I wrote this in
http://www.40kforums.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=93&t=57084Greetings everyone,
Welcome to Eldar Ghost Warrior Army Tactica. It seems Iyanden-like armies are growing and many needs a small help on compositions and deployments. We won't be talking about special-ed characters, but basic compositions ONLY, if you have thoughts on using special characters. Keep your comments away from this topic.
Let's begin:
1. We all know the strengths of the Farseer and Warlocks for this army. These HQ and add-on unit are golden for this army mount them on jetbikes or best is walk them with the army. You're Farseer should mainly have for powers are Fortune and Guide. An occational Mind War isn't that bad to have, but the FIRST two are a MUST! Their wargear should mainly be Spirit Stone and/or Rune of Warding, no need to take singing spears and you need not worry (read my sig.)
2. Warlock add-on units are ok to have, if you have points for it. Other than that concentrate on your Wraithbone Wall.
3. Wraithguards x10 + Spiritseer (power is unneccessary, but handle with care) are TROOPS.
4. If you want these guys to last long and hard, make sure the front rank wraithguards have Conceal and Fortune them on the eventuallity of facing lots Plasma and Lascannon weaponries and reroll those that would probably die even better if in cover 4+ rather than 5+.
5. The second line won't need the conceal, but remember to stick with Guide #3. I find Destructor is probably the nasty thing to bring.
6. Movement should be on your turns are nominally, Move 6 inches and Run d6 inches. Your opponent will try to find a way to scramble against this, but experience ones will stick it out and see how their shooting phase goes, but they all break morale seeing a wraithbone wall.
7. Shooting phase, probably one of the few armies that can shoot at every unit it faces and make it break, unless they stick around then they all disappear into the warp. Do use good judgement on this, for you have such a short range and probably one of the deadliest too, alongside Fire Dragon volley of Fusion Guns.
8. Assault? ? If you can assault a unit with wraithguard, it is fine. S5 T6 3+ sv (and Fortuned?) will be great at anytime, also do think about it, since you have no power weapons just bulk and armor save. Lightning Claws, Power Weapons, especially Powerfist, Thunderhammers and any big strength that hits becomes your ever fearful no retreat rolls.
9. Most people don't see wraithguards out in the battlefield, let alone 20+ of these wraithbones. Let us talk about your Wraithlords. There are several configurations that you can use for weaponries other than the 2 shuriken catapults or flamers or 1 of each but the all important are the following: BL/EML (anti-armour), 1 weap/Wraithsword (reroll to hit), TL- weaponries (Why?), ShurCan/ScatLas (1 R24 and 1 R36?) and StarCan/ScatLas (my favourite and is my default.)
10. Wraithlords are viable targets and most folks are scared of these due to its S10 T8, if you get an opportunity to smack a Necron Monolith or Land Raider more than likely it might be gone. You should have at least 2 of these, so they concentrate their thoughts of it and maybe not on your short range unit that are moving as fast as they could.
11. Armies to be aware about Tyranids (lots of rending capability and it just don't stop in one unit), Power Fist, Thunder Hammer and the likes, those nasty Daemon 4+ to wound against anything and no save against it.
12. This is just a guide for those wanting a try of the Iyanden Army and you should think, if you like a slow army or a faster pace army. Don't use it all the time, just bring it and play especially if people want to see an effective fluff army there is.
In my experience in playing this army, one shouldn't go down lower than 1500 pts. 1000 pts is short on saying rape me please. it also becomes totally dependant on your character to hold off CC and hope to win.
Hordies?? I killed a 32 gaunt strong squad w/ 7 wraithguards and 1 spiritseer. But orks, on the other hand its the reason I stated and said something about mind war, for those Nobz or Sgt w/ PK, or PF.
In 1000pts game, it is a highly nasty army in the right hands. Other than that I wouldn't let someone new play an Iyanden type army. They'd lose interest in playing Eldar.
3-5 man squads of Wraithguards are known as suicide squads. Thank god none of you have played against me, since you would call me crazy. Especially, when I launch a serpent behind the enemy line and stay there for 1 turn for you to hit that Fortuned serpent with everything you think to hit it with and survives.
In any case, 3 is nice as a Bodyguard unit for a farseer and you won't need to buy warlocks for them, but 3-5 wraith squads are alright, but it takes up valuable Elite slots. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend it unless you're playing a HUGE game [I remember 4th ed days, mmmm. Wraithguards x60 (3 units take up Troops and 3 from Elites), Wraithlords x6 (3 from Troops and 3 from Heavy, ahhh the glory days.]
Probably, deployment on the field is essential for people. Unless, you have first turn always deploy them hidden or if you're willing and have conceal (watch out for LRR inferno cannons up close) then do what I do against Tau. To the front and ready to move as quickly as possble and piss them off, coz of the T6 and 3+ fortune-saves or 5+ fortune-covers. Tau feels smaller (S5 v T6) when they fire at these guys like IG firing at Marines (S3 v T4).
Here's a question for all of you, MEQ = Marine Equivalent, what is a wraith army called?
We're known as EGA = Eldar Ghost Army.
Anywho, new advise for those who would probably fight CCW armies, instead of your Destructor second line take Enhance. It makes a huge difference and many don't see it coming till they wonder why are you hitting on 3+ v their WS4, and the I5 starts off nicely for you to kill your enemies. Just DO NOT USE this tactic against Nids or you'll suffer badly.
As a Ghost Army Tactician, no MC is viable against Wraithcannons. Not that our 12 inch really scares those MC, it is the SX AP2 that trully scares all within range of Wraithguards. Yes, we can kill multi wound models, but it really doesn't matter since the armies that carries MC in their armies are Nids, usually if it has or within range of Synapse. It is immune to insta-kill. Chaos Daemons are also immune to insta-kill. The only MCs that are not immune are Eldar and Dark Eldar, kinda wierd eh?
So to sum it up, folks rarely trouble themselves against Wraithguards unless they see them in HUGE numbers. When I say HUGE numbers, I mean number that can literally block off paths to get behind your line.
A unit of 3-10 wraithguards poses as a standing or walking shield for other units, while
several units of 5-10 wraithguards are considered as a walking wall.
If you have questions, not regarding this please just PM me and more than likely I'll respond.