Just in case there wasn't enough mobile heavy weapons in the Fast Attack slots, the Asuryani pack out the Heavy Support slots too, with some unique weaponry to boot.
War Walker
The humble War Walker is a cheap way of getting 2 heavy weapons per model onto the battlefield. With a 10" Move they are relatively fast too. They don't mitigate the -1 penalty for firing them while moving, but if you are worried about that you can always give them a pair of Shuriken Cannons to hunt infantry.
However, having the weapons of your choice is only half the equation. It has a 5+ Invulnerable Save and the ability to come on from Reserve along any board edge. Another unit great for harassing either your opponents back row artillery or their flanking units. 210 points gives you 18 Shuriken Cannon shots against flanking Genestealers or equivalent troops. Or, Bright Lance their Basilisks. What ever you need, you can configure these guys to match.
Some people are complaining that War Walkers have lost the option to Scout Move at the start of the game. I feel that the "Outflank" ability is better, putting them where you want, when you want and avoiding Alpha Strikes which is a key property in 8th Edition.
Wraithlord
In the Index, they reduced the Wraithlord's legendary toughness to 7. I wasn't happy with this, as in previous editions it had been immune to Strength 4 weapons and in 8th that suddenly translated to Strength 4 hurting it on 5s. Thankfully the Codex restores it to it's former glory.
A slower, tougher, more versatile unit that the War Walker. It lacks the Invulnerable Save and the ability to be fielded in squads; but gains higher Toughness, more Wounds and great close combat ability. It can be built for the role you want. Ghostglaive to destroy Monsters and Vehicles in combat, Flamers to defend on Overwatch, Shuriken weapons to run around, other heavy weapons to be a static gun platform, or any combination. Obviously, the more roles you try and have an individual Wraithlord do, the more expensive it gets, and the Wraithbone Fists ensure that it's never a slouch in combat, even without the sword.
I think specialising is the way to go, as is par for the course with the Aeldari. A static one with 2 of the heavier weapons with Flamers for Overwatch gives you a gun platform that can defend itself. A mobile one with 2 each of Shuriken Cannons and Shuriken Catapults to run around shooting infantry. The options are actually limitless.
The Wraithlord hasn't always had Toughness. In 2nd Edition, it was a normal Vehicle with Armour Values. It was in fact at the time called the Eldar Dreadnought. 3rd Edition changed it's name to Wraithlord and gave it Toughness 8. I still have my 2 original metal ones, although they are actually the second version of the model.
Support Weapons
Static gun platforms with 3 options for firepower. They set up as a unit but after that count as separate units from each other, making it harder for the opponent to tackle them all at once.
The default is the Shadow Weaver. D6 shots, 48" Range and the ability to ignore line of sight. Otherwise, same stats as the weapons of the Warp Spiders. Decent for killing all sorts of infantry, especially in high numbers. Nothing spectacular in an army that already has lots of options for that job.
Next is the Vibro Cannon. Upgraded from the Index, it now has d3 shots and 2 Damage. Each subsequent cannon that hits the targeted unit improves its AP and wound roll by 1. Good for focus fire on a Monster, but again there are better options in the army. One interesting facet is enemy units it damages cannot Advance in the next turn, unless they have the Fly keyword.
Finally, is the D-Cannon. "Only" d3 shots at "only" 24" Range, and also ignoring line of sight. It's also been upgraded to Strength 12, one of the few weapons in the game with a printed Strength above 10. I've long been a fan of parking one of these behind something and daring the opponent to bring things nearby. 75 points may seem expensive for this, but many opponents will fear the potential of 3 shots doing 6 damage each, even when the reality could be 1 shot doing 1 damage.
Support weapons are in an odd spot. While they are cheap for what they do, their job is largely done better by other things in the Codex. While I've often taken the D-Cannon, I'm never happy taking the other two options, and I don't think 8th Edition changes that.
In 2nd Edition, this entry also included the Heavy Weapons Platform. 3rd Edition made those part of Guardian Defender units instead.
Dark Reapers
The Aspect that represent Khaine as the Destroyer, Dark Reapers have long been the heavy firepower unit of choice. Still armed with their signature Reaper Launchers, they now always hit on a 3+, regardless of modifiers. That means they can move and fire with no penalty, ignore the Hard to Hit rule of many Fliers, ignore the abilities of armies such as Alaitoc or Raven Guard. The flip side is they also ignore positive modifiers, but not re-rolls.
The Reaper Launcher still has it's two firing modes, either the Starswarm for Marines or the Starshot for Vehicles/Monsters. They excel at dealing with either target, and you can just keep an Autarch nearby to allow the re-roll of 1s. They wont kill units like Conscripts or Pox Walkers quickly enough, but you have more than enough other options to do that. Taking multiple units is an easy way to lose friends if your playgroup has a lot of Marine armies.
That last part isn't hyperbole. Dark Reapers tear Marines to pieces, and do decent amounts of damage to Terminators and Vehicles. I'm hearing a lot of online sources recommending taking multiple units, which is fine for competitive lists. Your mileage may vary.
Falcon
The first tank model that the Eldar had, and half transport/half gun vehicle. Receiving a near 50 point drop from the Index they are a more attractive option than they were, although still oddly competing with the Wave Serpent for their job. They are good for carrying a small unit and the Pulse Laser is a pretty good weapon. It just doesn't make sense when compared with the Wave Serpent. For near equivalent points, or identical Power Level, you get less transport capacity and less survivability.
It's a solid battle tank, that can also carry some Aspect Warriors. It also allows you to put your transports in the Heavy Support slot when trying to fill detachments but minimise deployments. It is a shame that the Wave Serpent outshines it.
Turning up near the end of 2nd Edition, the current model changed the way Eldar vehicles are designed, being different to the Epic versions at the time. It's a hull sculpt that has gone on to be the base of the other Asuryani tanks, plus the design basis for the Forge World versions.
Night Spinner
The closest thing the Aeldari have to vehicle-mounted artillery. The Doomweaver is a solid anti-light vehicle weapon that ignores line of sight. 2d6 shots, Strength 7, potential AP -4 and 2 Damage. That is perfect for tackling Razorbacks and Rhinos. More so with help from Guide and Doom. That not only deals with an opposing fire base, it strands the unit that was inside, hopefully while they are still in the opposing deployment zone.
This unit has always felt weird. It's on a mobile platform, but it feels like it wants to be static. It might prove to be the answer to the competitive Razorback spam, while also having enough shots to deal with screening units like Conscripts. Time will tell.
Fire Prism
The Aeldari rival to the Imperial Leman Russ. It also has the ability to fire twice if it moves half distance or less. It's not as tough as the Leman Russ, but trades that for a main weapon that combines many of the turret options the Imperium has.
For killing Marines - d6 shots, S6, AP-3, D1. Takes out heavy infantry squads and light Vehicles.
For killing Tanks - d3 shots, S9, AP-4, Dd3. Takes out heavier Vehicles and Monsters.
For killing Titans - 1 shot, S12, AP-5, Dd6. Punches a hole in Titanic units, especially those without an Invulnerable Save. All of this weapons are combined into one gun that can choose how it fires each turn. This is so strangely versatile for the Aeldari.
The original model for this had a different turret, with a shorter cannon made completely of metal. The plastic sculpting allows for a much better looking transparent prism.
This brings Part Eight to a close. Part Nine will be the shortest part, Dedicated Transports.
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