Editing Aspect Warrior (section)

==Dire Avengers==

[[File:Dire Avenger Exarch.jpg|180px|right|thumb|Don't mind me, just posing.]]

Dire Avengers were the first Aspect Warrior path and the original founder of their temple was [[Asurmen]], the first Phoenix Lord. They are solid general-purpose troops. In battle Dire Avengers operate in squads of five to ten warriors, which sometimes includes an Exarch, and can ride into battle within a [[Wave Serpent|Wave Serpent transport.]] These patient, methodical warriors are equally well suited for both offensive and defensive operations. Their training gives them the uncanny ability to read the ebb and flow of battle, knowing when to press the attack or feign retreat and fall back, luring their foes into a carefully prepared ambush. Dire Avengers are also trained in hand-to-hand techniques though, with the exception of their Exarchs, this is not the main focus of their training. When forced to conduct close combat Dire Avengers carry deadly ceremonial knives as a weapon of last resort. These blades are more traditionally used in ceremonies conducted prior to and after battle.

It is rare to find an Eldar force without a squad of these extravagant peacock heads at its heart.

Because of their adaptability Dire Avengers are also the most common Aspect Warriors used to conduct special missions outside of normal combat. These can range from recovering an ancient artifact, aiding [[Exodite|Exodites]] from an incursion by [[Ork|Greenskins]] to acting as bodyguards for a Farseer to even [[Wat|conducting business with the]] [[Inquisition]] (who are sneaky, manipulative, and judgmental like the Eldar).

When not at war or embarked upon missions, the Dire Avengers spend much of their time at their Aspect Shrine, meditating upon battle, studying the tactics and strategies of their ancestors, and practicing their skills at arms. [[Aspect Armour|The ritual masks and armour]] that Aspect Warriors wear set them apart as the elite soldiers of their race. They represent Khaine in his aspect as a noble warrior (which explains a ton since nobility/honor aren't part of Khaine's domain as a deity, unlike Khorne).

On the tabletop, a Dire Avenger Exarch can replace his [[Avenger Shuriken Catapult]] or [[Gatekeepers Bastion]] with one of several options. The first option is to take ''two'' [[Avenger Shuriken Catapult]]s, which performs exactly as you'd expect. The 2nd and 3rd options are to take a [[Shuriken Pistol]] and either a [[Power weapon#Diresword|Diresword]] or a [[Power weapon#Eldar Power Lance|Power Glave]]; the Diresword is a power sword that causes mortal wounds as opposed to regular damage, while the Power Glaive adds +2 Strength, 2AP and deals 2 damage, letting him fuck around with MEQs. The final option is to take one of the previous melee options and a Shimmershield; although this means the Exarch cannot use ranged weapons, to give him a 4+ save.

Dire Avengers have [[Aspect Armour]], which gives them a 4+ save and 5+ invuln, and like other Aspect choices they are Leadership 8; these stats are adequate. They also have a rule that lets them shoot while performing actions. Although Dire Avengers *can* engage in melee if required, particularly if the Exarch has been upgraded to do so, this is not really their forte due to their low Strength, low Toughness, and low number of attacks. Therefore, you probably want to avoid melee in most situations. The real reason to take Dire Avengers is because of their Avenger Shuriken catapults. With an extra shot and extra AP, they become a decent threat to MEQs and GEQs alike.. Add in the squad's 3+ BS on top of all this, and you have a resilient, flexible, highly mobile squad that can deliver a volume of highly accurate firepower to wherever it is most needed.

The main problem with Dire Avengers is where they sit on the the units chart.  In 8th and prior editions, they were on the Troops list, where they formed the core of many eldar lists (usually with a wave serpent, either as full squads or half-squads with fire dragons).  But in 9th they were moved to the already crowded Elites list and made even more expensive per unit (although with an improvement in firepower).