1000 point starter Iyanden Army

Alright I have just returned to 40k and had finalized two possible army lists for me to start with. They are both very similar lists with the only real difference being the swapping of a 10 man Dire Avenger squad and the Farseer's Spirit Stones and Guide for two Dire Avenger Exarchs with Bladestorm and an additional Farseer. I am currently leaning towards the first list since I feel 10 Dire Avengers on average will just be more helpful by adding a consistent group of expendable shooters to a rather small army despite the sheer awesomeness of the number of attacks a Bladestormed Exarch can perform (once a game usually I might add). As for the additional Farseer, well I feel he does add another Fortune to a unit (namely the second Wraithlord) and also puts another psyker on the table to help with Wraithsight its still not worth the points and the loose change left after the units is best spent on upgrading my one Farseer to be able to cast both Fortune on one Wraithlord and Guide on either a unit of Avengers or the Wraithguard depending on how close in the army is as for the Wraithsight, well the Wraithguard have a warlock with them and the Wraithlords shouldnt be straying to far from the Farseer or the Warlock led Wraithguard, besides wraithsight only affects on a roll of 1 anyway.

1st Army List

HQ

Farseer - Spirit Stones, Fortune, Guide

125

TROOPS

3 x 10 Dire Avengers - 120 each

360

SUPPORT

2 x Wraithlords - Brightlance, Scatterlaser - 150 each

300

ELITES

5 Wraithguard plus Warlock - Conceal

215

1000 total (Do I get a prize for hitting 1000 on the dot? )

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2nd Army List

HQ

2 x Farseers - Guide - 85 each

170

TROOPS

2 x 9 Dire Avengers plus Exarchs - Avenger, Bladestorm - 152 each

304

SUPPORT

2 x Wraithlords - Brightlance, Scatterlaser - 150 each

300

ELITES

5 Wraithguard plus Warlock - Conceal

215

989 total

On the table both lists should use the same general strategy which is the Avengers screen the front with the Wraithguard and Farseer behind them and the Wraithlords holding the flanks close to the other units. A big part of this army's grand strategy is that everything generally sticks together so that if facing a defensively oriented opponent the army slowly moves up with the Dire Avengers providing a saturation of anti personnel fire and being the meatshields while the Wraithlords provide either tank busting or additional anti personnel fire as they move up until they get close enough for the Wraithguard to start taking out the choicest targets and the Wraithlords can charge into close combat. Against offensively oriented opponents I generally start as forward as possible and then slowly pull back using the same general tactics as above but in reverse so as to keep out of hand to hand range and when the inevitable happens and the screen gets assualted the wraithlords charge in to counterassualt and in emergencies possibly the wraithguard too since they are damned tough if a bit lacking in armor penetrating close combat hits and number of attacks.

Iyanden is the spirit-y army right?

Yeah the Iyanden craftworld has a larger proportion of Wraithguard and Wraithlords compared to other craftwords due to being nearly wiped out by Tyranids and having to resort to using their own dead to fight.

I like the first list better. Hopefully, the farseer will get more bang for buck, but I consider the most important thing massed Dire Avengers. In 1,000 pt games, I don't think you're likely to see a lot of tanks, so the Wraithlords may be shooting Lancing weapons at one or two tanks, then having to shoot at infantry. In this elite of an army, I would definantly say stick with the massed basic man over 2 squads that can provide a lot of firepower (which will probably only be one turn like you said).

first list is ok.. i love the concept and footslogging is always fun. more do-able with a lovely 85 pt. avatar, but its all good. You have 30 dire avengers.. and without an exarch. Defend and Bladestorm greatly increase the effectiveness of the squad. You have no close combat.. so at least one squad with defend and an exarch with a power weapon and shimmershield could help at least. Wraithlords are a great choice.. but ya need something to bale out those wraithguard when they get caught up.. and something that will use the avengers as a shield to hit the enemy first then come in for the clean-up kill. (harlies/banshees). as far as the farseer is concerned.. your army is entirely BS 4... so everything is hitting on 3's... you are better off with doom and fortune for a wraithlord.

second list is eh... your farseers need to have doom or fortune.. guide is again not as effective with avengers. two avenger units are perfection. nice work there. wraithlords are good too.

now both of em.. about the wraithguard units.. they are fine if thats what you want to use. very fun to play thats for sure however you can't simply attach a single warlock upgraded to spiritseer. conceal on the warlock is exactly what you want.. but you need to put him with the farseer and still need at least three warlocks.