Hi everyone,
While I love some Deathwing walking armour goodness in my 40k gaming, I think I need a change of pace and playing style. I enjoy shrugging off shots as I slog / teleport into close range and then crushing with force, but I also want to try something totally different.
Hence a themed army based around mobility.
I've included the picture at the top of the page because it's the old Windrider host Apocalypse boxed set. The FLGS here still has a box sitting on the shelf for, quite frankly, a killer price compared to normal GW sets. My idea is to take this box and use it as the starter set for a themed army of Eldar and their dark cousins.
Here are the criteria I've set myself:
- Everything must be mobile. I don't want a footslogging army here.
- Everything must be fast (easy with the armies I've chosen).
- No Raiders as they are too fiddly to transport in cases.
- Not too many models because I'm not as fast at painting as I'd like to be.
With those in mind, here is the army list, unit breakdown to follow.
Eldar Primary detachment
- Autarch on bike (maybe with a fusion gun)
- Farseer on bike
- 2 x 4 Guardian Jetbikes (including warlock)
- 2 Vypers
Dark Eldar allies
- Archon
- 4 blaster trueborn in Venom
- 5 warriors in Venom
- 10 Scourges
- Void Raven bomber
My thoughts behind them...
- Autarch on jetbike with fusion gun and power sword.
Accurate and fast tank hunter with the chance to attack and hopefully beat small support squads in combat. He also boosts reserve rolls, bringing on that nasty Dark Eldar flyer that much sooner.
- Farseer on Jetbike with some psychic powers.
This guy will bring the buffing power of Eldar to the table. I'm not sure exactly which powers to take from the Eldar codex or whether to pick ones from the main rulebook but perhaps some divination shooting boosts?
- 2x Guardian jetbikes with shuriken cannons and warlocks.
The bikes will be my speedy troops choices who don't engage very often but dance around the edge of the field until the enemy has been weakened enough for a quick strike. The Warlocks add some nasty psychic powers to give a bit more punch and can carry singing spears for tank hunting.
- 2 Vypers with some guns...not sure which ones.
The Vypers are definitely a weaker spot in the list as I don't feel they really have a solid role in the army, especially when compared to the Dark Eldar Venom. I could bring double shuriken cannons for some dakka, eldar missile launchers for versatility or starcannons to add some much needed low AP weaponry. Not sure at the moment but they are in the box so hey, I'll make them work :-)
- Archon with blaster, venom blade and shadow field
A good shooting leader who can hop off a Venom and into combat with a good chance of hurting people.
- 4 Trueborn with blasters in a Venom with splinter cannons and nightshields.
Not much to say here. Add the Archon and you have lots of tank-killing goodness in a shooty but easily killed transport.
Eldar Primary detachment
- Autarch on bike (maybe with a fusion gun)
- Farseer on bike
- 2 x 4 Guardian Jetbikes (including warlock)
- 2 Vypers
Dark Eldar allies
- Archon
- 4 blaster trueborn in Venom
- 5 warriors in Venom
- 10 Scourges
- Void Raven bomber
My thoughts behind them...
- Autarch on jetbike with fusion gun and power sword.
Accurate and fast tank hunter with the chance to attack and hopefully beat small support squads in combat. He also boosts reserve rolls, bringing on that nasty Dark Eldar flyer that much sooner.
- Farseer on Jetbike with some psychic powers.
This guy will bring the buffing power of Eldar to the table. I'm not sure exactly which powers to take from the Eldar codex or whether to pick ones from the main rulebook but perhaps some divination shooting boosts?
- 2x Guardian jetbikes with shuriken cannons and warlocks.
The bikes will be my speedy troops choices who don't engage very often but dance around the edge of the field until the enemy has been weakened enough for a quick strike. The Warlocks add some nasty psychic powers to give a bit more punch and can carry singing spears for tank hunting.
- 2 Vypers with some guns...not sure which ones.
The Vypers are definitely a weaker spot in the list as I don't feel they really have a solid role in the army, especially when compared to the Dark Eldar Venom. I could bring double shuriken cannons for some dakka, eldar missile launchers for versatility or starcannons to add some much needed low AP weaponry. Not sure at the moment but they are in the box so hey, I'll make them work :-)
- Archon with blaster, venom blade and shadow field
A good shooting leader who can hop off a Venom and into combat with a good chance of hurting people.
- 4 Trueborn with blasters in a Venom with splinter cannons and nightshields.
Not much to say here. Add the Archon and you have lots of tank-killing goodness in a shooty but easily killed transport.
General mobile shooting and a scoring transport.
- 10 Scourges with splinter cannons.
Anti-infantry wrecking squad that can hop around quickly to kill people. Plus....those models :-)
- Voidraven bomber with a few missiles.
I'll use the Razorwing model but run it as a void raven. Mainly it's the chance to bring powerful lances but also having an 11/11/10 model makes it safe from the more casual snap fire weapons like bolters. It'll still go down to real firepower but the "I'll just snap fire because why not?" will be less common.
Overall I think the army will be a lot of fun to build, paint and play. I see a big weakness in its ability to take a hit, I'm a bit worried that I'm lacking firepower (especially anti-armour) and I only have three small troops choices so it won't be easy to hold objectives. On the other hand, who cares? I get to zoom around the battlefield making jet noises and maybe even can kill some of my opponents too.
Will the speedy death be able to hold its own in 6th Edition?
Will there be too much glass in my glass cannon?
Will I totally overthrow the dominant players in the local area?
I plan to provide the answers to the above just as soon as I find out.
Take care everyone and I hope the spring weather has found you like it has found us in Bratislava.
Pete :-)
Sounds like a fun list.
ReplyDeleteI think reaver jetbikes would fit the theme and tactics better than scourges. The reavers can bladevane for anti infantry, but also have some blasters or heat lances to help with anti tank.
The only issue I see is that the army seems a bit small. If you seem to be too outnumbered I'd recommend losing the archon for a cheap heamonculus (may be with a liquifier gun and venom blade), and reducing all extra wargear (eg. only one power on the farseer, 2 blasters and 2 splinter cannons rather than 4 blasters on the trueborn, not using warlocks with the jetbikes etc.) to afford more models. It'll still be a small army, just not too small that it can't compete.
Good luck, I look forward to seeing how you get on.
Rathstar
Hey Rathstar,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback. I thought about the Reavers and I probably will get some in the future. They look awesome and I think they'll play nicely too. The scourges are mostly there for the fantastic models and the chance to bring some more jumping firepower.
I've heard that the Apoc set may have gone from the shop so I may have to go all Dark Eldar. If not, I'll think about tweaking out the models to get more basic troops on the field. Perhaps the first few games I'll play without converting anything and just get a feel of what works and what doesn't.
All the best
Pete :-)