Advice for new corsairs

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

It seemed like a lot of people here are planning to dip their toes into eldar with the new corsairs, so let’s get a thread going for advice and questions for those not familiar with eldar.

 

can you mix DE and eldar units into a single corsair army?

 

If I want to use the guardians(?) with the weapons platforms to help karseth screen my DZ what loadout is best for them as an all round shooting unit?

seems the defenders are meant to be the shooty version, but for holding the DZ from deep strikers the storm guardians seem the better option. 2 flamers, 2 meltas, and 2 power swords is a short ranged threat with a 5++ while the defenders have more range, but generally seem to have less threatening shooting.

 

what transports are currently available?

Edited Wednesday at 04:14 AM by Inquisitor_Lensoven

[Ulfast]

I have never collected a eldar army but this really got me thinking to perhaps start one. I tried once with harlequins but they are just to hard to paint. Now corsairs will have similiar playstyle but with easier paint scheme so I´m very intersted in this new units and what you can do with them. 

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

6 hours ago, Ulfast said:

I have never collected a eldar army but this really got me thinking to perhaps start one. I tried once with harlequins but they are just to hard to paint. Now corsairs will have similiar playstyle but with easier paint scheme so I´m very intersted in this new units and what you can do with them. 

You didn’t have to paint them in the checked pattern, but the studio painters not wanting to do multiple full armies in that scheme may have killed that line from getting expanded lol

[Bouargh]

14 hours ago, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

 

Can you mix DE and eldar units into a single corsair army?

 

If I want to use the guardians(?) with the weapons platforms to help karseth screen my DZ what loadout is best for them as an all round shooting unit?

seems the defenders are meant to be the shooty version, but for holding the DZ from deep strikers the storm guardians seem the better option. 2 flamers, 2 meltas, and 2 power swords is a short ranged threat with a 5++ while the defenders have more range, but generally seem to have less threatening shooting.

 

what transports are currently available?

 

Most of your questions can be answered only starting with the keyword "currently".

 

Currently you can mix dark kins Corsairs and Crafworlders either through Ynnari detachment for the Aeldari or with Traveling players rule for the Dark Eldar. Or at least it was like that in the Index, I have never checked the DE codex to see if this is still the case though. ( Once checked it is still possible - see faction pack erratum)

 

I do not really see the link with the second question and Corsairs, as the answer migh be generic to many Aeldari armies. And it is a "it depends" kind of anszer.

First it depends from what you have in the rest of you list and your play style. Currently Corsairs bring an offensive style through the Scout rule, giving an interresting first move. It supports agressive play style but also means that they are likely to reach contact and suffer losses early too. As such, either you go full mobility and Storm as an option either to fill the gaps left by the dead space pirates or to follow them closely, or you need compensating the weaknesses and go Defenders with weapon plaform and eventually support platform, so that you have a gun line.

But a second  parameter to consider is if you tool up your Corsairs for HtH or for shooting. It may shift the analysis as Corsairs with Blaster, Shredder and Shuricannon plus rifles are not necesarilly a bad unit either... Close in role of tactical SM or Intercessors but with lower toughness and better mobility. Under Index rules I have played Corsairs for a very mobile and agressive play style based on Ynnari detachment with vehicle mounted Kabalites and Wytches (deep strike baby), Rangers, Warwalkers and Corsairs. Zero Guardians. Corsairs were meant to fulfill the tasks guardians might have covered. It therefore opens the third option: do you need guardians if Corsairs can do almost the same (save the Warlock)? This is my way. Guardians come only when I am short of Corsairs models for big games.

Big additionnal advantage of Corsairs vs. other battle line pointy ears units: MSU. Currently they can be 5 models strong.

 

Transports able to carry Corsairs under the current keywords is the WaveSerpent (and the Falcon); nothing else I am afraid.

 

So currently, this is what it is. What will the future be? Rules will tell if it changes anything, and how current tactics are influenced. I would not expect too much change except for what the Corsair  jet packed infantery could bring. For the rest I believe it will be a status quo.

 

Edited Wednesday at 05:26 PM by Bouargh
Travelling players update

[Karhedron]

11 hours ago, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

can you mix DE and eldar units into a single corsair army?

 

I tend to play pure Craftworlders so I am not 100% sure but I think the only way to do this currently is with the Ynnari detachment. However I expect that we will get a Corsair Detachment to go along with the new models so that may allow another way to do it.

  

11 hours ago, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

If I want to use the guardians(?) with the weapons platforms to help karseth screen my DZ what loadout is best for them as an all round shooting unit?

seems the defenders are meant to be the shooty version, but for holding the DZ from deep strikers the storm guardians seem the better option. 2 flamers, 2 meltas, and 2 power swords is a short ranged threat with a 5++ while the defenders have more range, but generally seem to have less threatening shooting.

 

It is a tough call. I am not overly impressed by either flavour of Guardian to be honest and use them as little as possible. If you are wanting backfield campers then a 5-man Corsair Void Reavers is probably more economical.

 

You may find though that the Deep Strike denial bubble is more useful in the midfield in which case the Storm Guardians will be a bit more durable.

 

There is also the option of deploying him with a 10-man Voidscarred unit. They are a fun unit and probably the best fit for the theme. To help them survive, tank high AP shots on the Felarch initially. Once you fail an invulnerable save, use the Soul Weaver's channeller Stones to reduce the damage to 0 and then take the rest of the damage on the squad as usual. It won't make then super tough but it helps keep them alive a bit longer.

 

11 hours ago, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

what transports are currently available?

 

Both Falcon and Wave Serpent can transport Corsairs as they use the Aeldari keyword, not Asuryani. 

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

1 hour ago, Karhedron said:

 

I tend to play pure Craftworlders so I am not 100% sure but I think the only way to do this currently is with the Ynnari detachment. However I expect that we will get a Corsair Detachment to go along with the new models so that may allow another way to do it.

  

 

It is a tough call. I am not overly impressed by either flavour of Guardian to be honest and use them as little as possible. If you are wanting backfield campers then a 5-man Corsair Void Reavers is probably more economical.

 

You may find though that the Deep Strike denial bubble is more useful in the midfield in which case the Storm Guardians will be a bit more durable.

 

There is also the option of deploying him with a 10-man Voidscarred unit. They are a fun unit and probably the best fit for the theme. To help them survive, tank high AP shots on the Felarch initially. Once you fail an invulnerable save, use the Soul Weaver's channeller Stones to reduce the damage to 0 and then take the rest of the damage on the squad as usual. It won't make then super tough but it helps keep them alive a bit longer.

 

 

Both Falcon and Wave Serpent can transport Corsairs as they use the Aeldari keyword, not Asuryani. 

Here’s to hoping for better transport options in 11th.

ill probably just proxy a raider as a falcon/wave serpent.

[TheMawr]

Basically repeating what others said with some extras :

 

-- This is all based on whats in the codex, however, GW has a tendency to pre-empt things in this time period ( we seen this with EC, WE and CSM ) so i think the basics of it will carry on.

 

-- Corsairs ( anrathe ) are Asuryani, they can be used in an Asuryani army just as any other Asuryani unit, you can use them in any Asuryani detachment. Might be obvious but I've seen lots of confusion regarding this because of the Ynnari and Harlequins issues.. but in contrary to corsairs these 2 are their own factions, they are not Asuryani ( wich is where the issues stem from )

 

-- Corsairs can use the Falcon and Wave serpent as transport Just as well as guardians can. ( I have a falcon where I replaced the turret with Wfb chariot parts to have a nice fancy deck)

 

-- Corsairs can be mixed with the Ynnari drukhari datasheets but only with the DoY detachment. 

Yvraine and Visarch can lead Corsairs and by how the rules are written, corsairs led by either of them can ride the Venom and Raider.. currently the only way to have corsairs ride those.

 

( you could always magnetize the void dreamer on an oval base with an added pet and use yriel as a count as visarch ;) )

 

-- An errata returned the ability to take corsairs with a Drukhari army, however it's highly unlikely you can bring Yriel and The void dreamer.. you also dont have a transport option and lose out on faction/detachment rules.

plus side, you have better drukhari rules ;) 

 

-- Personally I expect the corsairs specific detachment to allow Autarchs to lead them ( in line with their original concept art purpose as nobles or pirate lords ) ... since there is a eldritch Raider painted falcon visible in the pictures I think they wont give them access to the Ynnari Raider or Venom datasheets. ( or any other ynnari datasheets)

[TheMawr]

On 1/21/2026 at 6:20 PM, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

Here’s to hoping for better transport options in 11th.

ill probably just proxy a raider as a falcon/wave serpent.

 

Raider looks much more like the OG (armorcast?) wave serpent anyway.. im really suprised they didn't revive that one as a corsair boat the same way they have the other nostalgia elements.

 

Even if I'm not a big fan of the Aeldari codex transport for every keyword tendencies,but thats another topic.

 

 

 

 

 

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

1 hour ago, TheMawr said:

 

Raider looks much more like the OG (armorcast?) wave serpent anyway.. im really suprised they didn't revive that one as a corsair boat the same way they have the other nostalgia elements.

 

Even if I'm not a big fan of the Aeldari codex transport for every keyword tendencies,but thats another topic.

 

 

 

 

 

Googled it and yeah it looks like it would fit the theme well if it was less chunky.

maybe that will be the third wave of releases.

 

can corsairs take wraith units?

Edited Friday at 02:35 AM by Inquisitor_Lensoven

[TheMawr]

11 hours ago, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

Googled it and yeah it looks like it would fit the theme well if it was less chunky.

maybe that will be the third wave of releases.

 

can corsairs take wraith units?

 

Corsairs aren't a faction, if you are familiar with spacemarines ( most are hence i chose them*).. armybuildingwise corsairs are phobos and wraith units are gravis.

 

So while gravis never become phobos and vice versa you can have both in the same army no problem... they are all spacemarines ( or Asuryani in this case ) 

 

Now it isn't likely the corsair detachment will buff wraiths but that doesn't mean they won't work together ( again, gravis and phobos example applies )

 

 

If you mean lorewise, there is precedent for it, while they wouldn't have an infinity circuit I think there are plenty of lore reasons.

 

 

 

* btw I have to admit, I don't actually know if gravis and phobos are keywords, but from the talk on this forum I assume they are.

Maybe a better comparison would be lost and the damned vs daemon engines in CSM armies.

[Xenith]

On 1/21/2026 at 3:13 AM, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

can you mix DE and eldar units into a single corsair army?

 

 

Only as Ynnari, unless we get an update in the 500worlds

 

On 1/21/2026 at 3:13 AM, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

If I want to use the guardians(?) with the weapons platforms to help karseth screen my DZ what loadout is best for them as an all round shooting unit?

seems the defenders are meant to be the shooty version, but for holding the DZ from deep strikers the storm guardians seem the better option. 2 flamers, 2 meltas, and 2 power swords is a short ranged threat with a 5++ while the defenders have more range, but generally seem to have less threatening shooting.

 

Storm guardian shooting is a lie, they're there to sticky an objective and take as long to die as possible. Home objective/screen,  for those points, you're better with wraithguard or spiders for torrent and large bases. 

 

The best guardian loadout would same same as ever, bright lance, platform and a farseer. Use the farseer to guarantee the 6 to hit with the lance on overwatch. 

 

But if you're looking at spending ~200pts to screen a home objective, wraithguard for sure.