Editing Warhammer 40,000/7th Edition Tactics/Eldar (section)

===Troops===

First, the elephant in the room. Guardian Jetbikes are good. Really really good. With unlimited access to Scatter Laser and Jetbike movement, they are arguably the best Troop choice in the entire game. 

That out of the way, the other Troops are usable for less cutthroat games, or even in the odd competitive game if you build your list to accomodate them. 

*'''Dire Avengers:''' These Aspect Warriors are your standard infantry. The whole idea behind the aspect is that they are the perfect balance between offense and defense; in other words, they're useful both for sitting back and shooting ''and'' for getting up close and personal and storming objectives. Ironically, then, they aren't amazing at close combat, although (especially with the Exarch's weapon choices) they can survive there. Perhaps most importantly, though, they have special shuriken catapults, appropriately called avenger shuriken catapults. Unlike regular shuriken catapults (and their pathetic range of 12"), avenger shuriken catapults have a range of 18". Combined with every Eldar's innate Battle Focus ability and the new shuriken rules, the extra range allows the Avengers to play a merry game of keep-away with the opponent. Also, their Aspect Armor comes with a 4+ save, which makes them a fair bit hardier than Guardians. New to 7E is the ability Defense Tactics: Whenever they get charged, the Avengers can choose between Overwatching at BS2 or gaining Counter-Attack (which they used to have stock) and Stubborn without any Overwatch.  Overall, they've taken a bit of a shift, but otherwise remain the prime example of Eldar Infantry.
**'''Exarchs:''' Unlike most Exarchs, the Exarch in a Dire Avenger squad can radically change his role in the squad with a simple weapon swap. The Exarch gains a 4++ save, which makes him slightly more durable in melee, but he no longer can claim himself ideally suited for it.
***'''Twin-Linked Avenger Shuriken Catapult:''' Cheap and boosts his ranged effectiveness.
***'''Diresword/Shuriken Pistol:''' AP2 weapon that forces models that take wounds from it to make a Leadership test for each wound taken, or be removed from play. Incredibly potent, especially in a challenge; make sure to cast Empower or Hammerhand to solve S3!
***'''Power Sword/Shimmershield:''' This option is all about sacrificing the Exarch's ranged and melee firepower (except in plasma grenade range) for a squad-wide 5+ Invulnerable save. Possibly worth it if you see a lot of AP4 or Rending/Bladestorm/Sniper.
***'''Power Sword/Shuriken Pistol:''' Trash. The diresword is ''much'' better, and for only 5 points more to boot.
*'''Guardian Defenders:''' The Guardians' gear is probably the most underwhelming in the codex - a 5+ armor save you will never want to have to use as well as the trusty shuriken catapult. The catapult is still among the shortest-ranged of any troop weapon found in 40k (fleshborers and spinefists say "Hi") but comes with bladestorm. Bladestorm allows Guardians to wound anything and penetrate any armor save, with the sheer mass of shots they make at their improved BS4 this is a pretty serious threat to most models in the game. Guardian Defenders also host a second feature that needs mentioning, the one that may make you take them over Dire Avengers - a heavy weapon mount for every 10 bodies in the squad, up to 2. These platforms are now true models within the squad, moving and shooting under their own power and with a toughness and armor save to take into account. The support platform can be equipped with any of the heavy weapon options at a noticeable cost, as does the option to join in a Warlock. The Guardians' downsides are obvious - they are fragile Eldar in 5+ armor, enough said. Sit them in one form of cover or another with a conceal warlock however and we have something to talk about, a good saving unit with a lot of bodies and long range powerful weapons sitting on an objective with a fuckton of dakka for overwatch or sudden shuriken rushes. Dictate your price with them, adding warlocks and heavy weapons to suit - most any of them could be good, with the cheap shuriken cannon or the longer-ranged scatter laser cracking open transports, the starcannon for TEQs and MCs, the brightlance for tanks or the missile launcher to handle both hordes and armor adroitly and provide emergency anti-air and the anti air option comes free but it is the most expensive option however with guardian war host you can get it for free in three units eat that flying circuses. Like Dire Avengers, they can take a Wave Serpent - with their numbers they might not be riding in it, but it's mobile cover and yet another set of heavy weapons, so don't overlook it. Weirdly, they do come with plasma grenades - don't forget to chuck one if a horde gets close.
*'''Storm Guardians:''' Guardians that trade their Catapults for Pistols, Swords and Plasma Grenades. They also forfeit the option for a Heavy Weapon Platform in exchange for other equipment options. The unit can take two Power Swords, and two Flamers or Meltaguns. Unlike the Defender Host, you can also run a smaller unit, with a minimum of 8 models instead of 10. This is all the better, because these guys are pretty gimpy. They cost like Fire Warriors, shoot like Assault Marines, and die like Guardsmen. If you want anti-tank, you take Fire Dragons. If you want melee, you ally in Harlequins or take a Wraithknight. (Or take Banshees/Wraithblades). And if you want Objective Secured, you take Jetbike squadrons! That said, they become a '''lot''' better in a Guardian Stormhost.

*'''Windrider Jetbike Squadrons:''' Guardian jetbikes are Eldar who take their mastery of speed to heart and are a well-known unit to see Eldar field due to the extraordinary mobility the jetbike offers. The only gear the Windriders feature is the jetbikes but that’s all the unit really needs. Automatically giving them an enhanced T4 and magical 3+ armor save windriders are the equivalent of MEQs but with far greater maneuverability. The jetbike comes with a built in twin-linked shuriken catapult, 90% accuracy for a shuriken weapon and bladestorm still applies here. Each jetbike can switch out for a much larger, much meaner shuriken cannon for extra general-purpose dakka or a scatter laser for long-range transport wrecking. Aside from the usual, Windriders also boast the benefits of Eldar jetbikes that allow them a special 2d6 move during the assault phase and all those delicious cover saves for Jinking and turbo boosting. The only issue the Windrider faces lies in their low numbers and higher cost, not a big issue since they cost just under two guardians normally but these are models you should try not to lose. Like with all guardians a warlock can join the squad and instantly make it better, conceal boosting their already good cover save, protect to give them terminator armor, even embolden can remove the issue of their lower leadership. Zip around like the Tasmanian devil, chunk units of anything, troll everyone and grab or contest objectives to make enemies weep little black tears.
**These guys now get their own ML1 Warlock for 7th Edition, it's a 50 point upgrade and it can take from ''Sanctic'' Daemonology (I guess Gee-Dubs realized the fluff stupidity of Eldar summoning Slaanesh Daemons) or Runes of Battle. He can - and should - take a Singing Spear, just in case you run up against some AV13/14.
**They also have access to the Scatter Laser now. So for 270 points, a squad puts out 40 S6 shots. Ouch. Or, for the same price, 30 S6 shots with Bladestorm. That's gonna leave a mark. Of course, any return fire will likely leave a mark on your points budget as well at 27pts for a T4, 3+ model that can jink.
**It's usually easier to take multiple squads of 3 or 4 scatterbikes (which were the top army lists of 2016), starting at just 81 points each.  This forces your opponent to split firepower, and allows you to change targets after your dozen-shot str6 units wipe units off the table.
*'''Rangers:''' When an Eldar finds no path that suits them they often turn to the path of the ranger, venturing from the craftworld to see new sights and places. Their pathless existence goes against the grain of Eldar society but lends them unique viewpoints and skills many Eldar never find themselves possessing. The ranger long rifle is core of the unit and as such has a few aspect that need discussing. As written the weapon is a heavy 1 sniper with long range, its AP6 is undesirable but rangers fire it at their BS4. Sniper weapons means they precision shot on hits of 6 and get AP2 on wounds of 6, and always wound on a 4+. The basic formula of the ranger goes something like this: 66% chance to hit, 50% chance to wound (if not vehicle), 55.56% chance to damage MEQ armor (since a wounded model has a 1/3 chance of having been wounded by an AP2 hit). The special rules of the rangers is their classic infiltrate, fleet, stealth and move through cover. This makes them theoretically maneuverable but realistically immobile. You see, the squad can only do snapshots with their rifles after moving in the move phase (but they at least now have shuriken pistols), and battle focus also specifies it does not work with heavy weapons on non-relentless models. Flamers and various other cover ignoring weapons like barrage and noise marine blasts ruin your rangers every day. Ultimately the rangers will end the game exactly where they started, moving only to shuffle towards an objective or away from an approaching melee unit. Rangers can infiltrate either to an advantageous position or on top of a cover providing objective, then they will sit there for as long as they can laying down a few suppressing shots into choice targets. Their cost was significantly reduced from previous editions but the unit will still need to work hard to make its points back.
::{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile|name=Ranger Long Rifle|range=48|strength=4|ap=6|type=Heavy|rof=1|rules=Sniper|align=center}}
**'''Modeling Tips:''' Hate the hoodless rangers but you don't want them with helmets or applying green stuff because you suck at making anything with green stuff? Fear not, because there is a solution. If you have the money, grab a box of Wood Elf archers, or something with Elf hoods, and smash a new head on them. You might need to fill in some spaces with green stuff though.