There are many units out there that people consider to be under rated. Today I'm going to talk about 2 of the Eldar units I recently started using and having plenty of fun with.
Warp Spiders - You look at these guys on paper and go, wow they Suck, I can't believe they even exist. Sure they have a Str 6 shooting weapon, but what happened to the AP? Where did it go. At least that's how I was, and how most of the forums were as I was reading them. But then someone said, no no they're actually pretty good.
So I decided I was tired of playing pure competition lists and would try out some different things. Wow was I surprised at how well these guys perform. I'm running 7 of them plus an exarch with power blades and dual Death Spinners. That's 18 Str 6 shots raining out from these guys. Sure the range of 12" isn't the best, but they are fast and have a 3+ save and can move backwards after shooting, they've been doing a great job in my games, and I might end up working them into my 1,500 pt lists later on.
Striking Scorpions - Again you see them, and you have Howling Banshees on the other page screaming out, hey we all have power weapons. The thing that's been eating me up when I run Banshees is the amount of Heavy Flamers that are out there these days, they eat things, and banshees will dies faster then anything else when that template is put down.
But not the Scorpions, they get that beautiful 3+ save, they also are Str 4, which means they don't suck against units you haven't Doomed, and and they get 1 extra attack. So they get 4 attacks on the charge vs 3, and will usually wound on 4s vs 5s. Now I know what you're saying, "POWERWEAPONS" yeah they rock. But the odds are you're actually doing the same amount of kills with Scorpions on everything armor 4 and up. They get edge out with 2+ and 3+ but that's when you shoot those buggers to death.
The pure survivability of this unit makes it a winner in my book, especially when my race is already dieing off ;)
Maybe one of these days I'll trying some Swooping Hawks out, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
-CKR
Playing Eldar is a big game of rock/paper/scissors; it really comes down to the right tool for the right job.
ReplyDeleteScorpions are great at smoking hordes of cheap infantry, drop a 10-man squad into a fat stack of Boys or Gaunts and watch the pile disappear. They can infiltrate and move through cover to get that good position or outflank into the rears of ground troops just waiting to be slaughtered.
The same 10-man squad of Scorpions is somewhat less effective against more elite units like Assault Terminators or even Gene Stealers, but that is where the girls come in. The fact that Howling Banshees are fleet will enable you to position a Wave Serpent reasonably close to the action and spring your attack from a greater distance. You will be able to bait more effectively, and have your girls on hand for a nasty counter charge when they are needed. Initiative 10 is huge (although scorpion 5 is not bad either) and War Shout will let you spank units on your turn and theirs. You will need to screen them for fortuned cover saves, keep a squad of Dire Avengers close to deal with any flamers you are afraid of.
I think Scorpions are more effective on foot until either they learn how to fleet or we get an assault vehicle as a transport option. Howling Banshees demand a Wave Serpent and a Farseer to be effective, but they have their place.
Kudos on the Warp Spiders, you have inspired me to pull them out of their box.
Really Surpised you said warp spiders they do kind of have a purpose taking down large groups of infantry or getting rear armour shots on a vehicle with a back armour 10.Now scorpions on the other hand im not found of at all agreed.
ReplyDeleteAlso what is weird im surpise swooping hawks were not included they really are under rated.but in a list that includes a autarch they do kind of have a purpose if ran in small squads of 3 dropping 3 pie templates a turn.but in my oppinion not worth the points.
---AutarchAndrew
Well I was just talking about units I've recently run, still have yet to try out the hawks although I have often thought about trying them out that way. They just seem very expensive points wise, and often there are better things to take.
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