Topic: 2k Maelstrom of War vs DA

[volatilegaz]

I've got my 3rd game of a 4-game campaign coming up, against DA. This might be my last campaign with the pointy-ears for a while as I'm starting a Necron Army, so I want to go out with a bang. I also want to give some of my less loved units a last chance for glory, hence the Rangers, Reapers, Hunter and Prism in the list.

It's a 2k maelstrom of war game, our Warlords are locked in for the entire campaign, so I can't change the farseer.

Also worth noting that the campaign allowed me to pre-select my powers on the farseer for 10pts per power, which I obviously did.

(My opponents Warlord is also locked -it's a Level 2 Librarian. Can't remember what powers)

HQ
Farseer -Invisibility, Fortune, Vortex
singing spear,Jetbike, Spirit Stone of Anath'lan
[165pts]

Troops

5 x Rangers
[60pts]

10 x Defenders w/ Starcannon
in Serpent w/ Scatter & Holos
[245pts]

9 x Jetbikes w/ 3 x Cannons
[183pts]

Elites

8 x Fire Dragons, Exarch w/ Fast Shot
in Serpent w/ Scatter & Holos
[331pts]

5 x Wraithguard w/ D-Scythes
in Serpent w/ Scatter & Holos
[345pts]

Fast Attack
Crimson Hunter
[160pts]

Heavy
4 x Reapers w/ Starshot + Exarch w/ EML & Fast Shot
[220pts]

Fire Prism
[125pts]

3 x Support Batteries w/ D-Cannon
[165pts]

1,999pts total

Thoughts?

[Wyldhunt]

Seems solid enough.  You have lots of mobile elements plus a couple of durable backfielders to sit on your own objectives.  Reapers have never disappointed me with their killing power, and they're deceptively mobile these days.  The hunter does its job reasonably well, and your list is full of good AP weapons.  You should bust up marines no problem.

[haunt]

List is good, but I'd rather have a larger amount of Reapers and IMHO giving the Exarch an EML is unnecessary since the reaper launcher can be given starshots, unless you're using the EML with Flakk shots v flyers??

[volatilegaz]

I missed these comments somehow.

(Belated) thanks for the replies, both.

Haunt: There's not much difference between EML and starshot, I mainly take the EML because that's what's on the model. I never take flakk. Flakk is rubbish.
I'd like another 1 or 2 models in the reaper squad, but I can't see any fat in the rest of the list to get the points.

One thing I'm not sure about: I don't have much experience with Maelstrom missions, and I'm slightly concerned that I've got too many static units to be able to respond to the vagaries of the random objective cards?

[Grizzlykin]

Well that sure might not be the most optimised one for some maelström but, I think you should be fine. A fair amounts of the card actually are kill the thing or kill something like this so you should be fine and in the worst case you still got a you bikes and several serpent to move around the map easy. Therefore you're good to go in maelström. I think. I believe. I hope.

Don't know much about DA so i can't speak about your list, I'm gonna skip that then, and go straight for the good luck.
Tell us how it does

[Zandramaas]

Not a bad list at all, I would peronally change a few things though. 

1- Fire Prisms in my opinion aren't really worth their points, you could happily drop this and find something more effective elsewhere.
2- If taking wraithguard w/ D-Scythes, then I would highly recommend a sppiritseer and using the Iyanden detachment rules, then taking both primaris powers: Psychic Scream and Voices of Twilight.  This gives the unit a much greater effective range. As a bonus this can be used to make both the WG and their WS objective secured, which is brilliant in Maelstrom missions.
3- 8 Fire Dragons is probably overkill, you can save a few points by trimming down the squad size.
4- By splitting up the Jetbikes into 3 individual squads you gain 3 very fast moving objective secured units which is great for getting VP's in maelstrom, and also for denying VP's for your opponent.
5- I am a huge fan of taking a farseer with either the Dark Reaper or the D-Cannons, roll on divination and you can get some great supporting powered: ignore cover, 4+ invun, reroll to hit etc. 
6- Taking the CH as an exarch is a must imo, you can guarantee the day you dont pay the extra xpts, you will roll 2's to hit.

When you say the warlord was locked, I was unsure whether this was just the powers or wargear too.  If wargear is locked then you can take the xpts from the mantle and pop it elsewhere.

This should make an army which has strong psychic support and lots of objective secured.  If you are set on taking the fire prism, you could drop the 2nd farseer, exarch upgrade on the CH and the singing spear from the warlord.

This would look something like:

Iyanden Detachment - 1401

HQ - 275

Farseer, Eldar Jetbike, Singing Spear,  Spirit Stone of Anath'lan, Mantle of the Laughing God, Powers (xpts) Invisibility, Fortune, Vortex.  205pts

Spiritseer. 70pts

Troops - 671

10 Guardians w/ Scatter Laser or Starcannon. 110pts
-> Dedicated Transport Wave Serpent w/ Holo fields, Shuriken Cannon and Scatter Laser. 145pts

5 Wraithguard w/ D-Scythes. 210pts
-> Dedicated Transport Wave Serpent w/ Holo fields, Shuriken Cannon and Scatter Laser. 145pts

3 Windrider Jetbikes, Shuriken Cannon. 61pts

Elites - 275

5 Fire dragons, Exarch w/ Fast Shot. 130pts
-> Dedicated Transport Wave Serpent w/ Holo fields, Shuriken Cannon and Scatter Laser. 145pts

Fast Attack - 180

Crimson Hunter Exarch w/Lances. 180pts

2nd Detachment - 598

HQ - 100

Farseer. 100pts

Troops - 121

5 Rangers. 60pts

3 Windrider Jetbikes, Shuriken Cannon. 61pts

Heavy Support - 377

5 Dark Reapers inc Exarch w/ Fast Shot, Reaper Launcher. All with Starshot missiles. 212pts

Vaults Wrath Support Battery: 3 D-Cannons. 165pts

Hope this was helpful.  Do let us know how the game goes.

Upgrade costs removed to comply with GW's copyright rules.  See forum rule 1 for further details - Iris.

[volatilegaz]

Thanks for the replies.
Grizzly: Thanks, that makes me feel better about the static element of my list.

Zandramas: Thanks for your comments:
1 - Agree that Fire Prisms are not brilliant, but I've only got 2 games left with my Eldar before I (probably) start playing Necrons, and I'm keen to give them a last outing -plus I think the DA with their preponderonce of termites, regular marines and AV13 armour are the ideal opponent for the prisms 3 different fire modes, so I'm keen to keep it.
2 - Good point. The campaign rules specify a single CAD from the main codex, plus up to 2 allied detachments, so I could go with a bit of Iyanden. the extra WC from the spiritseer would be handy, too. I'll have a think about shaving some points for a spirit seer.
3 - I'm not so sure that 8 dragons is overkill. -They aren't just there for tank hunting, but also termite hunting. This and the jetbikes are probably the obvious choice for trimming points to afford a Spiritseer, but I don't think it's a no-brainer.
4 -Agreed, and that's how I normally run my jetbikes. But my Farseer doesn't have the Mantle, so he needs a decent bodyguard. Plus it's a nice big squad to benefit from invisibility and/or fortune. I might split it into 6 + 3, or loose some to afford the spiritseer though.
5 - I'm less inclined to include a second farseer. -Eldar HQs in general seem to me to be poor value, and including 3 of them in a 2k list would chaffe with me -it would almost certainly mean dropping at least 1 of my curent units too, so I think I'll pass on this one.
6 - I haven't used the CH / Ch Exarch often enough to have a reliable set of data, but my gut feel is that xpts for a +1 BS is not great value.

The warlord is completely locked -wargear and all.

I'll have a think about getting an Iyanden detatchment in there, and try to post something here later

Thanks again,

VG

Edited for upgrade points value - Iris.

[Rx8Speed]

I also recommend dropping the fire prism. Use the points to get more dark reapers. I don't think a spiritseer is worth it. You should split the jetbikes 6-3. The +1 BS is definitely worth it. 1 more brightlance or pulse laser hit could very likely be the difference between taking out whatever it is you are shooting at. How do you plan to use the d-cannons? Park them on an objective? And shoot at anything that get close?

[volatilegaz]

I played the game over the weekend with my original list and won 20-9.

I'll try and do a proper batrep when I get a chance, but in brief:


mobility wasn't an issue -there was 1 objective in 1 turn that I wanted and couldn't get to, but scoring really wasn't a problem

I could have done with some more WC points. With the sprit stone of unpronouncable, I was able to keep invis & fortune up OK, but couldn't get Vortex to work for me at all

MVP was the Wraithguard with D-scythes, which chomped through his troops & bikes with ease

My Dark Reapers ran away! Maybe a few more bodies in that unit would have been useful

When shot at & charged by 3 squads of angry bikers, even invisibility & fortune isn't enough to survive

Fire Prisms and Crimson Hunters continue to underwhelm me, but waveserpents are so awesome you can afford to have a few units that aren't earning their points. Man, waveserpents are awesome.

I've become a serpentaholic of late, so next game I'm going to run a list without any. Just to prove to myself that I can give them up any time I want.

[Grizzlykin]

You can never escape the serpentcoly. Once it took over you, you lost! Looking forward  for the battle report

[Dread]

If you have trouble quitting them (Wave Serpents), you can join WSA (WAVE SERPENTS ANONAMOUS) or just get the patch. Be sure to talk to your doctor first to make sure the patch doesn't cause any other problems, like sweating paint, your body joints start squeaking like plastic, you start urinating model glue, you know the normal side effects.

But seriously, the list looks fun and as stated, bat rep to let us know how it does.