Warhamer 40k Ynnari New Rules – Nights At The Game Table.

So, some big changes came to Ynnari this year. This is a faction that GW has been trying to balance for a while. First, they tried to change the points costs of shining spears and dark reapers. Whilst also putting a 3 unit per army limit on non troops. While this move helped it didn’t fix the problem. The problem being the Soulburst mechanic. Later, they tried to put limits on Soulburst activations. Still, they were too much. Now, they have greatly changed. Gone are the consecutive free actions, now replaced with a new Strength from death. With it, an entirely new focus for the army at large.
Some have said they are now a dead army(see what I did there). Im here to tell you that they aren’t completely (un)dead. So, lets dive in and see what we can do with them. This will be a long one so BUCKLE UP!

Detachments and Keywords and Limitations Oh My!

So, here are the basics, if you include a Ynnari named character (one of the three) you can make that entire detachment Ynnari. Replacing the subfaction craftworlds, obsessions, and masks keywords. You instead change them to Reborn Asurani, Reborn Drukhari, and Reborn Harlequins respectively. The big thing to keep in mind s that you cannot include non-Ynnari named characters in the detachment. This also extends to Coven units, the Avatar of Khaine, Mandrakes, and Solitares.
There is another thing, you CANNOT use stratagems, relics, and psychic powers from their original codex (Craftworlds, Drukari, Harlquins) to effect these units. So, basically they won’t benefit from another detachment casting doom or guide.
One, neat thing to note is the units don’t lose their benefits from their codex like battle focus, combat drugs Ect.

Strength from Death and Soulburst

Probably the most drastic change. Now instead of gaining an extra action when a unit dies, your entire army gets to fight first in the combat phase. If you charged or the unit already has an ability that lets them fight first, they get +1 to hit in the fight phase.
This means Ynnari are now a faction that most benefits from close combat. That is a HUGE change from an army that previously benefited from a VERY strong shooting phase. So when building your army keep this in mind!

Warlord Traits  

You may select a warlord trait from below if your warlord if from a Yinnari Detachment. This means you don’t have to make one of the named characters your warlord and can pick from the list below if you want to.

1. Lord of Rebirth: You heal one wound a turn and gain a 5+ Feel no Pain. Thats nice on most anything, but especially so for something with a High Toughness.
2. Warden of Souls: Whenever Soulburst is active , your Warlord gets +1 to their Strength and Attack characteristics. Quite nice on combat Character, and can make up for an average Strength characteristic. The Yncarne’s default trait .
3. Walker of Many Paths:  the warlord can Re-reoll a hit/wound each turn and can get you back a spent command point on a 5+. This is a trait that will ALWAYS be useful no matter the build or matchup.
4. Fear of the Grave:  enemy units within 6″ get -1 LD , or -2LD if the warlord killed a unit that turn.More LD debuffs are always neat but can be useless if matchup against an opponent like Nids
5. Favoured of Ynnead: Consolidate 6″ instead of 3″. Can prove useful from keeping the warlord in combat, but can also cause you to overextend and leave yourself exposed. Yvraine come’s with this trait.
6. Master of Death: In melee your warlord attacks count as two hits on 6. Not exactly reliable but cool when it goes off. this is the Visarch’s default trait.

Psychic Powers for Ghost Dudes

The Psykers in your Ynnari detachment can take powers from the following list. This does mean they lose access to the ones from their original codex.

Revenant Discipline

1. Gaze of Ynnead: WC 6 Your “Sort of” Smite, this  power lets you choose a target, and do mortal wounds. You roll a D6; a 1 results does 1 mortal wound, 2-5 does 1d3 mortal wounds, with a 6 dishing out 1d6 mortal wounds. This Power is Ok, honestly your probably better off with smite.
2. Storm of Whispers: WC 6  An AoE  attack, you roll 3d6 per enemy unit within a 6″ bubble. Each 6 scores a mortal wound. Unless your opponent is doing some weird character spam, or super MSU build this one should be skipped.
3. Word of the Phoenix: WC 5, Does not trigger Soulburst, instead it targets a YNNARI INFANTRY or YNNARI BIKER within 18″ to heal 1d3 wounds or resurrect one model with a single wound remaining. Your Wraithblades will thank you for using this on them.
4. Unbind Souls: WC 6 Debuff that targets an enemy unit. Giving friendly units the ability to re-roll wound rolls for melee attacks against the targeted unit. This can be really helpful, as a vast majority of units are stuck at strength 3, and the re-rolls let them punch above their weight class. Awesome
5. Shield of Ynnead: WC 7 Grants any Ynnari units within 6″ of the Psyker a 5++ invulnerability save. A Vast Majority of your units will benefit from this one.
6. Ancestor’s Grace: WC 5 targets a friendly unit within 18″. Lets them re-roll To-Hit rolls of 1 until your next Psychic phase. can be great for lending a hand to units too far from an Archon or Autarch.

Stratagems and Shenanigans

You can’t use the Stratagems from the units native codex but in exchange you get some of your own to use.

• Fire and Fade (1cp): Same as the version in the other codex,  you select a unit to move 7″ after shooting (no charging or advancing allowed). Can be a nice way to duck a unit that just shot back into cover.
• Lightning-Fast Reactions (2cp): A Sweet Stratagem that adds a -1 to-hit modifier to a friendly unit targeted by a ranged or melee attack. Useful in a pinch, and can really annoy your opponent.
• Deadly Misdirection (2cp):A nasty one that allows a unit to both shoot and charge after falling back. This ability can seriously hose opponents if used right.
• Artifacts of Death (1/3cp):You use this to get extra relics just like everyone else, ‘Nuff said.
• Webway Ambush (1/3cp):  This one lets you deep strike INFANTRY, BIKER or BEAST units. 1 unit for 1cp or 3cp for two units. Depends on the matchup but can be quite handy.
• Exalted of Ynnead (1cp): Pick a character other than your warlord and give them a warlord trait. You CANNOT pick a named character. A really cool one, and I think is usually worth a look.
• Inevitable Fate (2cp): Pick an enemy unit at the beginning of the fight phase. Friendly YNNARI units re-roll wound rolls against it. This is just like the Psychic power and can be used on a diff unit if you are in more than one combat. A really useful stratagem!
• A Taste for Death (1cp): This one seems a bit odd. When a unit’s ranged weapons wipe an enemy unit, they add +1 to-hit in melee for the rest of the turn. This one will most likely not come up in all but a hand full of situations. Namely if your tied up in combat on your turn with two units and kill one with pistols…. so kinda rare.
• The Great Enemy (1cp): Re-roll wounds against a Slaaneshi unit. Same as Inevitable fate (albeit far more limited in use) , and stacks with Ancient Doom.
• Back from the Brink (2cp): When an Infantry/Biker characters loses its last wound, you can use this and roll a D6. On a 4+, they return with D3 wounds and placed as close to where they died as is possible. Only usable once per character. Very useful for potentially bringing back an important character.
• Reborn Together (1cp): Adds +2 Leadership to all YNNARI units within 6″ another Ynnari unit. If you find yourself running large units this can certainly help with morale.
• Whispering Spirits (2cp): Targeted enemy unit must subtract 2 from their leadership when within 1″ of any of your units. Can be nasty, and can work with a lot of LD debuffs this army has access to.
• Acolyte of Ynnead (1cp):  add 3 to the psychic test of a friendly Psyker that is attempting to cast a power from the revenant discipline. IF a unit died during that phase. Difficult to have this one come up but if it does this can all but guarantee the next power cast is going to go off.
• Ynnead’s Net (2cp): A YNNARI biker can advance and charge in the same turn. Damn, this is a good one. Combines with Shining Spears for some really absurd shenanigans.
• United in Death (1cp): Pick a REBORN ASURYANI, REBORN DRUKHARI and a REBORN HARLEQUIN unit. They get +1 Attack in the fight phase if Soulburst is active. Ok this one is super cool ,but setting this up is going to be difficult to say the least.
• Shrine of the Whispering God (2cp): Up to three Incubi units gain Strength from Death. If you are running Incubi this seems like a solid choice.
• Souls of the Strongest (1cp): If you kill the enemy warlord, all units with Strength from Death count as being under the effects of soulburst FOR THE REST OF THE GAME! You don’t need stuff to die to Soulburst!

Ynnari are looking to be very CP dependent, so load up on those Battalions!

Relics And Other Sharp Things

Yep you now have your own relics!

• Hungering Blade: Replaces a Star Glaive, Power Sword, or Husk Blade. S+3 AP-3 flat D2 sword. On a wound roll of a 6 it does a mortal wound. Not bad, as you will most likely need to get up close to support your other units.
• Song of Ynnead: Replaces a shuriken pistol. Shoots three times at 18″ S5 AP-1 . Goes to AP-3 on a wound roll of a 6. Plus whenever it kills an enemy model, its unit subtracts 1 from its leadership for the rest of the turn. Yet another way to chip away at your opponents LD.
• Mirrorgaze:  -1 to hit rolls that target the bearer. Good for adding some survivability to otherwise squishy HQ’s
• Soulsnare: Use once per game , pick a unit within 6″ of the bearer and roll a D6. on a 1 nothing happens, 2-5 deals D3 mortal wounds and heals the bearer for that many wounds. Meanwhile, a 6 deals D6 mortal wounds and heals the bearer back to full health. While this does have the chance to do nothing, it can also be crazy good. Most of the time its just good.
• The Lost Shroud: Halve damage received, rounding up. Plus you get a 5+ Feel No Pain. This is a good one for something like a Wraithseer, who is already beefy.
• Corag Hai’s Locket: Whenever the bearer destroys a unit, you add 1 to their movement and attack characteristics for the rest of the game. This can cause a character to spiral into a super fast melee blender. Real Talk. This just seems like a lot of fun to me.

In Conclusion

Ok, so Ynnari are now a melee army…. They have some neat stratagems and some good psychic powers. The abilities and powers that let you Re-Roll wounds are probably the most important. On average, Aeldari units don’t have high strength, and will need the re-rolls to put the hurt on tough targets. Their Relics are actually sweet, and their Warlord Traits solid. The biggest thing that will take getting used o is their new focus. A lot of old mainstay units don’t synergize as well anymore. With Vehicles being left in the cold for the most part. The exemption being DE vehicles that can hit in combat on 3’s with soulburst in effect. The other one being Shining Spears, as they will most definitely benefit from the new rules.
Oddly enough, now that they are a melee Aeldari faction I have a renewed interest in them. As they have access to some Really fast units. Seriously, bikers are your friends and you have quite a few options.
become a member and get access to exclusive battle reports, painting tutorials, and tactics by clicking the link: http://page.nightsatthegametable.com/membership…