How are you using the Warlock Conclave?

[MadEdric]

So time to get back to playing my Eldar and I've always loved playing my Ulthwé themed army. So I'm trying a Seer Council list for my next game. 

I always enjoyed playing a Seer Council in earlier editions so I'm thinking of ways to play the Warlock Conclave. 

It would seem best to run them with a Farseer or Eldrad to get the nice -1 to wound, but what configurations have you all used? 

I'm thinking of Eldrad joining a Storm Guardian squad with a single warlock plus a 4 Warlock Conclave. The intent is to use Unshrouded Truth to pop them around the board to claim objectives and be a general nuisance. This also allows Eldrad to generate CPs as he will always be on the board. This is 365 points and gets 5d6+10 S7 -1ap torrent hits that should wound most infantry on a 2+ when Eldrad uses Doom, plus 2 flamers, 2 fusion guns. This could even chip a lot of wounds off armor. With a warlock and a Conclave they will be -1 to wound and -2 on charge rolls.

Another configuration I'm thinking of is a Farseer with a 4 man Conclave  in a falcon.  Sadly you can't add a solo warlock to this one, but I think it could still do some work. With the falcon plinking at the intended target with something (mine has a scatter and twin shuricats) to give rerolls to wound on 4d6+8 auto hits, plus if lucky, guide gets put on something the falcon might want to use its pulse cannon on. 

As all Guardian Defender squads will have some sort of warlock support, I'm debating whether adding a Conclave to them is of use. Their -1 to wound won't be used as there would most likely be no Farseer with them, and adding a full 4 man seems too expensive, so most likely a solo warlock for support. I've thought of still adding a 2 warlock Conclave to some to get the boost on their Destructors. Sure for 10 points more I could have a 4 Warlock Conclave instead of 2 plus one, but I think the solo warlock is the major support as he will be able to use the -2 to charge. I guess my question is whether adding 55 points for the small Conclave is worth it just for the small boost that may never see play. Though squads closer to the enemy might appreciate the extra overwatch support.

Lastly was just a 4 warlock Conclave alone in the falcon, no other support, just 4 guys looking for small units to roast. 

 

 

 

[Magos Takatus]

I am sad to say I don't have any input myself as I haven't tried Seer Council yet. I picked up the new codex, saw Battle Focus, saw that Seer council also had a Strands of Fate mechanic and decided to pass... for now. I've been learning Aspect Host primarily, but I'm an Ulthwé collector at heart, so I want to be able to pivot into Guardian Warhost and Seer Council to represent my army theme better down the line.

 

What weapon options do you pick for your Warlocks? I used to use Singing Spears heavily, but since Destructor is now a fancy gun and Singing Spears are just Str3 in melee I am finding it hard to justify for a handful of Str9 ranged attacks with AP0. I'm guessing Witch Blades are the go-to?

 

I have quite a few Windrider units so I have to ask whether you ever utilise Warlocks on Jetbikes? I could imagine that a cluster of highly mobile Destructors could be pretty useful.

 

I'm sorry, you came for advice and I seem to have pulled an Uno reverse card on you. 

[Karhedron]

Unfortunately the 4-man Conclave has gone up 20 points to 130 in the latest MFM.  Can't quite see the reasoning as they don't crop up much in Ynnari builds and Eldar as a whole are hardly setting the meta alight at the moment. Maybe something to consider when weighing up their cost-benefit analysis.

[MadEdric]

3 hours ago, Magos Takatus said:

I am sad to say I don't have any input myself as I haven't tried Seer Council yet. I picked up the new codex, saw Battle Focus, saw that Seer council also had a Strands of Fate mechanic and decided to pass... for now. I've been learning Aspect Host primarily, but I'm an Ulthwé collector at heart, so I want to be able to pivot into Guardian Warhost and Seer Council to represent my army theme better down the line.

 

What weapon options do you pick for your Warlocks? I used to use Singing Spears heavily, but since Destructor is now a fancy gun and Singing Spears are just Str3 in melee I am finding it hard to justify for a handful of Str9 ranged attacks with AP0. I'm guessing Witch Blades are the go-to?

 

I have quite a few Windrider units so I have to ask whether you ever utilise Warlocks on Jetbikes? I could imagine that a cluster of highly mobile Destructors could be pretty useful.

 

I'm sorry, you came for advice and I seem to have pulled an Uno reverse card on you. 

No worries, this is what the forum is about, helping each other.  My warlocks (I have a lot of them!) are mainly armed with witchblades, but some are with spears, all old metal sculpts. I do think the blade is the better choice.

Sadly I have no experience with jetbike units. I have 3 windriders that i rarely use, plus a lot that still need to be built, but I hate building those models, so they languish on the sprue right now.

@Karhedron I totally missed the boost in points, but I think at 130 for 4 it's still something I'll take as psykers are a big theme in my lists. It's what brought me in to 40k, and it'll be what takes me out.

[Bouargh]

My favorite combo used to be full conclave plus seer in a Falcon. All singing Spears and hunting down vehicules. Sometimes it works. But frankly, dragons in a waveserpent do now better.

 

I am not otherwise using conclave nowadays...

 

Considering your first combo, I do not think it is legal. You can attach a warlock plus a seer but I do not think the extra conclave is allowed. I should reread the rules of the latter but it looks oddball to me this death star...

[MadEdric]

11 hours ago, Bouargh said:

My favorite combo used to be full conclave plus seer in a Falcon. All singing Spears and hunting down vehicules. Sometimes it works. But frankly, dragons in a waveserpent do now better.

 

I am not otherwise using conclave nowadays...

 

Considering your first combo, I do not think it is legal. You can attach a warlock plus a seer but I do not think the extra conclave is allowed. I should reread the rules of the latter but it looks oddball to me this death star...

The conclave no longer have the character keyword, so the way I see it is they can join any Guardian squad, the Farseer can still join the squad, and the lone warlock can still join as the Farseer is the only other character in the squad, which the warlock has rules that allows him to join.

[Bouargh]

After checking I can only say that I am still in disagreement as leader rules on p39 state that you can attach only one leader. Character keywords does not enter in line as far as I understand it as far as this restriction is concerned and written. On datasheets, the only special rule that overtakes this limitation is for the single warlock. And I did not see anything more related to rules adjustments in the dataslates or rule commentaires and erratas that affects attachement criterias. Sure as the attacment rules always start talking of characters it leads to opened door for argueing. It is an interesting hole in the loop...

 

But if one can point me out to a rule direction I missed, I take it. After all, the jungle of codices and slayels is so tougth...

 

 

Edited: found the errata and it sets me even more confused. I do not understand if the update cancel the leader section of the datasheet or leave the leader rule with amendements....

Edited Thursday at 08:02 PM by Bouargh

[MadEdric]

You know, I'm going to agree with you. I think one warlock unit can join the Guardians, and then a Farseer can join. So no double dipping.

All  that is lost is -2 to charge and one more Destructor, what is gained is peace of mind.