The joys of a new codex

Unless you are living under a rock by now you know the Eldar have a new codex.  This is their first new codex in 7 years and at first glance it looks solid.  Nothing seems like an auto-include except jetbikes and I have no clue if they will be large or small units of bikes.  Likewise there are few units that look outclassed in the codex (banshees and storm guardians).  What this means is that the eldar codex will require a lot of playtesting.  My question is how to do this.  Do I test it like I was an actual playtester looking for the most broken combos or test it from a more balanced point of view.  Trying all the units, mixing them up, learning what they can and can't do and wait to try to assemble a force. 

The second option fits my playstyle more, however the first option is what I am drawn to because when I was actual playtester for card games back in the day that was how I would test them.  Also I'm curious just how damaging 10 wraithguard with distortion flamers infiltrating 1 inch away from the enemy will be (Far and away the most broken combo in the codex- if it survives FAQ).  Seems like a solid use of just under 500 points.  But I could take six month just perfecting this.  A lot of the games wouldn't be fun until the opponent learned to deal with them and I wouldn't learn much about the rest of codex except how it compliments that unit.  However as you work away from the crutch you do learn things you don't if never try it out.  On an odd note, playing the codex around a theme actually fits this style of testing more as you are locking into something and try to build around it, you just run a greater risk that what you are trying to lock into isn't viable.

The other option is to skip the crutch and just learn about the army as a whole.  The advantage here is that regardless of the current army crazy, I am familiar enough the army to adapt.  This is why I was able to continue to win with the eldar to some degree despite the age of the codex.  Knowing your army, its weaknesses and strengths, helps a lot even if the codex itself is weak.  The downside is that the initial games are tough, you have a lot of rules to learn, you make a lot of mistakes and you potentially end up with something like my Environmental Science degree from MSU.  The classes were so varied that you forgot what you had learned the previous semester because you never needed it again.

In the end I'll probably do both.  Playtest the stupid list with the competitive players in the area and playtest the normal lists with the regular (but still quality) players.

It's a Trap!

For many years I've been a proponent of 3 man eldar jetbikes with no upgrades.  Upgrading the cannon really was a trap, I would want to shoot it.  If I shot it it meant I wasn't turboboosting, which was usually a mistake.  So eventually I just stopped taking the upgrade.  In 6th this changed slightly as the bonus for turboboosting was only  +1 to your save rather than a 3+.  This makes the bikes purpose very clear, win games by claiming objectives.  One of my big fears for this codex was that bikes would be taken out of the troop slot, fortunately this didn't happen.  In fact they got even better in the role because they are now only 51 points, instead of 66 points. 

The trap is now that they are cheaper you can get the cannon and the unit is still cheaper than it was before.  See above why this is trap, however the basic catapults have also gotten better gaining pseudo-rending.  Did they change enough to change the calculas on the trap, I'm not sure.  I will definately be trying out a variety of jetbikes units.  I suspect I will still be returning to small three man squads but that is the glory of a new codex, you don't know what you have until you do it.

New Eldar? What does that mean?

So it looks like a new Eldar codex is coming out in about a month!  With that here are complete unbased guess about what to except.  Most of this is based on the general pattern of something good in the old codex will be bad in the new one and something bad in the old codex will be good in the new one.  This is difficult given the age of the codex and the changes in the meta/editions that have caused most of the units to become good at some point in the codex.  Mech armies, foot armies, wraith armies have all generated sales in the past.  

So what units have never been popular:

·          

• All HQ’s that don’t have runes of warding.  If farseers become second tier (either do to points or changes to doom, fortune, guide), this will have a huge impact on the rest of the army.
• Scorpions and Banshees for elites
• Guardians
• All the Fast Attack in the codex
• Support weapons (despite actually being quite good right now)
• Nightspinner
• Dark Reapers

And what units have always been popular:

• Farseers
• Fire Dragons
• War Walkers

So what could an eldar army look like in the new codex.  Here is an 1850 with the never popular units being decreased in cost by 15% and the popular ones increasing by 15% (which is clearly easier than making up new powers or guessing what rumors are true or not.)

Avatar

Jan Zair

10 Scorpions

10 Banshees

3 jetbikes

3 jetbikes

15 guardians with scatter laser

15 guardians with scatter laser

14 guardians with scatter laser

13 guardians with scatter laser

8 Warp Spiders

4 Shining Spears

Nightwing

3 Shadow Weavers

3 Dark Reapers

Seems interesting, a lot more bodies, fearless from the avatar, some mobility, good mix of close combat and shooting.  I added a nightwing as I assume some sort of flyer will be available.  I’m still not sure that shining spears or dark reapers are worth the cost at 30 points a piece but whatever.

Winter League Divisions and Standing

Biel Tan Division

	Games Played	Wins	Losses	Draws	Battle Points
Jesse Ramey	2	1	1	0	14
Dan Eaton	0	0	0	0	0
Jeff Crawley	2	2	0	0	34
Paul Steiner	2	0	2	0	17

Saim Hann Division

	Games Played	Wins	Losses	Draws	Battle Points
Bill Kim	3	3	0	0	54
Loren Bertram	1	0	1	0	4
Ryan Smith	1	0	1	0	5
Eric Gibbs	1	0	1	0	5

* Joe and Nate has withdrawn from the 2013 league for personal reasons.

Iyanden Division

	Games Played	Wins	Losses	Draws	Battle Points
Damian Strong	0	0	0	0	0
Charles Peters	0	0	0	0	0
	0	0	0	0	0
	0	0	0	0	0
	0	0	0	0	0

One week left

One week left to get your lists for the winter league.  For a reminder about the details see here.

Winning with eldar

At foodhammer (a great event by the way) that I hope to go to next year, I was lucky enough to “win” the event.  Foodhammer is NOT actually a tournament, more like a bunch of people playing pickup games and earning a few points for each game.  No real rhyme or reason and not designed to determine the best player/best army.  Which made the question I received the end a bit odd.  Someone asked me what I thought of the current state of elder, to which I responded, “They are bad,  the worst codex in the game right now.”   I probably should have put a qualifier in there about sisters (unsure about them) and that with Forgeworld they are still a bottom tier codex but not THE bottom tier.  This was promptly followed up with, so how to do win with them?  I don’t remember what I said, probably something about having some tricks they can do and lots of experience, but the question has bugged me.  So here is more in depth answer to the question.  First a couple of pregame items.

2013 Winter 40k League

Last year I ran a league for the Lansing Chapter of the 40kfightclub.  The league was based off the Great Lakes Warhammer Fantasy League which has been running for many years now.  We had a great time with twelve players (including at least 5 orc armies!).  In fact, it went so well I am comfortable expanding the league to include divisions around the state and outside of the 40kfightclub forum (which I still recommend). 

The rules have remained largely the same (with some adjustments for 6th edition).  Basically everyone creates a fixed list of at least 1500 points.  Once you determine who your opponent is (and see their fixed list) you get to fill in the rest of your army, up to 600 points (2100 points total).  Over the course of two months each player plays five games to determine their division champion.  The division champions (plus wild cards as needed) fight it out to determine the overall champion at the Championships in March.  The Championships is also a regular tournament for league and non-league members. 

I hope you consider joining.  The full rule packet is here.  I hope to have divisions at all the major game stores in Michigan (and probably at least one gaming group).  If you want to form a division and have a logo that you would like me to add to the cover page, please let me know.