Aspect Warriors

Aspect Warriors are those Eldar who specialize in certain aspects of combat during their time on the Path of the Warrior. The Eldar are known to pursue any task they set out to do with an intensity that makes human efforts pale in comparison. When an Eldar feels called to the path of the Warrior, he or she will join an Aspect Shrine, a cult of warriors who train themselves to embody some aspect of the Eldar War God Khaine or ancient Eldar myths and legends. All Craftworlds have some Aspect Shrines, although some, notably Biel-tan, have more than others and place a greater emphasis on the Path of the Warrior.

Exarchs
Each Aspect Shrine is led by an Exarch, an Eldar fallen to the curse of inability to leave the Path of the Warrior. These Exarchs are powerful warriors, doomed to either die on the battlefield, or to eventually be chosen to become the Avatar of Khaine. The first or founder of an Aspect Shrine is called Phoenix Lord. When an Aspect warrior becomes an Exarch, they will don one of the ancient suits of Exarch armor that belong to that shrine, and this suit will bond to their flesh permanently. This means that the new warrior's soul merges with those of the previous wearers of the suit, essentially a compact version of the Infinity Circuit.

Leaving the Warrior's Path
Once an Eldar warrior finishes his time as an Aspect Warrior, they move on to other occupations, as per the convention of the Eldar Path. Since the population of the Eldar race is low, all Eldar are expected to serve if called to fight. Thus, if the Craftworld subsequently goes to war, these former Aspects will frequently be called upon to serve as Guardians, a type of citizen-soldier serving to defend the Craftworld.

Dire Avengers
The Dire Avengers are the oldest and most numerous aspect. They are armed with shuriken catapults, an effective if short ranged weapon, and perform as elite troops. The Exarch can be equipped to improve the squads' close combat abilities. The Phoenix Lord of the Dire Avengers is Asurmen, the Hand of Asur. He was the first of the Phoenix Lords and the greatest, who instructed all the other founding Phoenix Lords in the skills of combat.

Dark Reapers
The Dark Reapers represent Khaine in his aspect as a destroyer, and specialize in long range firepower. Their standard weapon is a reaper launcher which is a powerful, long ranged weapon that fires several small missiles at the target. Their Exarch can be equipped with more powerful weapons, such as a Missile Launcher or Shuriken Cannon. The Phoenix Lord of the Dark Reapers is Maugan Ra, the Harvester of Souls.

Fire Dragons
The Fire Dragons specialize in short-range firepower and anti-tank warfare. They carry a fusion gun and melta bombs, both excellent weapons for dealing with vehicles, and have grenade launchers built into their armour. The fusion gun is also very effective against heavy infantry such as Space Marine Terminators, but is limited by its short range. The Exarch can be given a fire pike, a stronger fusion gun with better range, and skills to make him an excellent tank destroyer, as well as highly dangerous in close combat. The Phoenix Lord of the Fire Dragons is Fuegan, The Burning Lance.

Howling Banshees
The Howling Banshees are a close combat aspect made up primarily of female Eldar. The Howling Banshees are equipped with a pistol and power weapon. As the power weapon negates armor, the Banshees are very effective against well armored opponents. They also wear a Banshee mask, which alters their warcries into sonic screams that can burst eardrums and incapacite foes, leaving them open to attack. They can deliver a devastating first strike, but if they get stuck in combat, attrition will work against them. The Exarch can be given an Executioner which boosts her strength. The Phoenix Lord of the Howling Banshees is Jain Zar, the Storm of Silence.

Shining Spears
The Shining Spears are a fast attack aspect. They ride Eldar jetbikes and are armed with a laser lance, giving them high mobility and a strong charge. They are limited by small squad sizes. The Exarch can be given a bright lance, providing an accurate but very expensive anti-tank unit. As one of the newer aspects, the Shining Spears have no known Phoenix Lord.

Striking Scorpions
The Striking Scorpions are another close combat aspect. They are armed with Chainswords, pistols and Mandiblasters. They have better armor than other aspects, and are physically stronger. These allow them to work very well against large numbers of weaker opponents. They are also effective against stronger opponents, but their Eldar fragility works against them here. The Exarch can be armed with a Biting blade which is effective against a few enemies, and a Scorpion's claw, which combines a Powerfist and a shuriken catapult. The Phoenix Lord of the Striking Scorpions is Karandras, the Shadow Hunter.

Swooping Hawks
The Swooping Hawks are a highly mobile aspect. Equipped with a jump pack with stylized wings, they can move rapidly across the battlefield, dropping grenades upon the enemy before swooping in for the kill. Their weapons are not that powerful, and they work best as a flanking unit. The Exarch can be tooled up to be devastating in close combat. The Phoenix Lord of the Swooping Hawks is Baharroth, The Cry of the Wind.

Warp Spiders
The Warp Spiders are another highly mobile aspect, equipped with a Warp Spider jump generator which allows them to jump into and out of the warp, avoiding any obstacles in their way. This is considered extremely dangerous, as it might attract the attention of daemons. Since they do not have to run all over the battlefield, they have stronger armor than most other aspects. Their armour has built-in warp shielding to protect them during their jumps and, as an added bonus, makes them resistant to psyker attacks. They are armed with death spinners, which fire a net of monomolecular threads which slice into the flesh of the enemy as it entangles them. The Exarch can be given the ability to withdraw from combat, enhancing the Warp Spiders' survivability. The Warp Spiders have no known Phoenix Lord.