Warhammer 40k - Unit Review Library 161 - Aeldari, Hemlock Wraithfighter


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Hello everyone! Zak Ludick here from Cape Town, South Africa and this is a Warhammer 40k - The Great Unit Review Wheel! post!

Now known as the Unit Review Library!

What is it all about? It is not there to just give a stat. It is there to give MY review of the unit!

Also this has become quite the Challenge! With so many units to review in the game the consensus in the hobby community is that I will not have enough time to review all of the Datasheets before the new edition of Warhammer 40,000 came out.

I should have started when 10th edition launched!
488 days since the start of 10th Edition.
This is Review #161, I am 327 reviews behind! (Lowest I have been is 314 behind)

January 2025 we are expecting Astra Militarum and Aeldari codexes as explained Here, so time to focus on THOSE Datasheets!

Aeldari, Hemlock Wraithfighter

10th Edition Index

The Hemlock Wraithfighter is a good example of the reason most players in Warhammr 40,000 find aircraft unsustainable. Especially for a regular 2,000pts.

The rules do not support them or protect them and ultimately its a waste of points.

In the current rules, an aircraft is a lightly armoured fast vehicle that zooms around the board at high speeds that you must move minimum distances for. It is so "fast" that you struggle to keep it on the board and relative at the same time (unless it has the hover keyword, which which case it can be made to go slower all game). Because it is up there, it can also bee seen easily, line of sight rules usually state that you can't see another model fully obscured by ruins.

If you can see any part of the high fly-base, massive wingspan aircraft, you can partially see it.

So its a bad deal. At $92 for a model, you need to enjoy the look of it and the painting of it.

But for 155pts. It does not last long enough or deal enough damage to matter in a small game. Also, Aircraft cannot complete secondary objectives or hold primary objectives... another thing for people to avoid.

Transport Aircraft have a but of utility... this is not a transport.

Again, for the same amount of points, you could field a Falcon Grav tank or a Wraithlord.

But let's check those stats...

Stats

Movement 20"+
Toughness 8
Save 3+(armor/invul/Feel No Pain)
Wounds 12
Ld 6+
OC 0

Weapons

Ranged:

The Hemlock has 2x of these:

Heavy D-scythe

18" Range, D6 Shots, Hitting on 4+. S12, AP -4 and 2 Damage each.
Blast (Add an additional Attack per 5 enemies rounding down)

So 2D6 shots in total.
Lots of shots at near point-blank range for this aircraft. Its range is less than its minimum movement speed. 50% accuracy, High strength, geat AP, decent damage. But low impact for 155pts.

Melee:

Wraithbone hull

3 Attacks, Hitting on 4+. S6, AP 0 and 1 Damage each.

Abilities

Mindshock Pod

While enemies are within 9" of this model, they are at -1 Leadership for Battleshock and leadership checks.

Thoughts

If there was a way to benefit from an instant Morale Check on the enemy in a crucial place then for one turn, the Hemlock might be useful and helping a key unit lose objective control.

Another combination I can see happening is with the Yncarne, the Avatar of Death. If the Hemlock does its best to be a nuisance, either be killed or kill something vulnerable in the opponent's backlines, the Ycarne could re-manifest there and start causing trouble!

That makes 13 Aeldari Datasheets Reviewed putting them on 18.05% Completed. The total Completed is 16.58% Complete! Can I review them all?!

Thank you for reading!

Warhammer Review Library

Army Rule and Detachment Rule Reviews

FactionDetachmentReview Number
Agents of the ImperiumArmy Rule #2
Astra MilitarumArmy Rule #1
Astra MilitarumCombined RegimentDetachment Rule #1
Space MarinesArmy Rule #3


Datasheet Review list (Alphabetical)

FactionUnitReview Number
Adeptus CustodesProsecutors#1
Adeptus CustodesKnight-Centura#54
Adeptus CustodesShield-Captain#61
Adeptus CustodesShield-Captain in Allarus Terminator Armor#70
Adeptus CustodesTrajann Valoris#40
Adeptus MechanicusArchaeopter Fusilave#13
Adeptus MechanicusArchaeopter Stratoraptor#14
Adeptus MechanicusArchaeopter Transvector#15
Adeptus MechanicusBelisarius Cawl#53
Adeptus MechanicusCorpuscarii Electro-Priests#97
Adeptus MechanicusOnager Dunecrawler#110
Adeptus MechanicusSerberys Raiders#55
Adeptus MechanicusSerberys Sulphurhounds#56
Adeptus MechanicusTechnoarcheologist#104
AeldariAsurmen#155
AeldariGuardian Defenders#64
AeldariKarandras#153
AeldariMaugan Ra#87
AeldariNight Spinner#65
AeldariRangers#149
AeldariShadowseer#80
AeldariShining Spears#147
AeldariShroud Runners#151
AeldariSkyweavers#157
AeldariThe Visarch#159
AeldariPrince Yriel#92
Astra MilitarumAegis Defence Line#146
Astra MilitarumArmoured Sentinels#148
Astra MilitarumAttilan Rough Riders#154
Astra MilitarumBaneblade#156
Astra MilitarumBanehammer#160
Astra MilitarumCadian Castellan#158
Astra MilitarumKasrkin#60
Astra MilitarumOgryn Bodyguard#150
Astra Militarum Ogryn Squad#152
Astra MilitarumTank Commander#90
Astra MilitarumWyvern#81
Black TemplarsBlack Templars Gladiator#102
Black TemplarsHigh Marshall Helbrecht#38
Black TemplarsMarshall#46
Black TemplarsThe Emperor's Champion#63
Blood AngelsAstorath#131
Blood AngelsBaal Predator#2
Blood AngelsBrother Corbulo#132
Blood AngelsCaptain Tycho#133
Blood AngelsChief Librarian Mephiston#134
Blood AngelsCommander Dante#135
Blood AngelsDeath Company Dreadnought#136
Blood AngelsDeath Company Intercessors#137
Blood AngelsDeath Company Marines#138
Blood AngelsDeath Company Marines with Jump Packs#139
Blood AngelsFurioso Dreadnought#140
Blood AngelsGabriel Seth#66
Blood AngelsLemartes#32
Blood AngelsLibrarian Dreadnought#141
Blood AngelsSanguinary Guard#93
Blood AngelsSanguinary Priest#142
Blood AngelsSanguinary Priest with Jump#143
Blood AngelsThe Sanguinor#144
Blood AngelsTycho the Lost#145
Chaos DaemonsBeasts of Nurgle#98
Chaos DaemonsDaemonettes#29
Chaos DaemonsLord of Change#75
Chaos DaemonsNurglings#82
Chaos KnightsKnight Abominant#94
Chaos KnightsWar Dog Brigands#30
Chaos KnightsWar Dog Executioners#31
Chaos KnightsWar Dog Huntsman#77
Chaos Space MarinesAbbadon the Despoiler#50
Chaos Space MarinesHaarken Worldclaimer#41
Chaos Space MarinesKhorne Lord of Skulls#37
Dark AngelsAsmodai#16
Dark AngelsAzrael#17
Dark AngelsBelial#4
Dark AngelsDeathwing Knights#20
Dark AngelsDeathwing Terminator Squad#99
Dark AngelsLazarus#62
Dark AngelsLand Speeder Vengeance#101
Death GuardBiologus Putrifier#5
Death GuardBlightlord Terminators#10
Death GuardChaos Lord#36
Death GuardLord of Contagion#52
Death GuardTallyman#39
Death GuardMalignant Plaguecaster#71
DeathwatchCorvus Blackstar#72
DeathwatchDeathwatch Terminator Squad#112
DeathwatchDeathwatch Veterans#114
DeathwatchFortis Kill Team#116
DeathwatchIndomitor Kill Team#118
DeathwatchKill Team Cassius#120
DeathwatchProteus Killteam#57
DeathwatchSpectrus Kill Team#73
DeathwatchVeteran Bike Squad#84
DeathwatchWatch Captain Artemis#122
DeathwatchWatch Master#124
DrukhariGrotesques#45
DrukhariHaemonculus#8
DrukhariRaider#35
DrukhariScourges#7
Genestealer CultsAberants#47
Genestealer CultsHybrid Metamorphs#58
Genestealer CultsReductus Saboteur#33
Grey KnightsBrother Captain#25
Grey KnightsGrand Master#48
Grey KnightsStrike Squad#51
Imperial AgentsCallidus Assassin#9
Imperial AgentsCulexus Assassin#69
Imperial AgentsEversor Assassin#105
Imperial AgentsExaction Squad#111
Imperial AgentsImperial Navy Breachers#113
Imperial AgentsInquisitor#115
Imperial AgentsInquisitor Coteaz#117
Imperial AgentsInquisitor Eisenhorn#119
Imperial AgentsInquisitor Greyfax#121
Imperial AgentsInquisitorial Henchmen#123
Imperial AgentsInquisitor Karamazov#125
Imperial AgentsLord Inquisitor Kyria Draxus#126
Imperial AgentsRogue Trader Entourage#127
Imperial AgentsSubductor Squad#128
Imperial AgentsVigilant Squad#26
Imperial AgentsVindicare Assassin#129
Imperial AgentsVoidsmen-at-Arms#130
Imperial KnightsCanis Rex#76
Imperial KnightsArmiger Helverin#22
Imperial KnightsArmiger Warglaive#43
Imperial KnightsKnight Castellan#83
Leagues of VotannBrôkhyr Iron-master#27
Leagues of VotannBrôkhyr Thunderkyn#78
Leagues of VotannCthonian Beserks#86
Leagues of VotannSagitaur#3
Leagues of VotannÛthar the Destined#44
NecronsObelisk#11
OrksBattlewagon#34
OrksHunta Rig#28
OrksZodgrod Wortsnagga#89
Space MarinesKayvaan Shrike#23
Space MarinesMarneus Calgar#42
Space MarinesRazorback#21
Space MarinesVanguard Veteran Squad with Jump Packs#103
Space WolvesArjac Rockfist#68
Space WolvesFenrisian Wolves#91
Space WolvesWolf Guard#74
T'au EmpireBreacher Team#88
T'au EmpireDarkstrider#12
T'au EmpireKroot Carnivore Squad#19
T'au EmpirePathfinder Team#79
T'au EmpirePiranhas#107
T'au EmpireRazorshark Strike Fighter#95
T'au EmpireStealth Battlesuits#67
Thousand SonsAhriman#108
Thousand SonsAhriman on Disc of Tzeentch#109
Thousand SonsExalted Sorcerer#59
Thousand SonsMagnus the Red#49
TyranidsBarbgaunts#6
TyranidsLictor#106
TyranidsRaveners#96
TyranidsScreamer Killer#24
World EatersLord Invocatus#100
World EatersWorld Eaters Chaos Spawn#18
World EatersWorld Eaters Daemon Prince#85

Thank you for reading!

** Images in this post are from the Warhammer app, or Warhammer.com or otherwise referenced.

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Cheers!
@zakludick

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