Mission Objectives: A Biel-Tan transport assault army has excellent mobility; mobility that is useful to accomplish mission objectives. A commander may use mobility to avoid confrontation with an opponent, then move out of defensive positions within the last couple of turns to accomplish mission objectives and/or claim table quarters. A Biel-Tan transport assault commander should always keep in mind that an opponent�s units don�t need to be destroyed for the game to be won; only mission objectives are really important. Some games may not even involve any close combat. However, if an opportunity exists, a Biel-Tan player may use the Wave Serpents� excellent mobility to attack.
Battle: Vehicles transport your infantry into weak points in the enemy lines (1). As your infantry are dropped off their transports, they usually get the benefit of charging (+1 Attack) (2). You have specialist close combat units that are usually more effective than your opponent�s close combat units (3). Combining (1), (2), and (3) give an effect greater than the any of (1), (2), or (3) taken separately.
What You Get For Your Points: Points spent on mobility mean less points spent on infantry and less points spent on firepower. Your army won�t have the numbers to engage in drawn-out combats against opponents with good numbers of close combat models, and your army won�t have the firepower to engage in protracted firefights. Use your mobility to choose your battles; duck behind terrain to avoid enemy firepower, steer around slow-moving Dreadnoughts or Wraithlords, send your units to exploit weak points in your opponent�s army.
Some opponents ignore mobility and close combat ability to spend their points solely on firepower. There are a number of tactics such armies use to maximize army effectiveness. The following section lists some of the common tactics shooting armies use, and comments on some of the different approaches a Biel-Tan player may use to minimize the effectiveness of such shooting army tactics.
Division of Forces: Depending on game variables (mission objectives, mission rules, terrain, and opposing army list), a player using a massive shooting strategy may choose to split forces. The idea is that if the commander opposing the shooting themed army quickly attacks one force with close combat models, the rest of the shooting themed army will still be able to use its firepower, at least until the army opposing the shooting themed army manages to move into close combat. If a commander opposing a shooting themed army divides forces, the entire shooting army�s firepower may be directed at one of the divisions of the opposing army; that division weakened by firepower may be weakened enough so that division can quickly be defeated in close combat; after which the shooting army�s lines may be reset to receive the opponent�s charge. This tactic has the added benefit of giving the shooting themed army clear lines of fire to more of the board.
This tactic is best used against relatively slow transports such as Chimeras, Rhinos, or Land Raiders; their 12-inch movement range allows a shooting-based player more time to destroy vehicles, whether the transport assault player decides to concentrate forces or to split forces.
Wave Serpents, however, have a 24-inch movement range, which greatly reduces the efficiency of a shooting army�s division of forces tactic.
If a Biel-Tan player chooses to enter combat, that Biel-Tan player may choose to split the Biel-Tan army if there is plenty of LOS (Line Of Sight) blocking terrain on the table. Such an approach may prevent a shooting themed army from having an extra turn to fire anti-vehicle weaponry; if all of an opponent�s infantry is engaged in close combat, none of an opponent�s units can fire.
On the other hand, if there is only terrain protecting one approach, or if there is little terrain on the table, a Biel-Tan player choosing to assault may consider a concentrated attack more effective. A concentrated attack will give local superiority of force as the entire Biel-Tan army assaults a single portion of the shooting themed army. Further local superiority of force is made possible by the fact that an opponent�s firepower can�t weaken an already divided force. To reiterate, if a transport assault themed army splits its forces, a shooting themed army may focus all its firepower on one division of the transport assault themed army. That transport assault army�s weakened division may then not be able to take its assigned section of the board. However, if a transport assault themed army concentrates its forces on a single attack, the shooting army likely won�t be able to inflict enough casualties on the transport assault themed army to prevent the attacked shooting army�s division from being overwhelmed.
Lines of Combat: A shooting themed army often deploys in lines, each line placed slightly more than 3 inches behind another line. When an opponent�s forces assault the front lines, the first lines go down quickly. Regardless of whether an opponent then sweeping advances or consolidates, the rear lines can then rapid fire their weapons at the sweeping advancers, inflicting heavy casualties. Note that the more-than-three inch distance between lines is necessary so incoming opponent forces cannot consolidate into rear lines after assaulting the front lines.
This tactic is of use to a certain point, after which the size of the army starts interfering with this tactic�s efficacy. As each battle line requires about five inches to set up, multiple battle lines will mean that the front lines will be set up closer to the opponent�s army, which will decrease the distance an opponent must cross before assaulting the front lines. A player may choose to add models to each line, lengthening lines rather than creating more battle lines, but then opposing models attacking one end of a line may not be vulnerable to fire from the other end of the line, and more opposing models may be able to get into base to base contact on their initial assault. Thus, there are a number of variants of this particular tactic; using tightly packed formations against opponents without template weapons, using lines facing in different directions, placing multiple lines around a central reserve, and so forth.
This tactic is best used against opponents with poor mobility. Initial mission objectives, terrain, and deployment zones often dictate how armies are set up. An army with poor mobility has little choice in the way of deciding how to attack; thus its attack is easily predicted, and lines may be set to receive those incoming forces. An army with poor mobility may take time to maneuver to one side, or may charge in directly, but in either case the army with poor mobility will take added casualties from this tactic.
Wave Serpents, however, have excellent mobility, which decreases the efficiency of an opponent�s lines of combat tactic. A transport may run up the side of a board, and unload units to the side of multiple battle lines. The attacking forces then come in parallel to the lines rather than perpendicular to the battle lines, assaulting multiple units (multiple battle lines) at once. As the rear lines are assaulted at the same time as the front lines, the rear lines can�t fire upon sweeping advancing units, as the rear lines themselves are engaged in close combat.
An opponent may counter Wave Serpent flank attacks by placing lines of infantry perpendicular to the front-facing battle lines; incoming Wave Serpent attacks will have to assault those lines before being able to get to the flanks of the shooting themed army. With that extra time, the shooting themed army can reset its lines to receive the new charge. Another variation involves placing battle lines in a triangle (or other shape) surrounding a central reserve; no matter what direction an opponent assaults from, only two lines may be assaulted at once, and the shooting army�s main reserves will still be able to fire upon sweeping advancing opposing units.
A Biel-Tan player may counter this tactic by tank shocking Wave Serpents into the midst of a shooting-themed army�s lines, then disembarking close combat units that may then assault multiple units. However, this counter-tactic is difficult to carry off. A Wave Serpent driving into the midst of an opponent�s army preparatory to unloading assault troops may have to be within 6 inches or less of the opponent�s front lines (troops can�t disembark if the Wave Serpent moves more than 12 inches, and the rear lines will be some distance from the front lines, so the Wave Serpent will have to start quite close to the front line to reach the rear line and still be able to offload troops). A Wave Serpent within 6 inches of an opponent�s front lines will be exposed to heavy enemy fire; an opponent�s front line may even be able to maneuver to face the Wave Serpent�s rear and use melta-type weapons to destroy the Wave Serpent (the Wave Serpent won�t receive energy shield protection against attacks made from the rear). A Biel-Tan player may use the Wave Serpent�s full 24 inch movement to move from cover into the midst of an opponent�s army, but then troops can�t be offloaded on the turn the Wave Serpent arrives, which will leave the Wave Serpent vulnerable to enemy fire (the opposing army surrounds the Wave Serpent, so at least some shots will ignore the Wave Serpent�s energy shield protection). In such a case, there is an excellent possibility the Wave Serpent will be destroyed, and an opponent may then charge some units in, negating the transport assault army�s charge benefit, and giving other shooting army elements the time to regroup.
Heavy Weapons: A shooting themed army almost always has some heavy weapons to destroy opposing vehicles or tough infantry models. Weapons with multiple shots and high Strength are favored for destroying vehicles; weapons with excellent AP are favored for taking down tough infantry models. Shooting themed armies usually have access to weapons that have high Strength and excellent AP. Most such weapons require LOS, so Wave Serpents will often be able to hide behind terrain. However, some armies have access to particularly unusual weaponry. Tau Pathfinders allow Strength 8 missiles to ignore LOS (although the Tau Pathfinders require LOS themselves), so Biel-Tan players should be on the lookout. Biel-Tan players taking Vypers will also have to watch out for Tau battlesuits mounting weapons that ignore Line Of Sight rules; such weapons are too weak to penetrate Wave Serpent armour, but are able to destroy fragile Vypers. Imperial Guard and Chaos Iron Warriors armies may take Basilisks, with a S9 Ordnance blast that can hit targets out of LOS and re-roll Damage dice. Imperial Griffons and Whirlwinds are other Ordnance weapons that also ignore LOS, but their lower Strength makes them slightly less deadly against Wave Serpents. Necrons have Gauss weaponry, turning every Necron model into a potential threat against vehicles, which potentially makes Necrons a bit more difficult to approach.
Although a transport assault army has the mobility to avoid heavy weapons, or to strike quickly before heavy weapons can inflict heavy casualties, a shooting themed army may place some units in extreme forward positions to allow the shooting army�s heavy weapons to be of some use. See �Forward Positions�, below.
Template Weapons: A shooting themed army often has template weapons to inflict heavy casualties on incoming enemy infantry. Tanks have ordnance-type weapons, infantry with heavy weapons may fire frag missiles, and reserve units may be armed with flamers to inflict heavy casualties on sweeping advancing opponents.
Although a transport assault army has the mobility to avoid template weapons, or to strike quickly before template weapons can inflict heavy casualties, a shooting themed army may place some units in extreme forward positions to allow the shooting army�s heavy weapons to be of some use. See �Forward Positions�, below.
Against opponents with high-Strength guess-range ordnance weapons, a quick attack is likely an excellent idea. Guess-range weapons can shoot over terrain, ignoring LOS, and ordnance-class weapons can destroy not only a transport, but all infantry mounted on that transport, with a single shot. Some army lists have weapons that use ordnance damage tables; check an opponent�s army list before starting play.
Forward Positions: A shooting themed army may place units in extreme forward positions in open terrain to take advantage of heavy weapons and template weapons. Although those forward positions are quickly assaulted and broken, the opposing army must then either sweeping advance or consolidate. If the opposing army sweeping advances, its infantry will be that much closer to the shooting army�s main front lines, but template weapons can inflict heavy damage on the exposed infantry. On the other hand, if the opposing army consolidates onto vehicles, the forward positions delayed the advance upon the main lines.
This tactic is best used against vehicle-mounted armies; the faster the vehicles, the more effective this tactic. For example, if a Wave Serpent�s troops attacked a shooting army�s forward position, the Wave Serpent would only move 12 inches that turn, as the Wave Serpent would have to unload its troops. The shooting army would have delayed 12 inches of the Wave Serpent�s 24-inch potential movement. Further, the Wave Serpent would be in a position exposed to enemy heavy weapon fire. If the transport assault army�s infantry sweeping advanced, the transport assault army�s infantry would be vulnerable to heavy weapon fire. On the other hand, if the transport assault army�s infantry consolidated back onto vehicles, the transport assault�s infantry would have that much more distance to travel if their Wave Serpents were destroyed by heavy weapon fire.
A transport assault themed army would have to choose either to maneuver around such forward positions, or to assault those forward positions. Ignoring them would allow the opponent to fire at the rear of the army; even if terrain could be used to avoid such enemy fire, the shooting army�s forward positions would still be an inconvenience that might prevent the transport assault army from taking what would otherwise be the best approach. On the other hand, if the forward positions were assaulted, that would endanger the army�s transports, as caused above, and in any event would cause a delay.
Note: The Forward Position tactic is counterproductive against mass assault armies, as mass assault armies desire forward movement almost regardless of cost. (A mass assault themed army would almost certainly choose to sweeping advance, to the detriment of the shooting themed army).
No Special Weapons: A shooting themed army may take none or very few special weapons to spend additional points on basic infantry models. This tactic is generally used in lower point games; in higher point games, additional basic infantry models just get in the way; see �Lines of Combat�, above.
Increased numbers of basic infantry give an increased number of basic shots; those basic shots are usually not particularly effective against Biel-Tan transport assault models, as typical Biel-Tan models will have saves of 3+ or 4+. The increased numbers of basic infantry do lend some added resiliency in close combat, though, and the additional models may be used to set up additional battle lines.
Mobile Shooting Units Shooting themed armies typically rely on stationary units with heavy weapons. However, some shooting themed armies take mobile units with excellent firepower to counter transport assault armies; such units are either held in reserve to move against incoming opposing forces (i.e. such units are held in the center, if an opponent approaches from the right, the mobile shooters are sent to the right; if an opponent approaches from the left, the mobile shooters are sent to the left). Such units are typically vehicles or jetbikes with high Strength weaponry; such units may move and fire, and are thus able to immediately respond to incoming attacks.
This particular tactic requires additional planning on the Biel-Tan player�s part. Although mobile shooting units allow a shooting themed army to protect against an initial attack, vehicles are of little direct use in close combat, and jetbikes are usually not worth their points in close combat. Thus, although a Biel-Tan player may well lose an additional Wave Serpent or two before managing to assault a shooting army�s main force, fewer Biel-Tan forces will be needed for an effective assault.
A Biel-Tan transport assault army�s main strength is its mobility; its secondary strength is its close combat specialists. Points spent on high-point transports mean less points can be spent on firepower; the limited transport capacity of each transport reduces the numbers of models that can be transported into close combat.
A shooting themed army�s main strength is immense firepower. Yet, points spent on ranged weapons are points that aren�t spent on mobility or on close combat specialists. Shooting themed armies may take mobile shooting units or guess range weaponry to compensate for lack of mobility, so the shooting army�s firepower can still reach any part of the board.
As a shooting army�s firepower can often hit every part of the board, a Biel-Tan transport assault army can�t afford to trade fire. So, a Biel-Tan transport assault commander must assault early, before the opposing shooting themed army can inflict heavy casualties. Fortunately, Wave Serpent mobility allows Biel-Tan units to close quickly, minimizing casualties taken before the main assault. Wave Serpent mobility also allows Biel-Tan units to maneuver into position to assault multiple units, reducing the casualties that will be taken from the shooting army�s firing into sweeping advancing models. This last is key against shooting themed armies.
Even against a shooting themed army, Biel-Tan won�t have numbers on its side, so even a single lost Wave Serpent may mean the difference between a successful assault and an unsuccessful assault. Deploy carefully behind terrain to reduce an opponent�s lines of fire to your Wave Serpents. As mentioned earlier, some armies may take no special weapons, particularly Necron armies with Gauss weaponry that can affect any unit. In such cases, a Biel-Tan player may trade fire at long range, but an assault may be necessary sometime near the middle of the game to prevent the shooting army�s units from moving forward and claiming objectives.
Some opponents ignore mobility to spend points solely on firepower and close combat units. There are a number of tactics such armies use to maximize army effectiveness. The following section lists some of the common tactics that shoot/counterassault armies use, and comments on some of the different approaches a Biel-Tan player may use to minimize the effectiveness of such shoot/counterassault army tactics.
All of the previously mentioned tactics that shooting armies use may also used by a shoot/counterassault army, but each of those previously mentioned tactics is also less effective, as a shoot/counterassault army spends fewer points on firepower. On the other hand, a shoot/counterassault army�s close combat units are usually quite effective, which makes assaulting a shoot/counterassault army risky.
Division of Forces: A player using a shoot/counterassault strategy may split forces. If both divisions consist of shooting units and counterassault units, the tactic works much the same as described for a shooting themed army. However, a shoot/counterassault player may also choose to make one division all shooting units, and another division all counterassault units, particularly if the counterassault units have excellent mobility.
In the second case; that is, if one division is shooting units, and another division is counterassault units, incoming attackers must choose to focus on one or the other. If the shoot/counterassault army�s shooting division is assaulted, the flank of the opposing army is then open to the shoot/counterassault army�s counterassault division. On the other hand, if the shoot/counterassault army�s counterassault division is pursued, it can run away, giving the shooting division more time to fire.
Although this tactic has a new dimension, this tactic is still best used against relatively slow transports. Swift Wave Serpents can assault the far side of a shooting division, leaving the counterassault division out of range. If the Biel-Tan player instead chooses to pursue the counterassault division; swift Wave Serpents can easily catch up to un-mounted infantry like jump packers or bikes, while even mounted infantry may be assaulted after their transports are destroyed by Fire Dragon firepower.
Remember that combat is not always necessary; if a shoot/counterassault army has mounted counterassault units that are a good distance away from the shoot/counterassault army�s shooting forces, you may choose to destroy the counterassault force�s transports, then move Wave Serpents to the other side to assault the shooting forces, ignoring the opponent�s slow counterassault units that won�t be able to catch the Biel-Tan forces.
Lines of Combat: A shoot/counterassault themed army often deploys in two lines, a front line composed of shooting themed models, and a rear line composed of assault themed models. Unlike the front line a shooting themed army forms, a shoot/counterassault front line is usually fairly durable, as it is intended to hold the opponent�s assault. When an opponent�s assault stalls on the shoot/counterassault army�s front line, the shoot/counterassault army�s counterassault units charge into combat, receiving the bonus attack from charging.
As a shoot/counterassault army�s front line is designed to be durable, the front line will sometimes include remarkably resilient units such as Dreadnoughts or Wraithlords. Such resilient units can permanently stall most infantry attacks, particularly with the support of other light infantry. A Biel-Tan player may bypass the front lines as against a shooting themed army, or may take such targets down with Fire Dragon or other firepower units.
This tactic is limited for shooting armies, as shooting armies potentially face problems in close combat when battle lines get too long or when there are too many battle lines, but as shoot/counterassault armies have efficient close combat units, shoot/counterassault armies may use the Lines of Combat tactic effectively even in large games.
As previously mentioned, Wave Serpent speed allows a Biel-Tan player to engage multiple units at once. This is a tricky proposition against shoot/counterassault armies, though, as the Biel-Tan player will no longer have the advantage of close combat specialist troops (the opponent has close combat specialists too). As a Biel-Tan player will have difficulty in firefights and in assault against a shoot/counterassault themed army, the Biel-Tan player should consider using Wave Serpent mobility to claim mission objectives instead of making a directed attack. If the Biel-Tan player does decide to assault, the first strike should ideally inflict heavy casualties on the opponent�s counterassault units while simultaneously tying up shooting units to prevent Biel-Tan units from being shot at during a sweeping advance.
Heavy Weapons: As described above for a shooting themed army.
Template Weapons: As described above for a shooting themed army.
Forward Positions: A shoot/counterassault themed army usually will not place units in forward positions. Assault units placed in forward positions are quickly destroyed; their loss is usually not worth the few turns gained, as a shoot/counterassault themed army doesn�t have to worry too greatly about being assaulted. Shooting units placed in forward positions are in a similar situation, but with the added drawback that a shoot/counterassault themed army often can�t afford to lose its firepower units (or else an opponent may then be able to trade firepower with the surviving firepower units, forcing the shoot/counterassault army to move out of position to assault).
No Special Weapons: A shoot/counterassault themed army may take none or very few special weapons to spend additional points on basic infantry models. Such armies are considered mass assault armies; see below section on mass assault armies for details.
Mobile Shooting Units: As described above for a shooting themed army. A shoot/counterassault army may be constructed so its forces may be used either for a shoot/counterassault theme or a transport assault theme; see below section on transport assault armies for details.
Shoot/counterassault armies often take some form of fast attack unit to compensate against shooting armies� superior firepower. Such units may have excellent high Strength weapons that can pose a threat to transports, with mobility that allows those units to maneuver to fire against a Wave Serpent�s rear armour. There is no simple solution against such units, but at least points spent on such units mean less points spent on shooting weapons that ignore LOS and/or counterassault units.
Mobile Assault Units: A shoot/counterassault army with generally poor mobility will often take fast assault units to gain an advantage against shooting armies. Against transport assault armies, a shoot/counterassault army�s mobile assault units are generally assigned to counterassault, rather than used for a swift unsupported strike. However, it is possible that those mobile assault units will still be placed in forward positions to make a swift strike against incoming transports, particularly if those mobile assault units have anti-vehicle grenades.
A Biel-Tan transport assault army�s main strength is its mobility; its secondary strength is its close combat specialists. Points spent on high-point transports mean less points can be spent on firepower; the limited transport capacity of each transport reduces the numbers of models that can be transported into close combat.
A shoot/counterassault themed army�s main strength is its combination of strong firepower and strong close combat units. Yet, points spent on ranged weapons and close combat units are points that aren�t spent on mobility. Shoot/counterassault themed armies may take mobile shooting units, mobile assault units, and/or guess range weaponry to compensate for lack of mobility, so the shoot/counterassault army�s can reach any part of the board.
As a Biel-Tan player will have a tough time matching a shoot/counterassault army in shooting or assault, a Biel-Tan player will have to use Wave Serpent mobility to best effect. If the shoot/counterassault army moves to claim objectives, that movement may create an opening that swift Wave Serpents can move in on. If a shoot/counterassault army lacks weapons that can shoot over terrain, the Biel-Tan player may move to secure objectives, quickly destroying any mobile shooting or mobile assault units.
It is quite possible that a Biel-Tan transport assault army will be able to successfully engage in combat with a shoot/counterassault army, but it is also very possible that a Biel-Tan transport assault army will be unable to find any real weak point in an opponent�s shoot/counterassault themed army. In such cases, the Biel-Tan player will have to use Wave Serpent mobility to achieve mission objectives, rather than attempting to use Wave Serpent mobility to make a directed strike against a section of the opponent�s army.
Some opponents spend points almost exclusively on close combat units, with only a few points spent on support units. There are a number of tactics such armies use to maximize army effectiveness. The following section lists some of the common tactics that mass assault armies use, and comments on some of the different approaches a Biel-Tan player may use to minimize the effectiveness of such mass assault army tactics.
Division of Forces: A player using a mass assault strategy often splits forces to ensure early contact with an opposing army. The mass assault army spreads out across the board and advances, leaving an opponent with no place to avoid the oncoming assault.
A Biel-Tan player can make a directed strike against the outlying areas of a mass assault army. However, any attack must usually be broken off quickly to avoid the bulk of the mass assault army�s arriving as reinforcements. In rare cases, the Biel-Tan transport assault army�s commander may choose to allow units to get into assault with the bulk of a mass assault army�s forces; such cases should only occur when that choice directly contributes to accomplishing mission objectives, or at least prevents the mass assault army from accomplishing mission objectives.
A mass assault army with few heavy weapons is vulnerable to a transport assault army�s divide and conquer tactic. As a mass assault army is forced to move forward quickly, its movements may be predicted. A few Wave Serpents may be positioned in wait for the front of the opposing army to approach within 12 inches. After the mass assault army enters that range, the Wave Serpents Tank Shock into the midst of the enemy�s infantry, cutting some of the mass assault army�s forces off from the rest of the mass assault army. Aspect Warriors then disembark, assaulting the isolated section, while the rest of the mass assault army must maneuver around the sides of the Wave Serpents to attack. The Biel-Tan player may manage to destroy all of the models in the isolated section with the assault, then consolidate back onto the Wave Serpents to repeat the tactic next turn. If the Aspect Warriors don�t manage to finish all models within the isolated section, the mass assault army�s units may not be able to maneuver around the Wave Serpents to assault the Aspect Warriors in time to prevent the Aspect Warriors from finishing the isolated section off during the next assault phase; even if the mass assault army does manage to maneuver around the Wave Serpents to pull the Aspect Warriors into close combat, the force of the mass assault army�s charge will be greatly blunted (few of the mass assault army�s models will be able to get into base to base contact and receive bonus charging attacks), and in subsequent rounds of combat, the Aspect Warriors can�t be surrounded by the mass assault army�s hordes (as the Wave Serpents are at the Aspect Warriors� backs).
Lines of Combat: A mass assault themed army will almost always deploy with low-point resilient models in front, and higher-point assault specialist models in the rear. The low-point models absorb enemy firepower on the initial approach, after which the low-point models assume loose formation to allow assault specialist models to pass through to assault. The low-point models placed at the front also provide a buffer against an opponent�s assault in case an opponent has lots of fast attack units.
If an incoming infantry force has a few tough models, some of the low-point models usually move away from the front. Otherwise, the small resilient assault force could assault the numerous low-point models and create a large melee in the middle of the field that the rest of the assault-themed army would have to move around to progress. With few low-point models in the way, though, the mass assault army�s main assault force can usually make quick work of any small assaulting force.
This tactic is of best use against shooting themed armies, in which case the low-point models absorb shooting casualties, or against armies with advancing un-mounted infantry, in which case the low-point models absorb the initial attack.
Most transport assault themed armies can simply Tank Shock over the fodder low-point models to assault the assault themed models in the rear. Of course, it is usually not a good idea to assault a mass assault themed army, unless the mass assault army is in a bad position. A transport assault army�s attack into the midst of a mass assault themed army will likely quickly be overwhelmed by superior numbers. Only a flank attack will have some chance of success, but extreme caution is recommended in any event.
In unique cases, a Biel-Tan player may choose to assault a mass assault themed army�s front line. For example, a Biel-Tan player could send a unit of Striking Scorpions to assault two units of twenty Ork Gretchin near game end. The Gretchin horde would prevent the rest of the Ork army from assaulting the Striking Scorpions, and the Gretchin horde would probably be unable to inflict enough casualties to prevent the Striking Scorpions from claiming an objective or contesting a table quarter.
Heavy Weapons: Almost all mass assault armies take a good number of high-Strength weapons, either to destroy transports or to destroy enemy ordnance vehicles. Such weapons are usually either high on points, or counted as Heavy weapons. As infantry carrying Heavy weapons can�t move and fire, infantry taking Heavy weapons usually move into position early, then fire. Most mass assault armies, though, have high-Strength Assault type weapons. Orks have rokkit launchas, Tyranids have venom cannons, and Eldar have anti-grav platforms. In any event, such weapons require LOS, so Wave Serpents may use mobility to hide behind terrain.
If a mass assault army lacks heavy weapon support, a Biel-Tan transport assault army commander may keep Wave Serpents at extreme range and use firepower to weaken portions of the mass assault army.
Mobile Shooting Units: Some mass assault armies may take unusually powerful ranged weapons, or fast units with high-Strength weapons; looted Basilisks or Eldar jetbikes are a good example. In such cases, a Biel-Tan player will have to make best use of Wave Serpent mobility to adapt to the situation. (The Basilisk is listed here as it can effectively �move� its firepower anywhere on the board).
Mobile Assault Units: Most mass assault units include fast attack infantry, particularly in games of over 500 points. These units are used to attack shooting themed armies quickly, to create a large LOS blocker that protects the rest of the advancing mass assault army. If such units are armed with anti-vehicle weaponry, such as krak stikkbommz or night spinners, those units may be placed in forward positions to fend off Wave Serpents. If such units get too far from the rest of the mass assault army, they may be assaulted and destroyed before the rest of the mass assault army can arrive to reinforce them. If such units stay close to the front of the mass assault army, though, they�ll simply have to be taken into account when estimating casualties from a planned assault. Mobile assault units can be dangerous even without anti-vehicle weaponry; placed in reserve, mobile assault units can quickly reinforce any assaulted area, making what might otherwise be considered an isolated position a dangerous position to assault.
A Biel-Tan transport assault army�s main strength is its mobility; its secondary strength is its close combat specialists. Points spent on high-point transports mean less points can be spent on firepower; the limited transport capacity of each transport reduces the numbers of models that can be transported into close combat.
A mass assault themed army�s main strength is its masses of close combat infantry. Eldar and Tyranid mass assault armies often have an added advantage of Fleet of Foot or Fleet of Claw rules, giving added mobility that can be used either to advance more quickly, or quickly reinforce attacked areas. Mass assault themed armies often take high Strength firepower to destroy enemy vehicles at range, and fast attack infantry to engage enemy infantry quickly; such choices complement the main army by reducing casualties to the main force.
As a mass assault themed army is difficult to assault head-on, a Biel-Tan transport assault army must make use of its superior mobility to achieve mission objectives. Alternatively, superior mobility may be used to stay out of range and exchange fire, or to move quickly to a flank and attack.
Some opponents concentrate on mobility and specialist close combat units. Such armies attempt to use the same tactics that you�ll commonly be using. The following section lists some of the common tactics that transport assault armies use, and comments on some of the different approaches a Biel-Tan player may use to minimize the effectiveness of such transport assault army tactics.
Firepower: When two transport assault armies battle, ranged firepower is an important factor. The army with superior firepower can pursue, attempting to destroy an opponent�s transports. Each destroyed transports represents a large point sink; not only is the transport destroyed, but the transport�s surviving infantry passengers will often be out of position to contribute much to the outcome of the battle. On the other hand, an army with superior firepower can take up defensible positions near mission objectives, sit, and wait.
Superior firepower is determined not only by number of high-Strength guns, but also by the range of those guns. A transport assault army with a few long-range guns could stay out of range of a transport assault army with a lot of short-range guns. There�s usually a mix of gun types in an army, so a Biel-Tan transport assault army commander must adapt to the situation at hand.
A Biel-Tan transport assault army commander may have taken Fire Dragons; those units are strong against vehicles, but have very short range. Striking Scorpions with haywire grenades face the same problem. Wave Serpents with long range weapons or Vypers with long range weapons can contribute to a Biel-Tan transport assault army�s long range firepower, but such upgrades or units are typically high on points.
Buffer Zone: Transports that advance towards an opponent may become vulnerable to that opponent�s firepower. Even if an opponent didn�t have LOS at the end of movement, opponent units could move into position during the opponent�s turn, then fire. Depending on the strength and range of an opponent�s firepower, a buffer zone will become more or less defined. Biel-Tan�s fast vehicles may usually fire first against slower Imperial transports, as fast vehicles may move a good distance and still fire. Orks, Eldar, and Dark Eldar, though, also have fast transports, so a Biel-Tan transport assault themed army may not get first strike advantage against those types of transport assault armies.
If a Biel-Tan transport assault army has more firepower, the opponent�s army will have difficulty approaching. In such cases, Biel-Tan units may be moved near mission objectives or table quarters early in the game. A Biel-Tan player should still watch out for an opponent�s positioning, though; see below.
If a Biel-Tan transport assault army has less firepower, and an opponent has established position near mission objectives or table quarters early in the game, the Biel-Tan commander may keep units out of the opponent�s LOS, waiting to move Wave Serpents to contest mission objectives and/or table quarters in the very last turn of the game. In such cases, the 24-inch movement range of the Wave Serpent is very useful.
Usually, two transport assault themed armies won�t have strictly superior or inferior firepower, but will have differing effectiveness at different ranges.
A Biel-Tan transport assault army�s main strength is its mobility; its secondary strength is its close combat specialists. Points spent on high-point transports leave few points for firepower. Yet, firepower can be the factor that determines the victor when two transport assault armies meet on a battlefield, particularly as a transport assault army facing another transport assault army may not be able to use its mobility to assault opposing infantry (a transport must be destroyed before its infantry may be assaulted).
A Biel-Tan commander may use superior Wave Serpent mobility to hide until the last few turns, then move to complete mission objectives. If an opponent attempts to attack before then, Wave Serpents can usually evade oncoming opponents, but a Biel-Tan commander may also choose to move and fire upon oncoming opposing units before those opposing units have an opportunity to fire.
At any rate, remember that Biel-Tan�s major asset is its mobility. Use that mobility to evade your opponent, or make a quick strike against exposed vehicles; only get into a slugfest if absolutely necessary - and remember that in most cases, a slugfest won�t be necessary.
A Biel-Tan transport assault army is built in large chunks; each Wave Serpent loaded with Aspect Warriors comes to 270 plus points. As a mandatory HQ must be taken, that comes to about 580 points for even a minimally sized Biel-Tan transport assault army. Pulling models out to get to 500 points results in an ineffective army; those five extra Aspect Warriors make a significant difference if an assault is made. Thus, a Biel-Tan transport assault army should be at least 750 points.
Building a Biel-Tan transport assault army list requires careful planning. Vehicles taken by themselves contribute relatively little to close combat ability; transports taken with few passengers are not as efficient as they would be if fully loaded, and un-mounted infantry can�t evade opponent attacks or move quickly to exploit openings in an opponent�s defenses. Leftover points may be spent on Wave Serpent weapon upgrades, small Guardian units, or Striking Scorpion haywire grenades.
There are many ways a Biel-Tan transport assault army may be built. Following are comments on two particular approaches a Biel-Tan commander may decide to use in starting a Biel-Tan transport assault army. Keep in mind that these are only two of the possible approaches that may be used; see Variations section below. Improvisation is encouraged.
750 Points: Infantry Approach: Mandatory HQ and 2 Troop choices should be: Farseer with Fortune and/or Eldritch Storm; 9 Howling Banshees mounted in Wave Serpent; 10 Striking Scorpions mounted in a Wave Serpent; (Spirit Stones and/or Star Engines optional for Wave Serpents). This runs to about 600 points. Additional points may be used for Vypers with bright lances or Wave Serpent weapon upgrades.
If the opponent has super heavy close combat units (Dreadnoughts or Wraithlords), the Wave Serpents can maneuver to avoid them. If the opponent has lots of light infantry (Ork Slugga Boyz, Hormagaunts, etc.), the Striking Scorpions are used for the bulk of the work in an assault, using Howling Banshees to support. If the opponent has lots of heavy infantry (Marines with power armour, Terminators, Necrons, etc.), the Howling Banshees are used for the bulk of the work, using Striking Scorpions to delay the rest of the opponent�s army. In any case, the first strike must give a decisive advantage; the 240 plus points dropped on Wave Serpents are a serious drain on resources (40% of the army�s points), and the 40-70 point Farseer is just more of a drain on the number of basic infantry you can bring. In all probability, you will have to avoid combat with an opponent; at 600 points, your opponent�s army won�t be large enough to be spread out much. If your opponent�s army is close together, your opponent can quickly reinforce any attacked area. In such cases, it will likely be best not to confront an opponent head-on.
750 Points: Flamer Approach: Alternatively, you may start your army with Farseer with Eldritch Storm and 5 Warlocks with Destructor, 6 Howling Banshees, and 7 Fire Dragons, each unit mounted on a Wave Serpent.
The Warlocks� Destructor ability destroys large numbers of enemy infantry, along with supporting fire from Fire Dragons fusion guns and Howling Banshee shuriken pistols. Note that as Wave Serpents have no firing points, the infantry must disembark to shoot. After shooting, if there are no opponent survivors, the Biel-Tan units may be vulnerable to an opponent�s assault. However, if there are a few opponents left, the Biel-Tan units may assault, then consolidate back onto their Wave Serpents.
750 Points: General Comments: Both the Striking Scorpion based army and the Warlock/Destructor based army have two main ways to attack ; one is simply hitting any outlying weak points of an opponent�s army ; the other is to Tank Shock the Wave Serpents into the middle of an opponent�s army , dividing her forces - the Biel-Tan units hit everything on one side while the Wave Serpents block enemy movement and LOS; on the next turn, the Wave Serpents move out of the way and the Biel-Tan units hit another section, or the re-embarked Biel-Tan units repeat the process.
At 750 points, you�ll run around a lot, moving and/or assaulting in the last one or two turns to win the game. You may choose to hit hard and early against opponents that are really weak in close combat, but care will still be needed against enemy shooting weapons used against your sweeping advancers. Remember that you need not enter combat to win a game; you simply need to successfully accomplish mission objectives.
1000 Points: General Comments Additional points should be devoted to additional transports/infantry, and possibly screening vehicles and/or supporting fire. A Biel-Tan army with Striking Scorpions and Howling Banshees may take a third unit of Fire Dragons mounted on a Wave Serpent for added support; a Biel-Tan army with Warlocks, Howling Banshees, and Fire Dragons may take additional Aspect Warriors and weapon upgrades, or possibly a fourth Wave Serpent with Aspect Warriors.
At 1000 points, the first strike must still give a decisive advantage as 1) most of the transport assault army�s points are spent on transports, and 2) an opponent�s army will probably not be large enough to be unwieldy. That is, an opponent�s army won�t have enough models to spread over a large portion of the table, meaning that any position your transport assault army attacks will be quickly reinforced.
If your opponent has weak close combat units, or deployed badly, you may choose to hit early on. Otherwise, you could maneuver around, waiting to either come out in the last few turns to accomplish mission objectives, or exploit weaknesses in an opponent�s line as the opponent moves up to engage your army. It will be more difficult to avoid close combat than at 750 points, so you�ll have to be extra careful, but on the other hand, you�ll have more material to make a strong directed strike.
1500 Points: General Comments: For the next 500 points, a commander has three options. 1) add close combat units in the form of Striking Scorpions and/or Fire Dragons in Wave Serpents; giving one unit of Striking Scorpions haywire grenades to deal with Necron Monoliths. 2) add support units in the form of Guardians; an opponent that ignores them will allow them to claim objectives and/or quarters, an opponent that does not ignore them must send firepower and/or forces to deal with them. 3) add protective and fire support units in the form of Vypers with various long range weapons.
At 1500 points, you�ll have to maneuver quickly and strike hard. Your opponent will either have fast units that can engage you, tying you up until your opponent�s main forces arrive, or your opponent will have enough firepower units to command most of the board. Either way, you�ll likely have to hit by the second or third turn. After that, you may choose to break off combat by the fourth or fifth turn to accomplish mission objectives, avoiding your opponent�s weakened forces, or you may choose to continue close combat until the end of the game.
Avatar: Useless because it�s too slow. As an independent character, it can�t even claim table quarters. True, you could take a Court of the Young King, but you probably shouldn�t spend 156 plus points for a unit with almost no firepower that can only move 6 inches a turn.
Farseer: With Eldritch Storm, provides support against light infantry with poor armour saves. With Fortune, a Farseer makes a single infantry unit (likely Striking Scorpions) much more resilient. With Mind War, acts as an assassin to target single enemy models (enemy HQ, heavy weapon troopers, etc.) The Farseer isn�t much use in close combat by himself; considering the point value, you�d likely be better taking some more Aspect Warriors. (Note: If you�re looking for details on the witchblade weapon, check the 3rd edition WH40K rulebook (the big one, not the Eldar Codex). A witchblade wounds on 2+, but enemy armour saves are taken normally. Against vehicles, a witchblade triples Strength for working out armour penetration.
A Farseer is an effective unit must be taken to fill the mandatory HQ slot (the only choice if an Avatar is not taken). A second Farseer can prove effective in games of 1000 or more points, depending on what strategy the army is formed around; additional Aspect Warriors, though, can be just as useful.
Warlocks: One of two possible workhorse units of the army, Warlocks with Destructor are very effective against any infantry units; even models with 3+ saves may take heavy casualties from S5 flamers.
If you opt to go with Warlocks, take five for each Farseer and give each Destructor; combine that HQ choice with Howling Banshees and Fire Dragons. Ideally, the Biel-Tan units will disembark from transports, shoot down all but one or two models, assault those models (annihilating them), and consolidate back onto transports. As such an army minimizes on close combat, Striking Scorpions are not required, but Fire Dragons and Eldritch Storm are required to increase shooting casualties, and Howling Banshees are required to finish off power armoured opponents in close combat.
Warlocks can be a lot more effective on a first hit against packed enemy infantry with their flamer templates, but Warlocks are also much weaker in a drawn-out assault. With Warlocks, you almost never want to commit to an assault. Of course, with lots of S5 flamer templates, you may never have to commit to an assault anyways.
Guardian Defenders: In games below 1000 points, Guardian Defenders shouldn�t be used; they�re simply not effective enough if transported into close combat, and any points spent on footslogging Guardian Defenders are likely better spent on more Wave Serpents and Aspect Warriors. In high point games of 1500 or more, units of Defenders with antigrav platforms may be chosen to claim table quarters and provide supporting fire.
Guardian Storm: In games below 1000 points, Guardian Storm units also shouldn�t be used. Storm Guardians are all right in close combat, but the focus is on mobility and highly effective close combat infantry. A 110+ point Wave Serpent is likely better spent on transporting 160 points worth of Striking Scorpions than 80 points worth of Guardian Storm models. Higher point games might use units of Guardian Storm models supporting foot-mounted Guardian Defenders.
Rangers: Rangers aren�t good for this sort of army. Since Rangers can�t move around quickly, your opponent can focus firepower or assault units on your Rangers. If you move to help your Rangers, your opponent can pull your army into close combat, which is not good as you�ll lose your mobility (a Biel-Tan army�s prime asset). If you don�t move to help your Rangers, your opponent will destroy your Rangers, and you�ll lose 57 to 190 points that you could have spent for more Wave Serpents or Aspect Warriors. Rangers are almost always a bad idea for a Biel-Tan Swordwind transport assault army.
Guardian Jetbikes: Very weak assault capability, considering the points spent. Firepower is decent if bikes get shuriken cannon upgrades. Guardian jetbikes aren�t particularly useful for a Biel-Tan transport assault themed army, because of their weak assault capability and only moderately effective anti-light vehicle fire support role. Even if an opponent leaves an opening, Guardian jetbikes often can�t do much, as Eldar jetbikes are not particularly powerful.
A Biel-Tan commander in higher point games of 1000 points or up may choose to take units of four Guardian jetbikes with two shuriken cannons, to distract an opponent and shoot down an opponent�s light vehicles. Some caution is recommended, though; Vypers, Wave Serpents, and Aspect Warriors are recommended unless a Biel-Tan commander has a very good idea both of how to use Eldar jetbikes, and of how to use Eldar jetbikes to complement the rest of the Biel-Tan army.
Wave Serpents: These are the basis on which a transport assault based army is built. Star engines allow Wave Serpents to move more quickly; star engines are the recommended if any points remain after an army list is completed. Spirit stones allow Wave Serpents to advance through enemy fire with less danger of being held up by enemy fire; spirit stones are particularly useful in larger games, when an opponent has plenty of firepower. Vectored engines can be useful if there�s a lot of terrain on the table, but in most cases the 24-inch movement of a Wave Serpent is enough to keep free of difficult terrain. A crystal targeting matrix is useful for �pop-up� attacks; a Wave Serpent moves out from behind terrain, shoots, then moves back behind terrain to hide from enemy fire. At 30 points, though, targeting matrices should only be taken if the Wave Serpent has upgraded weapons. Without upgraded weapons, a Wave Serpent�s 24-inch range will allow an opponent to maneuver into firing positions quickly.
Wraithguard: Wraithguard are resilient, and wraithcannon are excellent guns. However, a player must pay 35 points per model, and only 5 Wraithguard may fit within a Wave Serpent. Together, the high point cost of Wraithguards, and the limited number that may be transported, mean that Wraithguard are difficult to use effectively. Thus, Wraithguard should be considered optional support units for games of 1500 points and up. If Wraithguard are taken in smaller games, the entire Biel-Tan army list will have to be designed with the Wraithguard in mind; Wraithguards are very resilient models that hit with moderate force; a transport assault based army is usually best taking moderately resilient models that hit with heavy force. Wraithguard are not recommended for a Biel-Tan transport assault army.
Warp Spiders: A player can use Warp Spiders to hit and fade (move, shoot, then use Warp Jump Generators to warp away from an opponent so the Warp Spiders aren�t in assault range). Yet, that means moving forwards and backwards to be effective, and Warp Spiders are already considerably slower than Wave Serpents. Because of their only moderate effectiveness as fire support, and weak abilities as assault support, Warp Spiders should not be taken for games of less than 1500 points; even at 1500 points or more, caution is recommended when taking a unit of Warp Spiders.
Striking Scorpions: One of two possible workhorse units of the army. With the equivalent of four Strength 4 Initiative 5 attacks on a charge, and three Strength 4 Initiative 5 attacks in subsequent rounds of combat, Striking Scorpions hit hard. (Note: Mandiblaster attacks actually work out to Initiative 7). The fact that Striking Scorpions hit hard and first makes them more resilient; few opposing models in base to base contact will survive to strike back. The 3+ save is an added bonus.
Because Striking Scorpions are so resilient in close combat, Striking Scorpions let you fight drawn-out close combats, rather than having to hit and run. It�s true that except against shooting-based armies, you often won�t want to fight drawn-out close combats, but Striking Scorpion resiliency and close combat strength can make a difference; a Biel-Tan commander can�t count on an opponent�s always being unable to quickly reinforce a position.
Howling Banshees: One of two possible main support units of the army, Howling Banshees are useful against models with 3+ save or better, but not particularly effective for their point value against light infantry with 5+ saves or worse. Against Tau Fire Warriors with a 4+ save, Howling Banshees and Striking Scorpions are about even; Howling Banshees are a bit better when charging into combat, while Striking Scorpions are a bit better when sticking it out in subsequent turns of close combat.
Because Howling Banshees have power weapons, if the Biel-Tan army is facing an army of Tactical Space Marines, or Necron Warriors, Howling Banshees become the workhorse unit of the army, and Striking Scorpions and/or Warlocks become main support units.
By 1000 points, at least one unit of Howling Banshees should be in the army list, regardless of whether Striking Scorpions or Warlocks form the main assault force.
Fire Dragons: One of two possible main support units of the army, Fire Dragons are moderately useful against models with tough saves, and very effective against most vehicles. Teamed with Striking Scorpions, Fire Dragons can crack the case of any enemy vehicles or provide moderately effective fire support against opponents with strong armour (leaving Striking Scorpions and Howling Banshees to clean up in close combat); teamed with Warlocks, Fire Dragons take down any survivors of the Destructor power (leaving Howling Banshees to clean up in close combat).
Fire Dragons hit hard initially with their fusion guns, but aren�t much use for protracted close combat. Yet, as fusion guns are so strong against heavy infantry and against vehicles at close range, Fire Dragons shouldn�t be ignored.
By 1000 points, at least one unit of Fire Dragons should be in the army list, regardless of whether Striking Scorpions or Warlocks form the main assault force.
Dark Reapers: Below 1000 points, it�s better to concentrate on transports, close combat units, and fire support units that can take out vehicles. Even above 1000 points, it�s likely better to use extra points for bright lance upgrades for the Wave Serpents in the army or more Aspect Warriors. Remember that the focus of a transport assault themed army is on mobility and close combat, with very light fire support; points spent on units that don�t contribute well to that theme reduce the army�s effectiveness. See description of �Rangers� above for additional comments. Dark Reapers are not recommended for a Biel-Tan transport assault army.
Dire Avengers: Not particularly powerful in close combat; poor fire support ability, moderately poor staying power. Although Dire Avengers can be somewhat effective in some cases, Dire Avengers usually aren�t particularly effective in a transport-assault themed army. A few more points allow a commander to take Striking Scorpions or Howling Banshees, which are almost always more effective.
If un-mounted infantry is desired, a unit of un-mounted Guardians is likely a better choice; Guardians can absorb more fire if placed in cover, and can provide better fire support with an antigrav platform.
Dire Avengers are not recommended for a Biel-Tan transport assault army.
Shining Spears: Useless. Poor close combat ability, poor staying power, practically no firepower. Shining Spears are not recommended for any Eldar army, even though the models do look nice.
Vypers: Excellent mobility, no assault capability, moderately effective firepower considering points spent. If an opponent lacks long-range firepower, the Vypers can stand back out of range and weaken an opponent, until the final few turns when the Biel-Tan commander moves to accomplish mission objectives. Against opponents with plenty of long range firepower, Vypers can fly in front of the Wave Serpents to block LOS and/or allow the Wave Serpents to count as hull down.
In games of 750 points or less, Vypers aren�t too useful, as the few Wave Serpents in the Biel-Tan army can hide behind terrain - an opponent likely won�t have the firepower to cover the entire battlefield, and any weapons that ignore terrain would be able to fire past Vypers anyways. At 1000 points, a Vyper may prove useful, as an opponent can pack more guns, so a Vyper could provide a vital hull-down benefit to an exposed Wave Serpent for a turn or two. At 1500 points, an opponent can pack plenty of long-range firepower units, so the Biel-Tan commander will have more Wave Serpents to protect. In that case, two or three Vypers can potentially prove very useful. In any case, though, remember that Vypers serve a protective support and fire support, not as the main attack force of the army.
Swooping Hawks: Swooping Hawks are not particularly effective in close combat, and lasblasters serve as no more than a distraction. Although Swooping Hawks can stay out of an opponent�s assault range while harrying that opponent with light fire, an opponent can still simply ignore the Swooping Hawks. If the Swooping Hawks close in for close combat, their relatively low close combat effectiveness and only moderate resiliency will make them little more than an inconvenience.
In games of 1500 points or more, Deep Striking Swooping Hawks may use the Swooping Hawk grenade pack to weaken a portion of the opposing army then serve as a distraction. If the opponent moves to deal with the Swooping Hawks in close combat, the opponent�s battle lines may become vulnerable to an assault from the Wave Serpent mounted models. If the opponent doesn�t move to deal with the Swooping Hawks, the Swooping Hawks may assault, drawing models into close combat, leaving vulnerable areas for the Wave Serpent mounted models to exploit.
Swooping Hawks aren�t recommended for games under 1500 points, as Swooping Hawks work best as a distracting unit that allows the rest of an army to be more effective. If Swooping Hawks are taken in lower point games, there likely won�t be enough attack units in the rest of the army for the Swooping Hawks to make more effective, and Swooping Hawks by themselves can�t do too much. Even at 1500 points, caution is recommended when taking Swooping Hawks.
Falcon: A Falcon with a crystal targeting matrix can make �pop-up� attacks, moving out from behind cover, shooting, then moving back behind cover. The Falcon also has the ability to transport six models into close combat.
The Falcon is a possible option for games of 1500 points, but at 1000 points, points should likely be spent on Wave Serpents and Aspect Warriors. The Falcon doesn�t have the Wave Serpent�s energy field, rendering it a bit more vulnerable to heavy weapon fire, has a reduced transport capacity, decreasing the number of effective close combat units you can bring to an area, and costs more points. Falcons are still a decent choice for armies of 1500 points.
Fire Prism: In games of 1500 points or more, an Eldar player can use Fire Prisms as described earlier for Vypers; the Fire Prism is even more durable and provides a larger screen, although offering a bit less firepower for the point cost. If necessary, a Fire Prism equipped with a crystal targeting matrix may make �pop-up� attacks, as described in the Falcon and Wave Serpent descriptions above. A bit of care is recommended, though; Fire Prisms are support units, not main attack units.
Wraithlord: Wraithlords are an excellent resilient support choice, with a Toughness of 8 and armour save of 3+. Shots directed at a Wraithlord mean less shots directed at Wave Serpents; a lascannon hit that could immobilize a 270 point Wave Serpent/Aspect Warrior unit can only inflict a single wound on a Wraithlord - and that�s just one wound out of three. Although it�s true that a Wraithlord is as slow as an Avatar, the Wraithlord�s higher Toughness makes it more resilient, the option to take a heavy weapon allows a Wraithlord to serve as fire support even if the Wraithlord can�t make it into close combat, and, possibly most importantly, a Wraithlord may claim objectives and table quarters.
If an opponent ignores the Wraithlord, the Wraithlord claims or contests a table quarter for only 75 to 110 points. If the Wraithlord�s outfitted with a heavy weapon, the Wraithlord can provide fire support. If an opponent attempts to destroy the Wraithlord in close combat, the opponent will first have to reach the Wraithlord - which means the opponent�s extended lines may become vulnerable to assault - and even when the opponent reaches the Wraithlord, the Wraithlord�s close combat abilities are very strong. If an opponent attempts to shoot the Wraithlord down, its Toughness of 8 combined with its armour save of 3+ usually makes it much more difficult to take down than an Avatar.
As good as a Wraithlord is, it�s still only a support unit; remember that it�s best to focus an army�s theme on mobility, fast and hard close combat units, and fire support. Yet, the Wraithlord�s abilities and resiliency are so good, given its point cost, a player may consider taking one as early as 1000 points; at 1500 points, two or three can cause an opponent great difficulty simply by contesting or claiming table quarters unless the opponent devotes a lot of energy to taking the Wraithlords down.
Caution is still recommended, though; any points spent on Wraithlords will mean less points spent on mobile assault units, transport, and screening vehicles. Take Wraithlords if your army requires units to claim table quarters or mission objectives at the end of a game; otherwise, stick to the theme of mounted infantry.
War Walker Squadron: War Walkers are a strong fire support unit; for 65 points you may have two bright lances; compare that to a Vyper�s single bright lance for the same point cost. Yet, that sheer firepower is not the principle upon which a transport assault army is based; although a War Walker is better at trading firepower, a Vyper�s maneuverability keeps it out of range of an opponent�s firepower and assault units, and a Vyper�s maneuverability can allow a Vyper to take shots at vulnerable side or rear armour. Also, Vypers can provide a mobile screen, while War Walkers cannot.
Below 1500 points, it�s likely better to focus on Wave Serpents and Aspect Warriors; additional firepower may be found in upgraded Wave Serpents, Vypers, and Fire Dragons. Although a Biel-Tan commander may opt to take a War Walker squadron at 1500 points, or even earlier, caution is recommended.
Support Weapon Battery: Support weapons are not particularly mobile or resilient; thus, support weapons are very vulnerable to an opponent�s firepower and/or assault units. Support weapons may still be useful; particularly the powerful but short-ranged D-cannon. Yet, the vulnerability of support weapons means that any support weapon battery will have to be protected, either by terrain or by a fair-sized screen of Guardians. Support weapons are not generally recommended for a Biel-Tan transport assault army; points should probably be spent on crystal targeting matrices, Vypers, and Wave Serpent weapon upgrades.
A transport assault army�s greatest asset is its mobility. Yet, a transport assault army often lacks heavy firepower and numerous infantry, as Wave Serpents and Aspect Warriors take up a good number of points.
Variations of the transport assault theme take fewer transports and infantry, spending those points on units that complement the mobile units already taken, compensating for weaknesses of the Biel-Tan transport army.
For example, a player could choose to take a fair-sized unit of Storm Guardians to compensate for the lack of numbers of infantry in the Biel-Tan transport assault army. Although an opponent could attack the Storm Guardians, any close combat attack by an opponent would likely mean that the opponent�s lines would be extended, offering the mounted Aspect Warriors an opportunity to attack. If an opponent chose not to delay Storm Guardian movement by pulling the Storm Guardians into close combat, the Storm Guardians could use their Fleet of Foot ability to move quickly to hold an objective. Once the Storm Guardians held an objective, an opponent would have a difficult time dislodging the Storm Guardians, particularly as Aspect Warriors could potentially attack any flank.
Of course, Storm Guardians have their drawbacks as well. Even with Fleet of Foot, Storm Guardians are still considerably slower, and considerably more fragile, than Wave Serpents. Storm Guardians can be quickly destroyed by an opponent�s regular infantry armament, such as Tau pulse rifles or Space Marine bolters. Template weapons, such as Whirlwind or Griffon ordnance, easily target masses of infantry, inflicting heavy casualties even when a shot scatters. On the other hand, regular infantry armament can�t penetrate armour 12, and ordnance scatter may easily prevent an ordnance shot from taking effect on a Wave Serpent�s rear armour.
A Biel-Tan transport assault commander may still choose to take Storm Guardians, though; a 10-strong unit of Guardians costs only 80 points, but can still claim a table quarter. A commander may find various ways to minimize a unit�s weaknesses so that unit can effectively complement the main force of Aspect Warriors mounted in Wave Serpents.
Although almost any Eldar unit could potentially complement a Biel-Tan transport assault army, two of the more likely choices are Wraithlords and War Walkers. A Wraithlord is impervious to small arms fire, and any high-Strength shot directed at a Wraithlord is, at the very least, a shot not directed at a Wave Serpent. Although Wraithlords are vulnerable to massed sniper rifles, and have difficulty finding cover, Wraithlords are still useful as they can claim objectives and/or table quarters, are formidable in close combat, and have the option to take a heavy weapon. Although the more fragile War Walkers may potentially be taken down by bolters, War Walkers at extreme range can only be reached by heavy weapons - again, heavy weapons that might otherwise be aimed at Wave Serpents. War Walkers have plenty of firepower, which can come in handy against other transport assault armies, shooting themed armies with ordnance vehicles, and even massed infantry.
A Biel-Tan transport assault themed army�s greatest asset is its mobility; mobility that may be used to make a swift strike against an opponent�s weak spot, or that may be used to hide from an opponent�s firepower and/or assault units.
If an opportunity for an attack is seen, remember that as Wave Serpents and Aspect Warriors take a lot of points, it is generally not a good idea to allow those Wave Serpents and Aspect Warriors to be destroyed. Thus, any attack made must be decisive; decisive enough for the Biel-Tan forces to pull back from their decimated foes and regroup, or decisive enough that an opponent�s reinforcements won�t be able to turn the tide of battle.
Yet, a battle need not be fought to be won. Wave Serpents could potentially hide from an opponent�s forces for most of the game, moving in the final turns to claim mission objectives and/or table quarters.
Most games will likely involve a mixture of using mobility for attack and defense. In the beginning of the game, an opponent�s forces will move to engage the Biel-Tan army; if not moving to confront them directly, at least moving units towards mission objectives and moving shooting units to command clear lines of fire over most of the board. However, near the end of a game, an opponent�s forces may well become dispersed, as forces are split to protect various mission objectives. At that point, Wave Serpents may strike isolated portions of an opponent�s army. Of course, an opportunity to strike could come earlier, either after an opponent started moving out of defensive positions, or near the very beginning of the game if an opponent�s deployment relative to terrain was poor.
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Chapter Two: Strategy, Tactics, and Statistics
Chapter Three: Calculating Basic Cost Effectiveness
Chapter Four: Applying Basic Calculations
The Unofficial Warhammer 40,000 Army Cheese Purity Test
Sector Occultus: Background Information
Army Selection (Example: Blood Angels)
Painted Units For Sale. (Pictures mean long download time!)
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