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Have Aeldari codex buffs turned this unit into Warhammer 40k’s best tank killer?

When it comes to hunting tanks and monsters in Warhammer 40,000, new codex rules make the Fire Dragons Aspect Warriors into apex predators.

Product photography of Warhammer 40k Fire Dragons - orange armored warriors with yellow helms - and Space Marine Eradicators - larger, more heavily armored warriors with bulky guns

The Aeldari Fire Dragons Aspect Warriors have a strong claim to be the most effective anti-tank and monster-killing unit in all of Warhammer 40,000. While their role has always been to hunt tanks and big gribblies with their high damage fusion weaponry, they’re looking scarier than ever thanks to changes to their rules – and rules for the Aeldari army as a whole – coming in the new codex.

The Aeldari’s playstyle in Warhammer 40k is to hit hard and die easily. They also have highly specialised units, and the Fire Dragons are the army’s tank hunters. They’re equipped with Dragon Fusion guns, roughly equivalent to Imperial melta-guns, with S9, AP-4, and damage D6, plus the Melta ability to deal extra damage at close range.

Warhammer 40k fire dragons - close up on the leader of a unit and then a shot of the unit; the soldiers wear form-fitting orange armor and tall yellow helms; the unit leader wields a long pike-like ranged weapon, and has a back banner

That – and the ability to re-roll rolls of one to hit, wound, or damage monsters and vehicles – were the extent of their abilities in the Aeldari index. But when the Aeldari Warhammer 40k codex release date hits on February 8, they’re getting a magma-tinged glow-up.

First, Fire Dragons will be able to re-roll all rolls to hit, wound, and for damage against a monster or vehicle unit, not just rolls of one. That’s the same ability that makes Eradicators the best tank hunters available to the Space Marine chapters.

Comparing the two units, five Fire Dragons costs the same as three Eradicators, getting one more shot, and has a more powerful version of the Melta Warhammer 40k ability that deals three damage at half range instead of two.

Warhammer 40k Primaris Eradicators - Space Marines in heavy blue 'Gravis' power armor, equipped with heavy bore anti-tank melta rifles and a multi-melta

The Marines have superior range and the accuracy buffing Heavy ability on their guns, while the Fire Dragons can shoot after advancing thanks to Assault. The Fire Dragons have a better Movement stat, and access to Agile Maneuvers via the Aeldari army rule.

Though Fire Dragons are far squishier than Eradicators, two of the new Aeldari 40k detachments come with a very reliable survival stratagem, Skyborne Sanctuary. Available with both the Warhost and the Aspect Host detachments, this allows a unit to embark on a friendly transport within six inches at the end of the fight phase.

Aeldari transports are incredibly fast, whether they’re a deep-striking Falcon Gravtank, or a forcefield-protected Wave Serpent moving up the table at lightning speed thanks to the Star Engines Agile Maneuver. The Fire Dragons will be in a commanding position to attack their targets by turn two, and can hop back into their transport to dodge return fire.

So far the fire dragons have better damage output and equivalent or better threat projection than the Eradicators, but as their guns only have a 12 inch range compared to the Eradicators’ 18 inches screening units can prevent them from moving close to their targets. Which is why you want to attach the Phoenix Lord Fuegan to them.

Warhammer 40k fire dragon phoenix lord Fuegan, an orange-armored warrior with a huge axe and a long pike-like ranged waepon

Fuegan is equipped with a terrifying version of the Fusion gun, Searsong, which can fire a S14 beam at 18” range and deals six extra damage if it’s in half range, and has a shorter ranged profile that’s better suited to targeting elite infantry. While Fuegan leads a unit, you add six inches to the range of all its guns.

That means Fuegan can shoot targets two feet away – as can the unit’s Exarch, if it is equipped with the long-ranged high-strength Firepike – while the Fire Dragons match up to the Eradicators with 18” range.

As if all that wasn’t enough, for every five Aspect Warriors in a unit, you get one Shrine token, which you can spend once per battle to swap the result of a to-hit roll or a to-wound roll to a six; using this on Fuegan’s Searsong beam (which has Sustained Hits 2) is a great way to wipe out a unit of Space Marines. And in the Aspect Host detachment, these tokens can be spent to turbo charge some stratagems!

Fuegan and five fire dragons in a transport will liquidise anything without an invulnerable save (and most things with one). They will die as soon as they’re caught, but the only reason that they might not earn back their points first is if the Aeldari player’s opponent didn’t bring anything worth killing.

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For a more comprehensive overview of changes to the Aeldari from the Index and how their identity as a Warhammer 40k faction has developed, check out our Codex Aeldari review.