The Eldar codex review is slowly coming to end. This post will be covering the heavy support units, the last bit of the FoC. Special characters will round up the review. If you missed the last part here is the link: Eldar Codex Review: Fast Attack
Dark Reapers
The Dark Reapers are another one of the Eldar units taken a points cost; they have dropped by 5 points. They now get slow & purposeful, which is very handy for moving about without having to snap fire and they get reaper range fire - this ignores jink saves! Yikes!
The reaper missile launcher got an upgrade and can now take starshot missiles, these are basically krak missiles with the pinning rule. This would work extremely well with terrify psychic power.
You can add an Exarch to the unit who can take an eldar missile launcher with flakk missiles. In total this would cost 30 points and while the Exarch hits on a 2+ I am not sure if it worth it, especially as the rest of the unit is still snap firing at flyers and the flakk missiles are only S7. The fast shot ability though is nice for the Exarch and allows you to get another shot, costs 10 points, so isn't too bad. This would combo with the flakk missile upgrade nicely, but still will cost a fair chunk of points.
Summary
Dark Reapers are much better in this codex and I can see them having an important role on the battlefield as their S5 AP3 heavy 2 guns will murder Space Marines and monstrous creatures, which is great as 6th ed has a lot of hybrid (foot and mech) lists. You can give them extra utility by giving them the starshot missiles, though this can make them costly, but will make them roughly the same points as a Space Marine Devastator squad - just a much better one!
Rating: 8/10
Vaul's Wrath Support Battery
Vaul's Wrath Support Battery aka Support Battery has not only taken a name change but has taken a 10 points increase, but when you factor in this comes with the shadow weaver included while previously the weaver was 10 points all is the same. A big change for the Vaul's Wrath is BS4 thanks to the Guardian change and or course the rules change for artillery.
You can switch the shadow weaver for a d-cannon or vibro cannon, the latter is free while the former is 25 points. Previously both cost 30 points a pop. The d-cannon has the distort rule and comes in S10 AP2 blast form. The vibro cannon is pretty cool as if a enemy unit is hit by two or more vibro shots from the same unit then the strength is increased and AP is reduced for each one over the first - so if three vibro cannons hit they could be S9 AP2. They also cause pinning, which could stack nicely with other abilities, but I feel the vibro cannon is left best at light armour as it is only a single shot - a unit of triple vibro cannons could knock out 3 x S9 AP2 hits if they all hit, awesome for dismantling Rhinos and a-like.
Summary
The Vaul's Wrath is pretty cool and I can see units of triple batteries dishing out the pain in vibro form; getting bonus strength and ap from just hitting is just wicked, on average should hit two shots so will be S8 AP3. However, if you go on value for points there are other units which are better, but I can see Vaul's Wrath being used in foot lists or jet bike lists.
Rating: 6.5/10
Fire Prism
The Fire Prism is one of my favourite units in the Eldar codex - nothing like dropping templates on stuff and blowing them to kingdom come. Looking at the Fire Prism in the new codex is has taken a 10 point increase, though that's not too bad.
The prism cannon has taken a change (which makes up for the points increase) as the large blast shooting attack has changed to AP3 (previously AP4) while the small blast has decreased to S7 AP2. It isn't all bad as the Fire Prism gets a new shooting attack in the form of S9 AP1 lance.
You can add vehicle wargear to the Fire Prism, holofield is an excellent bit of kit as you could get a nice bit of cover for a Fire Prism and drop it behind it and get a nice +1 thanks to the holofield. Makes the Prism to be 140 points, but I think it is worth it and will be a very useful bit of kit.
Summary
I've got much love for the Fire Prism and you could say heavily biased as I like it so much. While the Prism has got slightly expensive I think that points increase is justified for the better large blast and new lance shooting attacks.
The down side to the Prism is the same as all single shot vehicles and that's you're at the mercy of the scatter dice. Even when you can fire a straight shot you can only fire one and 140 points is a lot if you're just knocking out lance shots.
Rating: 7.5/10
Night Spinner
The Spinner is sort of new for the codex but at the same time isn't. The Spinner wasn't in the previous Eldar codex, but was a Forge World unit which was then later introduced for the Planetstrike expansion I believe.
The Spinner costs 115 points, which frankly isn't too bad at all. Though all you get is the doomweaver weapon, which is a monofilament weapon in S7 AP6 large blast pinning form or S7 AP1 template torrent. Keep in mind monofilament have the rule if firing at initiative 1 or below models or models with no initiative then counts as +1 strength - so that could be S8. In addition 6+ to wound counts as AP1.
Vehicle upgrades are available, holofield is pretty mandatory on vehicles. Star engines maybe useful on the Night Spinner if you intend to use the template attack. Other wise it has 48" range so sit back and mince up infantry.
Summary
Not a too bad unit though I cannot see it being the most popular. You need a Hemlock to work with this or Spiritseers and Warlocks so you can access the terrify power and pin units. It's an alright unit, not great but not suck ass. You will probably see it in lists for those who like to take something different.
I also think the weapons look like to giant man tackle with clawed ends - wtf Eldar gay boys?
Rating: 6.5/10
Falcon
Like the Fire Prism, the Falcon has taken a 10 points increase though comes with a shuri cannon as standard while previously you had to pay 5 points extra, so really only taken a 5 points increase.
You can switch the shuri cannon for a starcannon, bright lance, scatter laser or eldar missile launcher. You can also switch the underslung shrui catapult for another shuri cannon.
Vehicle wargear is available though only one I would consider would be holofields, really awesome if the Falcon can sit back partly hidden behind some terrain, particularly a ruin.
Summary
With the pulse laser, scatter laser and shuri cannon you can make a S6 gun twin-linked gun boat which is excellent at transport hunting. Add in the trusty holofield and you have a good ranged transport hunter - Rhinos beware!
I have never been a massive fan of the Falcon so the final rating my reflect this. I find that the pulse laser along with additional weaponry aren't suited too well; pulse laser for cracking vehicles while shuri cannon or scatter laser can just about help at a push. The eldar missile launcher is too expensive to add and while the bright lance suits the Falcon as a transport hunter, the scatter laser is just way too good to pass on. Once you add all the bells and whistles you're talking a fair chunk of points.
Rating: 7/10
War Walker
The War Walker like other heavy support choices has taken a points increase and a whooping 30 points increase at that! But, do not let that points increase piss on your chips. The War Walker now comes with dual shuri cannons while previously you had to pay 5 points a pop for these. It also still has the scout rule too.
War Walkers get battle focus and ancient doom. Battle focus is extremely wicked for War Walkers as they can play peek-a-boo and pop out from terrain, open a barrage of shots and then hide back into cover. If that wasn't awesome enough they also now get fleet so you can re-roll those run distances if you do not disappear far enough :)
Now I am not going to complain about this, but for some reason the War Walker got a 5+ inv save - awesome!
As War Walkers are piloted by Guardians they got a +1 to weapon and ballistic skill - now hitting on a 3+ for shooting.
Oh, all War Walkers are now dirty cheap, except the eldar missile launcher, though that has taken a small points decrease, every little helps.
* Genuine question, would a scatter laser twin-link another scatter laser? If it works for other weapons I do not see why not.
It's not all smiles though, the War Walker did get open topped and as it is av10 all the way around it is pretty easy to cause some damage. But considering the buffs the War Walker got from the previous codex I do not think you can really complain.
Summary
The War Walker is the golden child of the heavy support choices and is without a doubt the best unit in this slot. I think you would be crazy to pass over War Walkers and really you only wouldn't take them because you like the look of another model.
Rating: 9.5/10
Wraithlord
The Wraithlord was a seriously messed up unit in the last Eldar codex and really needed fixing to make it viable. It has now taken a 30 points increase, which lets face it 90 points for a big ass monster was very cheap. It has also taken a drop in strength down to S8, but that isn't too bad as it has smash attacks. Speaking of attacks the Wraithlord gained an additional attack.
Thankfully the annoying wraith sight rule is gone, which is a massive bonus for the Wraithlord. You also do not have to arm it with additional weaponry like previously, which by the way are cheaper in points. Also if you take two they do not become twin-linked, another stupid thing from the previous codex.
If you're upset about the strength loss you can take a ghostglaive for cheapo points which gives +1 strength and master crafted. For some reason it is AP2, though all monstrous creature attacks are AP2 because monsters have the smash rule.
Summary
The Wraithlord has certainly improved by a great measure and those are much needed improvements. I can say that is it viable again, but I think it will be over shadowed by the more cost effective War Walkers - a single Wraithlord with dual scatter lasers would be 150 points while two War Walkers with dual scatters each would be 10 points less. Of course the Wraithlord has better close combat abilities and can take a lot more punishment.
Rating: 6/10
Wraithknight
The Wraithknight is the new big kid on the block and makes the Wraithlord look like a little baby. The Wraithknight is basically a super size Wraithlord but comes in at S10 and an impressive 6 wounds. This big boy is also jump monstrous creature, yes, jump!
Standard weapons are two heavy wraithcannons, which are cracking guns and excellent for taking out transport vehicles (basically longer range wraithcannon). The range of 36" shouldn't be an issue thanks to jump infantry. You can switch the heavy wraithcannons for a suncannon and scattershield, which gives the Wraithtitan triple blast shots and an invulnerable save. The ghostglaive is utterly pointless.
You can also add a shuri cannon, scatter laser and starcannon, though the later two are pretty expensive. Considering that a monstrous creature can only fire two weapons then you would be wasting points IF you keep the wraithcannons.
Summary
I think the Wraithknight will be attractive because it is big, new and shiny, but don't be fooled by it. It's just a super size Wraithlord which can contribute just as much. As much as it is a cool model I don't think I would bother with the Wraithknight. Unfortunately there's better heavy support choices available. And for those of you who say it can absorb fire, this is true but spending 240 points just to attract fire isn't a good use of points.
Rating: 5/10
While the Eldar have some nice heavy support choices I feel it is perhaps the weaker area of choice in the codex as majority of the units are nothing more than reasonable.
The star of the show without a doubt are the War Walkers. Fire Prism and Falcon duke it about and are about equal while everything else kind of lags behind or whatever they can offer can be done better by other units.
What is your thoughts on the Eldar heavy support units?