[Yriel of Iyanden]

The following was written on a plane during one of my trips. Enjoy!- Yriel

Wraithsight: Has the Vyper regained its bite?

Ahh another episode at 30,000 feet. Currently on my way to Chicago for business, but I packed a small army for some pickup gaming on the road.

As I packed my army last night, I took a long look at my units. This was a Saim Hann army, so about 12 jetbikes, a pair of falcons, some aspects and elites, and finally a pair of Vypers.

I thought all my Vyper models had seen their last real competitive gaming just prior to the 4th codex, but now I can’t seem to play without them. But why? What has changed? Has the Vyper been nerfed out of existence in the current codex? Have I just forced myself to use a sub-standard unit? Or are we just starting to get accustomed to the new look Vyper, as well as the other changes to Eldar units, and perhaps this has allowed us to re-integrate our old friend the Vyper?

Whatever the cause, Vypers are back, but different, and have returned as a mainstay, at least in my personal army. Let’s look at the evolution of this unit (for this article we are only considering 3rd and 4th edition variants).

3rd edition: fly-shoot-fly!

As we consider the changes, let’s first consider what most Vypers “looked like” in the previous codex:

Vyper 55-100+pts
Typical Armament: Starcannon, some Scatter Laser
Spirit Stone
Sometimes Crystal Targetting Matrix

Those of us playing the 3rd edition Eldar codex don’t need me to explain this section of the article, so if this is you- you might skip to the next section. The Eldar 3rd edition codex had two particular differences with our current codex, specifically involving the Vyper:

1) The change in Eldar Heavy Weapon profiles
2) The change/loss in certain Eldar vehicle upgrades

Several changes were made in the base profile of Eldar weaponry- the most notable of which was the reduction in shots for the Starcannon, which was widely considered the best armament for the Vyper. A 75pt Vyper was an excellent points investment- particularly for Saim Hann and Ulthwe’ Strike Force variants, due to the excellent range, good strength, outstanding AP, and very reasonable price tag. These Vypers were expected to survive for 2-3 turns of shooting, which is plenty of time for this type of cheap vehicle to earn its points back- particularly firing at TEQ’s. Protection was afforded by staying at extreme range of the weapon, and the spirit stone.
But the best protection of all is simply never to present your opponent without a target to shoot at- at all! This vehicle upgrade was called the Crystal Targetting Matrix, and as some of you vets read- I sense a small tear forming in the corner of a few eyes. The CTM functioned in a very similar manner as Tau jet pack units do- meaning the unit gets to move- shoot, and then move off, or behind cover all in the same turn- a very powerful upgrade indeed, and stacked with the mighty starcannon of old, there’s little to wonder why the Vyper was so very popular among Eldar players.

Not being a big fan of the starcannon (it felt somewhat imbalanced to me), my Vyper of choice back in the day was a stock Vyper with a Scatter Laser- either with or without the CTM- so usually running 55-85pts, for a little pin prick that supported my main assault, pestered medium armor, and scored mission objectives for me.

4th Edition codex pwns the Starcannon, CTM

Wth the onset of the new codex, many Eldar players were disappointed to find that the once mainstay of their army- the Starcannon Vyper- had been nerfed 3 ways from the weekend! The first thing they might have noticed is the complete absence of the Crystal Targetting Matrix. Secondly- the overall nerfing of the Starcannon from Heavy 3 to Heavy 2, combined with the performance boost of the Scatter Laser and cost reduction of the Shuriken Cannon reduced the once best-of-all Eldar weapons to a TEQ specialist weapon.

And as the final nail in the coffin- the Starcannon’s price increased on every platform on which it is available, for a reduction in performance. The old 65pt Vyper with Starcannon was now 70pts, for a 33% reduction in overall performance- making this change a double-sided nerf for Eldar players.

What other changes affected the Vyper?

Several important changes happened in the Vyper’s FOC location of Fast Attack which further jeopardized the future of this unit. Eldar jetbikes- which was vastly reduced in price- moved over to the Troops selection, but more importantly, the units that remained in Fast Attack with the Vyper gained varying amount of boosts.

Swooping Hawks might have lost their uber-killy Exarch, but instead gained improvement as a whole unit. With the loss of the Web of Skulls/Sustained assault delivery system- Swooping Hawks gained Skyleap, and Haywire/Intercept, and the Web of Skulls was traded for the Sunrifle- which shifted the role from exarch delivery system to a legitimate tank and horde threat.

Warp Spiders faced some minor tweaks- the most notable of which was the change in the deathspinner profile from rapid 2 to assault 2, allowing the Warp Spiders a charge after firing. A fairly minor change, but the unit was so good and versatile to begin with that little change is good change.

Finally- the oft-maligned Shining Spears found some boosts in the new codex- namely a significant reduction in price, a slight boost in the laser lance, and the hit ‘n run special rule. The once king supreme of all Fast Attack choices- the Vyper found itself cut down to size, and competing for slots in a more competitive environment.

When considered a weapons platform, the Vyper finds itself in more trouble. Guardian units can now fleet and mount Wave Serpents with their weapon platforms- thereby reducing some of the mobility advantages afforded by the Vyper platform. Warwalkers lost their open topped and near pointless powerfield rules, gained a scout move, and with a very reasonable price tag for nearly twice the overall firepower in most configs lent it credibility as a reliable weapons platform. The wraithlord, also a favorite weapon platform, lost some of its assault ability and wraithsight but now had the capability for dual weapon mounts- increasing the firepower on an extremely durable unit. And finally- the Wave Serpent and Falcon in particular enjoy the lion’s share of Spirit Stone use- making them both extremely durable if constantly shaken transports and platforms.

All of these changes combined meant the Vyper that was once so common, the unit that was so consistently taken by Eldar players from all craftworlds was now, dead. Many (including the author) initially believed the Vyper to be too sub-optimal to use in competitive gaming and quickly began seeking alternative platforms to fill the Vyper’s role. As we’ll see though- my opinion has since changed.

The Learning Curve

Looking to fill that spot the Vyper once held must have been challenging, at least for some players. Some players took those points to boost other areas of their armies- like saving points for that Fire Prism, or taking a Harlequin unit instead. Others found promise in the new jetbike troops choice, which offers a similar combat role as the Vyper in certain configurations. Others invested in slower, more durable or cheaper platforms, such as warwalkers, wraithlords, or Eldar support weapons.

And if you’re a Saim Hann player like me- you simply grinned and accepted the challenge ahead. Sure- that Vyper we knew and loved is gone, but the base platform remains the same- there had to be some other reasons why we loved these machines, right?

As I mentioned earlier- my favorite configuration was a stock Vyper with a Scatter Laser, which ran 55pts. We’ll throw the CTM variant out the window now that it’s no longer a legal unit. I didn’t run Spirit Stones often because it was either never get shot at with the CTM, or assume the identity of a low priority threat as a near stock vyper.

So the stock setup with a scatter laser runs me 60pts, but this is okay, since I’m now looking at a fixed Heavy 4 for the Scatter Laser, and the vehicle can remain a low priority threat and still deal on the extreme end of its weapon range. If anything- my scatter laser vyper sees improvement in nearly all performance categories- AR values, MEQ’s, and GEQ’s for a slight increase in cost- so at least I’m getting something out of it.

Sure- I could get twice the firepower for the same pts value on a warwalker- and that’s a legitimate notion. But the thing to address here is mobility, and that’s what you’re paying for. Warwalkers can really shell out the dakka- for sure- but this is at the expense of being able to put that firepower nearly anywhere you want on the battlefield. Is that factor enough to be considered strategically significant? That depends on your strategy, doesn’t it?

The boon of the Vyper- the Shuriken Cannon

I apologize to those who have heard or read my droning on about how much more viable the shuricannon is in the latest codex- but this is one of those weapons that really brings the Vyper back to a useable battlefield role. It’s not that the shuricannons themselves changed- they just got cheaper- way cheaper! A dual shuricannon vyper in 3rd edition would run you 10pts more than a current dual shuricannon vyper, which makes a big difference in the calculated performance of such a low-cost platform. It isn’t the cost of the turret shuricannon where vypers and other platforms are saving points- it’s on that second, hull-mounted shuricannon, which effectively doubles the firepower of a Vyper and presents some unique tactical opportunities for a commander who can recognize them.

The shuricannon’s 50% reduction in price for hull-mounting makes it a cheap addition to any Eldar skimmer willing to take one. It’s just more bang for the buck- so regardless of the turret cost increase you may be facing- the hull shuricannon upgrade reduces the cost vs. similarly armed 3rd edition equivaltents.

So let’s recap:

- Vypers were once efficient, lone scoot and shoot machines that benefited from the Starcannon and Crystal Targetting Matrix

- Both the Starcannon and CTM have been nerfed/eliminated in the new rules.

- Vypers were initially dismissed as no longer being a viable unit for competitive armies.

- Vypers benefit from the upgrade of the scatter laser, as well as the reduction of certain other weapon variants.

So what does this all mean for the 4th edition Vyper? How does this change the way we look at vypers now? Here’s some ideas:

- Vypers are now more fragile than they were previously.

- Vypers can squeeze in certain types of volume fire for a lower cost than previouosly used.

- Vypers are no longer the one-off, hang out at extreme range gunmen- they are better in groups, preferably fast moving groups.

The new vyper- as I regard her, is more like a coral snake you keep in your pocket, versus the spitting cobras of old. She’s lost her range but kept her venom, and it’s up to you to play smart and deliver her at just the right moment.

We’ll explore some strategies around vypers, but first, let’s look at weapons and unit upgrades.

Weapon Options

Your “stock” vyper starts at a pair of twin linked shuricats and a turret mounted shuricannon- not much to write home about. The other extreme would be a fully decked out Vyper with a Brightlance, Hull Shuricannon, Spirit Stone, and Holofield, which costs in the neighborhood of a Wave Serpent, for lower accuracy and lower durability- so it’s generally not a good idea to over-equip either.

You’ll want to hunt for bargains, and bear in mind the exact role you have cut out for your Vyper. Let’s run through some examples:

Dual Shuricannon, or “Cannon Vyper”: This is really my personal vyper of choice because a) I don’t like to spend more than 60pts on a flimsy vyper and b) it keeps a very low threat profile due to its range constraints and high AP. I’m basically paying 10pts/shot on this bad boy, and some of that cost is spent on the idea that if I take care of the unit- I’ll have an extra 6 Strength 6 shots wherever I want them.

Scatter Laser, “Scatter Vyper”: Also coming in at 60pts is the single scatter laser vyper. This setup reduces firepower by a third in order to offer protection outside the basic fire range of weapons. This unit makes a good escort for a Falcon or Wave Serpent suffereing from short shuricannon range because the scatter laser’s long range or can fire before the Falcon’s shuricannons, which helps to divide perceived threats and plays into the whole timing thing.

Scatter Laser/Shuricannon: If you still have 10 pts to spare- take the full “DakkaVyper”. This configuration sports the most possible number of shots a Vyper can be configured for- making it an excellent weapon for GEQ’s and light armored vehicles. Against various opponents- the dakka vyper has the option of playing extreme range for enemies not worth flying into- like static Tau, or it can also be employed just like the Cannon vyper, running 4 or 7 shots depending on how or where you want them.

EML Vyper: Traditional Eldar thinking teaches us that single shot weapons, like the Brightlance aren’t that great for small units of vypers, and in larger units, they can’t compete with the price tag and durability of other Eldar units with the AT role. But EML’s are so cheap! They’re cheaper than the starcannon platform and the brightlance platform, yet are a viable alternative weapon. The long range of the EML means that this Vyper is also afforded protection by extreme range, but it gives up a lot in accuracy and volume fire. Still- as a bonus shot an EML vyper really isn’t horrible to give yourself a cheap, throw-away option for anti-tank, or that odd plasma missle.

Soup and Half a Falcon?

One interesting thing to do to an EML vyper is to purchase the hull shuricannon in addition to the EML. This will run you 75pts for 4 shots, one at S8 and three at S6. For pure offensive flexibility this is not a bad buy considering a dual shuricannon Falcon with and spirit stone/ holofield runs over twice the cost, so shot for shot it’s cheaper to stick with Vypers. The “half-falcon” is a reasonably cheap, but very powerful weapon to use against just about any vehicle. These vypers can also do well against fast moving hordes due to the EML’s flexibility and the shuricannon’s volume.

Some key points regarding weapon options:

- High strength and low AP weapons (such as Brightlances or Starcannons) increase a vyper’s threat perception, as well as unit cost. Alternatives such as Scatter Lasers, Shuricannons, or EML’s are cheaper and don’t carry as high a “scare” factor as premium weapons.

- Multi-shot weaponry are better options for lone vypers, while single shot weapons are best employed when taking several vypers.

- The Hull Shuriken Cannon upgrade is a cheap and useful upgrade. Always be conscious of the relative ranges and the role defined by the turret weapon, however.

(continued...)

[Yriel of Iyanden]

(...continued)

So what about unit size? Should I take any upgrades?

Under most conditions we recommend that vypers be taken in units of 1, simply spread out across the FoC, to lend support to specific units that benefit from it’s movement and shooting. Is it ever a good idea to field multiples of 2 or 3 as units?

The short answer is yes. You can take portable firepower vyper units in multiple vehicle squadrons with some success. In particular- Brightlance and EML vypers perform well when you have multiples, and the vehicle squadron provides some protection to a larger unit.

That said- I tend to stay away from vyper vehicle squadrons, personally. This is because the normal role I have designated for my vypers is a 60pt portable firepower escort for my Falcons, and I’m looking to reduce the cost and perceived threat of my Vyper. Taking Vypers in multiples works directly against these principles- so if you’re using Vypers the same way I’m using them, try to stick with very cheap units of 1. Particularly when you’re talking about a “glass cannon” unit like a vyper- your two main approaches are to reduce threat perception by taking a cheap, single vyper with multi-shot, high AP weapons, or simply to saturate an enemy’s target selection through multiple selections.
Your upgrade options are simplified now that the CTM is gone, but there’s still plenty of flexibility here. Remember that vypers are fast, poorly armored weapon-platforms. They’re not tanks- and it’s more realistic to expect to lose your vyper the minute your opponent declares fire upon it. The Vyper’s armor value of 10 coupled with its open topped, and skimmer nature means that the Vyper will crash on a glancing damage roll of 4, and a penetrating damage roll of 3- making it extremely fragile.

Unfortunately this means that the Spirit Stone upgrade is reduced in its ability to keep the Vyper afloat. Generally the odds of suffering a 4+/3+ damage result are so high that I don’t consider the Spirit Stone to be a very useful option for a Vyper these days.

Your other option is to take a holofield, or more accurately a Holofield/Spirit Stone combination. The approach is similar to that of a Falcon or Fire Prism, but again- because of the Vyper’s low armor, being open topped, and its lower base value than the Falcon or Fire Prism, this system may not be a good investment in points unless you are 100% clear on how you expect the platform to behave. A glancing hit on a Falcon/Fire Prism kitted this way yields a crash for every nine glances, while on a vyper with the same kit, one in four glancing hits will cause it to crash. Stack the idea that the vyper is markedly easier to land a glancing hit on- and you’ll know what you’re getting into.

These defensive upgrades on a Vyper don’t appeal to me very much mainly due to my expectations regarding points. As I don’t expect to spend a large portion of my points on the unit- it doesn’t make sense to me to spend extra points trying to convert a notoriously fragile gun platform into a sub-standard reliability unit. I’d rather just pay for the weapons I want and call it a day. So if my opponent blows up my Vyper- I’m not too worried about the 60pts I just spent, rather than the 90+ I might have spent in an futile attempt to keep it alive.

So now that we’re getting used to our new vyper as a portable, fragile, speedy source of dakka on the fly, how do we build or practice measures that help to keep the vyper alive long enough to be a factor? Let’s look at some common strategic practices with Vypers.


The “Buddy” System

Let’s face facts- without the CTM a Vyper (especially one that expects to get within basic fire range) is really just a glorified kite- it isn’t likely to survive any type of shooting directed towards it. My personal opinion is to save the points you might have spent in days past on a CTM, Spirit Stone, or Holofield, and just try and stick with a plain ‘ol Vyper with some weapon upgrades. So how do you expect to keep your kite long enough in the air to get effective scoring from the unit?

The key is to find a buddy- preferably a big, reliable one that can maintain pace with your zippy little vyper. Vypers are my escort of choice for Falcons and Wave Serpents, but they also work reasonably well with Fire Prisms, Hawks, or other friendly 12” mover. Think of the vyper as just a portable source of fire support for that Falcon. The Vyper should preferably remain just behind the larger skimmer/unit that it is escorting- this forces target priority checks on just about anyone wishing to shoot the Vyper. This is important because the optimum unit your opponent wants to use shooting the Vyper is generally infantry- which have to take ld checks to fire past the Falcon. It also helps ensure that your transports in the skimmers can’t be harassed by a unit trying to block your rear access hatch.

Don’t sell out to the small shot!

A common misconception (particularly players who switch to Eldar armies) is that a unit has to be doing “something” every turn in order to maximize its efficiency, and in the case of Vypers- this means people are wanting to shoot every single turn with their vypers. This would have worked extremely well in the days of the Starcannon Vyper because such a vehicle could stay at extreme range- well out of the range of infantry weapons and plug away with near impunity. This isn’t always true with the new vyper- in fact timing is more important with these cheaper, shuricannon variants. If you’re going with the dual shuricannon- it’s often better to deny yourself a turn of shooting so that your vyper can duck behind cover for a turn and wait for that perfect moment to shower shuriken all over your opponent in a later turn. Granted- this is a more difficult and somewhat risky maneuver (because there is the chance that your vyper may get shot down before it even gets a chance to shoot), but it does provide some protection (physical and psychological) as well as gives you the chance to unleash some real hurt in a single turn, rather than taking a few potshots and dying to the return fire.

Refusing to fire for a turn gives you the option of moving full speed, so that set of area terrain or that patch of woods can block most of your proximal threats. Additionally, some opponents won’t fire at a unit until that unit has presented some form of direct danger to them! (strange, really) Pulling your Vyper behind some rocky outcrop reduces the attention your enemy may have towards it, offering you a chance to take advantage of the turn he forgets to shoot something at it.

Extreme range or saturation

These are somewhat older practices employed with the vyper- and they still somewhat work today- just realize that you no longer have the ability to shoot at something and not be fired back at. Taking weapons with decent range, like a scatter laser or EML provides protection in extreme range, and my favorite part about this is it’s free- it’s just one benefit of the specific weapon you chose. For facing off slower, footslogging opponents you’ll do well enough just to stay out of basic fire range and plink away at targets. Generally speaking- vehicles are the best targets at this range because they’re a quick way for your vyper(s) to earn victory points, as well as stall enemy advances.

Saturation is another traditionally accepted survival tactic for low armor vehicle squadrons. The advantage to saturation is the ability to present proximal threats and still have some measure of reliability in the unit’s response. For example- taking 9 Vypers with dual shuricannons runs about 540points and provides an excellent fire support escort for those deadly Eldar skimmer-tanks. Granted it’s a significant investment in points regardless of the game- this still a tactic that’s proved viable not only for Eldar, but for armies like Mech Tau, Ravenwing, Speed Freeks, or Dark Eldar.

So, are Vypers underclassed compared to their counterparts in other armies? Are they inferior to other Eldar Fast Attack choices?

The answer to this question boils down to my original points about expectations and personal preferences- so it’s really up to you to decide if they are really worth taking in your army or not.

Two major equivalents come to mind when comparing the vyper to light skimmers of other races- those two being the Space Marine Landspeeder and the Tau Piranha.

Space Marine Landspeeders, in particular the more popular tornado variants, are excellent units without a doubt. The Landspeeder boasts improved durability in that it’s non-open-topped, better BS, deepstrike ability, and who can forget the excellent armaments like the Assault Cannon, Heavy Bolter, or Multi-melta? If one wanted to make the argument that Space Marine Landspeeders have our vyper beat- they’d have plenty of ammo to that regard. The only saving grace to our vyper is the lower average cost required to mount Strength 6 weaponry with a high rate of fire, but it’s a valid point to make that the Space Marine speeder is one of the better units in the game in this class.

Likewise, Tau Piranhas suffer the same open-topped issue our vyper faces, but excels in that it has deployable gun drones and the hull mounted fusion blaster. That said- we have the Piranha beat in average price, range, and rate of fire, so again one can make the argument regarding which is the better light skimmer, yet in this case I like our odds. That said (and with regards to the previous paragraph), all three vehicles have their strengths and weaknesses, it’s more a matter of how the units are used on the tabletop that decides who wins the dogfight. Regardless of how you feel about any of these vehicles- I take comfort in the knowledge that on any given day our Vyper can stack up against these very good units, with a reasonable chance of coming out on top.

Earlier in this article I pointed out changes in the Eldar Fast Attack slots that make the other options seem very attractive, but again, it all depends on how the unit is used, and how many points are available. Because if I don’t have 120+ points to spend- the first FA unit I’d look to incorporate would be a Cannon Vyper.

So what’s the verdict? Does the vyper still have enough venom to be viable?

In my humble opinion, I believe so. But this is based on spending the time to re-learn the Eldar vyper, re-assess its identity in the Eldar host, and configure and play the unit within a reasonable set of performance expectations. I still enjoy using vypers very much, and they have proven a rewarding and fluffy unit that I’m comfortable taking with any of my warhosts.
That’s it for this edition. Thanks for reading!

-Yriel

[Aun]

Wow, great post Yriel.
I have been thinking about adding Vypers to my Eldar army as a cool unit to dogfight my Dads Land Speeders in his White Scars army, but I had been held back by the relatively paper thin armour. Now however, I think I will give the unit a try and see how it goes.

I do however have one doubt left. The Vyper seems to be somewhat redundant if you take it in its optimal twin shuricannon/scatter laser form. We have so much strength 6 weaponry in the Eldar army, and many mobile Str 6 weapons as well, how does the viper stand up to a unit like Warp Spiders that has more firepower, reliability and is able to fall back before the enemy has a chance to retaliate?

[Guitardian]

Ah, so this is wraithsight...

mmmm... Vyper... the sexy sportscar of the 41st millenium...

I have to say I am completely in love with the Vypers. They (along with hawks) are the entire reason I turned traitor on my Guard and became a half-elf. They just exemplify everything that Eldar tactics center around. Definitely flanky, fragile, and best used in co-ordination. I think a bike mounted doomseer cruising around with a few cannon Vypers and a few bladestorming avengers will pretty much pick a kill every turn. So so many dice. I wouldn't play a game without one. I remember the CTM and miss it also, but honestly I am kind of glad it is gone as it was kind of 'broken' and so easy to abuse. Once upon a time you could win a whole game and never be shot at. Now it really comes down to precision strikes and massed firepower from flanking angles if our sexy vypers are to stay alive. Perhaps you should start a 'Pimp my Vyper' topic with pics of those 2 we used the other day, and people could show off theirs and discuss their own ideas of how they are used. You are definitely right they are a tricky thing to co-ordinate, but I have faith that it can be done. I am posting a Vyp-happy army list shortly after this, one I have been working on and tweaking around for next weeks game - featuring (along with my ever present hawks) what you called a 'buddy-system' of clowncar and vypers.

What do you think of the massively upgraded minimally armed Vyper? say double cannons, a spirit stone, holo field, maybe even star engines too for objective thinking. Minimum threat, but extremely psychological because it is actually a pain in the ass to kill? I know it's really expensiver (is that a word?), but 3 of those guys would be a nightmare of massed incoming fire hoping for that lucky downing shot - and I imagine that should any other target be available, it would become much more of a priority in the eyes of the badguys for the simple reason that it is easier to shoot at. I dunno... I'm going to go and post that list.

Thanks for the very informative lecture. I am on your team about the validity of the Vyper 100%

p.s. go go scatterlasers!!
-jme

[Autarch_Kalesh]

I use the Scatter Laser Shuriken Vyper in a unit of two. They are fragile this is very true however I have not had them under preform. I never knew the days of the CTM or the power of the Star Cannon. For 75 points I get a very mobile gun that can take corners. The Vyper is something I relunctantly take out of my lists.

[Yriel of Iyanden]

Originally Posted by E7 (Aun)

I do however have one doubt left. The Vyper seems to be somewhat redundant if you take it in its optimal twin shuricannon/scatter laser form. We have so much strength 6 weaponry in the Eldar army, and many mobile Str 6 weapons as well, how does the viper stand up to a unit like Warp Spiders that has more firepower, reliability and is able to fall back before the enemy has a chance to retaliate?

Hi E7,

This is a very legitimate issue. A 5 man Warp Spider unit with an Exarch runs 127pts (with Exarch Deathspinner), is more durable, and more accurate at 12 S6 shots- the same number of shots a pair of vypers runs you at 120pts.

I believe overall the Warp Spiders are the better unit- which is why I take both! It boils down to points available, as well as FoC slots.

Not to mention that the Vyper maintains some advantages as an escort- namely skimmer level protection against assaults and easier to keep within effective "escort range" should your combat team decide for a 24" move.

- Yriel

[ForbiddenKnowledge]

You know, I think your job gives you too much free time.


Awesome article. Never a fan of vypers myself, even under the old untouchable starcannon edition. Hated that tactic, playing against it was just boring. Of course, SMS sorted them out....

Anyway, I digress. Like you, I found with my eldar army that shuri cannon are really good options now. Its even made me consider the simple addition of a vyper with dual shuricannon when I return to my eldar.

[Aun]

Thanks Yriel. One thing they do have over Warp Spiders is the guaranteed ability to move 24" maximum. I think the Vyper definitely has a place in my Eldar army, and most Eldar army's in general.