Hi all,
Decided that this list im painting for an upcoming tourny deserved a bit more scrutiny after a fairly heavy playing of it. To give you an idea of the theme im trying to get here: when altansar had been pulled into the EoT what was to say that there wasnt another craftworld that had also passed into this hellish realm, doomed to float among the crone worlds, perhaps abandonned through the webway.
Im aiming to lodge this as part of my tournament fluff as a rune translation by imperial sources, it still needs work:
During Abaddon's 13th crusade against the Cadian gate the Ulthwe craftworld sent out numerous strike forces to launch precision hits against the oncoming tide of chaos. These strike forces moved through the dangerous remenants of the webway, guided by small seer councils, and given the treacherous and unfathomable depths of the catacombs it was nearly inevitable that something would go wrong...
On a whim of Eldrad Ulthran the young farseer Amakyshoranaea (Blood ruby of the night shore) was put in charge of one such strike force and with her warlocks ordered to conduct a strike upon the forces of chaos. Highly unusual as it was for a lone farseer to lead such a force, few questioned the guidance of Eldrad such was his prowess at plumbing the depths of the future. The guidance of Eldrad's aged warlock Hlae-Lyhar (Wise wolf) was thought by others to allow this special task. Their trip through the webway was uneventful, that was until they found themselves lost within the depths of the catacombs, a result of the young farseer's loss in concerntration. It was not until Hlae-Lyhar felt the taint of the dark kin that they realised, and by then it was too late: they had ventured too close to that hellish city of Commoragh. When the mandrakes and incubi struck pure havoc ensured, and the bloody conflict between the former kin saw slaughter in the dark as weapons fired blindly into the darkness. What was missed was the wound the Amakyshoranaea, a poisoned blade slipping between the runes of her armour, only when Hlae-Lyhar saw their leader dead did he lead his kin to flee from those raiders who imprisoned those who could not escape. A depleted shell of a strike force remained, with battered weapons, warwalkers and wounds to many of the black guardians. The farseer barely clung to life, and with reckless abandon the force plunged through the dark catacombs away from the cursed city. As days turned to weeks no exit was found, and slowly those who were wounded died. It was only by the stumble of an injured guardian that they found a way out from those hellish realms, and Hlae-Lyhar lead those who remained out into the open...of an ancient craftworld.
Knowing how little time he had to save the farseer, Hlae-Lyhar searched for the dome of the crystal seers and found within it the crystal form of a single ancient looking farseer. Reaching out into the infinity circuit, Hlae-Lyhar searched for this farseers concious...but within it the taint of Chaos lurked. Finally a soul clung to him and spoke sagely to him: 'To save your seer she must be entombed here' Knowing that he must let Amakyshoranaea become part of this tainted craftworld to save them all Hlae-Lyhar willed the wraithbone to crystalise around her, and she lay peacefully.
As the farseer was left to join the infinity circuit those of the strike force began to search this deserted craftworld. Within it lay ancient armour and weapons long since replaced or improved, aspect shrines to death, fire, the sting of the spider, speed. Few vehicles however remained, an ancient a lone wraithlord shell stood dormant near the entrance to the chamber, while a single faolchu remained far at the end of the vehicle chamber, its weapons removed. The wraithbone of the craftworld itself was found to be darkened from its time in the eye of terror, lightning along its surface being the only display that it retained its psychotropic form, and gradually the armour of those who came to this dead place began to darken and wear .
Inquisitorial report on rune translation:
What made these eldar remain on this forsaken craftworld deep within the eye of terror remains unknown, perhaps the taint of chaos draws them closer to the tendrils of slaanesh. They seek to retrieve this ancient construct from the eye of terror and allow the eldar race to once again rise. The entombment of their seer has meant that the psychic echo in the warp of the survivors has been dulled enough to escape detection in the crone worlds within the eye of terror, and their battling daemons. Like Altansar their survival in the eye of terror leads other eldar to be suspcious and thus their numbers in battle remain few. Their limited numbers lead them to be far more resourceful and precise than other eldar, striking from the shadows at speed. This tendency to strike without warning and dark lightning spattered armour has lead them to be named 'Hóstgä Ightninglé' (trans-the ghostly lightning) .
Special notes about the 'Ightninglé Hóstgä':
Skimmers are a rare commodity for these few remaining former warriors of the Ulthwe, and as such are rarely used in small forces. Tanks form a 0-1 Choice for heavy support and no more than 1 transport may additionally be taken in any force under 2000 points.
Since the craftworld was founded forces from there have stumbled across outcasts from the path, pathfinders and the lost. As such their numbers are bolstered by rangers(those newly arrived) and pathfinders.
Only limited aspects are available to the craftworld and in small numbers as the black guardians who now act in this role are few in number and not as proficient. A force may select Warp Spiders, Howling Banshees(ulthwe origin), Dark Reapers(ulthwe origin), Swooping Hawks, Fire dragons.
Light scouting warwalkers and jetbikes are compulsory choices for this force.
Harliequins do assist this craftworld and guide them through the webway, however in forces less than 1500points their presence is uncommon. They may not be selected below this points level.
At least one unit of guardians must be taken as a compulsory troops choice. This is to represent the ulthwe strike force origins.
HQ Notes:
The crystaline seer: As Amakyshoranaea becomes at one with the ancient craftworld her body incorporates more and more wraithbone. As such she draws the strength of the ancient farseer into her body. In times of desperate need she is carried to the battlefield to lead the force as a powerful farseer: She must always take spirits stones to represent this influence. In games above 2000 points she may count as Eldrad if special characters are allowed. In games below this points level she counts as a normal farseer.
Hlae-Lyhar must be taken in any army from the craftworld either as company to the crystaline seer or as part of the compulsory guardian unit. In games with a wraithlord he may count as a spiritseer given his experience and understanding of the psychic domain.
The Autarch: An exarch of great experience of the warp spiders, he now leads small forces of the craftworld as a tactician of the swift critical strike. He must be equipped with warpspider generators and a power weapon with other choices optional as normal.
The List: (Please note I have yet to name the units):
1 Autarch (HQ) @ 125 Pts
Forceshield; Warp Jump Generator; Mandiblasters; Power Weapon; Shuriken
Pistol; Fusion Gun; Haywire Grenades; Plasma Grenades
7 Howling Banshees (Elites) @ 150 Pts
Power Weapon; Shuriken Pistol; Banshee Mask
1 Exarch @ [38] Pts
Executioner; Shuriken Pistol; Banshee Mask
5 Rangers (Troops) @ 120 Pts
Pathfinder; Shuriken Pistol; Ranger Long Rifle
5 Rangers (Troops) @ 95 Pts
Shuriken Pistol; Ranger Long Rifle
6 Guardian Jetbike Squadron (Troops) @ 152 Pts
Shuriken Pistol; Linked Shuriken Catapults (x4); Shuriken Cannon (x2)
8 Guardian Defender Squad (Troops) @ 125 Pts
Shuriken Catapult
2 Grav Platform & Crew
Shuriken Catapult (x2); Shuriken Cannon (x1)
1 Warlock Rune armour; Shuriken Pistol Conceal
5 Swooping Hawks (Fast Attack) @ 168 Pts
Grenade Pack; Swooping Hawk Wings; Lasblaster; Haywire Grenades; Plasma
Grenades
1 Exarch
Grenade Pack; Swooping Hawk Wings; Power Weapon; Sunrifle; Haywire
Grenades; Plasma Grenades
Intercept
7 Warp Spiders (Fast Attack) @ 218 Pts
Deathspinner
1 Exarch
PowerBlades; 2 Deathspinners
Withdraw
3 Dark Reapers (Heavy Support) @ 182 Pts
Reaper Launcher
1 Exarch
Missile Launcher
Fast Shot
1 War Walker (Heavy Support) @ 40 Pts
Front Armour: 10; Side Armour: 10; Rear Armour: 10; Left Shuriken Cannon
(x1); Right Shuriken Cannon (x1)
1 Fire Prism (Heavy Support) @ 125 Pts
Linked Shuriken Catapults; Prism Cannon
Spirit Stone
Models in Army: 56
Total Army Cost: 1500
8% HQ
10% Elites
32% Troops
25% Fast
23% Heavy
This army is biased towards the footslogger side given the fluff above, and I shall be submitting it for formal review as well.
Any comments would be appreciated.