Tuesday 8 April 2014

1850 Tournament lists, which to choose?


At the start of the year I said that I wanted to attend more tournaments than last year and so far I haven’t been able to attend one, so I am attempting to attend one in May. Meaning that I have a fair amount of preparation before the tournament, list being the largest issue.


For the last 1850 tournament that I attended I used a pure Eldar list and it performed quite well, I won 2 games and lost 1, beating both chaos space marines and chaos daemons. I lost to Necrons with chaos allies, in a list which used 4 fliers. So that's something that I need to look out for next time.   

The rules for the tournament are simple, 1850 point list, no Lords of War, no units from Stronghold assault but forgeworld is allowed. It’s unclear if knights are allowed at this point, as they are a bit of a cross over. As a bit of a recap here is the list that I used last time:

Farseer – 115 (warlord) w/dark reapers
Spirit stone of Anath’lan

Spiritseer – 70

5 Wraithguard – 165
Wave serpent – 135
Twin-linked scatter laser, holo field

10 guardians – 110
Bright lance
Wave serpent – 135
Twin-linked scatter laser, holo field

10 Guardians – 110
Bright lance
Wave serpent – 135
Twin-linked scatter laser, holo field

5 rangers - 60

6 Swooping hawks – 96

8 Warp spiders – 152

Fire prism – 140
Holo field

2 War walkers – 140
Scatter laser/Bright lance

5 Dark reapers – 207
Exarch, fast shot, night vision, 4 x starshot

Defence line – 85
Lascannon

Total: 1850

Now looking back the main unit that I feel I was lacking was some sort of dedicated anti-air to deal with flyer heavy lists (I faced 2). So if I drop the fire prism, a warp spider and down grade one of the guardians bright lances to a shuriken cannon I would be able to afford a crimson hunter to act as a little more anti-air, or if they have no flyers a few more anti-tank shots. So the list would be:

Farseer – 115 (warlord) w/dark reapers
Spirit stone of Anath’lan

Spiritseer – 70

5 Wraithguard – 165
Wave serpent – 135
Twin-linked scatter laser, holo field

10 guardians – 110
Bright lance
Wave serpent – 135
Twin-linked scatter laser, holo field

10 Guardians – 105
Shuriken cannon
Wave serpent – 135
Twin-linked scatter laser, holo field

5 rangers - 60

6 Swooping hawks – 96

7 Warp spiders – 133

Crimson Hunter – 160

2 War walkers – 140
Scatter laser/Bright lance

5 Dark reapers – 207
Exarch, fast shot, night vision, 4 x starshot

Defence line – 85
Lascannon

Total: 1846

The list isn’t too different but that slight difference could be crucial. 

However I don’t know if I want to just use that list, instead I could make a somewhat different list, involving an unusual ally that I can’t say I have ever used. I have posted a list similar to this on both the Warseer and Dakkadakka forums and I have had some rather mixed reviews, some ranging from very good and other opinions stating the list will just fall flat. Anyway what do you guys think?


Eldar Primery with Space wolf Allies

Farseer – 115 (warlord)
Spirit stone of Anath’lan

Spiritseer- 70

3 Jetbikes – 61
Shuriken cannon

3 Jetbikes – 61
Shuriken cannon

10 Guardians – 110
Bright lance
Wave serpent – 135
Twin linked scatter laser, holo field

5 Wraithguard – 160
Wave serpent – 135
Twin linked scatter laser, holo field

6 Swooping Hawks - 96

2 War walkers – 140
Lance/scatter laser

5 Dark reapers – 207
Exarch, fast shot, night vision, starshot x 4

Defence Line – 85
Lascannon

Rune Priest – 105
Melta bomb [jaws of the world wolf, living lightning]

9 Grey hunters – 140
Melta gun
Drop pod - 35

10 Grey hunters – 160
2x plasma gun
Drop pod – 35

Total: 1850

This list has fewer wave serpents and less anti-air than the other list but if I keep the bikes in reserve I have more chance in objective based games. Adding in the space wolves means that I can hopefully destroy a key unit turn 1 or at least cripple it before it can do much. Which pod to drop first depends on what I'm facing, as I can jaws monsters or Tau broad sides or get the other pod to plasma 2+ saves etc...


I’m not sure which list will be better in a tournament environment, what do you guys think will be the better list to use?

4 comments:

  1. Hmm...I worry that the second list is less likely to handle flyers than the first. This is a big deal for me since around here we have a guy with a seven flyer list at 1750. Other people will regularly drop 2-4 flyers. Maybe it isn't as big a problem around you but around here you'd suffer more with the second list.

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    Replies
    1. So you would suggest going for the first list then? The second was more a hopeful thing.

      If you came across the 1st list what would your target priority be?

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    2. I play very armored heavy so the Reapers and the Wraithguard would be my first priority. Also, the Hawks, with their haywire grenades, and the Warp Spiders, with the ability to get to rear armor, would have to go as soon as possible. The flyer is a mixed issue with me. I can't really stop it when it arrives, since I rarely have interceptor, but it isn't a deep concern if I still have a hydra or two around after that. That is part of the reason I'd have to smack around the reapers early.

      You might want to consider two bright lances per war walker. Two shots is better than one accurate shot, if less versatile.

      Against armored IG, don't be afraid to get in close fast and hard. Losing units is fine, so long as you can get sufficient revenge with what survives. Anything with fast movement + mid strength or high strength is a big danger to IG armor and Guardians murder IG infantry if you get the jump.

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  2. I like the concept of the first two lists. I honestly think your AA is fine in the first list. Wave Serpents are actually pretty good AA and the Reapers work along with the Walkers. What I don't like is the Fire Prism. I would consider adding some of these:

    Upgrade ADL to Bastion- Creates a LOS blocker for your army to hide behind, and being up high means you should have LOS to any flier coming in and a player cant use Cover as well to hide from the ADL.

    Put Shuriken Cannons on Serpents- This has helped me a lot because I don't fire my Shield as much. You can only fire the Laser and Cannon and still throw out a good amount of shots. Against fliers, having 3 shots at Str 6 can really help and they will usually be Twinlinked!

    This would leave you with 85 points to play with. I personally don't rate Holofields as aut-includes and that could save you 45 more points bringing you to 130 points total. And you could do a lot with that.

    Also, the Wraithguard feel out of place. Do you have them in there simply because they can take care of really tough units? They are just really expensive and need the Spiritseer tax. You could get a Dire Avenger Serpent and another 2 units for the points saved.

    If you ran the lists as is, List 1 I think would be the best. And I am sure it would perform great.

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