Eldar info

[InfestedKerrigan]

It’s official – the next codex for Warhammer 40,000 (and the first xenos codex of the new edition!) is Codex: Craftworlds!

Older hobbyists among you may remember Craftworld Eldar, which contained rules for Ulthwé, Iyanden, Biel-Tan, Altaioc and Saim-Hann. Codex: Craftworlds is the spiritual successor to that book as well as a step forward for the army in line with the other codexes we’ve released so far, featuring five new Craftworld Attributes designed to represent the unique ways these Aeldari go to war. The abilities are powerful, thematic, and flexible, and open up new tactical possibilities for army-building.

These Craftworld Attributes are paired with a range of Stratagems, Warlord Traits, no less than two vastly expanded psychic disciplines and powerful Remnants of Glory. Just check out the Psytronome of Iyanden:

Wow! Talking of Ghost Warriors, the new Start Collecting: Craftworld box has quite a few, featuring both a Wraithlord and someWraithguard, as well as a War Walker andFarseer. This kit makes for a great start to your Craftworlds army, or as an addition to an existing force.

There are also some new dice on the way that are perfect for Craftworlds fans. There’s a grand total of 6 sets(!) for you to choose from, each representing a different Aspect Shrine.

 

If you’re looking for a leader for your Craftworlds army, you’ll be happy to hear that Eldrad Ulthran – first seen in plastic in the Death Masque set – will be available to pre-order separately next week.

Next week also sees the Triumvirate of Ynnead repackaged for the new edition. As well as three awesome character models, this set contains full datasheets for everything inside, as well rules for fielding Ynnari detachments in your army, meaning you won’t need anything else to use them with your Craftworlds codex!

This Aeldari release won’t just see the return of some classic rules, but some classic models, too! For one week only, starting Saturday next week, the latest wave of Made to Order models will give you your chance to get your hands on some rare and out of production Craftworlds miniatures. There are Farseers, Exarchs, and, most excitingly, the much-coveted Bonesinger and the classic Rogue Trader Farseer (who looks pretty great for 28 years old!).  While you’re waiting for this Craftworlds celebration to land on store shelves, it’s a great time to catch up on some topical reading, and we can’t recommend Gav Thorpe’s Eldar Path Trilogy and the classic Bill King novel, ‘Farseer’, enough.

We’ll be previewing the new codex in detail over the next week, starting on Monday – make sure to come back to Warhammer community then to check out all the new rules.

That’s not the end of the alien menace either. There’s a new Tyranids codex on the way in November. While this won’t be available to pre-order next Saturday, you won’t have too long to wait until you can get your hands on the complete guide to the armies of the Great Devourer. It’s not just new rules, either – here’s some awesome looking new art!

Come back next week to pre-order your Codex: Craftworlds and rare and classic Aeldari models, and stay tuned right here on Warhammer Community for more juicy details about these upcoming xenos codexes.

[InfestedKerrigan]

Fail on the dice, imo.

[InfestedKerrigan]

Don't play Eldar, but may pickup a couple Bonesingers and other M2O Spelfs.

[WestRider]

49 minutes ago, InfestedKerrigan said:

Don't play Eldar, but may pickup a couple Bonesingers and other M2O Spelfs.

I'm tempted as well. Some of those older Eldar Models were sweet.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, InfestedKerrigan said:

Fail on the dice, imo.

Those ultramarines Dice I got are still the worst. Those above are at least legible. 

The ultramarines use roman numerals for 2-6, meaning that you have a VI and an IV on the same die....And the Ultramarine symbol replaces the 1...Replacing the 6 with the U would have been the smart choice. I like roman numerals, but this can be annoying to read them at a glance. 

[WestRider]

1 hour ago, paxmiles said:

Those ultramarines Dice I got are still the worst. Those above are at least legible. 

The ultramarines use roman numerals for 2-6, meaning that you have a VI and an IV on the same die....And the Ultramarine symbol replaces the 1...Replacing the 6 with the U would have been the smart choice. I like roman numerals, but this can be annoying to read them at a glance. 

Some of the Objective Markers I have use Roman numerals, and yeah, the IV vs. VI thing can be really annoying to try to sort out at times. There are reasons we switched to using Arabic numerals instead.

[InfestedKerrigan]

10 hours ago, WestRider said:

There are reasons we switched to using Arabic numerals instead.

Thanks, Obama!

[WestRider]

Craftworld Focus: Iyanden

Codex: Craftworlds is our most detailed look at the Asuryani yet, packed with stratagems, warlord traits and psychic powers designed to let you build thematic, fun and powerful armies. There are also 5 new Craftworld Attributes to customise your army with, representing the distinctive ways the Aeldari go to war. In a series of previews this week, we’ll be looking at all of these in detail.

Iyanden is a craftworld renowned for its tragic history and its serried Spirit Hosts, making heavier use of ghost warriors than any other. Wraith constructs will still be an important part of Iyanden armies, but their Craftworld Attribute is versatile enough to allow for a range of powerful builds focused around elite units of all kinds, including tanks and aspect warriors.

The Craftworld Attribute

Stoic Endurance helps shore up the Craftworld’s vulnerability to Morale tests. Perhaps nothing is worse than watching a couple of casualties on a costly unit of Wraithguard turn into a devastating rout, and with this trait, you won’t have to worry. On the other side of the coin, 20-strong units of Guardians become much more efficient and make for an excellent target for Psychic Powers without having to worry about being mauled in the Morale phase.

The second part of Stoic Endurance helps your tanks and larger constructs keep kicking even after heavy damage. Enemies will need to chip 17 wounds off of an Iyanden Wraithknight before seeing any appreciable difference in its combat effectiveness!

Best Units

It’d hardly be an Iyanden army without some ghost warriors, would it? Wraithblades in the new codex are just as deadly as they’ve always been, with some added bonuses. Smaller Wraith units have received an additional point of Toughness in the new codex, bringing Wraithguard and Wraithblades up to Toughness 6 and Wraithlords to Toughness 8, making them markedly more resilient against incoming enemy fire.

What’s more, they don’t even cost any more points!

The perfect accompaniment to a Spirit Host unit is a Spiritseer. These guys are already an efficient HQ choice for a Craftworlds army, and have even seen a reduction in cost, now a steal at 45 points, only 10 more than a Warlock! Use yours to cast the new psychic power Empower on your Wraithblades, trigger the Psytronome of Iyanden and throw in the Guided Wraithsight Stratagem and you’ll be dishing out 60 Strength 7 AP -3 attacks, hitting on a 4+ with a reroll and D3 damage apiece – enough to scrap even a Baneblade in close combat.

Want your army to hit hard and take a beating in return? Iyanden is the Craftworld for you. Come back tomorrow, when we’ll be taking a closer look at Ulthwé, as well as how the Black Guardians are represented in the new codex.

[Romans832]

AWESOME!
How cool my Bonesingers will finally be something instead of a Warlock or Farseer!
Kind of sad to see them bringing back my pewter models as plastic

[pretre]

Craftworld Focus: Ulthwé

The warriors of Ulthwé are renowned for their foresight, as well as their relentlessly drilled Black Guardians. After all, nothing sharpens the senses quite like living next to a roiling maw of raw Chaos energy. With the new Craftworlds codex, Ulthwé armies are among the most flexible, with a Craftworld Attribute that has benefits for every unit in your army, a powerful and thematic Stratagem and one of the best Psykers in the game.

The Craftworld Attribute

Foresight of the Damned is the most versatile of the new Craftworld Attributes, acting as a flat (and much-welcome) universal bonus to the durability of the Asuryani. On more fragile units, this additional save helps to compensate for Toughness 3, while tanks and Wraith constructs are even harder to kill and gain some additional resilience against mortal wounds.

Best Units

Guardians in the new Craftworlds codex will still be the mainstay of your Asuryani army, having received several indirect improvements with Stratagems and Craftworlds Attributes at no increase in points cost. Statistically speaking, you’ll get more out of Foresight of the Damned on larger units, while the low armour saves of the Guardians are vastly improved by an additional chance at saving a wound. Ulthwé armies also have access to a unique Stratagem designed to represent the superior discipline of the famed Black Guardians:

Throw in a nearby Autarch utilising the new and improved Path of Command ability and you’ll have a terrifyingly accurate firebase capable of chewing through light and heavy infantry alike. Meanwhile, if you’re having problems with durability, a quick Celestial Shield should help see to that:

Between a considerable cut in points and the vastly expanded Runes of Fate discipline, Eldrad Ulthran makes for the perfect leader for an Ulthwé army (it helps that he’ll be available to pre-order in plastic at the same time as the codex, too!).

While you’ll be spoilt for choice with what powers to take on Eldrad, we’d recommend Mind War, a deadly new way of dealing with particularly troublesome characters:

Combine this ability with a nearby Hemlock Wraithfighter (which reduces enemy Leadership by 2), a unit of Warlocks casting Horrify (which reduces it by a 1) and you could quite easily cut down a key Commissar or even a Space Marine Ancient with a deadly deluge of mortal wounds.

In short, Ulthwé armies are a flexible fighting force capable of shrugging off damage and dishing out a surprising amount of it in return. Come back tomorrow, when we’ll be checking out the indomitable warriors of Biel-Tan, alongside a new Stratagem that’ll make your Avatar of Khaine all but invincible…

[Gorgosaurusrex]

I'm not sure what I expected Ulthwé to get but that certainly wasn't it. I like the ability and think it's pretty good though.

 

I like the subfaction-specific stratagems. It's a great way to introduce more rules without cluttering up the codex.

[Romans832]

Welcome to Mind War, it's been around forever, but we'll tell you it's new 

[Romans832]

3 minutes ago, necrontyr said:

Nothing new in plastic, all the Made to Order stuff is pewter. Only Eldrad is plastic and getting a new release.

ROFL

My bad.

[JMGraham]

Anyone have any insight into whether we might see a new Shining Spears kit?

[pretre]

4 minutes ago, JMGraham said:

Anyone have any insight into whether we might see a new Shining Spears kit?

It doesn't look like new kits are forthcoming on this one.

[peter.cosgrove]

Waiting for the Blood Angels. Kinda already know what they are going to do, kinda hoping they bring back a version of the Red Thirst, Kinda know they aren't. Kinda expecting a blah blah blah. Also kinda expecting some sort of game breaking version of charge rerolls or add 2" to charge distance. Kinda expecting nothing at all except spehs muhreen variant stratagems.

[JMGraham]

3 hours ago, pretre said:

It doesn't look like new kits are forthcoming on this one.

I haven't seen anything new yet either but .... would that be a GW 1st? A new codex without any new models to sell?

[VonVilkee]

Mechanicus went out no new models... repackaged (Cawl separate) but nothing new, grey knights also not new models wait repackaged Voldus separate.  

[WestRider]

CSM didn't get new Models either. The trend seems to be indicated by the cover art: If that's new, new Models as well. If that's reused, no new Models.

[pretre]

Posted 18/10/2017

Craftworld Focus: Biel-Tan

Biel-tan have had a bit of a hard time of late, what with their craftworld being shattered by a Slaaneshi assault and the awakening of the Aeldari god of death, Ynnead. Such events have done nothing to diminish the warlike spirit of this most militant of craftworlds, and in the new codex, they remain a ferociously powerful fighting force capable of making the most of Aspect Warriors and shuriken weapons alike.

The Craftworld Attribute

Aspect Warriors are a key element of any Craftworlds army, and the last thing you’ll want is to lose a costly Dark Reaper or Howling Banshee to a bad Morale test. Swordwind helps compensate for this with an additional point of Leadership.

Where Swordwind really comes into its own is with shuriken weaponry. Nearly every Craftworlds unit or vehicle has access to a shuriken weapon of some form or another, and with a near-universal Ballistic Skill of 3+ this essentially amounts to re-rolling a full half of all your missed attacks. Not bad!

Best Units

Dire Avengers are well placed to take advantage of both parts of Swordwind, possessing the Aspect Warrior keyword and wielding Avenger shuriken catapults. Both Dire Avengers and their weapons now cost fewer points, making them an excellent choice for filling out a Biel-Tan Battalion detachment. The new Stratagem Feigned Retreat particularly suits the short-ranged defensive warfare at which the Dire Avengers excel:

The Avatar of Khaine makes for a great leader for any Craftworlds army, possessing fantastic durability, a high Wounds count and devastating attacks in melee. In a Biel-Tan army, the Avatar of Khaine makes for a deadly lynchpin for your assaults.

Naturally, a powerful ability like this is likely to make the Avatar a high priority target for your enemies, but thanks to a new Craftworlds stratagem, not even death can stop this deadly demigod:

Biel-Tan armies are perfect if you love Aspect Warriors, shuriken weapons, or both. More of a fan of Jetbikes? You’re in luck – don’t miss our preview of Saim-Hann tomorrow, where we’ll be looking at the re-tuned and much improved Jetbikes, as well as even more handy Stratagems for your army.

[JMGraham]

I'm interested to find out what they did with jetbikes tomorrow. It seems that, without access to jetbikes-as-troops, a Saim-Hann army isn't really possible.

Edit : Nevermind that. With outrider detachments it's absolutely possible!

[InfestedKerrigan]

Silly Jim, that nurgle rot is getting to your brain.

[Guest]

On October 16, 2017 at 12:59 PM, WestRider said:

It’d hardly be an Iyanden army without some ghost warriors, would it? Wraithblades in the new codex are just as deadly as they’ve always been, with some added bonuses. Smaller Wraith units have received an additional point of Toughness in the new codex, bringing Wraithguard and Wraithblades up to Toughness 6 and Wraithlords to Toughness 8, making them markedly more resilient against incoming enemy fire..

Haven't they always been toughness 6 and 8 respectively? I know wraithlords were T8 in 4th and 5th...

[WestRider]

They were T5 and 7 respectively in the Index. I know WraithLords were T8 for a long time, because there was a huge uproar when Space Marines suddenly couldn't hurt them with Bolter Fire or basic CC Attacks anymore, but then everyone got over it once they actually started taking enough Heavy and Special Weapons. And yeah, pretty sure WraithGuard were T6 at least at some point. I don't have any of the older Eldar Dexes on hand to check, tho.

[Prophecy]

Whoever is writing these Eldar summaries doesn't really know the army. That Avatar stratagem is really cool though. I remember when he only had a 5+ save and could be killed by scouts with bolters. Granted 85 points was a good deal.