Way of Saim-Hann

Apocalyptic Explosions!

Recently I had the chance to get in a few Apocalypse games running two large seer councils and I’m going to share with you my awesome tactic…

See all those huge war machines and super heavies on the other side of the table? First I have the guys on my side weaken one or two of them with some heavy shots or a melta-gun/multi-melta suicide squad and then I send out the council…

Fortuned up they slice through it with witchblades hopefully forcing an apocalyptic explosion. The result often cleans out that side of the board with my council just shrugging it off with the rune armor 4+ invul save + fortune.

War Walkers Vs. Vypers

One of the most often questions asked is why I go with vypers over war walkers when the walkers are cheaper, put out more shots, and are not open topped + they can flank march. There is a method to the Fritz madness, but if one is really playing “Saim-Hann” and not just McEldar Mech Spam painted red then one needs vypers. Honor dictates it since the Saim-Hann craftworld pioneered the thing…

That said, tactically I prefer the vypers for the simple reason that they are fast skimmers. Sure the walkers can flank and put out more shots, but then what? They are stuck on that side of the game. Way of Saim-Hann is about speed and always having the ability to be on the other side of the table in one turn with all your units. I find that with the vypers I can use said speed to better isolate and wolfpack my opponent shooting and taking them down- even with less shots. Not to say ‘walkers don’t have their place and use in other Eldar lists, just wanted to give the how and why I don’t run them.

But they are painted as Saim-Hann on the box and sport the cosmic serpent…

Quickest Seer Council Conversion

One of the few remaining gems of our ageing codex is the use of a seer council. If you have any ambitions about playing competitively you need one in your list. Problem is, like so many other codex entry no models exist for a seer council- farsser and warlocks on jetbikes. Here is the quickest way to do it without much, if any conversion work.

Base your farseer on the autarch jetbike kit and then use regular jetbikes with the right/left arm replaces with a chainsword/blade for the witchblade.

Fusion Pistol Madness!

Recently I’ve been using my fusion pistols less and less to pop AV 14 vehicles and then assault the dudes inside- especially nasty since harlies ignore terrain. What has been happening is that since I have to get so close to get the 2d6 on the armor pen all of my harlies are in range of the explosion if my opponent rolls 4” or more out. I blow the vehicle up but wind up loosing a bunch of my dudes in the explosion. Sucks! Been using my brightlances more and more to do it, then pounce with the clowns. Not having a +1 to the damage chart really makes a difference.

Moonbase X2-1 Game Board

Space Hulk Play: Suicide Mission

Playing through some marathon Space Hulk session here is what I have noticed about the first mission and SH in general. Does anybody else thing the first mission (Suicide Mission) is a bit hard for the first scenario? Here are my takes as both the Blood Angels and the Genestealers…

Heavy flamer in the back during deployment of your squad is a bad idea. Once the ‘stealers start bogging you down from the right of the board it leaves the flamer terminator vulnerable to getting punked from the south corridor entry point. While the stealers are weak at the start of the game I’d rather use that time moving so the flamer dude is better off standing second right behind the sarge. You only need one shot to flame the room, use the others to wall off corridors and then sacrifice the other terminators to hold the rear.

Genestealers are weak in the beginning so it is important to bog the terminators down so you can build up your numbers and overwhelm them. Use your bigger blip numbers to deploy near the south corridor entrance and run like mad towards the terminators. Forget trying to run down the two long corridors. Also, stash as many stealers in the control room for when the flamer terminator makes his way there and you can easily ambush him. Playing this way the marine player has like 0% chance to win.