Topic: 1000pts Eldar for Planetary Empires

[Kiwichris]

I'm going to be in a Planetary Empires campaign soon and want to avoid using one of the more common and OP armies. I thought I'd use my Eldar and need a 1000pt list to be used the whole campaign. The only forces I know I'll be up against so far are Space Marines, Daemons and Necrons. This is what I'm thinking:

Autarch:
Shuriken Pistol, Scorpion Chainsword, Banshee Mask

7 Striking Scorpions and Exarch with Scorpions Claw

Wave Serpent:
Twin-Linked Bright Lances, Twin-Linked Shuriken Cannon, Spirit Stone

9 Dire Avengers and Exarch with Power Weapon and Shimmershield

6 Rangers

4 Dark Reapers

D-Cannon Crew:
Warlock with Conceal

Wraithlord:
Flamer, Shuriken Catapult, Starcannon, Wraithsword

I've never played Planetary Empires before so any advice would be appreciated!

[Crimsonsphinx]

Well I haven't played Planetary Empires either, so I am unfamiliar with the rules.   But I can comment on your list.  You really don't seem to have enough scoring models, 15 at 1000 points is way too low, even space marines will probably have more than you. 

If you have the models, I would suggest using a Farseer instead of an Autarch, hes more useful to keep your Wraithlord in order and with Doom will improve your overall performance.  I am not sold on Dark Reapers being with their points, they are probably 10 points over priced each.  The only build I have found remotely useful is the minimum sized squad with an exarch with fast shot and the tempest launcher.  That is mighty expensive though.

What I would try to do is get an extra unit of scoring things in there.  You could drop a single dark reaper, a ranger and change the Autarch for a Farseer with Doom.   Try to get another unit of dire avengers, or a unit of guardians.  If you get guardians, transfer the Warlock from the D-cannon over to them as I honestly don't think conceal will keep it alive.  You want to be hidden out of sight using barrage anyway.

[Kiwichris]

Thanks for the tips Crimsonsphinx. The Reapers are mainly there for their 48" AP3 weapons wich carve up Marines & Necrons which I tent to play against a lot. I do agree that they are over priced, probably due to the age of the Eldar Codex which is an edition or two out of sync. I'm afraid I don't have a Farseer so that won't be happening unfortunately as I know how useful they can be!

[Count Wolfenstein]

Autarchs are generally terrible unless you're playing a jetbike all reserve KP denial list. Farseers with doom, fortune, maybe guide buff your entire army and aren't too bad in CC. I understand the reaper choice with crons and marines. I've tried to make scorpions work because i love the fluff and models but they're not a great option either. No fleet, no solutions against armor aside from one kit on the autarch... If you have the models take harlequins over them. They're faster, more survivable when fortuned, and can wreck almost any unit in the game of comparable before it gets a chance to strike.

Upgrade rangers to pathfinders For the 2+ save.

If you're taking that DA exarch you should take defend so they'll be a true tarpit unit.

D-cannon. Never used this myself because you have much better options in heavy support and it's one of the most fragile units in the game. Combined with it being heavy and 24" range means youll likely never get the chance to fire it.

Wraithlord looks good, but remember you CAN take two flamers. Not twin-linked.

You're list is fluffy which is nice, so if the campaign isn't going to be too competitive you should do whatever you want but if people are going to be playing primarily to win you may be in trouble with this list.

I've won two planetary empire games with Eldar at my FLGS (both leagues had about 8 people playing) so I know what I'm talking about Helps to know local meta though. Can you give us any insight on that?

Also if you know how to play the game and strategize, as Eldar you have a huge leg up on people who just whip out their 3+ armor save army and run at you with their "dudesmen."

Good luck in the campaign and keep us posted! I'd like to help out a fellow craftworlder

[Kiwichris]

Thanks for the kind words Count Wolfenstein! My estimate is around 10 players give or take semi-competitive. All games are on a 48" by 48" board. Myself and most of the others are in it for fun but there's two or three "must win" competitors.

You're right about my list being fluffy (which is how I play with all my armies, including Empire ), but in all my Eldar experience I think Scorpions are better than Banshees. Their better save, more attacks but mainly for their S4. Banshees struggle to wound at S3, I hope they get Furious Charge in their next Codex! I don't have any Harlequins either, too intimidated by the painting .

I'm thinking of upgrading the pathfinders and dropping the Warlock. Does anyone know if they can actually man the D-Cannon if the crew die? My Wraithlord doesn't have a second flamer because I use the old metal one.

[Crimsonsphinx]

Im a long time Eldar player too [16 years and counting] but somewhat unsuccessful in 5th edition.

Only other support weapon crews can man the d-cannon should its men be killed.  I like the weapon, but you will need to hide it somewhere where it cant be shot, and rely on barrage. 

I have run the numbers, and provided you have a scorpion claw, the scorpions are more or less equal vs marines to banshees.  Doom will make Banshees better, but on their own, there isn't much in it.  Against things which are not marines, scorpions are better.  My tests were done with 10 man units too, in smaller numbers, the scorpions exarch makes more of a difference.  Never leave home without one!

You could always use the warlock as a farseer?  I can't imagine most people having a problem with that?  I use my spare farseer models as warlocks all the time!

[phillyt]

What is planetary empires?  Is that the 40k version of Mighty Empires?

[Count Wolfenstein]

Yeah, I'd recommend dropping the warlock and simply sticking the platform in cover.

What is planetary empires?  Is that the 40k version of Mighty Empires?

Yep.

[phillyt]

I have two boxes of Mighty Empire and I NEVER USE THEM.

I would kill for Planetary Empires.  If only I could work a trade!

[Kiwichris]

Well, I've had 4 games so far. First up I completely wiped out a Dark Eldar army. The Wraithlord was the man of the match smashing half the army alone as S3 tends to struggle against T8

Second up I played Orks. Unfortunately the game only lasted 3 turns and he was ahead on objectives 3-2 at the time and was given the win (grumble...) I then played a fairly similair Dark Edlar army and got a draw with some Wracks only just getting into 3" of an objective which I held to deny me victory.

I launched an attack onto another planet and took a Necron starport with the Dark Reapers mowing down a big squad of Lycheguard led by Obyron before they got into combat. The scorpions engaged a warrior squad with a lord for an objective to contest it while my Rangers held the other.

So far the Rangers have been good for holding objectives, but been useless with shooting and the D-Cannon has been a spectacular waste of points missing constantly. My Scorpions, Reapers and Wraithlord have been doing most of the dameage so far.

[The emperor 111]

Cool good, are you able to change your army list composition? Maybe a point increase?

Sounds like your winning too!

The emperor