Wraith-Star still viable?

I was reminiscing about my old wraith-Star list that I used before the 6^th edition elder codex came out and it got me thinking, is something just as deadly possible? Well I think I have something, but will it be any good on the table? Not a clue but if someone tried it I can imagine it being hilarious to use.

First of all, the basic principles of my old wraith-star.

The army revolved around supporting the lone unit that would go forward and hopefully demolish the enemy or at least absorb all of the enemies shooting allowing the rest of the army to pick units apart. The wraith-Star unit was comprised of a full unit of 10 wraithguard +spiritseer with conceal (4^th edition codex made this troops) joined by a farseer with fortune (Back when you could pick your powers) and The Baron from the dark elder codex. This was so hard to shift as the wraithguard had toughness 6, fearless, a re-rollable 3+ save and a 4+ re-rollable cover save out in the open. On top of this if you put the Baron in front you had a 2+ invulnerable save to get though also with a re-roll. It was a tough nut to crack with shooting alone, and with 6^th edition being a shooting heavy one, well not many people brought hard hitting close combat units. To make matters worse the baron gave the unit hit and run which made it even harder to tie the unit in place. Now this all came with a cost, about 600 points if I remember correctly so in a 1500 point game you only had 900 left for the rest of your army. Still it was well worth it, especially when everything in the codex was over costed compared to now.

So is it possible to re-create this?

Well sure it is, with the new codex you can still have wraithguard as troops, farseers and an allied Baron if you wish. But in order to make the wraithguard troops you need to buy a second HQ the Spiritseer. Farseers now roll for psychic powers, which means you are not guaranteed to get fortune. A plus side is though that with the new spiritseer could potentially get protect, giving the wraithguard a 2+ save, so even without fortune they are rather durable. This unit will come up to about 595, so a similar cost to what is used to be, not bad as the rest of the elder army has improved as well.

But let’s try something new…

With the introduction of the new wraithblades (close combat wraithguard) we have a new option available to us, to use them instead of the wraithguard removing a weakness that the unit had, however it also loses quite a crucial ability, the strength 10 shooting. But all is not lost for I have an idea.

Let’s take a unit of wraithblades, go for 10, and swap the swords out for axe and force shield. We now have a strength 7 ap 2 unit which also has a 4++ save, this is much better than the cover save as if can’t be ignored by baleflamers form heldrakes or flamestorm cannons from space marines. This is a very nice bonus. Now we have to make this unit troops and also to attempt to get protect, so throw in a spiritseer (if he doesn’t get protect he can unit another unit). Of course we should add the Baron as he adds so much to the unit, and finally, instead of a farseer I suggest that we add in Kharandras… yes he’s expensive but as we are using a combat unit, he adds some extra punch, and then the unit can infiltrate.

Now before you accuse me of being crazy hear me out. With 10 wraithblades (320 points) you are getting a VERY durable unit, T6 3+ save and 4++ save. If they charge that’s 20 WS 4, strength 7 ap 2 unwieldy attacks (ok your striking last, deal with it your hard) which will shred most tanks bar a land raider in combat. Otherwise most units or monstrous creatures will die to it. You add in the baron (105 points, 425 so far) and they get hit and run, assault and defensive grenades and an extra 2++ save. Not bad. Now he makes the unit much more mobile with hit and run, so in your opponents phase regardless of if you want to be in combat or not you hit and run out to move into a more advantageous position, even if it just means getting an extra attack from the charge. Spiritseer (70 points, 495), he makes the unit a troops choice which is always handy, if he gets protect he can join it, if not well all of the powers will be useful (not embolden) and give the unit a little extra edge. Finally Kharandras (230, 725 total) he gives the unit infiltrate so an otherwise quite slow unit will be able to threaten the enemy turn 2, which makes it something that must be dealt with. He adds extra ap 2 attacks to the mix and in later turns he can break off and go after weak units holding objectives.

So what would the list look like? Not big I can tell you. In a 1500 point army you have 775 points left and you need a second troops choice and an allied troops to make it legal. We need to make sure that the enemy is not going to hide in transports all game, so we need a few anti-tank shots and to deal with hordes which might blog down the unit.

Kharandras/Blade star – 725

5 rangers – 60

5 rangers - 60

2 war walkers – 140

Bright lances

8 warp spiders - 152

5 dark elder warriors – 60

blaster

Venom - 65

2 x splinter cannon

5 dark elder warriors – 60

Blaster

Venom – 65

2 x splinter cannon

Ravager – 105

3 x dark lance

Total: 1492

A very small force, but its fast enough (bar the rangers) to keep up with the infiltrating unit. The army has 7 lance weapons to deal with tanks, 8 warp spiders to deal with anything and the volume of fire from the dark elder warriors to thin out hordes while the dark elder on board can also add to anti-tank shots. I reason I suggest rangers are because they are the cheapest troop choice. This army has 5 troops, only 1 of which is survivable but still they have the potential to grab me objectives.

This force does have massive weaknesses, no re-roll on the save means that the wraithguard are going to die to heavy weapons fire, its unfortunate, but hopefully the speed will reduce this. The troops are very flimsy so if some one focuses on them i'm never going to win an objective based game. yes its a bad list, but maybe, just maybe its scary enough to make people make mistakes.

I doubt I will use this force any time soon but it’s just a fun list that I came up with while based on my old wraith-star principles. What do you think?