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The point being overlooked is that the unit stats are only haly the story. IG Hydras are virtually impossible to supress when played properly (center of formation etc) - consequently the IG player should always get at least 4-6 shots off against enemy air from only 4 units on the table. OK, statistically you should only get a single hit, which will not prevent the attack hitting home, (this is compensated for in other ways), but it means that the following turn, there is a high probability that the aircraft stands down - all enemy air formations that is.
We all agree that Eldar Firestorms beat Hydra hands down on stats alone. However, it is the formation sizes and costs that are important:- in a three strong formation, a single hit reduces the 6 shots at awsome stats - to ZERO, nada, zilch. Even in a 5 strong SoV formation, a single hit automatically supresses one of the two units (you have to make sure you approach from the opposite side remember) - and a single FS in a SoV formation can usually be circumvented with care. And because of the costs, the Eldar player is forced to set aside a significant amount of points to do this - between 500 - 900 points in a 3000 point army for 2-4 formations (rather than 200 points for Hydras, or 300 points for Hunters)
Thawks can perform a fly-by (outside AA range) and shoot the crap out of enemy AA - or try landing short - dropping of the troops in cover and shooting (you don't always have to assault!) - Landing craft do it even better, and if packed with Whirlwinds (plus others), you retain to drop two templates all over the skulking Eldar, preparing for the assault proper. Warhounds can bound forward and shoot the crap out of these puny formations as well (as can Landspeeders).
As I said, two or three such attacks will normally strip or at least suppress most Eldar ground AA by mid to end turn 1, and the process is repeated in turn 2 if needed. Even the threat of this can be sufficient to deter Eldar advances - thus handing the initiative to the opposition.
The issue has been accentuated by some of the changes in 1.8, and Sotec is to be congratulated on his efforts at toning the army down as a whole, but IMO this is a step too far. Personally, I would love to sprinkle FS around different formations (when its stats would become an issue), but this falls outside the Eldar racial style of specialised formations.
Firestorms are very dangerous if you fly straight at them (and hence the higher points values), but if properly countered, they are not the bogeyman being portrayed here.
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"Play up and play the game"
Vitai lampada
Sir Hemry Newbolt
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That really means a lot if added AA is extra or instead of upgrade. Especially with eldars fragile formations.
