Black Templar Missile Spam: Eldar?

Email In:

Dear Fritz

I realize that you are quite busy going through the new Necron-codex, but write asking you for help anyway.

I have a friend who plays a varity of marine armies; Wolves, black templars, blood angels… normally my Mech-eldar beat them if I focus and don’t make too many mistakes. But just recently he has hit upon a build that I find almost impossible to deal with, not just with my elder, but marine armies, guard and orcs have just been swept off the table by:

Cyclone-missile-launcher-spam

His build looks something like this.

Emperors champion

2x 5 marines

2x 5 terminators with 2 cyclonemissile in each group

2x reclusiac with 3 terminator retinue (1 or 2 more cyclone in each group)

1500 pts

This army pumps something like 16 krak missiles out every turn at a range of 48’

If you try to close with it he simply bolters you and uses his powerfists or the champions preferred enemy to clean up in close combat. So he will just castle up and try to cover two objectives and then try to wipe out his opponent.

Any ideas for how to deal with this?

Bo from Denmark

Reply Out:

Bo, thanks for emailing, one of the hidden secrets of the Black Templar codex is their ability to pump out missile spam like this- let’s throw out some ideas to deal with the list- we are going to use a layered approach, but it is going to be a tough up-hill battle for Eldar due to the age of the codex.

First thing is a switch to as much AP 2 weapons that we can. Normal infantry is dealt with by volume of fire so some 3+ armor save will be failed, but 2+ is hard to crack. I’m assuming the terminators will have cover, so with your AP shots they will be down to a 4+ save- still pretty good, but a 50/50 chance to die.

We are then going to follow up with a suicide wave of say two wave serpents with fire dragons and a far seer like Eldard- expensive in 1500 points but needed. The rest of your forces can be the usual Eldar stuff, etc.

With that many missiles you are forced to go first or reserve your units- hanging out on the table first turn is not good odds. Take first turn if you can and hold your breath that you don’t get seized is the best option.

From here if you go second, put out your suicide units, and reserve the rest, or if really gutsy, put everything out and try to seize.

First turn Eldrad casts fortune on both wave serpents and guide on one of your other back units. The wave serpents move out 24” and then kick in star engines- they will now be in range on turn two to unload on your opponent.

The rest of your army moves up and shoots- starting with the units just behind the first rank of terminators near your wave serpents.

Bottom of turn one you are going to eat a ton of missiles into those wave serpents, but the odds are pretty good of them surviving considering all the firepower coming your way- also firepower not coming at the rest of your army. The Templars have to hit, armor pen, bypass a re-roll able cover save, and then score a crippling hit. On top of that if the wave serpents do go down the guys inside are close enough for next turn. Sure they can get pinned, etc., but it is a gamble.

Next turn your fire dragons get out and start blasting with the melta shots- Eldrad dooms two units and guides another since you need every hit/wound to count. At best this should put down two terminator units.

If the wave serpents are up start tank shocking with them- you can hit a ton of units if your opponent is castled up. Sure he can death or glory, but at this point it really doesn’t matter since they delivered their cargo.

The rest of your army now continues to work on the second rank of guys blasting away, and from there you see what happens.

That is how I would approach dealing with the army- focused fire suicide units levered by psychic powers- which are still good by 40K game standards, and a second wave coming up to join the first.

How I would normally play Eldar- all sneaky, turn five contesting, etc. just doesn’t work against a list like this- one has to be super aggressive with a little luck on their side to win the day. Do the opposite of what I usually say- don’t focus on the mission, focus 100% on killing your opponent, and then worry about the mission.

Hope that helps a bit.

-Fritz