Eldar Tactics: How to beat Wraithwing with Eldar

This is a post I've been kicking around with Ayce00 for sometime.  Perhaps some Eldar players have difficulty with Wraithwing.  This can be applied to any army.  It's specific to Eldar.

This is a first for H2Lat40K.  Two author post.  Hope there are more to come.  First part is mine.  Second is 40k buddy 'Canoptek Wraith Slayer' Shawn.  Without further ado:

-Mine-

Necron Canoptek Wraiths can be a pain to deal with.  Especially with T (Toughness) 3 armies like Eldar.  Advantages of a Wraiths is that pesky 3+ invulnerable save with 2 wounds.  It saves them from weapons that would ruin a lesser models day.  Wraiths are T 4 so a S (Strength) 8 weapon will instant kill it when it fails its save.  Fortunately for Wraiths point cost and availability of S 8 weapons helps to keep them around.

One can mathhammer this.  I prefer to go with something I'm slowly putting together.

"There's only so many 1's and 2's on a handful of dice."  That frankly is the answer to Necron Wraithwing.  It isn't The Answer.  It's my answer.

Some players out there would agree, others disagree.  Shooty armies, armies with a lot of ranged attacks, I believe can deal with Wraiths more efficiently than H2H, hand-to-hand, armies.  With Overwatch allowing effectively a free shooting attack when Wraiths declare a charge, this helps shooty armies a lot.

“You don't take a Nerf bat to a knife fight.” ~ Joe Garelli

In my experience of running my Necron Army against Eldar I've found one weapon that can reliably take down at least one Wraith a shooting turn.  You guessed it, Scatter Laser.

Scatter Lasers come in at humble 15 points for Strength 6, Ap 6, Heavy 4.  With Three War Walkers armed with Scatter Lasers shooting at Wraiths.  Wraiths will very quickly be taken off the board.

Mathhammer time.

That is 24 Scatter Laser shots.  BS 3 for Guardians.  They hit half the amount of time.  12 Hits.  Scatter Laser S 6, Wraith T 4 = 2's to wound.  Resulting in 10 wounds.  Wraiths save on 3.  Since there are a certain number of 1's and 2's on a handful of dice on average the Wraith squad will lose 1.6 models each time its shot at by aforementioned War Walkers.  A 6 strong Wraith squad has lost almost a third of its models in one shooting phase.

Say your Eldar army is status-quo.  Farseer casts Guide on War Walkers.  24 shots, 12 hit first time.  6 hit on re-roll.  18 total shots.  15 wounds.  After saves 2.5 Wraith models are removed.  I didn't bother factoring Doom because frankly the scenario doesn't need that overkill.  There are supporting Eldar that can help remove those pesky Wraiths.

What can purchase Scatter Lasers?  War Walkers, Vipers, Falcons, Wave Serpents, Guardian Weapon Platforms and Wraithlords.  Are Scatter Lasers the be-and-end-all to beating Wraithwing.  No.  I find it terribly efficient at doing so.

Say you don't fight Wraithwing.  The meta (larger 40k gaming style) in your area doesn't know about Wraiths or think they are less than.  Instead of Wraiths say your local meta uses Flying Monstrous Creatures.  40k6 pg 49 Grounding Tests If a Flying Monstrous Creature that is Swooping suffers from one or more hits from a unit's Shooting attack, it must take a Grounded test immediately after that Shooting attack has been resolved.  If you have two or more squads with Scatter Lasers that can shoot at the swooping bastard than it has to make X number of Grounded Tests.  X = number of units shoot at it.  I personally love when that happens.  Ground a flying monstrous creature and nearby models descend upon it is just beautiful.

Or say you're fighting Marines.  Yeah Scatter Lasers lack AP to punch through armour.  With that 2+ to wound. The handful of dice the marine player has a certain number of 1's and 2's.  Those I-can't-hear-you-over-the-sound-of-how-awesome-I-am marines will be removed from the table in record speed.  Against Marines it's better because they only have 1 wound.


Here are some words from someone that has successfully handled my Wraithwing several times.

-Ayce00-

Army List:
-HQ
    - Avatar
    - Eldrad
        - always deploy him with Wraithguard unit
- Troops
    - 10 Wraithguard and upgraded warlock to Spiritseer with Conceal
    - 6 Pathfinders in Aegis defence line to receive 2+ cover save
        - I use a icarus Lascanon because you have a better chance of destoying a flyer with 9 str 2 ap
    - Jetbikes
        - 2 squads/ 3 per squad
- Fast Attack
    - Vypers with Bright Lance and Shurikan Cannons
        - 3 squads/ 1 per squad
- Heavy
    - 3 Warwalkers with Scatter Lasers
    - Wraithlord with Bright Lance and Sword
        - 2 of these bad boys
       
The strategy behind this list is pretty basic. You put the Avatar, Eldrad's squad(w/ wraithguard), and both Wraithlords (within 12" of spiritseer) as far up as possible. Also, don't be afraid to use Eldrads ability to redeploy d3+1 units, especially if you deploy first. Most of the time I deploy War Walker squad behind Eldrads squad to gain cover saves and within range of guide.  But depending on the  opponents deployment and army I will start them in reserve with outflank ability. As for Aegis defence line I put this 6" ahead of my deployment line so I can infiltrate my Pathfinders and still be 18" away from enemy deployment. This will help keep most everything within range of sniper rifles. Now you send your four squads forward on the board casting Fortune on Avatar and your own squad (Eldrad). I usually run with these units, it varies with Wraithlords depending if I want to take a couple shots with Brightlances, but make sure, if you can, keep them within range of Spiritseer. Now this is where your opponent should feel the pressure....What Do I Shoot At?? And this is one of the reasons for the 3 Vypers vs. an elite squad. The only thing that has a toughness value less than 6 are your Pathfinders who get a 2+ cover save (always start jetbikes in reserve). And even though the War Walkers and Vypers have a  low armour its still armour 10. Most of the time there is no right answer for your opponent.... because if either of the Wraithlords or the Avatar make it across the board and into assault, its going to be a bad day for almost anything. Or how about those 10 Wraithguard marching to take an objective? And with Eldrad in the group, he should cut you out of most things just in case someone does get to assault that squad. Another thing I have noticed while playing in tournaments is you will almost always have at least one game with Heavy or Fast as scoring units. That is why I like to fill out my Heavy and Fast attack units. This is another reason for Vypers, they are fast skimmers that can jink. So they do have a good chance to survive against a volley of bolter shots. And with as many troop choices as your opponent will have with weaker guns, you dont want to give them a weak squad to shoot at because that is the only thing they can do damage against.... That is why I dont take an elite squad with this army list. If you are playing an opponent with Flyer(s) deploy the War Walkers next to Eldrad and let them take 24 str 6 snapshots at a flyer with Guide so you can reroll misses.... along with that icarus lascanon shooting on their movement phase you should be able to deal with a flyer.  As for assaulting there isnt much out there, besides bad dice rolling, that can stop the Avatar if Eldrad is casting Fortune on him. Example: I have watched him walk into a full squad of Nobs and Ghazghkull on two different occasions. First time, he didnt take a single wound. Second game against same list (my opponent thought I got lucky last time).... he got one wound. I have seen him stand up to a squad of Necron Wraiths on more than one occasion also (which my friend JJ can attest to). Speaking of good assaulting Eldar units I should mention Wraithlords. On more than one occasion I have watched him get tangled up with some Orc Boys or Space Marines and my opponent didnt know his str 4 attacks cant do anything to a toughness 8 creature. Make sure you challenge the character in the squad because if he is equipped with a power fist or power klaw for example he can hurt you. But with a challenge its just 1 vs 1 and opponents initiative at 1 you should kill him because you get to reroll to hit with your sword and you wound on 2+. Str 10, T 8, makes him pretty good against alot of units. Even those nasty Necron Wraiths who have to wound him on 6's and are instant killed on 2's if they fail their saves. One other important thing that opponents realize at the end of the game, the two squads of Jetbikes that started in reserve that didnt do a thing all game are great for getting points on round 5+. They are a scoring unit with 3+ armour and 4+ jink when turbo-boosted that have a total movement of 48" + 2d6 on assault phase that almost always get you line breaker for 66 points. Also if you have a few extra points, throw on a shurikan cannon for versatility.

And that is why I love this list and the Eldar army in general! Every unit has a specific job or two to do, and if done correctly work great in unison. Except the swooping hawks.... I havent found a way to use them effectively/efficiently??

I am sure that I have forgotten a thing or two, but I hope this helps those Eldar players out there. At least give them something to think about or expand on.


slainte mhath