"There's no such thing as overkill: dead is dead."

Edwin Voskamp's Eldar Firehost of Eternal Night

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Firehost of Eternal Night

I play Eldar: their variety of highly specialized units suits my style of play. I field what I call the Firehost of Eternal Night, of the Craftworld of Ulthwé. Off of this page, you'll find my paint scheme and tips, my Picture Gallery and my current Tournament Army (2000 points).

I field what I call the Firehost of Eternal Night, of the Craftworld of Ulthwé. Off of this page, you'll find my paint scheme and tips, my Picture Gallery and my current Tournament Army (2000 points)

Firehost by the Numbers

I've gone a bit overboard with the Eldar: using Third Edition numbers I can field:

• 10,000+ points of Eldar: all in metal, with the exception of Vypers, Jetbikes (bar the large squad of Shining Spears), three Falcons and three Fire Prism Cannons.
• 5,000+ points of Eldar Inquisitor Vehicles: Armorcast Titans, Knight Destroyers, Superheavies, Falcons (used as Wave Serpents), Epicast Falcons (used as Wave Serpents), some pieces I traded for that seem to be prototypes or so: Fire Prism Cannons, Doomspinners
• 3,000+ points of Harlequins (using Tim Huckleberry's Playtest Codex).

Why Ulthwé?

I picked the Craftworld of Ulthwé for these reasons:

• Philosophically I am a big believer in consistency. I wanted to field an integrally painted army, which, with the Eldar's various Aspects is very difficult. I settled for a mostly dark scheme, since most Eldar I've seen look like they dressed for a parade or carnival. This led me to the Ulthwé Craftworld. Their black colors and background suited me. I decided to paint them very consistently, within the color schemes, but all with golden helmets, all weapons of the same type across the whole warhost the same, all details on arm and leg armour painted the same color.
• I wanted to field the Eldrad Ulthran miniature, since it is so much richer than that of the regular Farseer.
• I liked the color scheme: black with rich golden-yellow helmets. I used it as a base for a paint scheme for my Eldar army, that combines the various elements, while leave the individual Aspects and elements bright, but simpler. I use fewer colors than is common in painting Eldar, since I think that Games Workshop's examples look like an Army on R & R, on their way to a carnival.

So now I had to come up with a reasonable background ...

Background

The Firehost of Eternal Night is a group of Eldar Warriors of Ulthwé that accompanied Eldrad Ulthran in his desperate attempt to contain the forces of Chaos at the Eldar Exodite world of Haran. They fought incredibly well and suffered terribly. After the Eldar were victorious over their eternal enemies, several of the warriors found themselves locked in the nightmare of the struggle for the world that had become known as Haranshemas, The World of Tears. Each and everyone of them had lost one or more squad members' soul stones to the foul daemons of the Warp. A large number of them became fixated on the art of war, dedicating themselves to their Aspects, causing the Army to have a large number of Exarchs. Since they fight almost exclusively off of Ulthwé, they are rarely accompanied by Guardians, since they usually fight in defense of the Craftworld, or in larger actions, also the Guardians' support weapons are not mobile enough to suit the Firehost. They eschew to ally with Pirates or Exodites, though a number of the Haranshemas army could not stand to go home and went on to become Scouts; they do stay in contact with the Firehost and sometimes provide services, and even fight besides them. The Firehost dedicated itself to following their Farseers' visions and fighting on behalf of their tenuous manipulations of the future, on behalf of the Eldar, and their Craftworld, Ulthwé. They are factually a standing army. There seems to be some troupes of Harlequins that have an understanding with the Firehost, often appearing in the same area, or fighting with the Firehost.

The Firehost of Eternal Night is a warhost that was put together as an integral army by Eldrad Ulthran in an attempt to stem the flow of history and preserve the Craftworld. The Warhost travels the Web Way and rarely sees Ulthwé. The warhost prides itself on mobility and firepower.

They have colored their helmets a bright gold, to signify their unity, and in commemorance of the golden helmet their Battle Seer Gildred wore in the Battle for Haranshemas. All of them wear a white sash, the color of mourning, to remember their fallen comrades.

Army Composition

The army is a self-contained whole: it does not rely upon Exodites or Outcasts in its battles. It never contains any Pirates, though, on rare occasions, Scouts from Ulthwé collect information on its next battlefields and briefly join its actions. It is rare, since the Firehost prefers to fight by themselves. The Firehost contains no vehicles, Guardians units, or Guardian-manned Support weapons. The Firehost has been joined by the Avatar of Khalea Mensa Kaine, when fighting Chaos, and once when facing an onslaught of Tyranids.

Here are some example army compositions:

Second Edition

• Tournament Army (1500 points)
• Standard Army (2000 points)

Third Edition

• Tournament Army (2000 points)

Army Tactics

The Firehost is an elitist army that focuses on hard-hitting, precision firepower to take on and destroy an opposing army piecemeal. The tactics it uses have been refined to a recipe, of sequential steps:

1. The Firehost, travelling light and fast usually deploys on foot, in a small, concentrated unit. The Farseer casts the Seer Runes and based upon his predictions and the enemy's actions, the Firehost fans out.
2. The Support units (typically the Dark Reapers and, if present, Wraithguard, and Dreadnoughts) set up around the Farseer, to form a strong center and keep their HQ safe.
3. The Close Support Units (Dire Avengers and Fire Dragons, and, if present, Guardians) roll out to defensive positions in front of them; to provide fire support for the Close Combat Units and defend the Support units and HQ from attack.
4. The close combat elements roll out, typically to one flank, to channel the enemy's attack: either they will engage the enemy's close combat units, rarely a real threat, allowing the long range units to chew up the enemy's strengths, or the enemy moves laterally, losing all initiative and allowing the close combat units to engage other types of troops. In either case, the Howling Banshees are used as second rank troops, because of their fragility and immense shock value.
5. The interdiction units move towards well-defendable spots, from where they have good lanes of egress and can hamper the enemy's movement. They are also frequently used in a self-sacrificial mode to destroy the enemey's strong units.
6. Wraithguard and Dreadnoughts are used to fight heavy vehicles. The Firehost does not bring them if it doesn't expect to fight a large number of heavy vehicles, since its Exarchs will cheerfully engage enemy tanks in hand-to-hand.

The Complete Firehost

This is the complete Firehost: it rarely operates as a whole. It is always led by a Farseer, though Eldrad leads the Firehost only in very large or crucial battles. Likewise the Avatar seems to only appear against Chaos, Tyranids or direct threats against Ulthwé.

Firehost Head Quarters

The Firehost is very rich in psykers, not unusual, considering that it is an early-warning, preemtive weapon of Eldrad Ulthran. It uses two (old-style) Wave Serpents to get around rapidly and safely. In many of its battles a Wave Serpent unloading the Warlock Knights behind enemy lines was crucial to victory.

• Avatar of Khaela Mensha Khaine (both the old one and a new one, extremely heavily converted)
• Eldrad Ulthran - Farseer of Ulthwé, carrying the Staff of Ulthamar
• Gildred - Farseer of Ulthwé, carrying a Witch Blade
• Command squad a Champion, Standard Bearer and 3 Musicians

Warlock Knights

The Firehost has six Warlocks in addition to its Farseers. They sometimes back up the Farseer singly, though at times they fight as a unit, calling themselves the Warlock Knights, in mockery of the Imperial Grey Knights.

• Warlock with a Singing Spear.
• Warlock with a Force Staff.
• Warlock with a Force Staff.
• Warlock with a Witch Blade.
• Warlock with a Witch Blade.
• Warlock with a Witch Blade.

Close Combat Units

The Firehost uses a fluid combination of long-range and hand-to-hand combat, aimed at destroying the enemy's strong units at long-range. The hand-to-hand units are used to destroy the enemy's deployment and angles of attack, as well as to flush out the strong units and destroy heavy enemy vehicles. The Close Combat Units has three (old style) Falcons for rapid deployments.

• Howling Banshee Squad: Howling Banshee Exarch with Power Sword, Las pistol, Howling Banshee Mask and 5 Howling Banshee Aspect Warriors.
• Howling Banshee Squad: Howling Banshee Exarch with Power Sword, Web of Skulls, Howling Banshee Mask and 5 Howling Banshee Aspect Warriors.
• Striking Scorpion Squad: Striking Scorpion Exarch with Shuriken Pistol, Chain Sword, Mandiblaster Helmet and 5 Striking Scorpion Aspect Warriors.
• Striking Scorpion Squad: Striking Scorpion Exarch with Web of Skulls, Chain Sword, Mandiblaster Helmet and 5 Striking Scorpion Aspect Warriors.
• Striking Scorpion Squad: Striking Scorpion Exarch with Web of Skulls, Chain Sword, Mandiblaster Helmet and 5 Striking Scorpion Aspect Warriors.

Close Support

This element of the Firehost provides serious fire support at close range. The Close Support element has two (old style) Falcons at its disposal.

• Dire Avenger Squad: Dire Avenger Exarch with Power Sword, Shuriken Catapult and 5 Dire Avenger Aspect Warriors.
• Dire Avenger Squad: Dire Avenger Exarch with Power Sword, Shuriken Catapult and 5 Dire Avenger Aspect Warriors.
• Fire Dragon Squad: Fire Dragon Exarch, with Power Sword, Bright Lance and 5 Fire Dragon Aspect Warriors.
• Fire Dragon Squad: Fire Dragon Exarch, with Power Sword, Bright Lance and 5 Fire Dragon Aspect Warriors.

Support

This is the 'if it moves, shoot it' element of the Firehost. It is there to shoot anything up to small vehicles, like bikes, light skimmers, light vehicles. The Firehost leaves heavy vehicles to hand-to-hand, Wraithguard and Dreadnoughts. The Dark Reapers use three two (old style) Falcons to get around.

Dark Reapers

The dark reapers of souls: the core of the Firehost.

• Dark Reaper Squad: Dark Reaper Exarch Power Sword, Dark Reaper Helmet w/ Shuriken Cannon and 3 Dark Reaper Aspect Warriors with Missile Launchers.
• Dark Reaper Squad: Dark Reaper Exarch Power Sword, Dark Reaper Helmet w/ Shuriken Cannon and 3 Dark Reaper Aspect Warriors with Missile Launchers.
• Dark Reaper Squad: Dark Reaper Exarch Power Sword, Dark Reaper Helmet w/ Shuriken Cannon and 3 Dark Reaper Aspect Warriors with Missile Launchers.
• Dark Reaper Squad: Dark Reaper Exarch Power Sword, Dark Reaper Helmet w/ Missile Launcher and 3 Dark Reaper Aspect Warriors with Missile Launchers.
• Dark Reaper Squad: Dark Reaper Exarch Power Sword, Dark Reaper Helmet w/ Missile Launcher and 3 Dark Reaper Aspect Warriors with Missile Launchers.
• Dark Reaper Squad: Dark Reaper Exarch Power Sword, Dark Reaper Helmet w/ Shuriken Cannon (massive conversion) and 3 Dark Reaper Aspect Warriors with Shuriken Cannons (all conversions).

Spirits of the Living Dead

The dead of the Firehost still burn with the desire to wage war. They accompany the Firehost by having their spirits enshrined in the robotic bodies of Wraithguard and Dreadnoughts, when possible, and when the Farseer feels it is warranted, since these dead warriors, once fanatic even by Eldar standards, still burn with the fire of the battle, having been formed in the battles of Harnashemas, shaped in numerous battles since and died in their last battle, until their chance to fight again. If it were up to these spirits, they'd fight every battle with the Firehost. The Spirits ride in five (old style) Falcons to keep up with the rest of the Firehost.

• Dreadnought: War-Cry Eldar Assault Dreadnought with Las cannon, two Power fists, with Shuriken Catapult each
• Dreadnought: War-Cry Eldar Assault Dreadnought with Las cannon, two Power fists, with Shuriken Catapult each
• Dreadnought: Banshee Eldar Support Dreadnought with Scatter Laser, two Power fists, with Flame Thrower each
• Wraithguard Squad: 5 Wraithguard.
• Ghost Warrior Squad: 5 Executioner Class Ghost Warriors.
• Ghost Warrior Squad: 5 Assassin Class Ghost Warriors.

Interdiction Units

The Firehost's modus operandi is typically to disturb the enemy's plan of attack and to destroy, with pinpoint precision, the enemy's strengths. These forces are crucial in that they are extremely mobile, and the threat of their mere presence often serves to pin down enemy units many times their size. The Swooping Hawks and Warp Spiders do not use or deploy from their three (old style) Falcons, but use them inbetween engagements or for rapid flanking deployments.

• Swooping Hawk Squad: Swooping Hawk Exarch with Power Sword, Swooping Hawk Wings & Lasblaster and 5 Swooping Hawk Aspect Warriors.
• Swooping Hawk Squad: Swooping Hawk Exarch with Power Sword, Swooping Hawk Wings & Lasblaster and 5 Swooping Hawk Aspect Warriors.
• Warp Spider Squad: Warp Spider Exarch with 2 Power Swords, Warp Spider Generator, w/ 2 Death Spinners, Fast Shot and 4 Warp Spider Aspect Warriors.
• Warp Spider Squad: Warp Spider Exarch with 2 Power Swords, Warp Spider Generator, w/ 2 Death Spinners, Fast Shot and 4 Warp Spider Aspect Warriors.
• Warp Spider Squad: Warp Spider Exarch with 2 Power Swords, Warp Spider Generator, w/ 2 Death Spinners, Fast Shot and 4 Warp Spider Aspect Warriors.
• Shining Spear Squad: Shining Spear Exarch, with Power Sword and Bright Lance and 5 Shining Spear Aspect Warriors (all conversions).
• Shining Spear Squad: Shining Spear Exarch, with Power Sword and Bright Lance and 3 Shining Spear Aspect Warriors.

Wind Rider Host

The Firehost has a complete Wind Rider Host as a detachment. They Wind Rider Host is highly flexible, sometimes organizing themselves in 7 small units of a Vyper with three Jetbikes, sometimes organizing themselves in a unit of massed Vypers with between one and three large wings of Jetbikes.

• Vyper
• Vyper
• Vyper
• Vyper
• Vyper
• Vyper
• Vyper
• Jetbike Squad with a Shuriken Shrieker Jetbike and two Jetbikes.
• Jetbike Squad with a Shuriken Shrieker Jetbike and two Jetbikes.
• Jetbike Squad with a Shuriken Shrieker Jetbike and two Jetbikes.
• Jetbike Squad with a Shuriken Shrieker Jetbike and two Jetbikes.
• Jetbike Squad with a Shuriken Shrieker Jetbike and two Jetbikes.
• Jetbike Squad with a Shuriken Shrieker Jetbike and two Jetbikes.
• Jetbike Squad with a Shuriken Shrieker Jetbike and two Jetbikes.
• Fire Prism Cannon (new style).
• Fire Prism Cannon (new style).
• Fire Prism Cannon (new style).

Heavy Support

The Firehost uses a section of heavy support vehicles, mostly to deal with heavy vehicles, and to move their close combat elements rapidly. They are awaiting a Warlock Titan.

Titan Host

• Phantom Titan (Armorcast)
• Phantom Titan (Armorcast)
• Revenant Titan (Armorcast)
• Revenant Titan (Armorcast)
• Revenant Titan (Armorcast)
• Towering Destroyer Knight (Armorcast)
• Towering Destroyer Knight (Armorcast)
• Towering Destroyer Knight (Armorcast)

Tempest Host

• Tempest Super-Heavy Tank (Armorcast)
• Tempest Super-Heavy Tank (Armorcast)
• Tempest Super-Heavy Tank (Armorcast)
• Tempest Super-Heavy Tank (Armorcast)
• Tempest Super-Heavy Tank (Armorcast)
• Tempest Super-Heavy Tank (Armorcast)

Deathspinner Host

• Doomspinner
• Doomspinner
• Doomspinner
• Doomspinner

Fire Prism Artillery Squad

• Fire Prism Cannon
• Fire Prism Cannon
• Fire Prism Cannon
• Fire Prism Cannon

Guardian Support

On Haranshemas, the Firehost contained a large Guardian element that the Firehost. They still make use of them in large engagements. The Guardians and Anti-Gravity platforms all ride in Falcons.

• Guardian Squad with 5 Guardians with Shuriken Catapults
• Guardian Squad with 5 Guardians with Shuriken Catapults
• Guardian Squad with 5 Guardians with Shuriken Catapults
• Guardian Squad with 5 Guardians with Shuriken Catapults
• Guardian Squad with 5 Guardians with Shuriken Catapults
• Guardian Squad with 5 Guardians with Shuriken Catapults
• Vibro-cannon squad 3 Vibro-Cannons on Anti-Grav platforms
• D-cannon squad 3 D-Cannons on Anti-Grav platforms
• Heavy Plasma-cannon squad 3 Heavy Plasma-Cannons on Anti-Grav platforms
• Scatter Laser squad 3 Scatter Lasers on Anti-Grav platforms
• Las Cannon squad 3 Las Cannons on Anti-Grav platforms
• Standard War Walker War Walker with Las Cannon and Scatter Lasers
• 'Avatar Support' War Walker War Walker with 2 Heavy Plasma-Cannons
• Anti-personnel War Walker War Walker with 2 Scatter Lasers

Harlequin Army

The Firehost has close relationships with a Harlequin army, or rather a group of four smaller Harlequin Troupes, some, or all, of which have been seen in the same battle as the Firehost. They are all mounted on Jetbikes, or ride in Wave Serpents (Epicast).

Haranshemas Harlequin Troupe

• Great Harlequin
• Shadow Seer
• Death Jester
• Solitaire with Las Cannon
• 10 Harlequins
• Wave Serpent

Black-and-white Harlequin Troupe

• Great Harlequin
• Shadow Seer
• Death Jester
• Solitaire
• 10 Harlequins
• Wave Serpent

Chameleons Harlequin Troupe

• Great Harlequin
• Shadow Seer
• Death Jester
• Solitaire
• 10 Harlequins
• Wave Serpent

Jetbike Harlequin Troupe

• Great Harlequin on Jetbike
• Shadow Seer on Jetbike
• Death Jester on Jetbike
• Solitaire on Jetbike
• 10 Harlequins on Harlequin Jet Bikes