4 Eldar Aspect Warriors Worth Looking At

I started flipping a bit through the new Eldar Codex (people anywhere from Buenos Aires to Moscow seem to have had the book by Saturday, though Royal Mail – in time-honoured tradition – made sure it did not arrive here, a 100 miles south of Nottingham, before Wednesday).

Just to kick-off the Eldar-musings, some random observations on both new and iconic Eldar units in the new 6th Edition Codex.

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#1 – Fire Dragons

Fire Dragons showcase the changes to the Eldar list in Warhammer 40K 6th Edition very well.

Fire Dragons were always popular, though they tended to suffer oddly suicidal careers of being dumbed close to a tasty target to unleash their melta-weapons before – usually – dying a quick, painful death in return. GW clearly wants you to move away from that in 6th Edition.

For one, Fire Dragons got significantly more expensive. Easily one of the steepest point-increases I’ve seen in 6th Edition yet. In return, they receive better armour. Even more importantly though, Fire Dragons, with their short-ranged melta weapons, stand to benefit more than most units from the Eldar’s new run-and-shoot/shoot-and-run Battle Focus.

The combination is certainly powerful, though it begs to be used a bit more wisely (or, at least, less suicidal). It’ll be interesting to see how people will now use of their Fire Dragons (if they do).

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#2 – Dire Avengers

Wow!

• 5 Dire Avengers with Exarch are cheaper now by 7 points (though some Exarch-weapons are more expensive now)
• They gain Battle Focus
• They gain the new almost-rending for Shuriken Weapons
• They gain Counter-attack and Plasma Grenades

These guys clearly are one of the winners in 6th Edition. Better keep your eyes peeled for the old 10-unit boxes of Dire Avengers!

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#3 – Crimson Hunter

Crimson Hunters are the new kids on the Aspect Warrior block. Obviously, they are not a unit of elite infantry, but one variant the new Codex offers for playing the new Eldar flyers, and the Crimson Hunter may be the most interesting flyer yet since the Heldrake.

To be honest, their background of zipping around all day in floating atriums, shooting each other with coloured lights, is easily the naffest piece of 40K fluff I read since.. well.. the Dark Eldar book.

Rules-wise however, there is nothing to laugh at. Loads of Str. 8 anti-flyer shots, partly with the Lance special rule and all with re-rolls on penetration rolls? Holy!

And if that isn’t enough, upgrade the Crimson Hunter to an Exarch for BS5 and more nasty tricks!

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#4 – Warp Spiders

The Fast Attack slot in the new Codex clearly got more contested, though Warp Spiders are prepared to still make any list. Compared to their more minimalist incarnation as (almost) stock jump infantry in the last Codex, Warp Spiders certainly got a lot of their old exoticism back.

• Over 20% point drop (depending on load-out, etc..)!
• 2D6 + 6″ Warp Jump (+ Battle Focus and Fleet)
• Hit & Run
• Lethal new monofilament-weapon rules instead of the old Str. 6 AP-, giving them a bit more punch against better armoured opponents

The new and improved Warp Spiders can hurt (almost) everything, be (almost) everywhere you need them to be and get out easily, when the going gets tough. It’s not hard to see whey Warp Spiders are already very popular with people drafting 6th Edition Eldar army lists.

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#5 – Your Thoughts?

This article – admittedly – is only a first impression at best, certainly not an in-depth analysis of the units or their role in the new 6th Edition Eldar army list.

The 6th Edition Codexes for Warhammer 40K have been fairly complex book. Nowhere is this more clear than in the Eldar Codex. The 4th Edition book was the epitome of the “minimalist-design” era. With 6th Edition, the amount of special rules, variant weapon configurations, options, Exarch powers and more have exploded. I look forward to spending more time with this Codex.

What do you think? What has caught your eye in the new Eldar Codex?

Leave a comment!

Z.

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