What are the Eldar?

Once again there was a wish listing thread on Warseer. I know it's not uncommon, actually almost a weekly occurrence for one codex to start wish listing until it cycles over again. But the main problem with the Eldar wish listing thread was the need to find out how you want your Eldar to play, or how are they expected to play.

From the fluff of the most recent codex, the Eldar are small in numbers, but an elite group. Each unit specializing in the dismantlement of different parts of an enemies army. The Eldar themselves are much more advanced physiologically then humans, with heart rates twice that of a normal human, their mind processes with baffling speeds, and they can physically move almost faster then a human can see.

What we don't want is a generalized Space Marine army, where everything can do everything. Each unit should have more or less a specific task, do it very well, and maybe be able to do something else, but not to any great degree.

To start figuring out what the Eldar are, we should start by looking at the design of the Guardian. As this should be the most abundant unit in the army, seeing as how they make up almost the entire Troops selection.

What we're looking for.
1. Small in Number
2. Specialized in their role
3. Advanced Race
4. Dying Race
5. Technologically advanced Race

To satisfy 3 and 4 I suggest to create new Eldar Special Army Rules. As of now they actually have no special rules. Fleet was given to everyone as Run, and Fleet was actually handed out to quite a few groups.

So other then Fleet being there as a Mainstay freebie I recommend adding a rule called Eldar Agility.

Eldar Agility - The Superior Mental and Physical Prowness of the Eldar shines in everything they do. To represent their speed all eldar with this ability have +1 to cover saves at all times (so in open terrain this would be a 6+ cover save). All Eldar with this ability roll 3d6 for difficult terrain and run checks and take the highest result. In close combat, opponents can never have better then a 4+ to hit an Eldar Model with this ability as their shear speed allows them duck and weave in combat.

To satisfy number 4 we need to look at the fact that they are a dying race. The Eldar do not just go out and fight battles on a whim. They are very tactical, and every battle must be fought to be won, or the entire race may be lost.

Eldar Last Stand - All Eldar units with this ability may always attempt to regroup.

This should satisfy both 3 and 4 and help Eldar to feel more like the race they are portrayed to be.

Now let's move on and take a look at the Guardian, the back bone to the Eldar army. There are quite a few things that are wrong with the guardian if we are to consider those 6 simple rules for making Eldar. First, they are not small in numbers, 10-20 is bordering on Ork levels. Eldar are quite frankly, not Green Skins, and never will be. So first thing is we should limit Guardians to 5-10.

Secondly, Guardians do not represent a dying race, or the fact that they are specially trained to defend their craft worlds. Most people say they are just a militia, but remember militias defeated the Elite British in the Revolutionary War. Not to mention these militia are super humans in prowess and have survived for centuries. Not to mention, a technologically advanced race does not send it's troops out wearing paper bags. I believe upgrading the BS to 4, and armor to 4+ will help satisfy being part of a dying race, and the Eldar physical ability, mental ability, and training.

Now lets talk about Technology, especially technology for defenders. Everyone knows you do not defend a place with pistols when everyone is shooting at you with rifles. The key to defense is range, and 12" allows one volley of fire before you're knee deep in your own guts from the bayonet the 18 year old human was holding. To fix this, it's imperative we give Eldar Guardians a 24" gun. This allows a minimum of 2 volleys, and possibly 3. Now lets look at the gun itself. It's a Shurikan weapon, and fluff wise it basically slices through anything. Now I'm not advocating AP4, but I think AP5 with re-roll passed saves would represent this weapon very nicely.

Let's take a look at what we have.

______WS BS| S | T| W| I | A LD Sv
Guardian 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 4+
Defender

Special Rules
Fleet, Eldar Agilty, Last Stand

Weapons
Shurikan Catapult - 24" range, Str4, AP5, Assault 2, Re-roll Passed Saves
1 Weapon Platform per 5 men
Defensive Grenades, Haywire Grenades

Now how much should these new warriors costs? I think the closest comparisons to these men are Sisters of Battle, Space Marine Scouts, and Imperial Guard Vets

For BS 4 armor 4+ vets, it's 10 points a model, with a Seargent and grenades
For WS 4, BS 4, Shield of Faith, and Act of Faith 3+ Sisters it's 11 points a model
For Str 4, T 4, ATSKNF, Scout, Infiltrate, Move through Cover, grenades Scouts it's 13 points a model

I think 11 Points a model would be about appropriate for the new stats on the Guardian Defenders. Sure it's about 3 points more a model then before, but they'd actually be worth taking, and would feel much more like Eldar then they do now.

Let me know what you guys think.

-CKR

Wishlisting: The Assault Phase

So the other day while I was bored I started thinking about different things that would make the game different, and one of those is changing the way the assault phase works.

To often are some armies squashed in the assault phase by other armies who are built up around getting up close and personal and then will just sweep units left and right.

So here are a couple things that I'd like to see changed.

Incoming Charge Shots: The unit being charged may give up all close combat attacks and instead fire all of there weapons at the one unit that is charging them, these attacks are made after the assault has been declared but before assault moves are made. The defending unit counts as moving for purposes of shooting weapons.

What would this do, well it would help protect those gunline armies with short range weapons, cough cough eldar guardians cough, who can be charged before there weapons are ever in range of the enemy.

It would also give some units the chance to kill units that otherwise would be impossible to be killed in CC, such as dreadnaughts, MCs and others.

What would this do to assaulters, well it would definantly hurt them quite a bit, but it would make picking your targets quite a bit more important but I think it will also help balance it. To often do I see a unit shoot into a unit before they charge, soften them up and then assault and wipe them out receiving double the attacks the other unit did that turn.

Grenades: These things need to be revamped, why is it I can use grenades on Vehicles but not on MCs, MCs should be getting hurt just as much and often times it's grenades that are the only thing that might hurt an MC. So here are my thoughts on them;

Any model armed with grenades may choose to get a single attack with a grenade hitting with WS vs WS. These models give up there normal attack characteristics.

Frag - Str 4 AP 5 small blast, scatters as usual, may only be used in First Round of Combat before units have made assault moves.
Krak - Str 8 AP 3
Melta - Str 8 AP 1 Causes ID

Defenders who are attacked by grenades in the first round of combat may take cover saves if in or behind cover, or the Attack had to make a Dangerous Terrain Test.

Attackers who are attacked by grenades in the first round of combat may not take cover saves as they are too busy trying to get at the enemy.

Now I know these aren't the only grenades out there but this gives a general idea of what I would like to see happen to the Assault Phase. Now the grenades will definantly favor certain armies, ie Space Marines who have grenades on everyone but other armies also have grenades or may use there weapons and I think this will make quite a difference in game play.

Maybe one of these days I'll get to play a test game with these rules and balance it out, for now what do you guys think?

-CKR