Autarch Skyrunner/Reaver Synergy

I've been looking at different, less obvious ways of adding some Eldar allies to my Sky Serpents without breaking the theme too much while adding some punch without all the D...

Autarch Skyrunner with Banshee Mask and Laser Lance. Comes out at 100pts, comes with all the reserve shenanigans but adds some really nice punch to the Reavers by denying the opponent overwatch and S6 AP3 on the charge. They lend each other additional rules, with the Reavers giving him Hit and Run while they benefit from the Autarch's leadership.

I wonder if this is death star-able by putting him with 12 Reavers or whether it is too much. Shard of Anaris is still a good shout too.

That Banshee mask is a huge draw for me. I seriously want to get that in my army, and the reserve manip would benefit my army immensely.

Absolutely and to be honest this was something I wanted to do as well. It's basically a throwback to when we used to be able to have bike archons.

It's a shame the Archon can't take a shimmershield. That would REALLY give this the potential to go deathstar status. I looked for another way to give the unit a shimmershield, but unfortunately the only character in the entire book that can get one is the Dire Avenger Exarch.

I've run the Autarch with my Reavers a few times with the 6e Eldar codex and it was usually very good as long as used correctly. Does the Shard still give Fearless by the way? That was the main reason I was taking it.

And also adding +1 to reserves, which is very handy if you have flyers. Might consider him.

@Count_Adhemar -Yeah the Shard still gives fearless.

I second you Sky. The Autarch on a bike is excellent. I've played one game since the 6th edition codex with a Farseer and an Autarch in all the rest. I find the Autarch to be of far greater value especially when using units that you need to protect from Alpha-Strike like Hornets and bikes. The banshee mask is phenomenal upgrade now too... especially with Reavers.

Also I think running Reavers and Wind Riders together is gonna be a nasty combination. They can essentially bodyguard each other as they move across the board. I think two units of each could work incredibly well together. I definitely plan on trying it.

He'd make a great second HQ. I still think a Farseer benefits my lists more, but I'd like to try an autarch at some point.

My favorite tactic is null deployment. I never fell more like an Archon than when I reserve everything (save for 2 talos hiding in cover) and bring everything at the bottom of turn 2 to wipe half my opponents army... and this can't reliably be done without an Autarch for the +1/-1 to reserve roll.

Putting him on by opens a lot of options. He can join the windrider, the reavers and with the banshee mask if he can by a great addition to any charging units. His mobility allow him to reach pretty one any of them on the map.

I love null deploy with an autarch.
I thought it really strange that that dark eldar don't have any reserve manipulation besides the random chance at a warlord table.

I think reavers with an autarch could work quite nicely. He can give them a little more hitting power with one of the super swords, lance, fusion gun, banshee mask etc

banshee mask will quickly become a staple in my lists! with reavers being able to deny overwatch will really make the unit a lot nastier.

Yep an autarch has become quite the inclusion. Banshee mask and deployment shenanigans and shard ... way too good to overlook. Now you also get to itake your own Haemie with WWP for FDs or WGsa unit of bikes w/ scatter and maybe a crimson hunter/hemlock ... great allies for our DE.

I'm going to be running 9 man squad of reaver with champ and agonizer. Would that be enough or is 12 better? I'm just afraid with that big of an unit that I won't be able to get them into cover well.

Can Reavers really be a death star type unit? They are still easy to kill, even with an autarch. Does the value added actually come to play on the table? I fully admit I haven't found success with the bikes, but a small squad seems to be too fragile... And a large squad can still be killed easily if a target priority. And an Autarch added seems to bump up the target priority.

I'm curious to hear how this actually plays out.

I've had great success with two jetbike farseers attempting to get invisibility with a squad of reaver. It's a death star that only costs 500 or so points, so if it fails to perform, you still ha e the rest of your army to keep pace.