Hey everyone, Reecius here from Frontline Gaming to answer a question I have been getting a LOT lately.
You may have seen some of our video battle reports on our YouTube channel and noticed that a lot of us at Frontline have been running my Eldar with Dark Eldar allies, with a unit of 14 Hellions and the Baron in just about every list.
Or you haven't noticed that because you don't watch the videos, but the title piqued your interest.
Either way, I have been getting a lot of emails, calls, texts, etc. asking why we run the unit. So, I figured I would write a article about it as it seems like a topic people are curious about.
It's hard to discuss a single unit in a vacuum as the context of the list it is in can alter a unit's utility dramatically. For example, a unit of Dires on foot in a Mech list is very out of place but in a Footdar army functions extremely well. So, why do I run Eldar/Dark Eldar in general? Taudar is the hotness everyone is talking about these days and for good reason, it is a damn good combination. Maybe the most powerful in the game right now. However, I like to keep it Elfy, and I think the Deldar alliance is just a fantastic combination. The compliment one another very, very well.
My Eldar army is my favorite to play, hands down. It has been since I first painted it up way back when. I love the way Eldar units work in concert with one another. Over the years, I have fine tuned it to a very precise tool. A lot of folks think the list looks weak at first glance, but that is just another advantage, IMO. Every unit in it is chosen for a very specific reason and each unit performs a crucial role. Here's the list I have been having a ton of fun playing:
| Eldar | 1750pts | ||
| Unit | Description | Size | Cost |
| HQ | |||
| Farseer | Jetbike | 1 | 115 |
| Baron | 1 | 105 | |
| Troops | |||
| Guardians | 10 | 90 | |
| Wave Serpent | Twin Scatter Laser, Shuriken Cannon | 1 | 130 |
| Dire Avengers | 10 | 130 | |
| Hellions | 14 | 224 | |
| Jetbikes | 3 | 51 | |
| Elites | |||
| Fast Attack | |||
| Warp Spiders | 10 | 190 | |
| Heavy Support | |||
| War Walkers | S.Laser x 6 | 3 | 210 |
| Ravager | Disintegrators, Night Shields, Flicker Fields | 1 | 125 |
| Wraithknight | 1 | 240 | |
| Night Spinner | 1 | 115 | |
| Fortifications | |||
| Totals | 56 | 1725 |
You will notice I still have 25 points to spare as I swap things around in my list and try out different wargear choices.
So, a hybrid foot/mech list. So far I am 14-1-1 with the list against a wide variety of armies all played by tournament players. I don't say that to brag at all, I know how stupid it sounds when people try to toot their horns that way, I only state it to show that this is a list that has been run through the paces and is not just pure theory. The one tie was to Triple Heldrake Chaos, which I got lucky and two didn't come on until turn 4. The loss was to a gun line Tau army that seized on me. I got shellacked fairly thoroughly in that game and only had 4 models left by game's end! Ouch!
At any rate, no you all can see what is in the list to help illustrate why I take Hellions. Hellions fill in several gaps in my list.
- They are a fast scoring unit. You can never have too many scoring units in a 6th ed list.
- Provides a great unit for my Farseer to ride around with.
- They are fairly resilient. Stealth and rerolling dangerous terrain tests from the Baron means the unit should almost always be in cover. Plus, with the Jetseer and the Baron (2++ save) you can tank wounds well, particularly in combat. If you are lucky enough to get Fortune and/or Forewarning, this unit can become extremely durable. Plus, the large squad size means they can soak some damage and keep on going.
- Poison weapons. These are such a utility in 6th ed. There are so many high toughness units in the game now due to great stats (Wraithknight) or buffs (Iron Arm) that you really need a tool to handle these units. Massed poison shots with 18" range on a unit as mobile as Hellions means you shoot a toughness based model and it will mostly likely die. Prescience/Doom/Guide makes this unit even more incredibly potent in shooting.
- Assault. The unit assaults really well. With Combat Drugs, Power from Pain, Prescience (which works in assault) Imitative 6 and a boat load of attacks, this unit really holds it own in a fight. It is great for hunting non-dedicated assault units, too. Marines, Cultists, Firewarriors, etc. get mulched by this unit with ease. The Baron is great in a challenge too, to take a key enemy character out of play with his 2++. The unit also smashes vehicles quite well too, through volume of attacks and the Baron's high strength on the charge. Plus, they have fleet! Very reliable on the charge. With Hit and Run, and the Baron letting you reroll that if you fail, and reroll the distance, these guys are slippery as hell.
- +1 to go first. Yeah, the Baron is stud.
- Free Safety. I love units that serve this function, and it is one of the reasons I love the Wraithknight. With their speed and multi-threat status, this unit can get where you need it when you need it and either press an attack or shore up your defenses.
- Sweet ass models. I love the models, not going to lie, and was happy to add them to my list.
So there you have it. The unit brings a lot to my list and so far has performed extremely well for me. Tau is the only army that ever kills them all (stupid Marker Lights!) but they are still super useful in that match-up as a high threat unit and troop/suit killer.
Lastly, if you worry about losing them to morale, stick the Shard of Anaris on the Jetseer and profit.
Hellions: they're what's for dinner!