Eldar Rangers : how do i use them as allies for the dark eldar

I understand they are the super scouts of Eldar. Ranger long rifles are pretty good just asking one thing how would i use them? MC? Objective camping? Vehicles? Please comment ;)btw i checked any topics on rangers didnt find any.

Moving to the Eldar section. In future please make sure you post threads in the correct section of the Forum. Thanks - Mush

Just small cheap scoring units, in eternal state of going to ground and firing snap shots that are precision shots.

Can be used for linebreaker as well when ifiltrating. They shouldn't be your opponents main target, and if hidden well, that's a cheap extra victory point. If your opponent somehow deem them a priority, something else is not taking the heat. Otherwise i'd keep them in cover back in your own deployment zone out of too much harms way but still in range to fire of some shots here and there. Since they have stealth, their worst cover save is 4+. That's not bad.

Stick them in a corner, in a big piece of terrain, on an objective.
Their purpose is to be cheap, not to accomplish anything of note.

Inflitrating forward makes them an easy assault target, and they die.
They can still die in your dz, but the enemy has wasted an assault unit to kill them.

In my last game, I used Rangers to babysit my Farseer in my deployment zone - stick them in ruins and he has a lovely 3+ cover save to go with his 4++. I was using a unit of five, but decided I liked it so much I got another five to make it ten strong. Obviously deep strikers are a potential problem, but that'll always be the case for a unit consisting entirely of snipers. Infiltration is a very tempting rule to take advantage of, but only Scorpions should be doing it - like DominicJ says, they are easy to assault, even easier if you put them closer to the enemy. Unless you can get them really high up or behind line of sight blocking terrain, don't bother.

i disagree with the above comments. All of there shots if upgraded to alaitoc with illic nightspear means they are all precision shot. so they are precision shooting on their normal ballistic skill. Not only are they scoring but i think they are the best HQ merc squad in the game. only downfall is no armor save and heavy weapons. Illic's ability to be able to infiltrate as close as he wants to enemy regardless of proximity (just out of sight if within 18 inches obviously) and then have the rest of the rangers deepstrike with no scatter right next to him may be handy some times. Dont know if id use it but it could be useful. And i would never put them in a position to babysit anyone. they are meant to push your enemy in a direction you want them to go. to scare him in a direction so to speak. Every time i put them somewhere high up, if possible (which on our tables isnt hard to do) and usually try and position to shoot at an HQ or high priority target, which will die most likely. but very situational dependent. I feel they are one of Eldars better units, just like anything else just need to learn how to use them. opinions are opinions though, everyone has one.

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And i would never put them in a position to babysit anyone. they are meant to push your enemy in a direction you want them to go. to scare him in a direction so to speak.

They arent exactly scary...

doomseer11b wrote:

...Illic's ability to be able to infiltrate as close as he wants to enemy regardless of proximity (just out of sight if within 18 inches obviously)...

Illic can go anywhere, regardless of proximity as long as it isn't in impassable terrain. As I read that the line of sight issue is invalidated as it imposes a restriction on the proximity of Illic's placement; which his special rule ignores.

That being said, having used both rangers and pathfinders, it has been pointed out to me that they are very expensive for what you get (and they are, the upgrade cost for a 5 man squad is roughly the same cost as a venom) but as always if it fits in your overall battle plan then more power to you. Against deathstars and big squads with apothecaries and heavy weapons hiding in the back 5 precision shots at regular BS per turn is kinda handy.

Illic is awesome though, nothing like ID'ing a kitted out wraithlord.... or wraithknight....

I took Ilic and two units of Alaitocs to a tournie recently. They did great most of the time, but were a huge fire magnet. And then there was the two games out of five against markerlight-laden Tau.

Sigh.

yeah not the best unit against tau unfortunately.

I take 8 in almost every game, usually supported by some Dark Reapers and in the future the Wraithknight. I find their ability to to precision strike special weapons, particularly flamers to be invaluable, as it sets up assaults for wyches and incubi.

They tend to go completely ignored and easily score my objectives every time, as my Wave Serpents and their contents take the brunt of the enemies attention.

Standard rangers play a lot like kabalites with stealth, and snipers. They just chill there and shoot stuff, wounding on fours. Infiltration comes in handy sometimes, too, like for the relic and getting some early control.

I don't think snap firing hits count as precision shots, though. Snap firing does still trigger tesla for crons.

Illic Rangers are highly situational. Against a Ravenwing army reliant on the banner, apothacaries or Chaos Marines with Icons they can snipe them with ease. Same with foot based Tau, they are good for getting at that Ethereal in the Kroot blob (though barrage like the spinner battery and tank is better and more multi purpose dealing with characters in blobs).

The trouble is one round of fire from 5 is likely to kill around 1 MEQ (even accounting for the rending) so unless your enemy has high point cost non ICs (ICs will just 2+ look out sir the shots or take 1 wound of their most likely 3) the point cost for damage output is not great.

These guys do however have Stealth and Shrouding meaning they will be 2+ cover pretty much all the time so if you arent facing assault, Tau, Wave Serpents or Helldrakes they are pretty survivable.

This means they can make good objective campers and bodyguards to a Farseer or Spirit Seer.

As many others have said, Rangers are cheap objective campers. They cost a little more than Kabalite Warriors and shoot a little further, but the real advantage is that they have Stealth so you can sit in cover on an objective and Go To Ground to increase your chances of staying alive. If you're ever shooting anything other than Snap Shots with the Rangers, it'll be because nothing was shooting at you.

The only reason to infiltrate is to infiltrate onto an objective, but if you do this then you can be assured that that unit won't be around for long. Neither CWE nor DE are strong at holding objectives, just good at taking them. So it'll be your Rangers vs the world if the enemy comes for that objective.

Again, at 60pts, using too much energy to clear the Rangers off the objective might be detrimental to the opponent. As others have been saying, Illic isn't the best and requires specific strategies and units to make him work. Illic's upgraded Rangers are okay, but too expensive for what they do.

What is their optimum unit strength? 5, 6? I was curious about having a cheap but effective detachment including A Farseer, one unit of Rangers, one unit of Reapers and possibly a fast attack (Warp Spiders/Crimson Hunter). What do you guys think would be optimum builds for the units in this attachment?