A Guest blog by Matt P. on the Iyanden Supplement.
Hey, guys. If you didn't know, GW has put out Codex:Iyanden (called CI from now on). It is a $49.50 supplement which still requires Codex: Eldar to play. I just got mine here at my in-law's house and figured I'd tell you what I think about it.
This is clearly designed to be the first of many. The rules even say that we can only use one Eldar supplement at a time. Very exciting.
There are a bunch of new rules, none of which prevent you from playing a 100% normal Eldar army. They only add to the list, not take away. The new rules take up one column on one page. There is a new page of artifacts, unlike the normal book *all* of them are worth taking. A page of Cityfight stratagems and another for Planetstrike. Again, almost all are worth it. (We are big fans of Planetstrike around here. It's a distant second to Apocalypse but far easier to get a game together.)
Thank you, Matt Ward. ;)
I admit I'm a little disappointed that they didn't change the Force Org at all. I would have loved to see a way to mix Wraithguard and Wraithblades in the same squad. Forge World's Wraithseer could have been included. It is also too bad that there is no option for a Spirit Seer on a Jetbike, but we know why that is: Chapter House. GW will not put out the rules for a model without the model any more (wargear options not withstanding) because then someone can jump on it before they get the model out. It is easier to come out with the model later and put out an addendum to the book than it is to fight some third party over IP rights. :P
Is it worth buying? If it was smaller, paperback, and $20 it should be in every Eldar player's collection. If you want to "vote with your wallet" to encourage GW to make more Craftworld or Chaos Cult lists or if you feel that you need to own a copy of the rules you play, then yes. I honestly do not see a reason not to play Iyanden from now on.
I am certainly looking forward to the next expansion. Hopefully it will be Codex: Emperor's Children!
Thank you.
Matt P
Iyanden has always been my faction of choice for Eldar. I can't, however, justify to myself or my wife the added cost on top of what I've already spent to play the army. As much as I'd love to have Spiritseers buffing my units of Wraithguard (since this is obviously why they didn't allow Warlocks to do so), I just can't spend $100 just on the codex to play the game.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to those who can, though!
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ReplyDeleteas i wrote elsewhere, buy this supplement if you want the fluff and the missions. if you are just interested in the rules, spending 50 bucks for 2 scarce pages it's really worth it.
ReplyDeleteI am in a similar boat as Krisken. I really get the feeling this has watered down the actual codex. These rules could easily also have been incorporated in the eldar codex. Its like pheonix lords or autarch paths dont unlock aspects as troops just so GW can sell a bieltan supplement.
ReplyDeleteIts what turned me off the big FPS franchises too. It started with map expansions and has lead to them selling a game with only a few maps abd weapons so you are forced to bu the expansions for the full experience.