Hey man, just wanted to thank you for your videos! I was able to get 4th place at the first tourney i've been to in over a year just from watching your videos. Truth be told if I had just used my brain in the last game and deployed 3" further back I likely would've got 2nd! Your videos are a HUGE help bro!
Excellent points! I just plucked my Windriders out of their dusty storage box to let them see the light of day again. Here's hoping they can shore up my Iyanden list I've been struggling with so much lately 🤞
As someone who has looked into Eldar for a very long time but been too scared to start collecting and playing them, i just want to say a massive thank you for this content, its finally gave me the confidence to start my Eldar army and take them to the field. Long may your content continue!
Oh, it's my great pleasure!! It's true that Craftworlds can be unforgiving when you are new, but it sounds like you are getting the hang of it! Best wishes in all of your pointy-eared adventures.
Another great vid. Good point on the sacrificing of bikes for the greater good. This is something, as a new player, I found really hard to get my head around at first.
Excellent and thorough video. I look forward to similar treatment for Shroud Runners as I'm running a 1k Alaitoc force using the Tempest format. So far my main force revolves around 2 squads of Shroud Runners supported by a small 3-bike squad of utility Windriders. All of these are supported by a Farseer Skyrunner and a 3-bike Warlock Conclave. Backline fire support is 3 War Walkers and objective holders are 3 Ranger squads. All commanded by Illic himself. Very range. Much speed. Wow. PS. I'm still debating whether I should reduce the Warlock Conclave to a single bike Warlock (with Jinx) and use the points to replace the Windriders with a 3rd squad of Shroud Runners instead.
Nice!! I have never run more than 2 squads of Shroud Runners, (which is all I own,) but there might be a solid argument for it in that list. If it were me, I would probably hand onto the Conclave as it has similar utility to yet another squad of Windriders in the late game.
Love your vids. Thank you so much! I must confess that move blocking and baiting is a real challenge for me since I spend a lot of time on trying to remember every special rule my units have. But my time will come. :D
The points breakdown is extremely useful here. I like to run Swift Strikes, so I was originally running 5 Scatterbikes as a bodyguard for my Bike Warlock, but your point about the Vyper encouraged me to drop the Scatters and mount Twin Shuris. That allowed me to afford the 5 bike bodyguard AND a spare AML Vyper, which is really the best of both worlds.
Enjoyed that. The problem with windriders is that their roles can normally be completed more successfully by other units. You correctly stated that the 5pt increase to scatter bikes, means that they are no longer competitively priced compared to Shroudrunners, which, for 5pts, gains a sniper shot, +1 to hit, +1 Wound, +1 Attack, and its own stratagem. Vypers make a better blocking unit, compared with the more expensive MSU bikers, and Hawks are better than catapult bikers in most respects. Only in Hail of Doom armies have I seen Cannon bikers used in numbers as well. 2x5 & 1x3 basic Windriders costs 260pts, because 5 man units are usually best, but you only need a minimum unit to block. 5 Hawks, 5 Spiders and a basic Vyper also costs 260pts, for the same roles. I know what I would take.
Commenting to help the algorithm. Last time I requested some insight on fighting the votann, but now, having seen the full rules, seems like we're one of the factions that had the least amount of changes to make to face them. Just don't rely on doom. Otherwise it feels a bit like business as usual. If they can see us they can kill us? That's everything. They ignore our toughness? We don't have toughness. I guess don't play wraiths against them. Anyway, great vid. Love my windriders. Keep up the great content. Can't wait to hear about OG Eldar's tacky chainmail phase.
Ahhh, yes.... the chainmail. Good times. Yeah, I am no longer worried about Leagues. Most of the challenges they pose are similar to those posed by existing factions, but in a new configuration. The game already privileged high volume medium threat fire over low volume high threat fire, and I am pretty sure that the presence of Leagues will just intensify that already existing reality
Cheers for another good vid, appreciated as always. I'm running 5 catapult bikes but they're mag'd for futureproofing and using open skies and ignore cover traits and they do ok.
This is the video I've been waiting for, thanks Brent! This my favorite unit in 40k, perhaps all of tabletop. I currently have 20+ of them on my painting table for my Jetbike HoD list. Back in the mid 90's, the blister pack Eldar Shreiker jetbike is what made me fall in love with 40k. 30 years later, I am finally putting together that dream army. Thanks again.
Nice!! Do you remember the piece of Windrider flash-fiction in the original codex? That was what motivated me to acquire my very first windrider unit in trade. I missed the metal blister pack you are talking about, but I was there for the very first plastic ones that I am pretty sure looked like they were wearing 19th century cavalry uniforms.
Another great video my man, thanks for the hard work. I particularlly like the way you try to give inworld justifications for actions taken on the board, helps nerds....I mean narrative players like myself.
Do not play or even own Aeldari models. Always get excited when I see your new content. Fantastic breakdown and you have a very beautiful looking army.
@@WBConcilio Please do an Aeldari Army showcase would love to see the whole army in all its glory. Keep up the great format and can’t wait for the next video.
Great content as always. Since new codex always bring 3 catapult bikes, find them wonderful for 60 points. Playing Ulthwe and using them for harassment, screening, and opportunity objective snatching.
I love your videos! For me, more tactic videos on units would be interesting and of more value than a review of the aesthetics of the Eldar. Anyways would watch both! Greetings from Germany!
This is awesome, thanks for putting this out Brent. Love the content and the commitment to bettering the hobby. Very happy I joined your patreon community
Great video as always - it has me thinking about base sizes and unit sizes a lot as I’ve definitely been less by my painting of max units into always running max units of everything and then struggling to hide them. Going to try some min biker units when next I play for sure
I'm looking to get into Eldar and this content has been so helpful. A lot of the info is from when the Codex dropped and points changes have really changed the meta. Eldari have really fallen out of favour in the comp scene so it's great to have indepth and up to date content not based on a preview copy that is just like Indepth articles on what 2nd trait to take with Hail of Doom
Hahahaha- yeah, I guess that's the advantage of covering a single faction with this content; it's easier to keep up with the changing landscape of the game when you aren't trying to write about every army
I’m really looking forward to Windriders shining in the Arks of Omen meta. It seems like Windriders and Shroud Runners are going to be good options for secondary scoring in a lot of lists.
Most of my involvement in the game is hobbying. I started with the intent of playing but time for a is difficult to arrange. In any case as a relatively inexperienced Aeldari player I struggle with the concept of trading a unit for some in- the- moment- nebulous goal such as blocking a movement lane to slow up your friendly opponents plans to advance and take some space. It feels counter-intuitive to sacrifice a unit without doing some commensurate, or at least token, damage in return. This may be complicated to explain in this venue but if you cod elaborate on the process I think some of us would find it immeasurably valuable. In any case, thanks again for another excellent video tutorial!
I am going to increasingly attempt- in unit focus videos- to cover all of the uses of units, not just the ones related to killing, so hopefully that will help, but for now, think of it like this: each of your units is a resource that you can spend to achieve outcomes. ONE outcome for which you might give up a unit is destroying your opponent's resources. But if I can prevent my opponent from using a 350 point resource for a critical turn by expending 60 points of bikes, that might be much more beneficial than NOT hampering that 350 point big block of terminators and instead expending 60 points of my resources to eliminate say, 60 points of my opponent's resources. Resources might also be expended in this way to score secondary and primary points, screen out deepstrikers, or hamper an opponent's scoring. Or, if a more concrete example works better for you, consider that in a real battle, a commander might put a unit in harm's way to keep a supply line open, to confuse an enemy, to slow down an enemy advance, or even to deliver a message. A great deal goes into winning battles other than destroying enemy units. This is a large part of why 40k is an objective-based game in which we play attempt to control territory and achieve secondary missions, rather than determining who won simply by slugging it out for five turns and then giving the victory to whoever has more points worth of units left on the table. Does that make sense?
The probability of hitting a hail of doom roll and thus either autowounding and -3ap (6s to hit), or -3ap (6s to wound). Is a total of 25% with a bs2+. (A little less with bs3+)So for the sake of explanation, every 4 shuriken cannon shoots one of these cannons will either autowound and get -3ap (half of them) or get -3ap (half of them). Not that this matters in 99.9% the times. The point is 1 in 4 cannons will kill a 6 wounds sv4+ model of ANY toughness!. 8 would bring most miniatures in the game down statisticaly with HoD shoots alone. In practice we can assume half of non HoD shoots will ultimately wound too. So you go from 1/2 effectiveness to 5/8. HoD is a 25% increase (lowballing or worse case scenario) of chances to kill high T and medium save models as a ideal scenario. LOL!! Is quite ridiculous! But the math gets even better comparatively with plain shurikens which Are not only probably comparstively dmg per point(per point) still better using HoD but are even even better when targetting models with 1wound (or -1D) and identical saves. Only marginaly worse wounding in those wounds that didnt go through with HoD (-16% worse.. but 1 more shot.. which is ultimately a 5% improvement). Hod lists are insaneeeeee bcs u can lowball and go with shurikens and they will perform better than even shurikens against either chaff or -1D T4 models. Around 5% better for half the cost. Summarizing... HoD democratizes damage with shuricats against all tiers of.. with disregard for hit modifiers buffs.. multiwound damage... etc etc.. 1 because of cheapness 2 number of shoots 3 alpha resides in 6s which are still 6s irrespective of sheets. The challenge would be to find better consistent opponentd to justify using shuriken cannons... (my guess is theyll do a bit better against T5 multiwound without -1D opponents.. cant think of any right now). The fact you can get 2 shuricans for just 10 points considering the +1BS strat, keeping MSU, better wound profilem. Than guardian units.. and ability to shoot from turn 1.. make them atleast 1/2 to two times better than olain guardians both from a durability and dmg perspective. I have zero antihorde in my list and im starting to see them as big dmg dealers option... unfortunately i dont run HoD xD. I think their better use is using black guardians strat to autohit (i think?? XDD) in units of 9 shuricats to shred 2 to 3 units of demons with just one unit. In this case they will even outperform HoD! Or shuricans with blackguardians to kill multiwound higher tough models.. which would definitely be best bang for your back than anything ive mentioned so far. In this case i can see how a mixed unit of both shuriken cannons and catapults against demons along ultwhe would be the most viable choice. 5 shuricats + 4 shuricans = 220 points of ulthwe meat grinder. Best survavility per point (you can choose what model dies, taking out cheaper shuricat models), and 6++. And if you are short on shuricat damage the typical unit of warlock skyrunners accompaying them would make up for it!! Best comp hands down! You minmax your anti cheap infantry fire out both on a per point and per model basis (sometimes.. for instance against blood letters), and you keep just enough shuricans around you make the 1cp black guardian strat worth it when you activate it to take down a single tough vehicle. You will be a bit short on taking down vehicles power but the idea here is not to do that, it is to never overkill units but finish them with windriders. Like an scalpel just putting enough fire throu you dont need to use to focus back into safety and if you do the entire unit you just shot is no more.
Great video Brent! Another useful utility for the Shuriken catapults is their swift demise ability (like you mentioned). Don't have to spend the cp on elite citizenry depending on the location of your target
I'm a chaos space marine player, for me windriders blocking my terminators from moving to the centre is huge I can say. If that terminator unit fails to make it to the centre early it's usually an uphill game for me and means the rest of my stuff is easier to deal with as the terminators aren't an immediate threat and thus makes target priority alot easier.
I'm just about to take delivery of two Combat Patrols, which will go with the 6 jetbikes I already have for two full squads of NINE Windriders! I've always loved the asthetics of Eldar jetbikers. I have my own Craftworld, so I'm using "Children of the Open Skies" which gives them an extra 2-inches of movement, and if that's not fast enough, their minimum 'Advance' roll is +3-inches! I also have six Shining Spears coming in the same order, as well as two Warlock Skyrunners, which add to the Farseer Exarch I've already completed. I also bought a spare Shining Spear on ebay, which I'm converting into an Autarch. In a month or so, I'll be buying six Shroud Runners to go with them. I'm only a casual game player, so I'm not really too fussed as to whether it's the most effective army list an Aeldari player can mobilise... I just want to see what it looks like to have a really high speed army made up of jetbikes, Vypers and grav tanks. When I've gotten it all painted, I'm going to play a fun game against an player at my local games club. He's got a fair sized Ork Speed Freek army, so we're going to have a fully Bike/Buggy/Trukk game. I think it'll be fun!!
This is going to be super fun to play. You could easily run 2k of elves without a single pair of boots on the ground if you pick an outrider detachment. I have been meaning to put a list like that together for narrative games.
@@WBConcilio Yeah, I'm really looking forward to having that game. It's pretty much going to have a theme of the Return of the Jedi speeder bikes meet Gorkamorka!! Something else I forgot to add is that my army will include 4 Warlock Skyrunners, and two Farseer Skyrunners.... so I could run a mobile Seer Council!! I've found the Farseer Skyrunner I already have is super-useful in all my current army lists because he can get close enough to keep within 18" psychic power range, such as hiding behind terrain but providing some Webway Striking Dire Avengers and obliterating units with a Guide + Doom combo! For a fully mobile army list, I can imagine a Catapult-fitted full Windrider squad performing a lower powered function. Something else I'll be adding to my Aeldari army in the next couple of months, will be a second Fire Prism. My wargames club did a massive battle a few months ago, and we teamed up our Fire Prisms for 'Linked Fire'. In one turn we killed Mortarion, and in the other we knocked 90% off a Chaos Knight, which was finished off in the same turn by a friendly Tau Broadside squad. So having a "Charge of the Bright [Lance] Brigade" would be a fun army list to try! My thinking is one squad of Shuriken Cannon Windriders, the other with Shuriken Catapults, long range support from the Shroud Runners, close combat with the Shining Spears and the Autarch Skyrunner... flanking can be done with the three Vypers I own, and the Fire Prism's for the heavy firepower... all assisted with the Warlocks and Farseer for Psychic support.
Catapult versions are probably some of the most point efficient models in the game, 20 points for a 2 wound t4 3+ save with 16 inch move. They’re also core and reroll 1s to hit when shooting something on an objective.
Can anyone help me with a question about LOS that I'm getting mixed answers on... if a windrider is hidden behind the hull of a falcon, but it's flight stand only is visible to an enemy shooter - is that windrider considered visible for shooting? Is there a concrete ruling available anywhere? Another example: if the very edge of the flight stand of a shroud runner or shining spear is JUST visible around the edge of a ruin, but the model itself is hidden, is that unit eligible for shooting at?
Underused?? Huh. Lots of lists definitely max out fast attack slots, but I guess there have been some well performing Ulthwe lists recently that leave some of those slots unfilled. Spiders are definitely awesome.
I already asked for the Warp Spider video last time, so I don’t want to stretch my chances here 😅. But I thought about a subject that might be interesting: How does our Space Elves plays against the other factions? What could be general tactics? I know it could be difficult because depends on which list you are against and such, but it might be an idea 🤷🏻
I will get to Warp Spiders!! After the next dataslate balance sheet/FAQ/meta-shake-up I may do some videos on playing into top factions or factions that are particularly hard for Craftworlds.
@@WBConcilio Oh, everything will be enlightening! I don’t have a huge collection still, I just added a Farseer Skyrunner and a squad of Shining Spears, and after this video I am considering the Windriders too. When I’ll have enough stuff that you won’t make a video on, I am planning to join your Patreon... but after this unit focus I have the urge to buy them and I can’t spare the money for the subscription😅
Hey Brent, apparently proxy hammer s account got hacked, he has to start from the scratch now. Any chance you could mention it to your subscribers in a short video? I am just a fan of both Channels. Thanks for your work!
I think after the point increase windriders are not better than shroud runners, unless in hail of doom. Shroud runners only 15pts more expensive but you get +1 wound per bike +1 attack, BS 2+ and pregame move.. plus those 3 sniper shots. They have outcast keyword so for 1cp you can ignore terrain for purposes of battlefocus.. you also get a 2+ save in cover.
Is it wrong that I cant help but see windriders as Marines but better? MEQ survivability but with WAY more movement and decently better firepower, all with a 20 pt cost. the only reason not to spam them being that swooping hawks are even better (strategically etc). not complaining just saying though lol
They don't have Armor of Contempt or access to Transhuman- so the durability equivalence is not what it appears- also, the don't have obsec; but yeah, there is definitely something to be said for that comparison
Both would be totally reasonable. I can't figure it out- in just about every other way the codex did such a good job of reflecting the lore on the table
@@WBConcilio I do also like the fall back and charge. If I had to pick one I'd pick fall back and charge. I actually think it could make wraithknight/skathach useful. Because you could bog up their shooting since we're so fast with things like vypers, etc, etc, fall back, blow them away with knights, charge, repeat. The problem is we give up the shooting of everything else
I find scatter bikes have a bit of a niche role in killing infantry with high toughness but poor saves eg grotesques or orks. But I guess that’s not the meta atm.
@@WBConcilio thanks for your response, and for the video itself, which was really interesting. It seems to me that most online discussions about the best units and loadouts are based largely on the current meta rather than what’s good per se. E.g. it’s not that scatter bikes are bad at their intended role (they’re actually very good at it). It’s just that you’ve got to think about the kinds of armies you are most likely to face in tournaments these days, ie not hordes.
@@MetalCooking666 oh, Scatter Lasers are great! They just didn't need that points hike to 10, which now makes Scatterbikes compare less favorably with Shroud Runners.
@@MetalCooking666 I mean, it's a fair point but Shroud Runners already hit on 2s without needing a strat. Don't get me wrong; it's not like Ulthwe Scatterbikes are bad, they just have trouble nudging Shroud Runners aside in a list designed to be as optimal as possible
I mean, they are usable. AND you could always pick up alternative weapons on ebay and do some snip and clip- you could easily still magnetize both the lasers and the alternative loadouts
Jinx my darling look how they massacred you. Jinx modifies the save characteristic not the dice roll anymore. It doesn't affect invulnerable saves or demon saves.
@@WBConcilio there are still some potent options which take advantage. The ability to strip invulns is super powerful. Makes more narrative sense than fireprisms just ignoring arcane protection.
I'm almost afraid to watch the video, because I just dumped a ungodly amount of money into a Harlequin and Drukhari army and I can't afford to buy a lot of Eldar bikes now, hehehe.
@@WBConcilio 😵💫 Must.... spend.... more..... Joking aside. I only today learned that you can't ally different craftworlds, so my plan of having a Ulthwe main detachment with a Saim-Hann Outrider detachment is dead and I don't think I like the Saim-Hann rules enough to play a pure army. The point being, if I can't spam them anyways, the 6 Windrider models I have are probably enough for most lists. They could at least have done something like: "If every unit in your army has the Saim-Hann faction word, you can get a Outrider detachment for 2 CP instead of 3." That would have been a mild incentive and nod towards the character and history of the Craftworld without being OP, I think.
@@TrangleC Yeah, they really left Saim-Hann out in the cold, which is especially weird as they are the signature faction for the 9th edition codex. Sub faction soup could always come back in 10th, but I am frankly relieved it's gone
@@WBConcilio I mentioned before that I just came back to the game and compared to the era I'm coming from, 9th Edition feels pretty sub-faction-soup-ey, I have to say. Everybody got subfactions now and nobody seems to play "just generic faction X", because that would mean to forego all those special abilities. Back in 4th Edition, which was my main heyday of playing the game, some factions like Tau and Necrons had no sub-factions at all, as far as I know and those sub-factions that existed in other codices where barely more than different paint schemes. I might misremember, but I don't think playing different Tyranid Hive Fleets for example, actually did anything. If this current state of the game isn't what you would call Sub Faction Soup, then what was it and how was it?
@@TrangleC oh, sun faction soup is straight up illegal now! It is now against the rules matched play to run detachments from different subfactions- you can still have detachments from different factions that share a keyword, like Drukhari and Craftworlds, but doing so usually requires you to give up faction bonuses
As someone who's finally getting back into 40k and eldar since abandoning my biel tan project in 2004, this content is just so good.
Thanks David- you are pretty much the exact target demographic for these- welcome back to the hobby!
Hey man, just wanted to thank you for your videos! I was able to get 4th place at the first tourney i've been to in over a year just from watching your videos. Truth be told if I had just used my brain in the last game and deployed 3" further back I likely would've got 2nd! Your videos are a HUGE help bro!
Congratulations!! I am so glad that you have found the content useful!
Excellent points! I just plucked my Windriders out of their dusty storage box to let them see the light of day again. Here's hoping they can shore up my Iyanden list I've been struggling with so much lately 🤞
Nice! Yeah, I think in an Iyanden list with PROTECT, Whindriders can actually be pretty durable
As someone who has looked into Eldar for a very long time but been too scared to start collecting and playing them, i just want to say a massive thank you for this content, its finally gave me the confidence to start my Eldar army and take them to the field. Long may your content continue!
Oh, it's my great pleasure!! It's true that Craftworlds can be unforgiving when you are new, but it sounds like you are getting the hang of it! Best wishes in all of your pointy-eared adventures.
I love these videos. I'm looking forward to the one for Shroud Runners.
Shroud Runners are coming! Actually, this video was going to be Shroud Runners until one of my Patrons asked me to do Windriders instead.
Great video, Brent
Another great vid. Good point on the sacrificing of bikes for the greater good. This is something, as a new player, I found really hard to get my head around at first.
It's definitely counter intuitive at first
Nice to hear about all the uses of these bikes. I'm going to have to find the time to put some paint on the three in my cupboard! 🤣
Now with AoC gone windrider became much stronger. Great review. I might try the large cannon build.
Excellent and thorough video. I look forward to similar treatment for Shroud Runners as I'm running a 1k Alaitoc force using the Tempest format. So far my main force revolves around 2 squads of Shroud Runners supported by a small 3-bike squad of utility Windriders. All of these are supported by a Farseer Skyrunner and a 3-bike Warlock Conclave. Backline fire support is 3 War Walkers and objective holders are 3 Ranger squads. All commanded by Illic himself. Very range. Much speed. Wow.
PS. I'm still debating whether I should reduce the Warlock Conclave to a single bike Warlock (with Jinx) and use the points to replace the Windriders with a 3rd squad of Shroud Runners instead.
Nice!! I have never run more than 2 squads of Shroud Runners, (which is all I own,) but there might be a solid argument for it in that list. If it were me, I would probably hand onto the Conclave as it has similar utility to yet another squad of Windriders in the late game.
Love your vids. Thank you so much! I must confess that move blocking and baiting is a real challenge for me since I spend a lot of time on trying to remember every special rule my units have. But my time will come. :D
I totally get it. While you are still learning to keep track of what all of your stuff does, there isn't a lot of mental energy left for gamey tactics
Probably my second favorite unit, thanks for the content Brent I shall listen while toiling in the fields.
I am going to enjoy speculating about the exact circumstances of your hypothetical and possibly metaphorical agrarian toil.
The points breakdown is extremely useful here.
I like to run Swift Strikes, so I was originally running 5 Scatterbikes as a bodyguard for my Bike Warlock, but your point about the Vyper encouraged me to drop the Scatters and mount Twin Shuris.
That allowed me to afford the 5 bike bodyguard AND a spare AML Vyper, which is really the best of both worlds.
Enjoyed that. The problem with windriders is that their roles can normally be completed more successfully by other units. You correctly stated that the 5pt increase to scatter bikes, means that they are no longer competitively priced compared to Shroudrunners, which, for 5pts, gains a sniper shot, +1 to hit, +1 Wound, +1 Attack, and its own stratagem. Vypers make a better blocking unit, compared with the more expensive MSU bikers, and Hawks are better than catapult bikers in most respects. Only in Hail of Doom armies have I seen Cannon bikers used in numbers as well. 2x5 & 1x3 basic Windriders costs 260pts, because 5 man units are usually best, but you only need a minimum unit to block. 5 Hawks, 5 Spiders and a basic Vyper also costs 260pts, for the same roles. I know what I would take.
Great Video as always. Currently building my first Eldar Army and bought 3 boxes of Windriders for my Ulthwe.
Nice!!
Commenting to help the algorithm.
Last time I requested some insight on fighting the votann, but now, having seen the full rules, seems like we're one of the factions that had the least amount of changes to make to face them. Just don't rely on doom. Otherwise it feels a bit like business as usual. If they can see us they can kill us? That's everything. They ignore our toughness? We don't have toughness. I guess don't play wraiths against them.
Anyway, great vid. Love my windriders. Keep up the great content. Can't wait to hear about OG Eldar's tacky chainmail phase.
Ahhh, yes.... the chainmail. Good times.
Yeah, I am no longer worried about Leagues. Most of the challenges they pose are similar to those posed by existing factions, but in a new configuration. The game already privileged high volume medium threat fire over low volume high threat fire, and I am pretty sure that the presence of Leagues will just intensify that already existing reality
Cheers for another good vid, appreciated as always. I'm running 5 catapult bikes but they're mag'd for futureproofing and using open skies and ignore cover traits and they do ok.
This is the video I've been waiting for, thanks Brent! This my favorite unit in 40k, perhaps all of tabletop. I currently have 20+ of them on my painting table for my Jetbike HoD list. Back in the mid 90's, the blister pack Eldar Shreiker jetbike is what made me fall in love with 40k. 30 years later, I am finally putting together that dream army. Thanks again.
Also, (referencing the 40 minute mark in the video) I am still salty on how Saim Hann was portrayed in the codex...
Nice!! Do you remember the piece of Windrider flash-fiction in the original codex? That was what motivated me to acquire my very first windrider unit in trade. I missed the metal blister pack you are talking about, but I was there for the very first plastic ones that I am pretty sure looked like they were wearing 19th century cavalry uniforms.
@@WBConcilio I don't relent that. I will have to look it up. Thanks again!
Another great video my man, thanks for the hard work. I particularlly like the way you try to give inworld justifications for actions taken on the board, helps nerds....I mean narrative players like myself.
Hahaha- I too like to be able to justify game tactics narratively
Do not play or even own Aeldari models. Always get excited when I see your new content. Fantastic breakdown and you have a very beautiful looking army.
I am enormously flattered that you enjoy these videos despite not playing Aeldari. Thank you!!
@@WBConcilio Please do an Aeldari Army showcase would love to see the whole army in all its glory. Keep up the great format and can’t wait for the next video.
@@tonydiep3076 Thanks! I posted one to Instagram a few months ago! (Just a quick pan of models in the case, but pretty comprehensive.)
@@tonydiep3076 instagram.com/tv/CghuHzutYwZ/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Great content as always. Since new codex always bring 3 catapult bikes, find them wonderful for 60 points.
Playing Ulthwe and using them for harassment, screening, and opportunity objective snatching.
I was the guy who didn't funny understand the text of Jinx lol. Thanks for the explanation!
my pleasure
Great video, really helpful for me as a newish player
So glad to hear it!
I love your videos! For me, more tactic videos on units would be interesting and of more value than a review of the aesthetics of the Eldar. Anyways would watch both! Greetings from Germany!
Thanks for the input!
Love your content! You should consider putting up pictures of datasheets for the corresponding units.
In some videos, I do- you are totally right that it improves the content.
This is awesome, thanks for putting this out Brent. Love the content and the commitment to bettering the hobby. Very happy I joined your patreon community
Thanks so much for signing up!
Great video as always - it has me thinking about base sizes and unit sizes a lot as I’ve definitely been less by my painting of max units into always running max units of everything and then struggling to hide them. Going to try some min biker units when next I play for sure
Yeah, it's a real problem for Spears in particular
@@WBConcilio I’ve only tried spears in 6s and I’m detecting I may have been making life hard for myself.
@@lukefoster3076 Yeah, running 6 actually forces you to only ever have 5 in combat unless you're fighting a large sized squad.
@@lukefoster3076 ohhhhh yes. It's much harder to be efficient with 6 now.
I'm looking to get into Eldar and this content has been so helpful. A lot of the info is from when the Codex dropped and points changes have really changed the meta. Eldari have really fallen out of favour in the comp scene so it's great to have indepth and up to date content not based on a preview copy that is just like Indepth articles on what 2nd trait to take with Hail of Doom
Hahahaha- yeah, I guess that's the advantage of covering a single faction with this content; it's easier to keep up with the changing landscape of the game when you aren't trying to write about every army
I’m really looking forward to Windriders shining in the Arks of Omen meta. It seems like Windriders and Shroud Runners are going to be good options for secondary scoring in a lot of lists.
Amazing video as usual! Was wondering if a video on War walkers was coming any time soon?
Thanks!! They aren't on the short list, but maybe I will bump them up. I'm a big fan of Walkers.
Most of my involvement in the game is hobbying. I started with the intent of playing but time for a is difficult to arrange.
In any case as a relatively inexperienced Aeldari player I struggle with the concept of trading a unit for some in- the- moment- nebulous goal such as blocking a movement lane to slow up your friendly opponents plans to advance and take some space.
It feels counter-intuitive to sacrifice a unit without doing some commensurate, or at least token, damage in return.
This may be complicated to explain in this venue but if you cod elaborate on the process I think some of us would find it immeasurably valuable.
In any case, thanks again for another excellent video tutorial!
I am going to increasingly attempt- in unit focus videos- to cover all of the uses of units, not just the ones related to killing, so hopefully that will help, but for now, think of it like this: each of your units is a resource that you can spend to achieve outcomes. ONE outcome for which you might give up a unit is destroying your opponent's resources. But if I can prevent my opponent from using a 350 point resource for a critical turn by expending 60 points of bikes, that might be much more beneficial than NOT hampering that 350 point big block of terminators and instead expending 60 points of my resources to eliminate say, 60 points of my opponent's resources. Resources might also be expended in this way to score secondary and primary points, screen out deepstrikers, or hamper an opponent's scoring.
Or, if a more concrete example works better for you, consider that in a real battle, a commander might put a unit in harm's way to keep a supply line open, to confuse an enemy, to slow down an enemy advance, or even to deliver a message. A great deal goes into winning battles other than destroying enemy units. This is a large part of why 40k is an objective-based game in which we play attempt to control territory and achieve secondary missions, rather than determining who won simply by slugging it out for five turns and then giving the victory to whoever has more points worth of units left on the table.
Does that make sense?
The probability of hitting a hail of doom roll and thus either autowounding and -3ap (6s to hit), or -3ap (6s to wound). Is a total of 25% with a bs2+. (A little less with bs3+)So for the sake of explanation, every 4 shuriken cannon shoots one of these cannons will either autowound and get -3ap (half of them) or get -3ap (half of them). Not that this matters in 99.9% the times. The point is 1 in 4 cannons will kill a 6 wounds sv4+ model of ANY toughness!. 8 would bring most miniatures in the game down statisticaly with HoD shoots alone. In practice we can assume half of non HoD shoots will ultimately wound too. So you go from 1/2 effectiveness to 5/8. HoD is a 25% increase (lowballing or worse case scenario) of chances to kill high T and medium save models as a ideal scenario. LOL!! Is quite ridiculous! But the math gets even better comparatively with plain shurikens which Are not only probably comparstively dmg per point(per point) still better using HoD but are even even better when targetting models with 1wound (or -1D) and identical saves. Only marginaly worse wounding in those wounds that didnt go through with HoD (-16% worse.. but 1 more shot.. which is ultimately a 5% improvement). Hod lists are insaneeeeee bcs u can lowball and go with shurikens and they will perform better than even shurikens against either chaff or -1D T4 models. Around 5% better for half the cost.
Summarizing... HoD democratizes damage with shuricats against all tiers of.. with disregard for hit modifiers buffs.. multiwound damage... etc etc.. 1 because of cheapness 2 number of shoots 3 alpha resides in 6s which are still 6s irrespective of sheets. The challenge would be to find better consistent opponentd to justify using shuriken cannons... (my guess is theyll do a bit better against T5 multiwound without -1D opponents.. cant think of any right now). The fact you can get 2 shuricans for just 10 points considering the +1BS strat, keeping MSU, better wound profilem. Than guardian units.. and ability to shoot from turn 1.. make them atleast 1/2 to two times better than olain guardians both from a durability and dmg perspective. I have zero antihorde in my list and im starting to see them as big dmg dealers option... unfortunately i dont run HoD xD.
I think their better use is using black guardians strat to autohit (i think?? XDD) in units of 9 shuricats to shred 2 to 3 units of demons with just one unit. In this case they will even outperform HoD! Or shuricans with blackguardians to kill multiwound higher tough models.. which would definitely be best bang for your back than anything ive mentioned so far. In this case i can see how a mixed unit of both shuriken cannons and catapults against demons along ultwhe would be the most viable choice.
5 shuricats + 4 shuricans = 220 points of ulthwe meat grinder. Best survavility per point (you can choose what model dies, taking out cheaper shuricat models), and 6++. And if you are short on shuricat damage the typical unit of warlock skyrunners accompaying them would make up for it!! Best comp hands down!
You minmax your anti cheap infantry fire out both on a per point and per model basis (sometimes.. for instance against blood letters), and you keep just enough shuricans around you make the 1cp black guardian strat worth it when you activate it to take down a single tough vehicle. You will be a bit short on taking down vehicles power but the idea here is not to do that, it is to never overkill units but finish them with windriders. Like an scalpel just putting enough fire throu you dont need to use to focus back into safety and if you do the entire unit you just shot is no more.
Great video Brent! Another useful utility for the Shuriken catapults is their swift demise ability (like you mentioned). Don't have to spend the cp on elite citizenry depending on the location of your target
Love your videos as always 🍻👍
I'm a chaos space marine player, for me windriders blocking my terminators from moving to the centre is huge I can say.
If that terminator unit fails to make it to the centre early it's usually an uphill game for me and means the rest of my stuff is easier to deal with as the terminators aren't an immediate threat and thus makes target priority alot easier.
Thanks for weighing in!!
This video made me realize how insanely tough war walkers are for some reason
Especially with Strands!!!
I'm just about to take delivery of two Combat Patrols, which will go with the 6 jetbikes I already have for two full squads of NINE Windriders!
I've always loved the asthetics of Eldar jetbikers.
I have my own Craftworld, so I'm using "Children of the Open Skies" which gives them an extra 2-inches of movement, and if that's not fast enough, their minimum 'Advance' roll is +3-inches!
I also have six Shining Spears coming in the same order, as well as two Warlock Skyrunners, which add to the Farseer Exarch I've already completed.
I also bought a spare Shining Spear on ebay, which I'm converting into an Autarch.
In a month or so, I'll be buying six Shroud Runners to go with them.
I'm only a casual game player, so I'm not really too fussed as to whether it's the most effective army list an Aeldari player can mobilise... I just want to see what it looks like to have a really high speed army made up of jetbikes, Vypers and grav tanks.
When I've gotten it all painted, I'm going to play a fun game against an player at my local games club.
He's got a fair sized Ork Speed Freek army, so we're going to have a fully Bike/Buggy/Trukk game.
I think it'll be fun!!
This is going to be super fun to play. You could easily run 2k of elves without a single pair of boots on the ground if you pick an outrider detachment. I have been meaning to put a list like that together for narrative games.
@@WBConcilio Yeah, I'm really looking forward to having that game.
It's pretty much going to have a theme of the Return of the Jedi speeder bikes meet Gorkamorka!!
Something else I forgot to add is that my army will include 4 Warlock Skyrunners, and two Farseer Skyrunners.... so I could run a mobile Seer Council!!
I've found the Farseer Skyrunner I already have is super-useful in all my current army lists because he can get close enough to keep within 18" psychic power range, such as hiding behind terrain but providing some Webway Striking Dire Avengers and obliterating units with a Guide + Doom combo!
For a fully mobile army list, I can imagine a Catapult-fitted full Windrider squad performing a lower powered function.
Something else I'll be adding to my Aeldari army in the next couple of months, will be a second Fire Prism.
My wargames club did a massive battle a few months ago, and we teamed up our Fire Prisms for 'Linked Fire'.
In one turn we killed Mortarion, and in the other we knocked 90% off a Chaos Knight, which was finished off in the same turn by a friendly Tau Broadside squad.
So having a "Charge of the Bright [Lance] Brigade" would be a fun army list to try!
My thinking is one squad of Shuriken Cannon Windriders, the other with Shuriken Catapults, long range support from the Shroud Runners, close combat with the Shining Spears and the Autarch Skyrunner... flanking can be done with the three Vypers I own, and the Fire Prism's for the heavy firepower... all assisted with the Warlocks and Farseer for Psychic support.
Catapult versions are probably some of the most point efficient models in the game, 20 points for a 2 wound t4 3+ save with 16 inch move. They’re also core and reroll 1s to hit when shooting something on an objective.
Hahaha who wants intercessors not me
Can anyone help me with a question about LOS that I'm getting mixed answers on... if a windrider is hidden behind the hull of a falcon, but it's flight stand only is visible to an enemy shooter - is that windrider considered visible for shooting? Is there a concrete ruling available anywhere?
Another example: if the very edge of the flight stand of a shroud runner or shining spear is JUST visible around the edge of a ruin, but the model itself is hidden, is that unit eligible for shooting at?
Eldar has so many great units. Just hard to score secondary's!
They are fast attack! Majorly under used army slot in craftworlds lists! S P I D E R S
Underused?? Huh. Lots of lists definitely max out fast attack slots, but I guess there have been some well performing Ulthwe lists recently that leave some of those slots unfilled.
Spiders are definitely awesome.
I already asked for the Warp Spider video last time, so I don’t want to stretch my chances here 😅. But I thought about a subject that might be interesting: How does our Space Elves plays against the other factions? What could be general tactics?
I know it could be difficult because depends on which list you are against and such, but it might be an idea 🤷🏻
I will get to Warp Spiders!!
After the next dataslate balance sheet/FAQ/meta-shake-up I may do some videos on playing into top factions or factions that are particularly hard for Craftworlds.
@@WBConcilio Oh, everything will be enlightening! I don’t have a huge collection still, I just added a Farseer Skyrunner and a squad of Shining Spears, and after this video I am considering the Windriders too. When I’ll have enough stuff that you won’t make a video on, I am planning to join your Patreon... but after this unit focus I have the urge to buy them and I can’t spare the money for the subscription😅
@@enistogni3041 hahaha- okay, no problem. I don't want to stretch your hobby funds; Windriders are important. :)
Hey Brent,
apparently proxy hammer s account got hacked, he has to start from the scratch now. Any chance you could mention it to your subscribers in a short video? I am just a fan of both Channels. Thanks for your work!
Oh, that sucks! Sure thing. Can you post a link to the current channel. All I found on Google was the hacked/defunct version
@@WBConcilio sure!
ua-cam.com/channels/N0p-QHaWWglqkM-VEO-WyA.html
A Shroud Runner has a scatter laser and more for the same price as a windrider with scatter laser, so there is no point in getting the windrider?
Exactly
I think after the point increase windriders are not better than shroud runners, unless in hail of doom.
Shroud runners only 15pts more expensive but you get +1 wound per bike +1 attack, BS 2+ and pregame move.. plus those 3 sniper shots.
They have outcast keyword so for 1cp you can ignore terrain for purposes of battlefocus.. you also get a 2+ save in cover.
Is it wrong that I cant help but see windriders as Marines but better?
MEQ survivability but with WAY more movement and decently better firepower, all with a 20 pt cost.
the only reason not to spam them being that swooping hawks are even better (strategically etc).
not complaining just saying though lol
They don't have Armor of Contempt or access to Transhuman- so the durability equivalence is not what it appears- also, the don't have obsec; but yeah, there is definitely something to be said for that comparison
I wish Saim Haan wind riders could fall back and shoot or were harder to hit in melee
Both would be totally reasonable. I can't figure it out- in just about every other way the codex did such a good job of reflecting the lore on the table
@@WBConcilio I do also like the fall back and charge. If I had to pick one I'd pick fall back and charge. I actually think it could make wraithknight/skathach useful. Because you could bog up their shooting since we're so fast with things like vypers, etc, etc, fall back, blow them away with knights, charge, repeat. The problem is we give up the shooting of everything else
I find scatter bikes have a bit of a niche role in killing infantry with high toughness but poor saves eg grotesques or orks. But I guess that’s not the meta atm.
SO GOOD against orks!
@@WBConcilio thanks for your response, and for the video itself, which was really interesting.
It seems to me that most online discussions about the best units and loadouts are based largely on the current meta rather than what’s good per se. E.g. it’s not that scatter bikes are bad at their intended role (they’re actually very good at it). It’s just that you’ve got to think about the kinds of armies you are most likely to face in tournaments these days, ie not hordes.
@@MetalCooking666 oh, Scatter Lasers are great! They just didn't need that points hike to 10, which now makes Scatterbikes compare less favorably with Shroud Runners.
@@WBConcilio do you think it makes a difference if we are talking about ulthwe due to discipline of the black guardians strat?
@@MetalCooking666 I mean, it's a fair point but Shroud Runners already hit on 2s without needing a strat.
Don't get me wrong; it's not like Ulthwe Scatterbikes are bad, they just have trouble nudging Shroud Runners aside in a list designed to be as optimal as possible
Scatterlazers have a lot of shots with no ap. They are good for only one thing; Orks. My brother, who is my main opponent, plays only one thing; Orks.
Nice to see you thoughts on windriders. While I have played them a fair bit, ways cool to see the other build idea
Sadly my big unit of bikes has scatter lasers. Much sad...
I mean, they are usable. AND you could always pick up alternative weapons on ebay and do some snip and clip- you could easily still magnetize both the lasers and the alternative loadouts
@@WBConcilio well .... I do have the spare weapons for them I think....
I was pretty surprised how tanky these guys can become now.
LFR, T4 and a potential 2 up save plus light cover to ignore AP, and 2 wounds a piece.
RIGHT?? And if you throw FORTUNE on there, 2 wound weapons become hugely inefficient.
@@WBConcilio It's great if you want them to screen the field, hard to move around them AND overwatch if they decide to have a go at them.
Jinx my darling look how they massacred you. Jinx modifies the save characteristic not the dice roll anymore. It doesn't affect invulnerable saves or demon saves.
True! It still remains one of the best Craftworlds picks though- it helps that they have seriously reined in the number of 3++ invulns in the game
@@WBConcilio there are still some potent options which take advantage. The ability to strip invulns is super powerful. Makes more narrative sense than fireprisms just ignoring arcane protection.
I'm almost afraid to watch the video, because I just dumped a ungodly amount of money into a Harlequin and Drukhari army and I can't afford to buy a lot of Eldar bikes now, hehehe.
Spennnndddd mooorrrrreee monnneeyyyy on Spaaaccceeee Elllllvvvvveesssss....
@@WBConcilio 😵💫
Must.... spend.... more.....
Joking aside. I only today learned that you can't ally different craftworlds, so my plan of having a Ulthwe main detachment with a Saim-Hann Outrider detachment is dead and I don't think I like the Saim-Hann rules enough to play a pure army.
The point being, if I can't spam them anyways, the 6 Windrider models I have are probably enough for most lists.
They could at least have done something like: "If every unit in your army has the Saim-Hann faction word, you can get a Outrider detachment for 2 CP instead of 3."
That would have been a mild incentive and nod towards the character and history of the Craftworld without being OP, I think.
@@TrangleC Yeah, they really left Saim-Hann out in the cold, which is especially weird as they are the signature faction for the 9th edition codex.
Sub faction soup could always come back in 10th, but I am frankly relieved it's gone
@@WBConcilio I mentioned before that I just came back to the game and compared to the era I'm coming from, 9th Edition feels pretty sub-faction-soup-ey, I have to say. Everybody got subfactions now and nobody seems to play "just generic faction X", because that would mean to forego all those special abilities.
Back in 4th Edition, which was my main heyday of playing the game, some factions like Tau and Necrons had no sub-factions at all, as far as I know and those sub-factions that existed in other codices where barely more than different paint schemes. I might misremember, but I don't think playing different Tyranid Hive Fleets for example, actually did anything.
If this current state of the game isn't what you would call Sub Faction Soup, then what was it and how was it?
@@TrangleC oh, sun faction soup is straight up illegal now! It is now against the rules matched play to run detachments from different subfactions- you can still have detachments from different factions that share a keyword, like Drukhari and Craftworlds, but doing so usually requires you to give up faction bonuses