Eldar: First Thoughts, Gripes, Favorite Units

Gripes About the New Codex: Runes of Warding / Runes of Witnessing nerf - Space Wolves have the best psychic defense in the game now, but my guess is that will go to the wayside with their new Codex

Fortune and Doom aren't guaranteed - Makes it hard to take things that relied on these powers (like Harlequins, Fortuned Seer Councils / Wraithguard, etc...).  It's a bummer that Fortune isn't the Primaris power, but it forces people to look at some other options.

Warlocks can't join Wraithguard - I liked being able to rely on having a 5+ cover save in the open with my Wraithguard.  The simple solution is to have a blob of Guardians with a Warlock screening for Wraithguard (or a 10-man squad of Wraithguard with invuls screening more Wraithguard).

Some Weaknesses:

Strong close combat units, but no way to deliver them - Harlequins, Scorpions and Banshees are all great assault units, but Eldar still lack assault vehicles making it dicey to get them in.  Harlequins have old Veil back (hurray), but lack a reliable way to get Fortune / Doom (boo).  Wraithblades and Shining Spears are nice, but 1 Attack base is kind of meh.  Wraithknights are as solid as them come, but would probably lose the war of attrition against things like TH/SS Termies.

Only Reliable Anti-Flyer is a Flyer - I would have liked to see some more skyfire / interceptor units on the ground (cough Dark Reapers cough), but on the other hand we do have access to a great flyer in the Crimson Hunter.

Some of My Favorites:

Illic + Wraithguard - As is stands, I think Illic's infiltrate ability is conferred to his squad.  This means he can deploy anywhere on the field with a posse'.  If you get first turn, stick him with 10 Wraithguard with Wraithcannons or D-Sycthes and take out 2 key units in the first turn (using splitfire).  I'd support this build with other fast moving units (Wraithknights, Warp Spiders, Shining Spears and Jetbikes) to keep the pressure on my opponent from the get go.

Speaking of Illic... Rangers / Pathfinders - Rangers became rediculously cheap at 12 points a pop.  A 60 point scoring unit with BS4 that can pin and rend... sign me up!  Pathfinders, while an expensive upgrade are totally worth it with Sharpshot (precision everything is crazy!)

Autarch / Farseer on Jetbike with Mantle of the Laughing God - 2+ re-rollable cover save if you move.  The Autarch would make a great distraction unit.

Speaking of Jetbikes... Jetbikes! - Wow, at 17 points a pop with BS4 rending catapults and access to cannons.  This unit is one of the gems of the Eldar Codex.   Put a Warlock with them and you get a 3+ cover save / jink in addition to your 3+ save. 223 points for 9 with 3 Cannons and a Warlock with a Spear.  What a steal. Wouldn't be surprised to see Jetbike based armies backed by Wraithknights.

Wave Serpents - I like them.  The Serpent Shield is a great ability that should force the opposition to glance vehicles to death.  130 points for standard Serpent isn't terrible, but it still means that Eldar can't spam vehicles as effectively as their Imperial counterparts.

Wraithguard / Wraithblades - One of my favorite units of all time.  Happy I can take them as Troops in units of 5 (with a Spiritseer), but disappointed they don't have access to Conceal (and a reliable Fortune).  Still, at T6, I could see how an army based around these guys would cause quite a few match-up nightmares.  My biggest gripe is that we can't mix and match.  I think it would be awesome to have a unit with some Forceshields / Axes combined with Wraithcannons.

Warp Spiders - These guys got better and cheaper.  Plenty of movement abilities, and an improved gun (S7 against vehicles, rending vs infantry).  I'm still not sure they're going to be a staple in my armies, but they should get quite a bit of action in the playtesting stage.

Dark Reapers - At 30 points base, or 38 with Starshot missiles, these guys can lay out some serious firepower.  One of the units that would really benefit from Guide (when shooting at Flyers).  Their Rangefinder and the ability to ignore Jink saves is going to be huge.  Right now my thought is to run them cheap, without an Exarch.

Shadow Weaver Platforms - 90 points for 3 small blast, barrage weapons with the monofilament rule is a steal. If you want to stick them behind an Aegis with a Warlock, that's a 2+ cover save for you.

Wraithknight - One of the (if not the) best assault units in the Codex.  As I see it, there are a couple ways to run this guy. Sword + Shimmershield for 250 points; Sword, Shimmershield, Scatter Laser and Shuriken Cannon for 290 points; or Suncannon and Scatter Laser for a nice 300 points.

What impressions has the new Eldar Codex made on you?