Monday, November 26, 2012

Cash for Clunkers

While going over the new rules for vehicles I've come to some conclusions but I'm sure they are they same as most peoples'. Vehicles took a huge hit. Yeah they get easier cover now but it's usually going to be 5+ or so and fast skimmers get Jink which is decent too. That all gets wiped out by easily being glanced to death in my opinion. Tanks/Vehicles with a lower AV are in danger from almost any weapon. I used the Vyper as a cheap mobile weapon platform. I'd run three solo (non Squad) armed with 2 ShurCats, I'd zoom them around blasting this and that with 6 or 3 shots depending on how far I needed to move. The AV is the same but in a standard Marine Player world I didn't have to worry all that much as the marines were typically on the move. Now RF weapons can move and still go max range so the marines and the Vyper have the same effective range. Yeah it might take 6's to Glance but all they need is two and it's down in flames. And that's if the squad just had bolters. From a high level glance I'm thinking the Vypers are going to be sitting for a bit and the War Walkers will be taking their place. They have the same AV but they will run SLs so their range will at least be increased to 36". They won't be as mobile but they are going to hold the back field I'd think and may get some Seer love so I'm thinking they are pulling ahead. The only down fall is the WW is a Heavy Slot and like any Eldar player knows, the Dar have a large choice when it comes to their Heavys. Though I'd say my biggest aversion is the fact that I hate they way they look, HATE. Eldar are all about sleek design and nothing about a mechanical ostrich touches on sleek. I'm going to pick up a WW and a WL kit/bits and try to figure out a decent conversion. Sadly it will be expensive me thinks haha..

I know most people ran WWs but I avoided them because of my dislike for them and the fact I already had the heavy slots filled. But as I revise my list all the slots are being looked at, I don't know if I'm even going to run a WL..  and if so that will be a sad day for me haha.. I do so love the WL..

Thursday, November 15, 2012

To the sky!

Swooping Hawks. They have always been one of my favorite aspects, in the past few editions they haven't been anywhere near as strong as they use to be. In the olden days, Leave the board  and come back for sure anywhere without rolling or scatter. Then with Baharroth and his sustained assault, he'd go from CC to CC in a blaze of glory tearing off heads and adding them to his web of skulls (yeah thats right I went there and still have a Reaper Ex with one. Yeah that's who I want to carry that thing, the guy I want no where near CC). Now they aren't nearly as strong as they use to be but they can still be a pretty strong unit with the new vehicle assault rules and Haywire Shenanigans. With increased mobility and DS ability they can move up the field and with the change to intercept if they get into CC with a vehicle it's going to die. Sadly so will they most likely after they do their job. A bit more expensive then the  Dragon but now they have more chance of getting into the fight and you have some outs if you take skyleap. It's added points but if you want to try to save them.. don't know if it's worth it. They don't need a Serpent so that will save points but they are pretty much only vehicle killers, their sad little guns aren't going to win you any wars that's for sure. I'm going to try a squad I think and see how they do. Many moons ago I bought all the bits to finish a squad of the conversion I did above. Maybe it will give me a reason to complete the squad. 8)


Rangers/Pathfinders. Again another unit I've always liked; the idea behind them, the models and what they did. They can be a devastating force or they can be a source of complete frustration. It all depends on Lady Luck, will she send you those lovely(5)6's or will she tease you like the heartless ... she is. (Seething complete!) Well, they got a bump in this edition as well. With precision sending an AP1 shot into the face one whichever model you want is quite nice. The Look Out Fool rule is still in effect for Characters but if that ML Marine is giving you the stink eye it's nice that you can put a bullet through it. They still have serious cover protection and with cover being a little less available now it's a plus. They are troops and can hold plus they can be placed close or on an Obj if someone else isn't already there and if it's smart to sit there. Just hanging out all by themselves without any support will mean their death. People usually fear them and rightfully so, if the dice are on your side that day they can put a real hurting on a squad of anything. I usually run two squads of Pathfinders, not sure if I'm going to drop it down to one to stay with two. You can save some points and just go with Rangers but I can never get myself to do it. The bonuses are just too good in my eyes.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Eldar.. can you stay above the creep?

Since I've been so busy lately I haven't had time to really work on anything. But I figured I might as well start putting together some thoughts as to what I want to do. Eldar are my boys, from the start of my 40K gaming I've played them. But with the new rules and the evil codex creep the Dar are getting more and more limited to what they can field. Well, field and actually be a force to deal with. In 5th the CC units were at best below average compared to most of the armies out there. 6th has put a serious hurting on the Banshees and our delivery system. In 5th I tried to maximize shots in my army. My old lists ran something like this..

Eldrad - (He's a beast, for the points he can't be beat)
10 x DA's with Ex Bladestorm 2x SC
        in a WS with Scatter, Stones
10 x DA's with Ex Bladestorm 2x SC
        in a WS with Scatter, Stones
5 x Pathfinders
5 x Pathfinders
5 x Dragons
        in a WS with BLs
5 x Dragons
        in a WS with BLs
Vyper w/ 2 x ShurCannons
Vyper w/ 2 x ShurCannons
Vyper w/ 2 x ShurCannons
Wraithlord w/ Flamers and a BL
Reapers w/ Exarch Crack Shot

The amount of lead I would throw was awesome. I'd get "Aren't you done shooting yet?" and usually no, I wasn't. When Vehicles had some staying power people feared the Dragon. They were as mean as they came, he knew he was going to die but so be it if a LR went down and those Termies now had to trudge across the board. Plus the player now annoyed with the Dragons would charge and deal with them. Another round tied up. Plus the Wave Serpent would zoom off to blast something else, his delivery completed. Now the Serpent, probably the most expensive Transport out there isn't so great any more. They use to hang tough, typically weathering all manor of shots and annoying my opponent. Now being glanced to death hurts when their price is so high. Dragons are also hit, they don't have a solid delivery and popping vehicles is much easier these days. From looking at it, I'm thinking Hawks may now be the tank killers of choice, jump up to a vehicle Haywire the crap out of them and then typically die. Today I started going over some options and maybe in the somewhat near future I can get in a test game. I'll be posting up some new thoughts about the Dar.. and I'm thinking of doing a War Walker Conversion. I usually don't use them because I hate the way they look. But they can throw out some serious fire. So far just some thoughts.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Dead Lines

This weekend I stopped by my local shop and finally picked up my DV box set. I got the limited for the extra mini and so far looks pretty cool. I'll probably sell most of the Chaos stuff off.. I don't do Chaos, can't get behind peeps that willing infest themselves with one kind of mess or the other .. haha.

I still haven't had a chance to work on anything. The Room is still a hot mess but I've given myself a deadline for completion of the room. I ordered the carpet for the room and it will be installed next week. That means I need to have the room drywalled, tape and mudded.. then painted. I don't want to do that with brand new carpet installed. So I have a little more then a week to get a TON done. But if I can stick with it I'll finally be able to clear my painting area!