now,..
Everything Scores ->
Pros - This is a big bonus for the Eldar actually. We have a lot of units that are fast or just plain hard to stop from getting to where they want to go. If you are in a Tournament Atmosphere and there is a time limit going second can really be your friend. And if you have Objective Secured even better. You Wave Serpents score now, if a troop transport is a dedicated trans it also scores and uses Objective Secured. Bonus. Depending how you build your list you can take less actual troops choices or you can flood people with them. Three squads of Dire Avengers riding in Serpents is now six OS secured units.
Cons - You opponent will have more scoring units as well. With vehicles being a little tougher look for OS troop Land Raiders to be a thing. People love their LRs, me being one of them when I'm using them haha.
Blasts Templates ->
I've found nothing in the book about them and levels, so as of now it looks like they will hit everything under them no matter what level they are on.
Pros - Good for Prisms, Night Spinners and other Blast units.
Cons - Against guard or other heavy template armies it could hurt.
Area Terrain ->
I keep seeing people saying there is no longer area terrain. That is not true, it actually can be more and better. If you are trudging around in ruins it's a 4+ now. There is no longer generic Area Terrain but you can pretty much make up your own and just use the options they give you to base them out. Maybe a bid to sell more terrain or just adding in variety. You and your opponent just agree to what things are before the game starts. Ex. Say everything that isn't a Ruin and has a base is a Battlescape or Twisted Corpse or just use it's rule. Area Terrain.
Psychic Phase -> (the big change)
I see a lot of people saying they think it's great but I'm not a fan of it. I'm fine with the Psychic Phase coming back but to me there was nothing wrong with the Leadership Test method. Sure I hated using one Warlock and not getting the power off or straight up dying but this is going to be a headache. There are so many other things to change that were/are actually issues. I think this will end up making a larger imbalance to the game. I'm sure they will work things in for armies that don't use Psy but the fact it will have to be addressed makes it a mess to me (how is 30+ WC to someones D6 going to work? not balanced I'd think) . Guard will have a huge buff! They have orders that can't be stopped plus they have access to Psy powers as well. Their cheap weak Psykers will be quite efficient. Next up, summons, and this could end up being terrible. The math is out there and summon armies appear to be working. Tourneys with time limits are really going to be the killer here, you may get in three turns.. all I can say is hopefully go second and then hope you can cover those Objectives as the time runs out haha. But for a fun weekend game I'd probably just not play someone with the list, that seems like a long game with very little return.
-> Deny the Witch - Unless you have some serious luck you aren't going to stop much.
-> You can only cast Witchfire Psy inside a transport. So for Eldar no Psy in a transport because you have no fire points. Another Psyker can deny your from anywhere on the board with LOS or not .. they just know you are going to do it and try to stop it but you can't even buff your own unit as you coast on down the road? I don't get that one at all.
-> Warp Charges - This is now a lot more to keep track of, your own WC and your opponents. Hopefully the person is on the up and up but twice a turn you'll be playing this number game. I love maths.. random maths..
-> Invisibility - This could be crazy, SeerStar may be even more brutal.
Psychic Questions ->
Wording is again Odd.. They seem to keep saying select a Psy Squad and that Squad can only manifest the power once. Hrmmm.. that seems to open up a lot of questions.
Is the Squad Casting the power then?
Say it's a squad of 1 Farseer and 3 Warlocks.
> They cast Guide, who really casts it?
> They are using the communal WC Pool and Dice so that part doesn't matter but what if there is a perils. Does everyone get to use the effect of the Ghosthelm?
> Since they are in a squad it looks like it would be the highest Leadership so 10 if a LDR test is required. The old blurb isn't there anymore.
> One of the Locks(I guess it's him) casts Destructor, no one else can? Well that could stink.
> They are bought as a squad then broken up if you choose, since they are a squad can they not have duplicate powers? And would you want them to if they are kept as a squad. Awesome I have three Warlocks with Destructor but only the one can cast it haha..
To me the way they worded it makes it totally confusing. Instead of saying select "squad" just say "Psyker" unless that's how they mean it and the group works as a whole. And if so do they all get the benefits of the wargear? Only armies with a lot of Psykers would probably have to think of this but I'd think others could also have some confusion. Whenever wording is vague rules get confused. Sheeshh..
Allies ->
I like that Allies of Convenience isn't as crazy as it was before and now limits some combos. Well except Imperial, they will be all over the place and most likely very strong because of it. The only thing I don't like is the Come the Apoc, I think they should have to roll every turn to not open up on one another (every unit taking some hits or something) or break(screw you were out of here!). Though I do think it's the start of something good.. they always seem to have a good idea and start to work towards that goal then either say goods good we play tested two games it must work, roll it out, or just get bored of it all and off to the printers (we can always FAQ it later... or not... yeah more of the not most likely). I'm not really sure how GW does it behind the scenes but I'm thinking it might be one of those or maybe even a mix of both.
Units Affected by the change ->
Wave Serpent -
Jink which was pretty much covered above.
They are Objective Secured units if selected as a dedicated troop transport but score either way.
A 30" move (12" move then go Flat Out) can get you where you need to be, quick.
Warp Spiders -
They are fast and are survivable (unless you're me and teleport into the void regularly haha)
They aren't OS but they score and can take an open Obj or Contest a non OS too.
Swooping Hawks -
To me these guys got the biggest boost, they can land anywhere they want, Boom.
Don't OS score but score and contest. With no scatter you know exactly where you want to be and you'll be there. Just keep them alive.
Jetbikes -
Jink which was covered above.
Can be OS, they took a small speed knock. 48" is now your max, if you turbo boost you no longer get the extra 2D6 move in the assault phase. But 48" should get you there!
Warlocks -
Now get two powers, you are going to get Conceal and Reveal for free now.. you are focused! haha
You can roll 1 die and hope for the 50% chance but no peril chance or you can up the dice and increase your chance. I hated casting with these guys at Ldr 8. Now it would only affect you if you peril and if you are into a squad with a Farseer you can now use his Ldr.
Spiritseers -
They can get three powers now if focused.
If you play Iyanden it will actually be harder to get off the Voice Power as it's WC2. Unless you take the Stone.
Makes Wraithguard/blade units troops and then have OS.
WraithGuard/Blades -
With the addition of a Spiritseer they are now troops and have OS, this can be a very lasting troop choice!
If a Psyker with Inivis joins these guys they will be super tough. But could be sucked into a tarpit, blades having more CC attacks would fair a little better against that tactic.
Fire Prism -
There is nothing in the book about levels for blasts (at least that I could find.. and I really looked 8)) So now you'll hit everything under your blast. BOOM.
Wraithknight -
With the change to terrain and Ruins giving you a 4+ the move through cover (no rolls for dangerous) and keeping a toe in will give you a 4+ Cover Save now.
Eldrad -
If he's focused he'll have 5 of 7 powers in a select tree.
His Warlord Trait while not my favorite can be useful. If you go second getting that stealth bonus can be nice, especially if you are playing Nightfighting .Stealth in the first turn if you go second and someone is playing Pods or other Alpha Army helping you to weather the storm. If Nightfighting is in affect then you save it till for another turn, you are caught out or use really need to survive shooting on an objective for a turn.
His relocation is always nice.
He's Mastery 4, more dice and better shutdown.
He can make Warp Charges!
He's expensive but has a lot of kit so might be a choice if you want a Seer on foot.
War Walkers ->
The rules themselves haven't made them better but how I see people building lists now will make a very good unit even better. I think there will be more units on the table.I'm thinking there will be more tanks on the table, higher AV tanks that will need to be taken out. You can equip whatever you want but BL for those OS Troop LR's that will be rolling onto the table or you can load them up with a ton of Str6 shots to rip those HPs off. Either way I see the War Walker taking another step up.. this is just my opinion though 8)
Dire Avengers ->
Not much but they have counter attack, and that no longer requires a leadership test.
Warlord Traits ->
The new traits are actually pretty decent, better than most of ones in the Eldar Dex.
The Iyandan Traits , Purity of the Soul is now pretty awesome. +1 to Deny the Witch. The main book says no bonuses on non targeted denies but is that ones listed there? Either way you are going to get a boost, but if its even for non targeted too and if you have Fortune on.. yeah. 5+ re-rolls is nice.
Rules not surprisingly are wonky and the new FAQ doesn't mention it (again no surprise).
Items Affected by the change ->
Ghosthelm -
I've seen a lot of people posting out there, oh a perils and Eldar will just ignore it with the Ghosthelm. Well, the way it's written we can ignore the wound but I don't think the effects. So you didn't take that wound but you were sucked into the Warp or lost that power you needed. But as only two of them are really bad it still helps and that's if you fail that leadership test. I'll also went into this more in the Psychic Phase write up above.
The Spirit Stone of Anathlan -
This item got a HUGE buff in my book, I never took it before as I didn't see it being all that useful for what I wanted to cast. But now, taking those warp charges down by 1 is huge. I would usually roll for Doom or Fortune but if I didn't get either after the second roll I'd move over to grab Prescience. Both were casts of 1 but now Prescience is 2, with the Stone it's back to a 1. Other powers that will get a bonus from it - Fortune, Invisibility, and some of the big casts in Daemonology (I won't use them as Eldar would never do that but if that floats your boat it just dropped to WC2) You can't use your 4++ but if you are on a bike your have your 3+ and whatever cover you are going to get.
Runes of Warding ->
One use only which still stinks but getting that extra bonus to Deny the Witch is nice and again if Fortune is on you could lock someone down. Again it's whether it works on non targeted that could make it nice. It could be situational but it could stop a big summon or other critical power. At least it's not as worthless now!
Runes of Witnessing ->
Again still once a game but re-rolling a failed test isn't bad since it will now be harder to get powers off. Only have two dice one that WC2 power? Failed, re-roll. Again, not as worthless as before haha
Powers Affected by the change ->
Fortune-
It hasn't changed but re-rolling your "deny the witch rolls" is pretty nice. I don't know how they will rule it.. would they count each dice as a roll or all of the dice? Of course that isn't on the FAQ but either way that is very nice. (Oh I failed let me try again or Oh I missed with these two let me go at it again)
Prescience-
It's WC 2 now and that makes it tougher to cast (unless you take the Stone)
Makes guide that much better in comparison though, twice the range at half the cost.
Terrify -
Is worse, doesn't ignore fearless anymore.
Psychic Shriek -
Got a slight range boost, a decent power though which you'll likely have if you are going all in to get Invis.
Thats all for now .. 8)
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