Imperial Armour 11: Doom of Mymeara has arrived! Part the First: Eldar Corsair's Army List

It finally arrived! I am pretty stoked. Overall it is a pretty nice book as all Imperial Armour books tend to be. Lots of detail, lengthy bits of fluff, and amazing artwork. So much is in this book that I thought I would break the review down into multiple pieces. Part 1 will deal with the Corsairs army list.

The list is pretty interesting. You have a number of options for play style, but I feel like all of them lend to a quick in and out raid style of play. As a whole the army draws significantly from the Craftworld Codex, but a few wargear options and entries use the Dark Eldar Codex. In addition there are a number of selections of their own. My only issue with the list is a number of errors in the writing which makes it unclear as to how things truly operate. I'll highlight those as I review each entry.




HQ
Corsair Prince - The corsair prince is essentially an autarch in stats and wargear selection. He can take almost any weapon listed in the book. He comes standard with a close combat weapon, and a shuriken pistol, as well as, plasma grenades, but all of that may be upgraded. He can wield anything from a Harlequin's Kiss to a Power Weapon, to the new Void Sabre, which is a scorpion chainsword that has the  rending rule. He comes with a 4+ armour save, but this can be modified with either a shimmershield, force shield, or Shadowfield. Each functions as they do in their relevant codex. Finally he can take haywire grenades, melta bombs, the balelight which is like a single use sunrifle with a 6" range and rending, and a Corsair Jetpack. His special rules are also pretty interesting. Sky Raiders, which gives the option of giving the deepstrike special rule to any three units that normally do not have it. This opens up many options as there are a number of different things you can select. It also states that any dedicated transports taken with the unit may also deepstrike so long as unit and transport are together. Immediately I get the sense that you can easily make an entirely deepstriking army with this power. His second ability is Void Strike where in he calls down the thunder from his starship orbiting the planet. It is a single use ability that can take one of three forms: Pulse Strike a S9 AP2 Ordnance 1, 5" blast, Lance shot; Sonic Torpedo a S4 AP5 Ordnance 1, D6+6" Blast, Pinning; or Darkfire Skyburst which causes nightfight conditions until the start of the next player turn. My issue is that no range is listed, though I'm assuming it is unlimited based on fluff and also if it is modified by the firers ballistic skill, which as written seems like a yes, but based on fluff I would say no. Finally he has the option of taking a retinue.

Corsair Blade Sworn Retinue - Think Eldar away team and you are not far off here. The Blade sworn are the best of the best. The Prince's most trusted friends and advisers. As a squad of 2 to 5 they have the stats of an aspect warrior save for 2 Attacks base and a leadership of 8. They come equipped like the Prince, but just like him have a number of options including Lasblasters, Shuriken Catapults, Fusion Pistols, and Power Weapons. They may also take haywire grenades, melta bombs, and Corsairs Jetpacks which must be taken if the Prince has one and may not be taken if he doesn't. I am looking forward to loading them up with fusion pistols and getting some one shots on Paladins next week. Interestingly throughout the book the points cost for the jetpacks is a squad based cost not points per model so you run into a situation where the jetpacks get more and more worth it the more models you have. The squad, if not using jetpacks, has the dedicated transport options of either a Corsair Venom or a Corsair Falcon as transport.

Corsair Void Dreamer - As one who wields the might of the Eldar psyker with wild abandon I am underwhelmed by this unit. She is essentially the ships navigator who is somewhere between a warlock and a  farseer. She lacks all the reliability of a standard Eldar psyker and is only leadership 9. In return however she is a little bit more flexible and a lot handier in a fight. She comes with Rune Armour, a Shuriken Pistol, and a close combat weapon. The weapons may be substituted for a Neural Shredder a S8 AP1 Template weapon that attacks on the targets leadership value. Other options include a Power Weapon, Void Sabre, or a Witchblade. As for wargear she can take haywire grenades, a corsair jetpack, A gyrinx (That little cat in the in the picture, which gives a single re-roll per game of any D6 roll that the player makes), Spirit Stones, Balelight, or another Corsair jetpack which is another one of those typos in the book. I am thinking it is actually supposed to be the webway portal that is listed in the wargear section, but no unit has the option of taking. She comes with three psychic powers the most impressive of which is Withering Radiance. It is a psychic shooting attack that has a range of 12" and causes D6 hits with a Strength of 10 minus the targets toughness. It is AP2 which is the best part so even though it will not be instant killing anything but toughness three creatures and gets increasingly more useless on anything above toughness 5 I am still impressed with the basic level of killy associated with the power. It also hits vehicles like a haywire grenade. It is worded as though it only does a single hit against vehicles however. Her second power is Spirit Shield which is almost completely disappointing. It is essentially a psychic test activated global rune staff that only functions on hostile powers targeting the unit containing the Void Dreamer. In addition this power grants the Void Dreamer defensive grenades vs. any would be assaulting daemons or psykers. Not impressed. Lastly is Soul Scry, a lackluster version of embolden that targets a single unit within 12" and lets them reroll a leadership based test. It excludes psychic powers though so it is not even as useful as embolden. I like Withering Radiance enough, but I am still out on how I feel about this unit.

Elites
Corsair Voidstorm Squad - The only new entry for Elites. The Voidstorm Squad is essentially veteran corsairs. They can be taken in squads of 5 to 10 and come with Shuriken Pistols, Close Combat Weapons, Plasma Grenades, Shimmershields (you will never stop the squads 5+ invuln save in close combat!) and of course a Cosair jetpack. These guys are cheap too! Ringing in at the points cost of a Dire Avenger. As for options one in three can take either a flamer, fusion pistol, fusion gun, or power weapon in exchange for his pistol or close combat weapon. The squad can also take Haywire grenades or meltabombs. I am getting a strong sense that you can spam fusion guns like a pro.

Harlequin Troupe - Pretty standard, no changes, if you have an Eldar book you know what they do.

Edit: Corsair Harlequin do have the option of taking a venom if their squad numbers 5 or less. Clown cars are back!

Eldar Craftworld Outcasts - Seems like a cop-out, but is a surprisingly flexible option. Essentially you can take any Elite or Fast Attack choice from the Eldar Codex, this includes the new Shadow Spectre Squad. I assume it includes the dedicated transport option as that option is covered for the next entry.

Dark Eldar Kabalite Warriors - As written in the Dark Eldar Codex. Apparently these guys love raiding so much they do not care who they go out with. Why I think you can take a Wave Serpent with Aspect Warriors is because this entry mentions that if a venom is chosen as transport it is a Dark Eldar venom and not a corsair venom which is listed later. Both the Warriors and the Craftworld Outcast squads cannot be more plentiful in your army then the number of Corsair squads you have, so that is a limiting factor.

Troops

Eldar Corsair Squad - The bread and butter and what Guardians should be (minus the jetpacks) They are BS 4 and come with Lasblasters, Close Combat Weapons, and Plasma Grenades. Any model can exchange the lasblaster for either a shuriken pistol or shuriken catapult for free. There is a sergeant upgrade called the Felarch that has WS4 BS4 2 Attacks and Leadership 9 and can exchange his lasblaster for a fusion pistol, shuriken pistol, or shuriken catapult, and exchange his close combat weapon for a power sword. He can also have haywire grenades. The squad has a few options as well: For every 5 in the squad you can exchange one Corsair's weapon for a flamer or a fusion gun. Also for every 5 models you can exchange one Corsair's weapon for a shuriken cannon or an Eldar missile launcher. Lastly the squad can be given jetpacks. If jetpacks are not taken they can have either a Corsair Venom or Corsair Falcon as transport. Along with other requirements to taking Corsair squads you must also take a minimum of one such squad regardless of any other units you are fielding.

Eldar Wasp Assault Walker - Pricey but effective. It is a troops choice version of the war walker with all the weapon options. Gone however is Scout and instead you get Jump Jets and the ability to deep strike. The Jump Jets let you move up to 12" like a skimmer for the turn instead of shooting or assaulting. Unfortunately the number of Assault Walker squads may not exceed the number of Corsair squads so Wasp Spamming is limited.





Corsair Jetbike Squadron - My favorite. A little more pricey than regular jetbikes, but they have BS 4 and come with Shuriken Pistols and Close Combat weapons. The unit has the standard one out of three shuriken cannon upgrade and it also has the option to take a Felarch. The Felarch can exchange his weapons for a power weapon and/or a fusion pistol. The unit also has the scouts special rule.

Dedicated Transports
Corsair Falcon - A more expensive BS 4 Falcon. It has all the normal options, but it also lists the transport capacity as 10 models. Not sure if this is in error or not as all references to taking it as a dedicated transport list the unit size as 6 models or less in order to take it.

Corsair Venom - This is a bargain Vyper with a transport capacity of 5 models. It has BS4 and all the wargear options standard to craftworld vehicles and can upgrade its standard shuriken cannon to a scatter laser, starcannon, or Eldar missile Launcher. Unfortunately it cannot lay down dakka like the Dark Eldar version, but considering how cheap it is I am sold!

Fast Attack

Corsair Hornet Squadron - All that is good about war walkers and vypers, nothing that is bad. It is armour 11 in the front and sides, 10 in the rear. It has a BS of 4 and comes standard with two shuriken cannons. These can of course be upgraded to any other craftworld gun including the pulse laser found on the falcon. Although it can get pricey the option to double up on guns does not make them twin-linked. It can also take all the Eldar wargear options save star engines which are standard and it has the scout and aerial assault special rule. Comes in squads of 1 to 3

Nightwing Interceptor - They made it a fast skimmer and much cheaper. Functions like a cross between the Dark Eldar Fighter and the Flyer version of the Nightwing. BS 4, armour 10 all around. Comes with two brightlances and two shuriken cannons both of which count as AA guns for apocalypse (it is still a flyer in apocalypse games too) It can deepstrike, has aerial assault, and supersonic special rules and comes with Eldar Titan-holofields (A 4+ invulnerable save if it moves.) It still has impossible manoeuvres when it is a flyer as well so it only has to move 18" instead of 36"

Corsair Night Spinner - It is a BS 4 more expensive Nightspinner, that is about it. Still a boss tank and oh yeah, it is in the fast attack slot.









Heavy Support

Corsair Phoenix Bomber - As with the Nightwing it has rules as a fast skimmer unless you are playing apocalypse. BS 4, Armour 10 all around, and comes with Two Shuriken Cannons (w/AA mounts!) Two Phoenix Missile Launchers and a Pulse Laser. The Pulse Laser can be exchanged for either twin-linked brightlances or twin-linked starcannons at no points cost and you can exchange the phoenix missile launchers with nightfire missile launchers. It has all the same special rules as the Nightwing. For a bomber the missiles are surprisingly more suited for infantry as you can either take the standard Phoenix launcher which is like a heavy 3 Reaper launcher or the Nightfire which is a S4 AP5 Heavy 3 blast that does not allow cover saves and is pinning.

Corsair Warp Hunter - Falcon chasis with a D-Cannon. It is an excellent tank. Standard Eldar grav tank options. The D-Cannon can either fire as normal or as a 6" range template attack.

Corsair Fire Storm - The last (and only) word in Eldar anti-air capability. If you like Scatter lasers this tank is for you. It is a standard Falcon chasis with a Twin-linked Fire Storm Scatter laser. (60" range S6 AP6 Heavy 6) It also has a six model transport capacity. I am surprise it does not have rules like a hydra against skimmers though, and it is pretty expensive.


That concludes the list. Again there are a lot of issues with the editing and included in the background info for the army is a reference to ranger squads, but the option is not listed itself. I think this list will put a lot of bite back in Eldar, but it does have the same drawbacks in terms of durability. I am also surprised that with all the deepstriking capabilities there is not any wargear, power, or option to improve your chances or modify your reserve rolls. As for choices I do not really see enough options to make things convoluted and there really is not a unit I would not take save maybe the Void Dreamer. Then again, she'll be somewhat handy against Grey Knights and Chaos Daemons.