Hi folks,

The Vyper has been a very emblematic Eldar (a.k.a. Aeldarii) vehicle for a long time now. 1996, as per the date marked on the sprue of the one I assembled and painted recently. My 3rd one.

While reading through some recent rumours related topics, the theme of the Vyper has been evoked. More precisely the need for a redesign/revisit of the venerable model.

Nice topic. I do like wishlisting too.

Yet, is it a topic really? It does not really matter how strong I would like it to be. I like the model and its significance for me as a big feature of my first 40k decade. Yet I guess we are wrong as the main question to be answered is rather: do the Vyper deserve being still a thing in the Eldar unit rooster?

The Vyper has indeed some very serious competitors:

• The Wind riders
• The Voidweaver
• The Starweaver.

Why? Let's get some comparisons.

First with the Windriders. These chaps cost more or less the same as the Vyper do, but they can be tooled up with scatter lasers or Shuuriken cannons; for 5 points more, you get 3" of these instead of a single heavy weapon in case of the Vyper (plus the twin linked catapult). In terms of sheer fire power the jetbikes overrule. A reason NOT to tool up the vyper with these anti-infantery weapons. They also get interresting bonus for attacking the closest unit, making it a good harassment unit supporting something else. But quite limited to shooting at troops and not too heavily armoured. Guardsmen bane or sort off.

Second with the Voidweaver. This one is more expensive. 115pts vs. 75pts. But it bring 3 heavy weapons; one of which could be a good antivehicle tool, optionnaly swapped for a custom Harlie version of a prismatic weapon that does more or less the same as a Missile Laucher for the Vyper. More or less the same, but better. And not to mention the 4+ Inv. save.

Third the Starweaver. Cheap but Dedicated Transport. So you have to add the Troupe to ride in, or an Harly character. With the Troupe you reach 155pts, enough to tie-in 2 Vypers, which fill the gap a little bit. Fire power eventually becomes equivalent to the Voidweaver thanks to the Firedeck if the troupe is fitted with the usual fusion pistols and or neurodisruptors, but these are short ranged. And you can uncargo on objectives or bring a decent amount of HtH. Yet its total cost of ownership and the carried infantery unit make that it cannot be compared really. So it leaves us with 2 entries.

The big picture is not that attractive, or is it? One specific feature of the Vyper is the special rule that may cancel the benefit of cover of your enemy for the  rest of the shooring phase. A pure combined arms approach. Can be good. But the Voidweaver causing Battleschock is not that bad neither. Another specific stuff of the Vyper is the weapon's choice: distinctive weapons not available to other units of the list such as Missile Launcher, Bright Lance and Starcannon. ML and BL can be competitively challenged by the Prism stuff of the Voidweaver. Starcannon remains? Nope, here again the Prismatic cannon in focussed lances mode does better.

Main key difference becomes therefore if you better value the loss of cover or the battleshock caused by the Vyper or the Voidweaver respectively. The cancelation of cover saves may be useful in cover heavy WTC type tables. But even there the maths in terms of damage output, access/cost of the model (points and moneywise) and survivability goes in favour of the Voidweaver IMHO. Or, you are as me, a nostalgic guy, and you take unrationnal decisions. In the best case the Vyper brings a contextual advantage.

Let me know what you think and if you disagree/see mistakes in my reasoning. But so far, I feel like what the Vyper needs is a set of rules that justify it is maintained in the range. New models for sure usually come with new rules, but I do not see what could be done to save the ancestor, except at getting Harlies out of the mainstream Aeldarii range, or limited in some way as a detachment. Unless a radical change in the Vypers rules happen with a redesigned toy: more dakka or going into squadrons or scouting or come back of the sniping role, allowing for example to shoot during the movement sequence, or a combination of such ideas, or more creative stuff as these are not that much original... 

My BL "vehicle sniper" Vyper

My "Squad" of Starcannon Vypers

My "count as" Starweaver, still waiting for a unit to be loaded on it...