Spirit Stone

[tturen]

There seem to be two Eldar spirit stones on some wargear lists. The one I have questions about is the one used on Eldar vehicles to take the place of a slain crew member. Just what is the source of this piece of wargear?

Just to check. Can the Eldar power mindwar target ANY target within its range without regard to closest target or LOS?

[Adoni-Zedek]

The vehicle-controlling spirit stone has its origins in third edition Eldar Codex as a vehicle upgrade. It let you ignore "crew shaken" on a 4+, downgraded "crew stunned" to "crew shaken" on a 4-5, and let you ignore "crew stunned" completely on a 6. Using it in 2nd Edition games requires the opponent's approval.

And yes, Mind War lets you target any model within 36". If it doesn't say "affects first model it hits" then you can pretty much target anyone.

[tturen]

Many thanks for the promt reply. I did wonder where that version of the stone came from and could not locate an original 2nd ed source for it but it was included in one draft of a 2nd ed wargear list from the internet.

I see we have played mindwar correctly then... Oh well.

[El Capitan]

ah yes, mind war, the bane of all last man hiding in the bushes to save VP's tactics

Eldar are geared for high scoring gamnes, they leak VP's by the bucket load but have plenty of tricks to ensure they maximise their own

[Adoni-Zedek]

I just re-read my Dark Millenium book: Psykers can completely ignore the Choosing a Target rules when using psychic powers. They can target anyone they please. As independant characters, they can also ignore them when shooting (unless equipped with a heavy weapon, but I think Hive Tyrants are the only psykers who can be. Equipped with a heavy weapon, I mean.)

[tturen]

The problem with mindwar is the 36" range and the ability to target characters. Nasty ability that one.
A Farseer with a firepike is rather nasty but I suppose thats not a heavy weapon. Eldar can also pack lots of heavy weapons onto exarchs but the target restrictions work to mitigate that issue. Our group allows these guys to mix shrines so warping exarch snipers
with heavy weapons are a problem. Now if the s-cannon was move or fire as it should be then that woudn't be a problem either.

Oh well.

[Adoni-Zedek]

As for the Exarches, they're really twisting the rules. The codex specifically states they may take "one of the following items or combinations of items," and then lists several single items, and some combinations of items. It would have been better if they had just said "one selection form the following list," but it's evident to all but the cheesemongers that they only intended you to make one selection from the list for each exarch. If it had said "or a combination of items," then, yes, you could mix and match to your heart's content, but it doesn't. So give your Eldar players a smack upside the head for me.

[El Capitan]

on those notes we have ruled that a character with a heavy weapon loses the ignore target rule, it seems only fair as to avoid such things as a venom cannon landing on a specific models head. Also some wargear cards should be considered 'heavy' such as the kustom blasta etc

also shrine mixing is just one of those things the codex didnt concretely restrict but I assume was considered not to be abusable

[Adoni-Zedek]

Actually, that's an official rule, not a house rule. Character models with heavy weapons are subject to the normal choosing a target rules. I'm not sure where I read that, but I think it might be in the Eldar codex.

And when you say Shrine mixing, do you mean Warp Spider Exarch with Dire Avenger Squad kind of thing? (That's also something I frown on, but not specifically forbidden, yes.)

[tturen]

Smacks aside I get out voted on the issue of exarch equipment as the group has played that way since the Eldar codex was first printed. The heavy weapon target restriction though is basic rule and we do follow that one.