Imperial Guard versus Eldar, an Indepth look at a ‘Broken’ Matchup.
VS Counters,Hints, Tips By GW_SnIp3R
The Eldar versus IG matchup when taking on its face value, is broken. The rangers do amazing damage and if allowed to get in more than 2 rounds, will usually destroy an entire Guardsmen squad which is a major setback to a guard player. Furthermore, the speed of the elder units with FoF makes microing a guardsmen squad relatively easy. The low morale of guardsmen in t1 make them easy targets for reapers to pick off. Heck even guardians can beat a guardsmen squad in t1. Whats worse is these little shrimps are not only your cappers, they are also your main fighting force. There is an edge you have over the Eldar though. Effective usage of a Command Squad.
Small Maps, using the legendary Das BO (G,G,TP,G)
On Small Maps, beating an Eldar opponent is much easier. Your command squad should be reinforced with a priest asap, and you must run in to the enemy base straight away and “scout” what they are doing. Whether its rangers, farseer or reapers. Once you have found out what they have you can choose your next member of the CS. Commisar should be reinforcde for some base bashing, generally when they make a farseer as the CS can take it out relatively easily and the Commisars building damage really helps with early gen bashing. Psyker should be reinforced if they go reapers or rangers. If they go rangers, chase them with the psyker while bringing in 2 GM squads for reinforcement. If they have reapers in addition, set the 2 GMs in CC mode and bring another forward for support in ranged. Occasionally switch roles and run the Psyker into the reapers for its knockback attack at which point your GMs will finish the job. Against Eldar on a Small Map it is important to reach t2 soon, therefore you should tend to go t2 as soon as all points are LPd and leave commissar purchase till after t2. Chimeras are essentials in these MUs and you should make one as soon as you hit t2. Not only can you load your men into it when In danger, you can also use it to attack the elder with good results. If your harass has gone well you should have postponed their t2 as long as possible and therefore your chimmie will go even better Plus at t2 you have the added bonus of Execute wchich absolutely owns unupgraded reapers, so don’t fear to engage them with gms on ranged stance. You should generally leave a tactica control and plasma priests until after the Mech Command against elder so as to get a chimmie earlier and keep my men safe against the deadly rangers/reapers and of course the harlequin. Tactica upgrades are important, battle armour and satellite targeting upgrades should be purchased asap. The battle armour will save your gms from total annihilation at the hands of a harlies kiss-vital!
Large Maps
While Das’s 3 GM BO is amazing, on large maps, You should go for the same but add in a 4th gm squad slightly later. This is due to the need to attack versus elder with your full force. However on a large map, map control is a must and you must must must get map control. Your 4th GM squad can help with this. Once again, you must scout out with your CS before you move 2/3 GMs forward. It is vital to try and bash a gen when you can and obtain t2 relatively soon. Unlike on small maps, you should go for a commissar before t2 against eldar as running back to your base when in trouble is very difficult on a large map and the Commisars 200% morale bonus helps your gms no end Again a chimmie at t2 is vital to preserve your gms and make constant attacks on his base. Lure the opponents reapers/rangers/farseer etc forward and quickly load your men in a chimmie, run to opponents base, unload and hit execute. Inflict much damage in your hit and runs as is possible. Its very difficult to beat eldar on a large map in t1/t2 and therefore t3 is essential. Your kasrkins/ogryns with your attached priests will help you no end versus imminent warp spiders and even seer council. You must do globals versus Eldar, their manoeuvrability means they can hit and run your eco. Remember, LPs can be destroyed and eco reduced, globals cant! Once again, map control is a must, use your tunnelling system to maintain it, chimmie asap, commissar at t1 and a HWT at a strategic location in your base to stop back door fragons/wraithlords. Don’t forget to use your scanner versus the pesky rangers and don’t rely on hellhounds to get you out of a pickle. Your GMs are capable, they just need guidance
Important!
Your psyker is essential to you surviving battles against elder reapers and rangers. Its lightning arc renders rangers useless for a while and allows your gms to pick them off. Its CoTM is brilliant for when you see a falcon grav as you can run your men away until you get your chimmie. Plus if a harlequin makes its way out, you must must must destroy it asap, one kiss of death and a GM squad is dead if your unlucky. The Chimera is vastly important, always get one at t2, even if you think hellhounds would be better. If a harlequin makes it out, your chimmie is all that stands in the way of total annihilation of your poor GMs, not to mention falcon gravs. Remember not to lose a single GM squad, it can severely hamper your game! Also if you are trying to push against a reaper spam-get a HWT! Charge forward and lure the reapers into the HWT, it works a treat and can absolutely maul a reaper squad.
Summary
Much relies on the CS’s usage, poor usage/loss of a CS will almost always ensure defeat. You must ensure that your men are protected in t2 by a chimmie for reaper spam/harlequin. Remember, when confronted by your mass gm’s, the enemy does not usually think to make fragons, so your chimmie should be safe. Also don’t underestimate backdoor sent attacks, they can split your eldar opponents forces up, and while reapers pack much punch, they can be picked off as they have relatively bad health which is where execute comes in! Remember to push forces forward in t1, inflict as much damage in t1 as you can, this is where you have the advantage, pretty much the only time in the game until t4 that you will. Inflict damage, Strip Soul Builders, destroy eco or better yet a gen. Don’t underestimate your gms, they can pack a punch!
Screenies:
The Harlequins Kiss versus your GMs:
The Commisars Valuable Execute:
The Psykers Strip Soul, best use versus Builders for instant death :
The Gen Bashing that you should do versus eldar asap, its very easy to take it down fast and its a huge setback for the eldar:
The Knockback of CS to be used in conjunction with the Guardsmen/Execute, very easy to inflict heavy casualties this way. Remember to switch CS to ranged when the knockback has happened and then switch to cc again.:
Replays:
A Rep showing how to restrict an Eldar player in t1.
Thanks to Fingol for lettin me experiment with ig v eldar and giving tips as well as providing me with excellent screenshots! Also a quick mention of thanks to basilisk for his reps v tau with which near same tactics apply to eldar, and thanks to Das for that legendary gold rep v Avocado which i pinched some tactics from lmao
This post has been edited by GW_Fingolfin: Sep 18 2007, 14:10 PM
Posts: 2,174
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Counters,Hints, Tips
By GW_SnIp3R
The Eldar versus IG matchup when taking on its face value, is broken. The rangers do amazing damage and if allowed to get in more than 2 rounds, will usually destroy an entire Guardsmen squad which is a major setback to a guard player. Furthermore, the speed of the elder units with FoF makes microing a guardsmen squad relatively easy. The low morale of guardsmen in t1 make them easy targets for reapers to pick off. Heck even guardians can beat a guardsmen squad in t1. Whats worse is these little shrimps are not only your cappers, they are also your main fighting force. There is an edge you have over the Eldar though. Effective usage of a Command Squad.
Small Maps, using the legendary Das BO (G,G,TP,G)
On Small Maps, beating an Eldar opponent is much easier. Your command squad should be reinforced with a priest asap, and you must run in to the enemy base straight away and “scout” what they are doing. Whether its rangers, farseer or reapers. Once you have found out what they have you can choose your next member of the CS. Commisar should be reinforcde for some base bashing, generally when they make a farseer as the CS can take it out relatively easily and the Commisars building damage really helps with early gen bashing. Psyker should be reinforced if they go reapers or rangers. If they go rangers, chase them with the psyker while bringing in 2 GM squads for reinforcement. If they have reapers in addition, set the 2 GMs in CC mode and bring another forward for support in ranged. Occasionally switch roles and run the Psyker into the reapers for its knockback attack at which point your GMs will finish the job. Against Eldar on a Small Map it is important to reach t2 soon, therefore you should tend to go t2 as soon as all points are LPd and leave commissar purchase till after t2. Chimeras are essentials in these MUs and you should make one as soon as you hit t2. Not only can you load your men into it when In danger, you can also use it to attack the elder with good results. If your harass has gone well you should have postponed their t2 as long as possible and therefore your chimmie will go even better
Large Maps
While Das’s 3 GM BO is amazing, on large maps, You should go for the same but add in a 4th gm squad slightly later. This is due to the need to attack versus elder with your full force. However on a large map, map control is a must and you must must must get map control. Your 4th GM squad can help with this. Once again, you must scout out with your CS before you move 2/3 GMs forward. It is vital to try and bash a gen when you can and obtain t2 relatively soon. Unlike on small maps, you should go for a commissar before t2 against eldar as running back to your base when in trouble is very difficult on a large map and the Commisars 200% morale bonus helps your gms no end
Again a chimmie at t2 is vital to preserve your gms and make constant attacks on his base. Lure the opponents reapers/rangers/farseer etc forward and quickly load your men in a chimmie, run to opponents base, unload and hit execute. Inflict much damage in your hit and runs as is possible. Its very difficult to beat eldar on a large map in t1/t2 and therefore t3 is essential. Your kasrkins/ogryns with your attached priests will help you no end versus imminent warp spiders and even seer council. You must do globals versus Eldar, their manoeuvrability means they can hit and run your eco. Remember, LPs can be destroyed and eco reduced, globals cant! Once again, map control is a must, use your tunnelling system to maintain it, chimmie asap, commissar at t1 and a HWT at a strategic location in your base to stop back door fragons/wraithlords. Don’t forget to use your scanner versus the pesky rangers and don’t rely on hellhounds to get you out of a pickle. Your GMs are capable, they just need guidance
Important!
Your psyker is essential to you surviving battles against elder reapers and rangers. Its lightning arc renders rangers useless for a while and allows your gms to pick them off. Its CoTM is brilliant for when you see a falcon grav as you can run your men away until you get your chimmie. Plus if a harlequin makes its way out, you must must must destroy it asap, one kiss of death and a GM squad is dead if your unlucky. The Chimera is vastly important, always get one at t2, even if you think hellhounds would be better. If a harlequin makes it out, your chimmie is all that stands in the way of total annihilation of your poor GMs, not to mention falcon gravs. Remember not to lose a single GM squad, it can severely hamper your game! Also if you are trying to push against a reaper spam-get a HWT! Charge forward and lure the reapers into the HWT, it works a treat and can absolutely maul a reaper squad.
Summary
Much relies on the CS’s usage, poor usage/loss of a CS will almost always ensure defeat. You must ensure that your men are protected in t2 by a chimmie for reaper spam/harlequin. Remember, when confronted by your mass gm’s, the enemy does not usually think to make fragons, so your chimmie should be safe. Also don’t underestimate backdoor sent attacks, they can split your eldar opponents forces up, and while reapers pack much punch, they can be picked off as they have relatively bad health which is where execute comes in! Remember to push forces forward in t1, inflict as much damage in t1 as you can, this is where you have the advantage, pretty much the only time in the game until t4 that you will. Inflict damage, Strip Soul Builders, destroy eco or better yet a gen. Don’t underestimate your gms, they can pack a punch!
Screenies:
The Harlequins Kiss versus your GMs:
The Commisars Valuable Execute:
The Psykers Strip Soul, best use versus Builders for instant death :
The Gen Bashing that you should do versus eldar asap, its very easy to take it down fast and its a huge setback for the eldar:
The Knockback of CS to be used in conjunction with the Guardsmen/Execute, very easy to inflict heavy casualties this way. Remember to switch CS to ranged when the knockback has happened and then switch to cc again.:
Replays:
A Rep showing how to restrict an Eldar player in t1.
A Rep showing how to stop an Eldar quick tech.
Good luck versus those pesky buggers!
Thanks to Fingol for lettin me experiment with ig v eldar and giving tips as well as providing me with excellent screenshots!
Also a quick mention of thanks to basilisk for his reps v tau with which near same tactics apply to eldar, and thanks to Das for that legendary gold rep v Avocado which i pinched some tactics from lmao
This post has been edited by GW_Fingolfin: Sep 18 2007, 14:10 PM
Posts: 2,174
Game: