This past Sunday I was able to partake in a rather large game of Apocalypse with nine other people spanning over 60k worth of points. When setting up for this game I reached out to the Eldar community but didn't find much for Apocalypse besides the use of our awesome super heavies. This being my third Apoc game with 4 – 7k of my own I would simply like to examine the formations I took, what worked, and what I would like to try in the future. Maybe this will help a fellow Eldar player when trying to decide what to use with our precious points. Pictures of our game can be found HERE (look for my red Eldar)
My Eldar Formations:
Aspect Assault Wave
Need: Autarch + 3 Aspect Squads (10 each in Wave Serpent)
Get: Energy Shields downgrade to STR:7, Tsunami wave lets you give up shooting to Pin.
This is always a given. Every Apoc game they have been hit with a bombardment of some sort and it goes down to a Str7 against side armor. In one game I lost 1/4 Serpents and the other times nothing happened. My only problem using this formation is the lack of desire to manage troops in big games. Tstunami Wave is lame, I would rather shoot or Star Engine.
Cloudstrike Squadron
Need: 3+ Falcons, each upgraded with Holo-fields
Get: give up shooting to fly, pulse lasers gain Lance rule on next turn
This has some serious potential. Flying in Apoc is already a huge advantage with letting you move anywhere on the map and only vehicles with an A.A mount can hit you with normal BS, everything else needs 6's. Also, you either use 4th Apoc rules and every hit moves to a glance, or 5th and you always get a cover save. Use this to move deep into enemy territory and drop 9 Lances on a super heavy. You could also drop a squad of Fire Dragons, or even suicide one falcon with a cheap unit to deliver a Vortex Grenade.
Shadow Walker War Walker Host
Need: 3+ Squadrons of War Walkers
Get: secret deployment, fire all weapons twice
This is three squads of War Walkers (I put one walker in each squad) that are NOT put in Strategic Reserve (Beacons have no effect) and can be deployed in any of your turns (well past turn 3) anywhere on the map up to 12" away from an enemy. the turn they come in they can fire all of their weapons twice. I outfit mine with Scatter Lasers which means I get 16 shots per model or 48 shots for the formation aimed at up to three separate targets. You could easily try Bright Lances for 4 shots per model or 12 Lances per formation. They won't last long, but they eat foot soldiers pretty quick.
The Seer Council of Ulthwe
Need: Eldrad, 3+ Farseers, 5+ Warlocks
Get: Ambush, Careful Planning, Strategic Redeployment; Warlocks can take Augment
I love/hate this formation. You get three extra Strategic Assets but you have this huge level of redundancy and no default transport option. I like to take Dark Reapers and pay for the transport to pass onto these guys. This means they will be standing on the table turn one out in the open which is obviously very scary in Apocalypse. If you have a super heavy, stick these guys within range and fortune, guide, etc everything you can. Our super heavies get the Titan Holofield option for free which gives a 4+ save every time it takes damage (NOT a cover save). Fortune on this will be your favorite thing in the world as you light up the sky with D weapons and make enemies all over the place. Augment enables your Warlock to take a psychic test to double the range on a single Farseer for that turn.
Spirit Host
Need: 3+ Spiritseers, 3+ Formations of Wraithlord and/or Wraithguard
Get: Everything within 12" of any part of the formation is Fearless, basically a bigger Avatar bubble.
This is not the best formation, but I always play with 2 - 3 Wraithlords and one full unit of Wraithguard anyway. The Fearless option is just a little bonus, but coupled with the Seer Council and Strategic Redeployment, you are putting Wraithguard in a nice spot somewhere on the table. I think the best option is to simply place the host spread out slightly behind your precious tanks to buffer Flank March assaults. I tend to keep the Avatar close to my Spirit Host for the MC trio.
My Dark Eldar Formations
Ravager Titan Hunter Squad
Need: 3+ Ravagers
Get: Shadow Beam (Turns off Void Shields, Power Shields, and Holo-Fields for the rest of this squads shooting)
This has some serious potential if you are going against Super Heavies. Stompas have Power Shields, Warhounds have Void Shields. The problem is how weak the vehicles are compared to how much threat they cause. If you can stick them in reserve until the right time these will be useful. 9 Dark Lances is never a bad idea.
Spinter Raider Force
Need: Archon in Raider with Retinue and 3+ squads of Raiders or Reavers
Get: Deploy anywhere, count as flying turn 1
This formation is nasty. I kitted mine similar to how I use them in a normal game but I think I may go super cheap next time. The entire formation is a suicide squad sacrifice so keep it cheap. the beauty of this is the 3 man Reaver Jetbikes with 2 Blasters per squad deployed anywhere on the table. Going up against a super heavy? Shields are ignored if you are within 12" range! 3 Dark Lances from the Raider, and 2 more lances per every 3 jetbikes. They are weak units deployed thick behind enemy lines but the first turn of flying should let you shoot them at least twice before they are dealt with or tied up in close combat. The amount of commotion these will cause first turn is just too good to ignore. You could also use a bit of psychology to bait for their target location in conjunction with a scheduled bombardment. Keep them out in the open, let them draw out prized assault units that people want to show off, and let the scheduled orbital bombardment blow the area to bits on turn 3.
My Eldar List
Scorpion Type II
Nightwing Interceptor
Aspect Assault Wave
Autarch/Banshees/Dragons/Avengers (All powers, Executioner, Pike, Shimmer)
3x Serpents (B Lance/Cannon + full upgrades)
Cloudstrike Squadron
3x Falcons (B Lance/Cannon + full upgrades)
Shadow Walker War Walker Host
3 separate squadrons of 1 War Walker (2 Scatter Laser + Stones per Walker)
Spirit Host
3x Spiritseer (Enhance/Embolden/Conceal)
10 Wraithguard +Spiritseer(Enhance)
2x Wraithlords (2 Flamers, B Lance/EML)
The Seer Council of Ulthwe
Eldrad
3x Farseer (All Doom/Fortune/Guide, ROW, SS, Witchblade)
5x Warlock (Augment, Augment, Conceal, Embolden, Enhance) mix of Blades and Spears
Misc
The Avatar //with Spirit Host//
Fuegan //with Aspect Assault Wave//
Baharroth //Vortex Grenade//
Fire Prism (Cannon + full upgrades)
Dark Reapers
+Wave Serpent ( B Lance/Cannon + full upgrades) //for Seer Council//
Dark Eldar Allies:
Ravager Titan Hunter
3x Ravagers (3 D Lances + Nightshields per)
Splinter Raid Force
Archon (Agoniser/Pistol, Shadow Field, Drugs, Haywires)
Warrior Retinue (2 D Lances, + D Lance on Raider)
3x Reaver Jetbike Squads:
2 Blasters
Succubi (Punisher/Tormenter Helm, Drugs, Haywires)
one squad has Goblet of Spite another Nightmare Doll
No comments:
Post a Comment