The Rogue Trader rulebook included rules for Eldar, also known as Space Elves
.
Eldar Adventurer from Rogue Trader
The Eldar are almost unique in that they inhabit no worlds. Instead they live in great craft-worlds, huge spacecraft tens of miles across and usually circular in shape.
-Rogue Trader
Craftworlds didn't feature much in the rulebook beyond this description. The word webway isn't used but a warp-gate system is described.
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
Eldar
4
4
4
3
3
1
6
1
8
9
9
8
Eldar have pretty good combat stats. They have three distinct subtypes, adventurers, mercenaries and pirates. Each has a dedicated set of equipment charts. Eldar are mostly described as antagonists or untrustworthy allies.
Scorned and ostracised by their own kind, the mercenary Eldar hire out to any creature willing to meet their exorbitant fees.
Eldar pirate leader profile from the Eldritch Raiders army list
Eldar appear in two army lists in The Book of the Astronomicon supplement. The Crangor's Buccaneers Claw Nebula Pirates list allow a mix of human, Squat and Eldar units. The Eldritch Raiders Eldar Pirates list is exclusively Eldar, except for the Zoats.
The book names some new Eldar factions, Iyanden Craft World, Biel-tan Craft World, Myan's Agents of Silence, Xian's Black Raiders, the Alai Mercenary Corp, and the Golden Squadron. The Warp Hunters become Alaitoc Warp Hunters and the Steeleye Reavers become Ulthwe Steel-eye Reavers. The text claims that Yriel has conquered and absorbed the Black Raiders and Scarlet Command. One of the badges suggests an alliance between Myan and the Alai.
White Dwarf 101 introduced the concept of the infinity circuit and soul grafting. There are rules for Spirit-Warriors and the smaller Ghost-Warrior
assassin robots. Spirit-Warriors are distinct from the Eldar Dreadnoughts
presented in White Dwarf 100. Spirit-Warriors can have psychic powers, among other things.
Spirit Warrior with 2 Ghost Warriors in foreground
White Dwarf added rules for Harlequins in WD105 with an army list in WD106. The Shadow Weavers are named as an example Masque.
Harlequins are elite warriors with unique wargear and abilities.
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
Harlequin
6
4
4
3
3
1
6
1
8
9
9
8
The RTB6 Harlequins
box is typical of how miniatures were produced at this time. Sculptors had free rein to come up with designs and rules were an afterthought. The box is full of uniquely armed Harlequin Troupers.
The army list states that all members of a Troupe (squad) have to have identical additional close combat weapons. It isn't possible to use the box as is and conform 100% to the list and even if you could some of the options were functionally useless.
Eldar power gloves
The Harlequin army list can take D6 vehicles or robots from any other army list. These scavenged devices have a one in six chance of breaking down every turn.
Eldar get a walk on part in the Chaos book Slaves to Darkness. A page describes their downfall and their secret repository of knowledge, the Black Library. Only Solitaires and Human Illuminati may go to and from the Black Library as they please. WD105 reiterates much of this.
Of all the many Craftworlds four of the largest and most famous are Ulthwe, Biel-tan, Saim-hann and Iyanden. Like all Craftworlds these are represented by their own badge or symbol called the World Rune. The Runes symbolise each particular Craftworld and are used as its badge on banners, vehicles, and spacecraft.
Runes of Ulthwe, Biel-tan, Saim-hann & Iyanden
Craftworld Name
Meaning of Name
Name of Rune
Ulthwe
The Song of Ulthanash
The Eye of Isha
Biel-tan
The Rebirth of Ancient Days
The Reborn
Saim-hann
The Quest for Enlightenment
The Cosmic Serpent
Iyanden
Light in Infinite Darkness
The Shrine of Asuryan
The units in this list would be the core of Eldar armies from this time onwards - Warlocks, Farseers, Guardians and Aspect Warriors. Some of these iconic Jes Goodwin miniatures
would stay in production for decades.
The army can include a Harlequin Troupe chosen from the previously published list. Dreadnoughts and War Walkers are notably absent from this list. Jetbikes are the only vehicle option.
With the introduction of Aspect Warriors the effectiveness of rank & file Eldar diminished.
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
Guardian
4
3
3
3
3
1
6
1
8
9
8
8
One of the strange things about this list is that it allows the addition of a Standard Bearer and/or a Musician to Guardian Squads. They don't have any special rules, it's just two extra guys. There were models
but none were armed with "laspistol, power sword, or both."
At 300 points the Avatar of Khaine is the Craftworld heavyweight. It has a randomly generated profile. Most stats are D6+4 which could make it overpowering or underwhelming depending on your luck.
The Avatar model
wasn't particularly large. The model was mounted on a standard 25mm base. The Avatar wouldn't get gigantism until 2nd edition.
Dire Avenger colour schemes, deep in the era of back banners which you would have to fashion yourself
Arguably the biggest addition to the new Eldar range were the Aspect Warriors. This list added Dark Reapers, Dire Avengers, Fire Dragons, Howling Banshees, Striking Scorpions and Swooping Hawks.
Exarchs are independent minor heroes. They have a D100 table for generating Warrior Powers and a separate D100 table for generating Ancient Weapons.
Warlocks and Farseers eschew the psychic powers the rest of the game uses and have Runic Powers instead. The runes allow them to channel psychic energy without making them vulnerable to Slaanesh. Warlocks have 4 powers, some of which can enhance other units.
Farseers can use Warlock powers and have a random set of powers of their own. Farseers have a randomly generated profile but with most values being the result of a D4 they aren't a model you want vulnerable to the enemy - unless they roll the Death Mission power. A Farseer using Death Mission is invulnerable for D6 turns and has improved combat prowess while the power is in effect. The twist is that the opponent (or GM) roll this D6 value in secret.
Warlocks and Farseers have Runic Armour to which save modifiers do not apply. Their unique force weapons are also to be feared.
Despite being around since 1989
special rules for Eldar Scouts didn't arrive until White Dwarf 159. Before that you could just field them as Eldar with lasguns.
Scouts share the same deployment and unit coherency rules as their Space Marine equivalents.
