How will the Autarch affect our HQs

As has been said before, the Autarch had his wargear options unequivocally gutted, going from the Eldar's most versatile HQ to ranking among the least. The justifications (Something I personally find so contradiction laden it warrants a topic in of itself), were that because the wargear options are not included in their kit, they will not get rules.

How do you think this will effect our codex? Will the Archon no longer be able to take an Agonizer or Blaster, or will GW reverse their decision and keep options open for us...perhaps even expanding it some?

I'm expecting them to get gutted to fit the current models. Archons will get Splinter Pistols and Huskblades. Succubi will get Archite Glaives and Agonisers. Haemonculi will get Stinger Pistols and Scissorhands. And by God, they'll like them.

The one plus side is that we'll probably get Relic versions of some (most?) of them for a little bit of diversity. So yay for that.

I expect to lose the Blaster, but keep the Agoniser.

Then again they're introducing new characters and options in other places (like the Exalted Champion and Grandmaster Dreadknight) that don't have official models. It's hard to say what the rationale is. It's also worth noting they included a work around in the community page, saying for instances of particular unit options that don't appear in the codex you can still use the index datasheets with the most up to date pricing from the codex. They explicitly called out options like Dreadnoughts missing weapon choices and characters not having bikes, etc.

For example that allows you to take a Footarch with Reaper Launcher and Banshee Mask, but the Banshee Mask will use the index entry and grant always strike first instead of preventing Overwatch.

Hey GW, this may sound like a wild suggestion but... maybe instead of gutting a beloved unit, you could release a new kit for it in the same vein as thr Space Marine Captain kit? You know, with all the options included?

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Hey GW, this may sound like a wild suggestion but... maybe instead of gutting a beloved unit, you could release a new kit for it in the same vein as thr Space Marine Captain kit? You know, with all the options included?

The most concerning thing for me is how wildly GW seems to swing on this issue. They vary from units that have no official models (GK Dreadknight, Exalted Champion), to being so stringent against options not in the kit it wearily makes me think they've become hostile to conversion. (Captains on bikes, Autarch).

It's odd because in regards to the rest of the game, GW has been uncharacteristically consistent with rulings, such as Send In the Next Wave costing reinforcement points.

In a way, I'm almost glad we're likely at the back end of Codex releases, hopefully the issue can be sorted out without the peculiar day one work arounds before our book drops.

Sadly... i think are HQ's are doomed...... I'll just use the Index ones if thats the case, my Local wont care, they all know how bad DE HQ's are anyways and if they get worst they know i wont even play DE then (i'm the only DE player there, there are a couple that has a small ally detachment but not a full force).

I mean lets be fair here: How CAN our HQ's get noticeably worse? What indignity could they possibly heap upon them that makes them less playable than they are already?

They could nerf our Auras? Make the Succubus suck at close combat? Take away all the Archon's wargear options and support capacity?

The only thing I can imagine them doing to our HQs to make them actually unplayable is increase their points cost.

All options go away.....

Haemonculus without a Whip ans stuck with Haemi-tools
Succubus force to take 2 melee weapons over a free pistol
Archon force to take Huskblade and splinter pistol, no blaster/blast pistol

Worst case they'll likely do what they did for the plastic Autarch model; rename the weapon it comes with and invent an improved profile. I wouldn't mind Archons getting a Starglaive equivalent.

A Starglaive would be great (for those that dont know its a Power Fist)

A weapon with a d of more than 1 would be fantastic.
For me that's the biggest issue with the close combat ability of our HQs.

Or, with some luck, we get the GK Make Your Own Nemesis Dreadknight Grand Master treatment.

Not insinuating GW has double standards.

Logan Frost wrote:

Not insinuating GW has double standards.

I think it's probably more along the lines of "different people were in charge of different Codexes". Hopefully by the time ours gets released they settle on a stance collectively (preferably the pro-conversion one!).

I'm expecting GW to strip away options rather than add them, reading the new stuff coming out of GW its clear the company is trying to offset finanical losses by doubling as a paint tasting factory.

Our codex will likely remain a gutted husk, if not becoming more so and GW can then sell us the cookie-cutter Fun (TM) versions of our HQ, which will just so happen to be what they are selling in shops. These weapons wont be buffed or changed but simple be our only choice.

We won't be seeing anything shown love unless its some new models they are trying to push on everyone, in which case they will be buffed into the stratosphere so that the tournament players will lap them up like the good little sheep they are.

Archite Glaive and maybe two choices of weapon on the succubus.

Archon will probably lose any shooting above a pistol.

Hammy might be one of the few things to keep their options, but I would be surpised if they lost most of the melee weapons not exclusively theirs.

I think we've historically fared better in combat than Eldar HQs and we will continue to, or at least have more impactful Artecactz/Relics/Remnants to augment that.

Less options is fine by me honestly so long as our options are GOOD, I still don't think Aeldari HQs stand up next to Astartes ones and that's exactly what I want to change, I don't need the days of combat godliness but I need the race's superiority and smugness to shine through with our leaders.

Prince Yriel is amazing....

Re-rolling 3+/4++
D6 S6 -2ap pistol
Poison 2+: 4 attacks: -2ap D3

lcfr wrote:

I think we've historically fared better in combat than Eldar HQs and we will continue to, or at least have more impactful Artecactz/Relics/Remnants to augment that.

Less options is fine by me honestly so long as our options are GOOD, I still don't think Aeldari HQs stand up next to Astartes ones and that's exactly what I want to change, I don't need the days of combat godliness but I need the race's superiority and smugness to shine through with our leaders.

As someone who has played both armies since early 5th edition, I agree that back in the old days our combat HQs outshone those of our craftworlder cousins. However, during 7th edition they were not even close: Our one relic weapon was arguably the worst relic in the game, we had one source of AP 2 melee over our entire HQ list, and there was little we could do to compare to a laser lance packing Autarch on jetbike. What we had going for us was insanely high initiative and weapon/ballistic skills (we could get a generic HQ up to WS 10, which was literally godlike). with the changes to WS and the cutting of initiative, our two main strengths have been surgically removed. Is it any wonder we cannot keep up?

Dude... 5th was amazing, everytime anyone says anything about 5th DE, i get so sad b.c i want that codex back

The mood swings in the Dark City are fascinating indeed.

Our arsenal already was severely gutted with 7th edition where GW "adjusted" available options to what was mostly in the kit. Remember when every character could take a Venom Blade?

Craftworlds are different because they got candy handed out like crazy and were treated like they were the only special child in a group of mentally disabled children. Finally this found an end.
For us, it does not make sense to remove the little that's left from 5th edition.

The Strange Dark One wrote:

The mood swings in the Dark City are fascinating indeed.

Our arsenal already was severely gutted with 7th edition where GW "adjusted" available options to what was mostly in the kit. Remember when every character could take a Venom Blade?

Craftworlds are different because they got candy handed out like crazy and were treated like they were the only special child in a group of mentally disabled children. Finally this found an end.
For us, it does not make sense to remove the little that's left from 5th edition.

It makes little sense... but they'll do it anyway.

Given that our HQs have already been gutted - losing all their mobility in the 5th edition codex and basically all their wargear in the 7th edition codex, what's left to gut?

Weapon options.....

amishprn86 wrote:

Weapon options.....

What, all 2 of them?

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Given that our HQs have already been gutted - losing all their mobility in the 5th edition codex and basically all their wargear in the 7th edition codex, what's left to gut?

Well...The Archon might lose access to the Blast Pistol, Blaster, Agonizer, Power Sword, and Phantasm Grenade Launcher.

The Succubus could lose access to the Splinter Pistol, Blast Pistol, and Impaler.

And the Haemy could lose the Agonizer, Electrpcorrosive Whip, Flesh Gauntlet, Mindphase Gauntlet, Scissorhand, Venom Blade, Splinter Pistol, Hexrifle, and Liquidier gun.

That is of course worst case scenario, one where the kits are reduced to only the equipment that comes on the sprue. I don't expect it to be that drastic if it happens, but we could lose a lot should GW take that route.