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EldarOnline => Eldar => Topic started by: Iluvhir Strafermeyer on July 24, 2019, 01:55:41 PM

Title: HQ options
Post by: Iluvhir Strafermeyer on July 24, 2019, 01:55:41 PM
Hi!
I'm running two Battalions - one Alaitoc and one Ulthwe.

My current HQ config is an Autarch Skyrunner and Spiritseer (for the good smite) in the Alaitoc detachment, and Eldrad and a Warlock Skyrunner in the Ulthwe detachment.

I am considering exchaning the Autarch for another Farseer (Skyrunner).

With the Autarch, Eldrad will be using Guide, Doom and Fortune. Guide is for a 10-man Reaper squad.
The Autarch will be helping a squad of 7 Fire Dragons hit their shots with his aura.
Eldrad will hang further back, as my warlord (so I can sacrifice the Autarch more freely) buffing the Reapers and trying to cast Doom (trouble will be getting in range).

If I exhange the Autarch for a Farseer Skyrunner, the idea is for the Skyrunner to use Doom and Executioner and be more on the offensive, while Eldrad keeps Guide and Fortune and gets a third power I haven't decided on yet. The question is if it's worth to give up the aura buffing the fire dragons for another Farseer. Or is Eldrad enough? What are your thoughts on this? 2 Farseers, or just the one?

I believe Eldrad is worth it if you're already planning to run an Ulthwe detachment, right? Otherwise I can save some point by taking a regular footslogging Farseer in that detachment, with Guide and Fortune.
Title: Re: HQ options
Post by: Blazinghand on July 24, 2019, 04:23:55 PM
The Autarch's buff is worth about 1/2 of a Guide to every unit it applies to. I think an Autarch is a reasonable choice if you can get his buff onto a couple of units, and also make use of some other aspect of his kit - ability to farm command points, counter-charge capabilities, etc. If you can get his buff onto *3* units that need it, then it doesn't matter whether the rest of his kit gets used, he'll give good value.

If your concern is whether or not the aura is worth the cost on Fire Dragons, the main comparison here should be, "what if I just took a full 10-elf squad of Fire Dragons instead of bringing an autarch along with them". In this case, 3 more Fire Dragons is probably going to have a bigger impact than an autarch buffing a 7-elf Fire Dragon squad would.

One thing to remember is that your Autarch's Path of Command ability only works on units that share a craftworld with him.




RE: running Farseer + Eldrad - I think this is pretty reasonable. I'd give the Skyrunner Doom + Executioner, and give Eldrad Doom + Guide + Fortune. In a typical turn, Eldrad will just Guide, Fortune, and Smite. The reason we also give him Doom is in case the Skyrunner dies, and also because it means that you have two potential Doom casters - you could have Skyrunner Smite + Executioner and have Eldrad Doom, for example, if you really want a bonus to Doom, or if he's closer.

Generally speaking, Eldrad is more than 1.5x as good as a single Farseer, and costs less than 1.5x as much. He's not a melee monster or a spellcasting beast or anything, but he's one of the more reliable casters in the game and has access to good spells. The only downside is that he's not on a jetbike, but if you position him carefully he is good value.

Title: Re: HQ options
Post by: magenb on July 24, 2019, 06:00:07 PM
I'm assuming you have the Fire Dragons in a Wave, if so, you can put a foot Autarch in the Wave and most likely squeeze one more FD into the squad. It will also keep him out of sniper fire for a while.
Title: Re: HQ options
Post by: Iluvhir Strafermeyer on July 24, 2019, 07:06:36 PM
The reason I have 7 dragons is because I also have 5 Avengers in the serpent. Also, I dont have points for more.

If Im running with an autarch, the only option is to switch from a skyrunner to a footslogger. This means I also have to sell a dragon in order to fit him in the serpent. In total it frees up about 50 points, which can be used to buy an additional Reaper (I was wrong before - the squad is only 9 man strong) and boost another avenger squad from 5 to 6.
Those 50 points would not go to waste, but a Skyrunner is much better overall, I think.

He will follow the serpent (and yes they are the same Craftworld) and provide the aura to the serpent, 7 dragons and 5 DAs once they disembark), though I imagine not all of those units will be within range all the time. The dragons will be prio.

And again, the autarch will NOT be my warlord and so will not generate extra CPs. This is because he will be getting too close to the enemy and I dont expect him to survive very long.

Currently, the choice is between a autarch skyrunner and a farseer skyrunner.
Title: Re: HQ options
Post by: Fenris on July 25, 2019, 06:53:31 AM
Without the full list it's hard to give any advice, everything needs to work like a machine that is more than the sum of it's parts.

Eldrad should be in the fray cracking skulls, I'd give him Executioner, Mind War + Doom or Guide. Then have some hawks dropping in near him because herald of victory boosts Mind War, you can even stack it with multiple hawk units.

This with the Autarch staying back boosting the reapers and farming CP as warlord is my preference. Needs to be ulthwe though.


Title: Re: HQ options
Post by: Blazinghand on July 26, 2019, 02:14:20 AM
Due to his low number of attacks on profile, I think Eldrad is probably not suitable for melee combat.
Title: Re: HQ options
Post by: faitherun (Fay-ith-er-run) on July 26, 2019, 11:06:29 AM
I use both. Autuarch and Farseer on bike. I love them both, but they serve fairly different roles.

The Auturarch I see as more an aggressive unit. Being able to take a Banshee mask makes him an immediate pick for CC in my mind. This pushes him forward, while I find my Skyrunner Farseer hangs mid-field, dancing just shy of combats and supports. Eldrad holds back and supports (love to keep him in a good vantage point, near something deadly and pop forewarned on a unit of deepstrikers).

So, what does your army need when you play? More support mid field? More aggressive support? What else are you running? As mentioned above, CWE really want to try and mesh their units together.
Title: Re: HQ options
Post by: Iluvhir Strafermeyer on July 27, 2019, 05:13:44 AM
I know how I want to play my army, but I wanted some general input on people's preferences because I have to choose between two units and I couldn't decide.

For the next game, I'll likely stick to my original plan and go with Eldrad, two warlocks and an Autarch skyrunner. I don't have the points to exchange a warlock for another Farseer, which would be nice. But my current list is already finely tuned and I have very little to work with without messing the entire list up. :)
Title: Re: HQ options
Post by: Exemplarch on January 31, 2020, 02:11:12 PM
I always take an Autarch as warlord. Mine is called Pia Callo, which sounds like piccolo, which is Italian for small and is a direct Sindarin translation of Little Hero. His size is covered in his back story, he's short for an Eldar, I used an old rogue trader model as the base for him.
He has warlord trait Mark of the incomparable hunter and a reaper launcher, plus shimmer plume of achillirial, and so as an Alaitoc Autarch he's usually -2 to hit. I sit him with a 10 man DR squad and 3 5 man Ranger squads, all within his aura, that's some castle, let me tell you.
To really nark the enemy I sometimes stick a farseer near him so I can use the Forewarned strat for deepstrikers. 10 dark reapers shooting at that squad of primaries rievers that just dropped in as funny as hell!
The DR exarch will be equipped with whatever weapon best suits the enemy and I usually trade crack shot for rapid shot.