Detachment Focus: Windrider Host

Codex Aeldari equips the Asuryani (and friends) with eight powerful new Detachments to choose from. In today’s articles, we’re breaking down what each and every one of these has to offer Aeldari aficionados.

With the release of the Aeldari Codex it’s time to deep-dive the multitude of factions that comprise the Craftworld’s diaspora. Contained in this book is a representation of just about every major archetype of Eldar lore, and in this focus, we’ll cover the Wild Riders of Saim-Hann (and similar derivative Craftworlds) via the Windrider Host.

We’d like to thank Games Workshop for providing us with a preview copy of these rules for Review purposes.

Detachment Overview: Windrider Host

This is your Saim-Hann archetype. The focus here is on the Mounted (including Vyper) units of the Aeldari roster and everything else is secondary. That means this is a fast and difficult to pin down army with a lot of supplemental movement tricks to go with the updated Aeldari faction rule. It’s going to feel at times like this army hits like a runaway freight train before disappearing into thin air, however, you’ll likely not be fielding as many durable models or units as other Aeldari detachments and so the consequences from a mistake are very high. Just a single turn of poor movement and/or positioning and it may well result in back-breaking, unrecoverable repercussions. This is the army for the Eldar player that loves to plan precise movement, careful positioning, and multiple turns planning to execute the perfect decapitating strike that cripples an opponent before melting away again ahead of the response.

Detachment Rule: Ride The Wind

The rule affects Asuryani Mounted or Vyper keyword units and has two parts to it (note: Harlequin Skyweavers will not benefit). First, the keyworded units may be set into Reserves during deployment, and if they choose, may arrive from Strategic Reserves on turn one (as you treat the Battle Round as being one higher than it is). In addition, at the end of your opponent’s turn, you may select a number of those keyworded units to be put back into Strategic Reserves based on battle size (typically two for 2,000 point games). The affected units include: Windriders, Vypers, Farseer & Warlock Skyrunners, Shroud Runners, and Shining Spears. 

This is a strong, flexible rule for a detachment which wants to rely on hit-and-run and focused attacks. Being able to bring units from reserve on turn one gives you two key advantages; prevents your key units from being alpha-struck early and it puts your opponent on the back-foot as they must now consider defensive screens in deployment. Being able to rapidly redeploy your mounted units at the end of your opponent’s turn allows you to reposition and readjust throughout the game. Factoring in Battle Focus abilities and we really start to drive some synergies for the Mounted units. This is one hell of a mobile army.

Enhancements

The enhancements that come with the detachment are generally mediocre, not overly powerful but provide some nice utility options for a toolbox detachment. All specify Mounted, while one specifies Mounted Psyker – there are no longer any Mounted non-Psyker models with the removal of the Autarch Skyrunner. Which is a shame because he’d have been a nice addition to this detachment.

• Firstdrawn Blade – Mounted model. Bearer’s unit gains Scout 9”. Situational, and may give yourself options, but not totally necessary given the capabilities of this detachment. What really wants this is a unit of Shining Spears but with the loss of the Autarch Skyrunner there’s no way to provide it.
• Mirage Field – Mounted model. Subtract one from the hit roll of attacks targeting the bearer’s unit. Nice but you’ll probably save the points and instead rely on overwhelming, focused Firepower and your movement to protect your units from key reprisal. Still worth considering if points allow.
• Seersight Strike – Mounted psyker model. Psychic weapons have Anti-Monster 2+ and Anti-Vehicle 2+. Yeah. You want this. It is a real nice boost to a Singing Spear-toting Farseer whose Eldritch Storm takes on an all new feel. Probably my favorite as it adds a dimension (anti-monster/vehicle firepower) that the detachment might lack on paper.
• Echoes of Ulthanesh – Mounted model. Command phase CP generation. Gain one CP on a 5+ adding 1 if you’re not in your deployment zone, and an additional 1 if you’re in your opponent’s deployment zone. It’s a lot of work to gain a CP on a possible 3+, and it’s probably not worth dictating your models positioning. However, this detachment is likely going to be CP-hungry and if you have spare points it’s a consideration. The problem with this type of mechanic though is the unreliability of the die roll and the interplay of a random secondary draw. You will be successful and then end up discarding a secondary for no gain, potentially multiple times a game. If the price is right, it’s probably your second pick, but you could just as easily forgo it.

Stratagems

All stratagems will key off of Asuryani Mounted and/or Vyper keywords (does not benefit Harlequin Skyweavers). There is not a direct benefit from these stratagems with other codex datasheets but there are still some nice synergies to be found here – more on that later.

• Death from on High (Battle Tactic, 1 CP) – In your shooting or fight phase, one Mounted/Vyper unit that was set up from reserves but not yet selected to shoot or fight. When making attacks, they can reroll the Wound roll. A very nice stratagem, in particular, for a block of Windrunners who are likely already rerolling hits. 
• Overflight (Strategic Ploy, 1 CP)  – In your shooting or fight phase, one Mounted unit that has destroyed an enemy unit may make a Normal Move of up to 7”. The classic hit-and-run – guaranteed to make people angry after a savvy elf player runs their Shining Spears in, positions appropriately near a wall, destroys the target then bounces away, or potentially, into a better charge position. Doing this in both phases is the comedy option but beware that your eternal soul will be relegated to a special circle of Slaanesh hell for achieving it.
• Wind of Blades (Strategic Ploy, 1 CP) – Your movement phase, one Mounted/Vyper unit that has not yet moved, is eligible to shoot and charge after Advance or Fall Back moves. A more datasheet restricted version of the index stratagem, but very powerful in this detachment, particularly with a unit of Shining Spears. 
• Daring Riders (Strategic Ploy, 1 CP) – The reinforcement step of the your movement phase, one Mounted/Vyper unit in reserves. Can be set up 6” away from enemy models but is not eligible to charge. The stratagem actually says 3” but we know Dataslate adjustments to these rule types will apply here. It is nevertheless very nice for limiting the impact of the opponent’s screens and ensuring you get the firepower where you want it when you need it. It also lifts the board edge limitation of Strategic Reserves, essentially letting Windriders gain Deep Strike for this purpose. Given the recent change to the Daemons equivalent, it’s also possible this will lose the Charge restriction, in which case it’s absurd with Shining Spears.
• Focused Firepower (Battle Tactic, 1 CP) – Your shooting phase, one Mounted/Vyper unit that has not yet shot, improves the armor penetration of their attacks by 1. You’re going to use this a lot, and often in conjunction with other boosts from Ignore Cover or the War Walkers armor reduction abilities. It’s a very solid boost to all types of Windrunner loadouts and will help your plethora of mid-range weapons deal damage to harder targets. 
• Spiralling Evasion (Battle Tactic, 1 CP) – Opponent’s shooting phase, just after a unit has selected targets. One Mounted/Vyper unit gains a 4+ invulnerable save. A nice defensive strat, though you ultimately hope you don’t have to use it. If you do, it’ll hopefully allow you to survive long enough to Battle Focus Fade Away.

Playing This Detachment

Strengths

• Strong synergy with Battle Focus and the excellent supporting Stratagems
• Turn one arrival from Strategic Reserves capability
• Up-and-down Strategic Reserves play 

Weaknesses

• Narrow set of units and unit capabilities that are benefited by detachment rules
• Low model count combined with low durability unit options
• CP hungry

The headline here is that Scatter/Shuriken-bikes are back! Taking stock of what the Mounted units provide, the Windrunners themselves benefit from one of the few and strongest options in the Codex for rerolling hits, while both Warlock Skyrunners and Shroud Runners provide Ignore Cover, the former to a bodyguard unit, the latter to the army. The Farseer cannot provide a little extra oomph in the Shooting phase with the Seersight Strike enhancement but the big contribution here will be limiting a clapback from units not targeted or destroyed with the Misfortune ability granting -1 to wound on an attacking unit. Then there’s the Spears, whose incredible mobility is enhanced significantly by the rules of this detachment. They become your all purpose counter-charge unit. The Vyper is probably the weakest option in terms of utility but it does pair nicely with the Farseer Skyrunner to double down on a key enemy unit for both -1 to hit and -1 to wound.

How you build your army will then depend on what abilities you want to enhance your mobile, deadly core with. As I said earlier, other units won’t benefit from the detachment rules, but units like War Walkers, Fire Dragons, Nightspinners, Fire Prisms, Lhykis, and more have unit abilities or just general capabilities that will pair nicely with your mounted core and round out your armies ability to handle different threats. 

A Sample List

Any list construction for the Windriders is going to start with the obvious Mounted units. How many and in what configuration is going to be the key decision and you should expect these to comprise roughly half of your selections. The remaining half will be utility options and selections that shore up some of the weaknesses of the list or provide redundancy, namely, anti-armor/monster options. Both Skyrunner characters are excellent picks in this detachment, and you may find yourself taking multiples of both.

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Taking everything else discussed, your Windrunner units are each running around toting Shuriken Cannons that can fully reroll hits and potentially wounds from a stratagem if needed, Lethal Hits, and then may be further boosted with Ignore Cover from Warlocks or Shroud Runners, then up to two points of AP from War Walkers and a stratagem. Under these conditions, getting preferential angles from your mobility, your Windrunners will deal serious damage when needed. Adding in units for mission play and screening, anti-tank/monster, and then units selected for unique abilities as you see fit such as a Falcon with Reapers. A lot of mobility, a lot of firepower, some capability to absorb some hits – a good all-rounder list.

Final Thoughts

This detachment is hands down my favorite in the book. It will take some forethought and planning to execute, and you’ll need to be very patient in determining when you want to launch your units at the enemy, but it will also be devastating when you do. Of all the detachments, I think we may find that this detachment results in the greatest performance-gap in competitive results based on player skill. This is in part due to the overlapping nature of abilities that this detachment will want to employ and rely on and the planning, movement, and positioning skills required to execute them. Ultimately, I think it will be the most rewarding detachment to master, and once you do this detachment will treat you well in the competitive scene.

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