Eldar 6th Edition Codex Review: The good units

So far my previous two articles on the Eldar Codex have given it a complete battering.  I have read the rules through three or four times now and I think I may be coming round to the idea they are not quite as terrible across the board as I had initially thought.

First of all, there are good units in the codex.  That is, out and out, value for money units compared within their own book, and even across the other codexes out there.

Farseers.

These are very good value for their points cost.  Come in at the same cost as a Marine captain in the 5th edition book, are level 3 casters with access to Divination, Telepathy and Runes of Fate.  You want Runes of Fate, and you might want Divination.  I wouldn't personally consider Telepathy a useful use of their time.

They have access to Runes, Ghosthelms etc which are all slightly changed, but not significantly so from what they did previously.  Singing Spears seem better.  No longer specialist weapons/Two handed so as far as I can tell you have no reason not to find the small amount of points to upgrade.  I believe its the same as in the 4th edition book in cost.  Still not Force Weapons.

I think one Farseer is nigh on mandatory.  The Eldar book needs the buffs they provide to become viable and drag some units to become competitive.  In fact there is only one reason I can think, in a standard FOC setting when you wouldn't want to take two.

The reason is the Spiritseer

Spiritseer

A cut price, two wound Farseer.  I believe he is a level 2 psyker too with same Lore access as the Farseer. Comes with a witch staff.  What you include him for is making Wraithguard and Wraithblades scoring Troops rather than Elites.  So good for Iyanden Craftworld armies.  If you are including a unit of Wraithguard or Wraithblades, take a long hard look at this character, expecially if you haven't ear marked the second HQ slot.  Compared to the other troops choices, Wraith units are very hardy.  No longer any requirement for ten either to be scoring.

Jetbikes

These are cheap.  I believe they got a price cut of around 5 points and have the same options as before.  Tough and fast scoring units with jink to throw in a cover save.  Guns are short ranged as ever, but good for winning the movement phase.  Expect to see a lot of these.   The only real downside is the old model.  The same jetbike exists from when I started playing in 1994.  I have no idea when it came out, but it was nearly two decades ago.

Shining Spears

Got a huge points reduction.  Nearly 20 points a model cheaper, or half price I believe!  Same stats as before, but are now reasonably priced.  No longer do laser lances seem an over priced piece of tat and the one attack on the stat line doesn't annoy me so much.  Come with a whole range of abilities to keep them alive.  Skilled Rider is nice on them.

Striking Scorpions

Not the unit as such.  I don't like how mandiblasters became far more complicated.  As I mentioned in my previous posts, they now function like a permanent Hammer of Wrath attack, rather than giving the model a bonus attack.  The effects of this are that the strength of the hit is lower, because it doesn't use the chainsword. but it does automatically hit.  I have not run the exact numbers at this time, but I suspect they may actually be more effective now.

No, the main reason for the inclusion of the Striking Scorpions on the good list is this.  The Scorpions Claw wargear item for the Exarch.  It is simply insanely decent.  It gives the same stat bonuses as a regular old powerfist, you know like it used to be in 4th edition, and has a built in Shurican catapult.  Now I am not a fan of the new weapon on Guardians and Dire Avengers, but as a backup weapon to the main combat weapons, it is fine.

The truly great part of the claw is that the scorpion exarch can stack with an exarch power, making his fist the same strength as a marine using a powerfirst.  However the best bit is it is not a specialist weapon, nor is it unwieldy.  This means he hits nearly everything first, and gets a bonus attack from his chainsword, making up for losing a fist attack to the mandiblasters.

Wave Serpent

It has to be said, I didn't see why this was so good.  But it turns out the actual "shield" on the tank can be fired, and it seems exceptionally good when combined with laser lock.  It may make all of the other eldar tanks redundant given it doesn't take up slots and it also carries the most troops into battle.