40K Review: Eldar Corsairs

by Drlove42

I’ve been asked a lot about the new Eldar Corsairs army list, so I’ve written a more in depth review of it to give people the idea of the army and inform them if they want to make the admittedly pricy jump into buying IA11. Lets get started

I’ll admit, since the FW FAQ the book isn’t quite as good for me now (I’m not a fan of MSU armies), but it is still a great book. But without further ado, the Corsairs of IA11. This is not a review in strictest terms, more a detailed summary of the choices for those out there to make their own decision off of.

HEADQUARTERS
The HQ choices in a corsairs list are a small group, especially compared to multitude of choices in modern codexes. No named characters (something I feel is a missed opportunity to detail the most prolific Eldar space pirates in the galaxy) and only 2 basic choices. You have a Corsair Prince and a 
Void Dreamer.

The Corsair Prince is the combat choice. With a very similar stat line to that of a DE archon, his cost of 100 points basic is quite good. Able to take a long list of CCW’s (Harlies Kiss, Power Weapon and a Void Sabre (+1 Strength and Rending)) and ranged weapons (Lasblaster – the default weapon of Corsairs. Strength 3, AP5, 24” Assault 2 and Fusion Pistol.). Can also take Melta bombs or Haywire grenades, as well as the corsairs jet packs. He can also choose between 3 types of invulnerable save, a personal 4+, a 5+ save for himself and hit unit in CC and the DE Shadowfield 2+ until failed. His special abilities grant 3 units in the army deepstrike, as well as a one off unlimited range shooting attack that is either a strength 9 AP2 5” ordinance lance blast, a S4 AP5 Ordinance pinning blast, with a blast of 6 + D6” or a shot that works equivalent to the Necron Solar Flare, making the turn nightfighting.

The Void Dreamer is the psychic choice, similar stat line to a Farseer. Starting at 70 points he can be armed with a lot of weapons as well (Power Weapon, Void Sabre and Witchblade). He can also take a neural shredder, a Strength 8 AP1 flamer, that rolls against Ld not T. It also inflicts an auto penetrating hit against vehicles, but only rolls D3 on the damage table. He can use one physic power a turn (2 if he takes spirit stones). These power are either Soul Scry, the ability for one elder unit in 12” to reroll all failed Ld tests for the turn, SpiritShield, nullifies physic powers against the unit on a 4+ and grants defensive grenades against any deamon or pysker and Withering Radiance (my personal favourite), a 12” shot that does D6 hits at a strength of 10 minus the units toughness of an AP of 2.

The final choice to mention (even though they don’t take up a HQ slot) is a Sworn Blade retinue for the Prince. 2-5 guys, Eldar Aspect warrior stat line with an extra attack, but lower Ld. Only allowed one of thse units per prince in the army, but doesn’t take up a slot. Every guy comes with a CCW and a pistol, but everyone can choose to swap them out for a lasblaster, a shuriken catapult, a fusion pistol or a Power weapon. Can also take Meltabombs or Haywire grenades and jump packs. So theoretically the unit could be 5 guys, all with short range melta pistols, flying round in a Corsair Venom (to be discussed next)

Which bring us to TRANSPORT.

There are 2 types.Corsair Venoms and Corsair Falcons. Both are well known to everyone, the only difference is with the Corsair Venom. Instead of splinter cannons it comes with underslung twin linked shuriken rifles and a shuriken cannon, which can be swapped out for all Eldar heavy weapons, except for a Lance. It can also be given all Eldar vehicle upgrades. The Venom starts at 45 points, meaning you can give it holofields and nearly double its point cost. The Venom can carry 5, and the Falcon 6 (thanks to the FAQ).

Next up to bat is the TROOPS choices. 4 choices (only 3 in the book – the FAQ adds the Rangers) here.

First up is the easiest, and that is Rangers/Pathfinders from the Eldar codex. But you are only allowed a maximum of one squad.

Next up is the namesakes of the army, a Corsair Squad. With a statline somewhere between Guardians and Aspect Warriors and 9 points a pop and armed with a lasblaster, these guys will be the rank and file of an army. The army must have a unit of these, and you would be mad to not take multiples. For every 5 men in a squad you can have a flamer or a fusion gun, as well as a Shuriken Cannon or EML. And again the whole squad can be given jet packs. However the jetpacks are a purchase for the whole squad, so you get better value out of them with a bigger squad. If the unit takes jet packs they can’t take a transport, but being fast moving and relentless with a heavy weapon can’t be a bad thing.

Then you have Wasps. These are basically Warwalkers, without open topped, with the same weapons and upgrades but the addition of jump jets. These mean they are treated not as walkers, but jump infantry for moving. They also grant a 12” jump in the shooting phase in leiu of shooting, which means they move fast and grants a 5+ cover save. The only downside to these units is that they are limited in number (use a troops slot, and the number of squads of Wasps cannot exceed the number of squads of Corsairs) and the fact that despite being troops, vehicles can’t claim objectives.

Finally we have Corsair Jetbikes, again identical to those in the Eldar codex, but with a higher BS, and cost 3 more points. They fit the fast moving nature of the army, and add the same toughness that they do in a Craftworlder list

Next are the ELITES.

Of the 4 choices, 3 are already known. Harlequins return (identical to those in both Eldar books – except they can now take a Corsair Venom as a transport) as well as the options to choose a squad of Kabalite Warriors from Dark Eldar codex (along with transport options) or a unit from any Elites or Fast Attack section in Codex Eldar. These allied Eldar and Dark Eldar also come with the same rule as Wasp Walkers. You must have more Corsair squads in your army than you do allied units.

The only new elites option is the a Voidstorm Squad. Aspect Warriors statline, 12 points. Armed with CCW and pistol, as well as plasma grenades and a jetpack. The also have a 5+ invulnerable in CC. One in 3 guys can swap out his weapons for either a flamer, a fusion pistol, a fusion gun or a power weapon. Interestingly unlike most other unit, there is no squad leader upgrade for this squad.

Next up is the FAST ATTACK choices.

The foremost of these for me is the Nightwing finally getting repointed to an appropriate level. Identical to the one from the Apoc book, it now costs only 145 points, which for a AV 10 platform with 2 lances and 2 cannons and a 4+ invulnerable save if it moved is reasonably respectable. All the usual shiny rules for a flier in normal games (aerial assault, supersonic) are present and also states it counts as a flier in Apoc.

Other options are Hornets, identical to those in Apoc v2, and make good harrying units (3 guys, 6 scatter lasers, 36 S6 AP6 shots a turn for 255pts? Yes please). For those of you who don’t know these fill much the same role as Wasps, except are higher armour values, and are fast skimmers that come with Star Engines as default

And the final option is the Nightspinner. Identical to the Eldar one from WD, it is now in the fast slot, making it more viable now it’s not fighting for a heavy slot. The abiltiy to pin an enemy squad with difficult and dangerous terrain while the rest of the army vips around fast seems quite useful.

And last but no means least we get to HEAVY SUPPORT.

Again nothing new here. The Warp Hunter from Apoc v2 is still the same, and still very dirty. A 5″ blast, that always wounds on a 2+, 6 is instant death and AP2 is the bane of all elite infantry. Also with it glancing on a 3+ (the craftworld version glances on a 2+ – this however was NOT changed in the FAQ), penning on a 5+ its just as good as a lance against anything AV12 or higher.

The Firestorm AA tank from the apoc books is also here, also still the same. 6 S6 Twinlinked AA mounted shots. Its still incredibly expensive for what it is. If it had been given the Hydras ability to ignore fast skimmers cover saves it might have been redeemed, but at such a high points cost, and only being S6 (with most fliers these days being AV12) its hard to see it ever being used (in this edition at least)

The final choice is a Phoenix Bomber, now made much cheaper (225pts…) its still pricey but has a lot of bang for your buck. Standard flier’s rules apply, same as the Nightwing, but now it has the option to swap its pulse laser out for a TL bright lance or a TL starcannon. The other new option is the option to swap out your missile launchers for nightfire missiles for 10 points. This means instead of 6 S5 AP3 shots, you get 6 S5 AP5 shots, which are also blasts, pin and ignore cover. So for 235 points you get 2 S8 AP2 shots, 6 S6 AP5 shots and 6 S5 blasts. That’ll make a mess of a target pretty quickly, then it has its 4+ holofield save to keep it safe

Conclusions

Overall the codex offers a lot of choice. It may seem that lots of units aren’t new, but the recosting on some key units, and the ability to play them together is. Some units are going to be essential (the Warp Hunter in my opinion is one of the best tanks in the game) whereas some probably will not see any action (Firestorm tank – Way too expensive for what it is).

Sample Lists
I have written a few different army lists below at 1750 points. See what you think

This is my current list. It seems to work from what little I’ve played with it because it suits my style. A different approach might be;

Like I’ve said I hate MSU armies….but although thats a lot of KP, it could be very painful. Its a LOT of fast moving armour melta, and once anything that was in a vehicles isn’t any more, either through long range missile fire or short range melta, the Warp Hunters and DE venoms can quickly mop up infantry. Its also a lot of investment, particularly if you do it properly with all the FW conversion kits.

Next up is a all footslogging list….mostly. Lots of fast infantry, same as the previous list, but now on foot, jetpacking over the place. With jetpacks making you relentless, the big guns are no problem for firing on the move. With support from the Wasps and Warp Hunters the units can move up. The Corsairs can rain fire down, while the Prince, his retinue and the 2 Voidstorms can provide melta and CC support. You could lose a guy in 2 squads and upgrade some wasps to Hornets instead, if you wanted to be AV 11 and to be even faster.

One final list, one that’s a bit sneaky, but with Fliers being the new way to go…why not?

That’s using 3 nightwings in Fast Attack slots from the corsairs list, and using the fact that the nightwing is now a Fast Attack choice in an Eldar army thanks to the FAQ, using the allies elites slots to bring 3 more in.

It almost certainly would suck on the table top….but it’d be impressive to see 9 aircraft in a 1750 point game…

~Anyway that’s me done for now. Feel free to post any thoughts you may have on the latest Eldar faction to make its way to the tabletop.

Author: Larry Vela

Dad, Gamer, Publisher, Pilot, Texan. All games all the time since junior-high. I started BoLS Interactive in 2006. I’m a lifelong tabletop & RPG gaming enthusiast, and internet publisher working to entertain and inform my readers every day. I've been playing RPGs and Tabletop Games since the 1970s. I'm been playing and covering Warhammer and Warhammer 40K for over 35 years.