Warhammer 40K: Craftworld Eldar Guardians
Today we look into the backbone of the xenos Craftworld Warhosts – The Eldar Guardians.
With their population in decline and their Craftworlds beset on all sides by merciless enemies, Guardians form an essential part of the Eldar military assets.
Eldar Guardian Background
Guardians are primarily a defensive force, protecting their Craftworlds from direct attacks. They, however, will also accompany Aspect Warriors on offensive operations. Guardians are raised on an as-needed basis, and each unit is led by an Eldar who has already walked the Path of the Warrior. These former Aspect Warriors are effectively the officer corps for the Guardians. While they cannot fully revive their previous battle skills they nevertheless retain the experience. This allows the veterans to both organize and lead their fellow Guardians into battle. Other Eldar who have yet to travel the Warrior Path, or who were forced from it for various reasons, also relish the opportunity to go to war as Guardians.
Many Guardians will serve as an infantry force, organized into squads known as Guardian Defender or Storm Squads. Others will instead form the crew for various heavy weapons and light vehicles. These include Grav Platforms, Eldar Jetbikes and War Walkers, amongst others. Larger, more specialised vehicles are piloted by crewmembers who tread a path dedicated to these war engines.
Guardian Wargear & Uniforms
All Guardians are armed with the signature Eldar weapon, the Shuriken Catapult, and wear Mesh Armour for protection. Each Craftworld has its distinctive style of clothing, typified by a colour or pattern. This is matched in the armour of their Guardian warhosts. Green, white or grey for Biel-Tan, blue and yellow for Alaitoc, etc. However, this does not constitute a fixed uniform throughout the Guardian Warhosts. They will field numerous variations not only between squads from the same Craftworld but even individuals within the same squad.
Guardian Defender of Yme-Loc Craftworld
Guardian Defenders
The Guardian Defenders are the basic Guardian force, organised into squads of ten to twenty members armed with Shuriken Catapults and occasionally Plasma Grenades. Each squad will also include a Grav Platform crewed by two of its Guardians and mounting a Bright Lance, Eldar Missile Launcher, Scatter Laser, Shuriken Cannon or Star Cannon. These squads can be transported by a Wave Serpent if they do not exceed its capacity, and will sometimes be joined by a Warlock to lend them their aid.
Storm Guardian of Saim-Hann Craftworld
Storm Guardians
The Storm Guardians are Eldar who were once members of an Aspect Shrine that specialised in close combat. Rarer than the more typical Guardian Defenders, they are also effective assault troops capable of assisting Aspect Warriors. Numbering ten to twenty members, they are armed with a potent combination of Shuriken Pistol and Close Combat Weapon, as well as the options of Krak and Plasma Grenades. While they lack a Grav Platform for fire support, two of the Guardians in this squad can arm themselves with either Fusion Guns or Flamers. If small enough to fit within its transport bay these squads may ride into battle within a Wave Serpent, and are sometimes accompanied by a Warlock to lend them their aid.
Black Guardian Defender of Ulthwe Craftworld
Black Guardians of Ulthwe
Ulthwe Craftworld’s Black Guardians are a special variation on the typical Guardians used by other Craftworlds. Because the Path of the Seer is the longest and most dangerous Eldar Path, and because Ulthwé relies especially on its Seers, this leaves little time for its denizens to tread the Warrior Path. To make up for this lack of Aspect Warriors, the Ulthwé Black Guardians are a professional standing army rather than a militia.
They are more highly-trained compared to standard Guardians. However, their Warhosts are arranged identically. The Black Guardians consist of both Defender and Storm units as well as crewing heavy weapons and light vehicles. Their uniforms are predominantly black, the Eldar colour of mourning. This represents the frequent attacks it has suffered passing close to the Eye of Terror leaves much to grieve. Tactically, they make heavy use of the Webway. This allows Ulthwe’s Warhosts to appear anywhere on the battlefield, seemingly emerging from nowhere.
Learn More of the Aeldari Craftworlds
Lexicanum
