Wraithseer

Check this new Wraithseer model out from Forge World.  The experimental rules can be found here.  Its great to see all the love given to the Eldar recently with all the new models.  Although, I worry that all this attention means GW does not plan to focus on the Eldar for some time.  Anyway the new model rocks and has some interesting rules attached to it.  It counts as an HQ but does not fulfill the HQ requirement and it also needs a unit of Wraithguard present before it can be selected.

I think the first question is what HQ will complement the Wraith Seer best.  I think it boils down to a Farseer vs an Avatar.  With the Avatar you get the potential to field 5 Monstrous Critters in a list which would be fun combined with Wraithguard and swarms of Guardians.  I don't believe this would be as effective as a Nid list but fun.  If you take the Farseer/Eldrad, you get another force multiplier in your list with doom/guide/fortune.  Also, the Wraithseer does not appear to come equipped with psychic defenses such as Runes of Warding which I think tips the scales in favour of having a Farseer as a second choice.

Speaking of force multipliers,  the Wraithseer does provide some nice benefits to units of its own kind:

Greater Spirit Seer:  acts as a Spirit Seer with a 12" bubble and reduces targets of wraith units in its bubble cover saves by -1


Enliven: A single Wraithlord or a Wraithguard squad within 12" of the Wraithseer gains the Fleet
special rule for the rest of the turn (unfortunately I do not think this includes the Wraith Seer himself).


Deliverance:  Choose a single Wraithlord or a Wraithguard squad within 6" of the Wraithseer (or the Wraithseer itself). If the model (or models) is killed roll a D6. On a 6 they are not removed from play but remain in place, with a single wound



Combined with Warlock and Farseer force multipliers, I could see troop selections of Wraithguard worth taking.  For example, a squad of ten Wraithguard with conceal and fortune is fairly resilient would also get quite a boost with the Deliverance rule.  While only on a 6 does the model remain in play if killed, it gives the unit of Wraithguard a separate chance to survive outside of the realm of toughness and armor saves.  The unit now has a third layer of protection.  If I had any decent math skills I'm sure that I could sit down crunch numbers and zero in on the effectiveness of adding a third layer of protection but I don't.  So I'm going to go with my gut reaction.

The other notable powers and abilities of the Wraithseer are as follows:

- 3 attacks over the 2 attacks of a Wraithlord.
- 3+/5++ save on toughness 8
- Wraithspear - wounds critters on a 2+, ignore's armour saves, 2D6 armour pen on strength 10, re-roll misses in assaults.
- Foreboding psychic power - A single enemy unit within 18" must take a Morale test at -1 to their Leadership or immediately make a Fallback move (as if they had failed a morale check - after this is done they may act normally).  Fearless units are immune to Foreboding.
-Oh, and can also equip a D-Cannon as well as the normal Wraithlord weapon load outs.

Off the top of my head I think the following 1850 point list would be fun:

HQ:
Eldrad
Wraithseer - D-Cannon

Elite:
10 Harlequins with Shadow Seer and kisses

Troops:
10 Wraighguard - Spirit Seer - conceal
6 - Pathfinders
6 - Pathfinders

Heavy:
3 Wraithlords - ELM's, Bright-lances.

Total points: 1844

The idea is to put the Harlies in the front to provide cover to the Wraithguard.  The Wraithguard then forms the second layer to give cover to the Wraithlords and Wraithseer.  The Pathfinders stick it out in the back holding objectives and provide cover fire.  Nothing too complex, just plop the models on the table and advance.  I think it would be fun at any rate.

Over all, I love all the attention given to the Eldar by Forge World these days and I'm hoping that the ideas provided by them will carry over into the new Eldar dex when ever it comes out.  I especially hope that the new book when ever it comes out will provide as much options and different flavours as the Dark Eldar book.  I think this will be the case if all the new Forge World entries are anything to go by.