Of all the major Craftworlds, Alaitoc seems to be the least popular as of late. Though there are still plenty of avid fans (Kaminari), and Alaitoc themed lists are still being posted (cadians), since the release of 5th Edition they seem to have taken a back seat to other, more viable themes. Not to be dismayed by this, I have put together an Alaitoc themed army as part of my series of five:
(195) Maugan Ra.
(145) Farseer w/ Fortune, Doom, Runes of Warding & Spirit Stones.
(192) Pathfinders x8.
(95) Rangers x5.
(126) Jetbike Guardians x3 w/ Shuriken Cannon. Jetbike Warlock w/ Embolden.
(276) Harlequins x10 w/ Kisses x4 & Fusion Pistol x2. Death Jester, Shadowseer & Troupe Master w/ Power Weapon.
(212) Striking Scorpions x10. Exarch w/ Scorpion’s Claw, Shadowstrike & Stalker.
(85) Vyper w/ EML, Shuriken Cannon & Spirit Stones.
(85) Vyper w/ EML, Shuriken Cannon & Spirit Stones.
(168) Swooping Hawks x6. Exarch w/ Sunrifle & Skyleap.
(180) Falcon w/ EML, Holo-Fields & Spirit Stones.
(120) War Walkers w/ Dual Scatter Lasers x2.
(120) War Walkers w/ Dual Shuriken Cannons x3.
Total: 1999 points
35 Infantry, 6 Jump Infantry, 4 Jetbikes, 8 Vehicles
3 Scoring Units, 16 Kill Points
Army Design Concept:
This concept centers around Maugan Ra's quest to save his home Craftworld of Altansar from the Eye of Terror. I made an assumption that he sought help in his quest, and that of all the other Craftworlds, the Eldar of Alaitoc would be most likely to give him aid. Joined by a small task force of Aliatoc Pathfinders and scouts, Maugan Ra sought out the mysterious Harlequins, whose unparalleled knowledge of the Webway provided him a way to breach the Empyrean. Eventually, Maugan Ra and his allies were successful, and Altansar was rescued from the clutches of the Warp.
From a gaming standpoint, I tried to select "scout" units for this army. Rangers and Pathfinders should come as no surprise there, and I felt that Striking Scorpions and Swooping Hawks also fit the theme. I added in a small squad of Jetbikes for an additional scoring unit, and Vypers and War Walkers for mobile firepower. This army has a noticable deficit in anti-tank capabilities; but I accepted that as a compromise to keep the theme of the list intact. After all, Maugan Ra's quest was primarily an armed reconnisance, not a mission for battle. The Phoenix Lord was not interested in challenging the might of the forces of Chaos in open battle, least of all in their own back yard, and so this list reflects his need for speed and steath, rather than pure combat power.
Strategy:
The Farseer rides in the Falcon, accompanied by the small squad of Rangers as an escort. He uses the Falcon as a mobile platform from which he can direct the strike force, without the fear of being bogged down. This is also a variation of the DAVU Falcon concept, providing a durable scoring unit. I chose Rangers over Dire Avengers, in spite of the increased cost, in order to stay within the theme of the army.
The Pathfinders will occupy and objective (in cover) on my side of the board, while taking advantage of the Farseer's Doom power to bring down tough enemy units. The Jetbikes will be held in reserve as long as possible, and then attempt to grab a late objective. I purposely kept the squad small in order to better keep it hidden, and also because this is supposed to be a "non-confrontational" task force.
Maugan Ra will join the Harlequins in order to add his firepower to that of the Death Jester, while taking advantage of the Shadowseer's Veil of Tears. He can also add his close combat prowess to the squad, as well as providing some additional options in terms of wound allocation. In a pinch, the Farseer can dismount from the Falcon and join this unit, or cast Fortune on it while remaining aboard his transport.
The Striking Scorpions are the secondary assault unit for the army. They can support the Harlequins or serve as a counter-assault unit for the Pathfinders, as needed. The Swooping Hawks, Vypers, and War Walkers are the mobile fire support of the army. The Swooping Hawks have the option to exercise the "Yo-Yo" manuver, though I equipped the Exarch with a Sunrifle in order to boost the squads firepower on the ground. The War Walkers can also outflank if I want them to. The variety of options available to this army give it good tactical flexibility.
The biggest weakness of this army is its lack of anti-tank capabilites. In order to destroy enemy vehicles, this list relies heavily on being able to outmanuver the enemy, seeking side and rear armor shooting opportunities. However, as I stated earlier, the theme of this army is reconnisance, and so I was willing to compromise somewhat on competitive strength in order to uphold the theme I was going for.
I welcome any comments (or rating: Gustikk/Moc) you may have. I am not seeking advice on how to improve the army list however, as I consider it a finished product.
C.S.