# Wave Serpent vs Falcon



## darklove (May 7, 2008)

I have noticed that an upgraded Wave Serpent is almost identical in points and abilities to a Falcon, but can carry more models.

Why take Falcons when Wave Serpents are almost the same?


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## Styro-J (Jan 20, 2009)

I wouldn't say almost identical, and there is a pretty big point cost difference.

The wave serpent can carry up to 12 models, or 5 wraithguard and a spiritseer. It has one main twinlinked gun, and a second gun that can be but usually isn't upgraded. It has energy shields default that make all outside fire from the front and sides above STR 8 into STR 8. It also negates the melta bonus dice. It cannot however get holofields, which lets you roll two dice on your damage table, taking the lowest. It still can get spirit stones, star engines, and vectored engines though. Its point cost can never go over 190.

Falcons serve a different purpose. They are more of a gun boat with their standard pulse laser, heavy weapon, and the same upgrade gun the serpent has. Here the heavy weapon isn't twinlinked, which can really hurt with that BS 3 that both skimmers have. The Falcon makes up for it in the sheer volley of powerful shots. It can only carry 6 models, no wraithguard, but that is really only its secondary function. It goes in to soften the opponent, then drops off a task force to do its job. Serpents carry in squads that intend to do the damage themselves. Falcons get all the upgrades that you can add to a Serpent, plus holofields. That makes them just as resilient, in their own way if not more so, than Wave Serpents. The drawback for them is that Falcons can cost up to 235, good price for what they are but still more than I would pay for one, and no one would probably ever take all that at the same time. 

I have to say that I like Wave Serpents more just because they won't take up my slots in my organization chart since they are my dedicated transports and they are a cheaper survivable unit. 

You have to feel bad for the necron armies that come up against a mobilized force of eldar all decked out with stones and shields... Even that Monolith is going to have a tough time...


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## Daal-En (Apr 7, 2009)

darklove said:


> I have noticed that an upgraded Wave Serpent is almost identical in points and abilities to a Falcon, but can carry more models.
> 
> Why take Falcons when Wave Serpents are almost the same?


There are two main differences. Firstly, there's the pulse laser - true, the Serpent is more accurate with its primary weapon system than the Falcon is with its, but the pulse laser is a good complement for most weapons and gives you longer-ranged AP2 than you'll find on anything except the Fire Prism. It also has the potential for more hits - a Serpent armed with missile launchers or bright lances has only 1 shot, a Falcon has three shots with much the same weapon - for, as you note, much the same price. If you want to go the all-firepower route, the Falcon can put out more shots than any other unit in the army (9 - 2 x pulse laser, 4 x scatter laser, 3 x shuriken cannon). Because of its weight of fire the Falcon is the best tank-hunter the Eldar have - the Fire Prism's a wash, and the Serpent can only ever get one penetration, and so only a 1/3 chance of destroying the target if it penetrates (itself a 1/3 chance against AV12-14).

The second reason is the holo-field. Wave Serpents don't get this, they're vulnerable from behind when hit with anything, and the energy field is useless against autocannon, missile launchers and other things that like to target AV12 in their spare time. Holofields offer a stronger defence that works against everything - the Falcon used to have a reputation for being impossible to destroy back in the days when it got the sadly-departed 'glancing hits only' rule (there's a good chance the Falcon is the major reason that rule no longer exists).

The main reason to take a Falcon, though, may be that it gives you a 'free' transport when you buy a main battle tank. Some units, most notably the Warlock Bodyguard, you aren't generally going to field in 10-strong squads - you can get away with 6-strong units of Dragons and, possibly, Banshees as well. So the Falcon saves you the cost of buying a Wave Serpent in addition to your tank, or more likely frees your Wave Serpents to transport other units.

Phil


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## Daal-En (Apr 7, 2009)

> Falcons serve a different purpose. They are more of a gun boat with their standard pulse laser, heavy weapon, and the same upgrade gun the serpent has. Here the heavy weapon isn't twinlinked, which can really hurt with that BS 3 that both skimmers have. The Falcon makes up for it in the sheer volley of powerful shots. It can only carry 6 models, no wraithguard, but that is really only its secondary function. It goes in to soften the opponent, then drops off a task force to do its job. Serpents carry in squads that intend to do the damage themselves. Falcons get all the upgrades that you can add to a Serpent, plus holofields. That makes them just as resilient, in their own way if not more so, than Wave Serpents. The drawback for them is that Falcons can cost up to 235, good price for what they are but still more than I would pay for one, and no one would probably ever take all that at the same time.


I can't see going above 185-190pts with a Falcon in optimal configuration. Still around 50pts more than a typical configuration Serpent (EML, spirit stones, star engines), but there's not a huge amount that 50pts will buy you in the Eldar army, and most of that goes on the holofield. For Falcons these days (if I had the appropriately-equipped model) I'd go with one of two options:

Scatter laser, shuriken cannon, spirit stones, holofields: 185pts 

Basic 'main battle tank' configuration, strong anti-infantry despite lousy BS, usually moves slowly and is hard to kill. Not often used as a transport.

Eldar missile launcher, twin-linked shuriken catapults, spirit stones, holofields: 180pts

Optimal configuration to maximise the tank's versatility. This weapon combination allows it to maximise its range, firing from 48" if necessary, while also allowing it to act as a fast transport using plasma missiles as defensive weapons. The weapon combination is strong against both armour and infantry.



> I have to say that I like Wave Serpents more just because they won't take up my slots in my organization chart since they are my dedicated transports and they are a cheaper survivable unit.


I'd agree, although I feel skimmers generally are a bit overpriced following the 5th Ed rules change. Also, the pulse laser is a lot less impressive a weapon than such an iconic Eldar gun ought to be. However, I see little else in the Heavy Support section of the Eldar list that I'd be likely to use; support weapons are too short-ranged, fragile and immobile, Dark Reapers too expensive unless you know you're up against Marines, Wraithlords expensive for what amounts to a tougher War Walker with +1BS (it's just wrong to use a Heavy Support option as an assault unit, and doubly wrong for the Eldar to field a tough-as-nails, unbearably *slow* assault unit that's undergunned for its cost - it's everything the rest of the Eldar army isn't), Fire Prisms dreadful, and, well, I'll have enough space for a War Walker squadron.

Phil


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## Lord of Rebirth (Jun 7, 2008)

Wave serpent gets a frontal shield and can carry 12 models instead of 6. I don't used squads under 10 models so for transport Falcons don't work though if you want to use one to drop some anti-tank fire dragons ahead near enemy armour or have a squad of guardians for a late game objective grab the Falcon can be great. On the other hand Eldar can be considered frail in terms of CC and a wave serpent is best for getting units into CC so you pretty much want as many troops as possible for the charge.


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