eldar, are they worth playing Options

[whitetailscramblers]

So after years of sitting in my shed I was looking at selling them, I have not played them since 4th ed. But im asking all the eldar players are they still competitive? Do they have a new dex or should I wait for the new one to come out.

Any advice would be appriciated.


Drew

[TheOriginalHavoc]

Yes they are, No they haven't and No you shouldn't.

Still just as deadly as any other army out there

[SpacedOut]

They are pretty unforgiving though. Typically fragile, expensive (some say outright overcosted) units and upgrades means you can't afford to make a lot of mistakes, and you need a plan and must be discerning about which units and options you take when you construct your army. They've been not inconsiderably overshadowed by the most recent 5th ed codices, but it makes it all the more rewarding when you are able to pull out a win.

This post has been edited by SpacedOut: May 2 2012, 03:43 PM

[Zidi]

Fire dragons still blow stuff up, holo-fields still frustrate, and doom can still lead to the death of nearly anything with the right back-up.

[Golden Gecko]

PM EzekielBrodie and Son of Dorn

[Chaplain_Fortis]

They're pretty bad and hard to use in general now. I wouldn't want to try to pick them up and play competitively with them. I know some people have had success, they seem to be the outliers. They'll get a new book within 2 years. Play them then but for now sell them if you find a decent buyer.

[whitetailscramblers]

Thanks for the heads up, I was thinking of selling them and getting back into nids. The models look really good now.

[nevaenuffbass]

I think you'll have a better time with the girldar than the nids.

I know of eldar winning at least two tournaments. They are also better equipped than most armies to deal with grey knights, due to their psychic defence.

However, they are very tricky to play, and the wrong list is very unforgiving.

The strengths:
Wave serpents are arguably the best transport in the game
Doom and Runes of warding
Fire dragons
Dire avengers, when combined with doom

The weaknesses
limited competitive build options
most of the codex is over-costed

Still, whether it is club gaming or tournament play, you can make a list that will be both fun and competitive. You may find them to be as much a financial liability as anything else in the plasticrack hobby. I just spent a small fortune buying more 4 more war walkers for a tournament.

[whitetailscramblers]

Back in the day I had a 1500p pathfinder army, and I think about 2000p of a star cannon army. I built this just to play my friends space puppies and pump out nearly 30 star cannon shots a turn. Not very friendly but fun on the weekend when its a multiple player drinking game when units are destroyed you get the idea. And everyone has the maximum amount of cheese points can buy. Ahh the good old days of 3rd and 4th ed.

[Blackhearts Reaver]

I wrote a list to take this year, and it came out an Autarch to expensive on what I thought was 1750 so about 7-10% too expensive.

I ran a 3/5 list ands still managed 5 minor wins, so yes they are a useful list. I would not eexpect smashing people. With a more competitive builds a player would be able to do very well in the current crop of lists. Just be prepared to play hide and seek with the more harsh enemy builds that are currently available and contest objectives late in the game with multiple turbo'ed Arm 12 skimmers. KP denial is what they do well. Farseer (or Eldrad seems to make it into alot of lists) is essential. Waves serpents are expensive but survivable, God falcons are very frustrating and Fire dragons are also a useful tool. Everything else is up for grabs...

This post has been edited by Blackhearts Reaver: May 4 2012, 07:42 AM

[Paddlepop Lion]

I found them to be easy enough to win games but its not that easy to kill alot of things.
Once a marine army like GK, space wolves or blood angels have cracked the formation of an army they tend to walk right through the rest of it but eldar play in a very different way to other armies from my experience.
Im sure you could pick them up and do well enough but if any of the rumours are true about 6th ed eldar will change completely.
Units that were previously good could end up bad and visa-versa so i wouldnt suggest picking them up again untill after 6th ed has settled in and you know what units you want to use.

[Krefey]

The main issue I've had with Eldar is the lack of reliable long range anti tank at a reasonable points cost. They're more than capable of dealing with anything else.

[EmpireGuard]

Thanks for the heads up, I was thinking of selling them and getting back into nids. The models look really good now.

Oh in that case they suck so much I'm the only person buying them and I only buy them at a very cheap price.

No Really they are fine, Just a bit of a glass hammer.

[J.McGowan]

The main issue I've had with Eldar is the lack of reliable long range anti tank at a reasonable points cost. They're more than capable of dealing with anything else.

Eldritch storm jetseer. works a treat

[EzekielBrodie]

Wait 12-18 months for new codex IMO. I am.

[wixy]

Play Eldar for all the awesome combo's that can be devised.

My fav: Falcon + Holo Fields + Star Engines + Fire Dragons (Fortune optional)

First turn, move 36" straight into the centre of the enemies army, watch panic and frustration ensue, then blow stuff up.

[Tom]

Play Eldar for all the awesome combo's that can be devised.

My fav: Falcon + Holo Fields + Star Engines + Fire Dragons (Fortune optional)

First turn, move 36" straight into the centre of the enemies army, watch panic and frustration ensue, then blow stuff up.

Or it gets hit with a couple of melta-guns..
That's what, 300 points? It used to be okay, but nowadays it honestly doesn't achieve all that much for it's points cost.

Currently you'll have a hard time matching opponents armies at anti-tank, and you won't have a hope in close combat due to the current points cost imbalances. You can still win games, but you'll be playing for the draw, or last-turn objective grab more often than not.

[Asher]

Eldar are "fine". For a given value of fine.

Yes, the codex is old and needs to be updated. Yes, some units (Ahem, Swooping Hawks) are simply not worth fielding. But in general Eldar work OK. They aren't a power house and they certainly aren't easy to win with but with experience and a well designed list then they are still capable of competing.

Farseers in general are still really good, Holo Falcons are still obnoxious. Dire Avengers are solid, Warwalkers are just spiffy and plenty of the other Aspect warriors are still solid choices.

I've taken my Eldar to a few tournaments now and generally done pretty well. I've never played a game where I feel that I've lost just because the Codex is bad. Every game I've lost I can attribute it to simply being outplayed, the mission being biased against me or just forgetting how units work/what they do. Sure I wouldn't complain if my stuff was cheaper, or some rules got reworked, but I haven't felt frustrated with them as an army.

They are not an easy army to learn to use. They are not an easy army to play in general, but they are worth playing.

[Onehandedorgy]

Wait 12-18 months for new codex IMO. I am.

But by then most eldar armies(competitive ones mind you) will need a complete overhaul units wise.

[whitetailscramblers]

Thanks guys keep the advise coming