# Eldar: reevaluating support weapon platforms



## spudboy (Jun 13, 2008)

Since support weapon platforms are now affordable, more people will probably be looking in to them. I'd like to reevaluate them here, and see if there's any new hope for them to make it into somebody's list.

*First, the basics.*

They are a heavy support choice, taken in squads of 1-3 platforms. Like Guard heavy weapons teams, they are manned by 2 Guardians. Wounds are taken by them, and when both die, the platform is gone. This also, unfortunately, means you get stuck with the lovely BS 3 for the guardians. You can add a warlock to the squad (NOT the individual platforms) to make them a bit more robust. However, you must take the same weapon for all the platforms in a squad. No mix-and-match.

The weapons you have access to are the d-cannon, vibro-cannon, and shadow weaver. The d-cannon is similar to the Wraithguard wraithcannon, except that it is an barrage blast weapon with improved range (wounds are figured the same as the wraithcannon). The shadow weaver is similar to the Warp Spider death spinner, but again is an barrage blast weapon with improved range. This means the lousy BS 3 is less of a problem with these two.

So what about the vibro-cannon? If you read the rules for it, you learn something interesting. When you go to use the vibro-cannon, you roll to hit for every vibro-cannon in the squad. If ANY of them hit, you draw a line out 36" from ANY of the cannons in any direction. ANY unit (friend or foe!) that falls under the line suffers D6 hits. Plus, you add 1 S for each extra vibro-cannon in your squad (so for 3 cannons you get +2S). What does this mean? It means that with a 3 cannon squad, you are going to most likely hit every single time you use it (only one needs to hit), and (most frighteningly) you DO NOT NEED TO DECLARE A TARGET prior to shooting.

So, Guardian BS 3: Is it a big deal with platforms? I'd say no.

None of these weapons require LOS, as 2 are barrage weapons, and the vibro-cannon works as I wrote above.

Since barrage weapons cause pinning tests and the vibro-cannon is pinning besides, all 3 weapons are pinning.

*All these weapons have obvious anti-troop capabilities, but what about anti-armor?*

The d-cannon will cause a glancing hit on a roll to wound of 3-4, a penetrating hit on 5-6. Period. The vibro-cannon causes an automatic glancing hit. You do not roll for peneration (meaning that even if you could potentially cause a penetrating hit based on its S, that doesn't matter). The Shadow Weaver is S 6, meaning lightly armored vehicles and vehicles with a low rear AV will be threatened.

*Now on to the downside for them.*

The biggest problem by far is that they must remain stationary to fire. All their weapons are Heavy, and since they are not vehicles and do not have any rules that allow them to move and shoot, they must remain in place to fire. This means that they make very poor mobile support/front line weapons. You'd be better looking into other options (tanks, for instance) if that is what you need.

The next problem is that they are manned by Guardians. I keep harping about this, simply because it means you have to use their oh-so-wonderful T3 Sv 5+ when trying to dodge bullets. Each platform is manned by 2 guardians, and both must die before the platform is removed. Still, a single Marine with a rapid firing bolter can do that in a heartbeat. You can give the squad a Warlock to bolster things (the Warlock's 4+ inv. save, plus giving him Conceal for that lovely(?) 5+ cover save), but that isn't saying much.

Only one of these has an AP rating: the D-cannon. AP2, to be specific. So why not load out on D-cannons? The range. A D-cannon is 24". You can try wheeling them out to the front lines, but you then run into the problems of 1) friendly fire from scatter, and 2) the high likelihood that they will be shot to hell before they can shoot. Remember, they are manned by guardians. Even with a warlock, they are going to be very easy to kill. Moving and then waiting a turn before they can fire their cannons may prove to be their downfall. (NOTE: Keep in mind that the crew still have their shuriken catipults that they can fire instead. Don't just let your opponent walk up and geek you without shooting back.)

All of these weapons have the potential to generate friendly fire. This shouldn't be taken lightly. 3 d-cannon blasts could potentially devestate anything in the Eldar army. Even the shadow weaver blasts could reduce most squads to ash and cinders (or offal, if you prefer to stick to the fluff). Vibro-cannons affect any unit they hit, period.

The Vibro-cannon, while it might seem like the obvious choice due to its advantages, has one large drawback: random number of hits. Each enemy unit hit takes D6 hits. Not 6, D6.

*Still interested? Well, how do you mitigate the disadvantages?*

Resiliance: Give them a warlock, possibly with Conceal. Really, none of the other Warlock powers will be useful for them. However, since none of these weapons require line of sight, you have no excuse for leaving them out in the open. They can all remain safely behind big, solid buildings as well as behind walls and other cover.

Mobility: Put them where they will be in cover, out of LOS, and capable of doing the most damage early on. In short, try not to move them, period. There will be times when you have to, but again, try to keep them stationary as much as possible.

Range: The only weapon with a range issue is the D-cannon. There are two ways to deal with this. The first (for offense) is to keep squad sizes small. With a warlock in each squad, you can keep some of your resiliance, but keep in mind that you are still vulnerable. However, your opponent will only be able to target one squad at a time. This will help let you get close enough to do some damage. The second way (for defense) is to select one spot on the board (a friendly objective, for example) and place the cannon rougly 24" from it in cover or out of LOS.

Lack of AP: Remember that you have a farseer? Remember that he can take Doom as a power? You take doom, right? No? Well, now you know that you should.

Scatter/vibro-cannon hits: Set up your shots. That's all I can tell you. Since measuring for range before shooting is a no-no, you need a good grasp of distance to use these well. For the vibro-cannon, it just becomes a matter of finding that one line that will trap the most units under the line. (Remember, for a 20 model Ork mob, you only need the line to run over 1 model to hit the unit.)


But, this is all theory. If platforms interest you, great. If they seem like a waste compared to all the other nastiness in the Eldar army list, that's fine too. Play what you think works, test it out, then give us your feedback. We want to hear from you.


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## Aramoro (Oct 7, 2009)

They are really really awful. I've tried using them, they too exspensive for what they do, which is nothing.

Aramoro


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## Sethis (Jun 4, 2009)

My line of thought always goes like this;

I could get 6 Guardians for 90-190 pts... or I could get a tank that is situationally harder to kill than a Land Raider for 150pts in the Fire Prism, with an extra point of BS and a gun that can kill infantry, heavy infantry and vehicles equally effectively. And can move 12" and still shoot. And they get better in pairs.

It's not a hard decision for me to make.


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## spudboy (Jun 13, 2008)

Other options exist and are getting more numerous all the time. This is my main complaint with platforms. If they were relentless on top of things (or SandP even) we might have a winner...

More input (even negative) is appreciated!


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## bishop5 (Jan 28, 2008)

They don't seem particularly hard to kill, or even annoying to be shot at by.

I would love an Eldar player to bits that took them against me; if only because they've wasted those points on not buying more (much) harder to kill flying tanks of doom.

Could be interesting in themed games, trying to hold a defensive position, etc.


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## Arkanor (Jan 1, 2010)

The range on the support weapons is so short, I don't worry much about being shot, but ASSAULTED before I can even get an effective shot off, although the chances of that happening (getting an "effective shot") are minimal at best.

Give me the tanks, they'll do more AND can handle drawing some fire. Not to mention it doesn't cripple a mobile army with immobile elements or screw you in a reserves/dawn of war deployment.


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## Grinnsira (Jan 5, 2010)

I have used 3 D-cannons before. It seemed to work well. The first game I do not think the player knew their full power. I blasted his plague marines, demon prince and termies. The second time I put them in cover and watched the play dump tons of fire into them. It created a 24" no zone much like the Vindi


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## Stephen_Newman (Jul 14, 2009)

I generally do not use platforms. There are better options for dealing with the threats that the weapons can. Want to get rid of heavy infantry, use dark reapers. Getting rid of tanks then try a falcon or fire prism. Want to scare any type of infantry away from an objective then a wraithlord really helps. Light infantry can now be cleared and slowed down by the new nightspinner. So in short there is no hole in the army they do not fill in.


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## Stella Cadente (Dec 25, 2006)

quite nice models, only reason you need to use for a game of toys


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## Lord Rahl (Mar 13, 2010)

They are good against hordes, as i have found out, but i do beleive people tend to over look the mutiple barrage rule, its perfect against those opponants who like to cluster together behind their transports and try to hide, but that is the only good thing i can think of.


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## Stephen_Newman (Jul 14, 2009)

Don't forget they also cause pinning checks so they could hold up an advance but my tempest launching dark reaper exarch does that already.


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## KarlFranz40k (Jan 30, 2009)

For static shooting stuff in an eldar heavy support slot...take Dark Reapers instead.

Shame cause the new models are very nice looking.


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