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Looking for an Aeldari 1000 point army list? A 1,000-point Incursion game is the sweet spot for the space elves. You get enough points for a Farseer, a couple of Aspect Warrior squads, some grav-tanks or wraith constructs and a few fast units for objectives, but the table is still small enough that every clever move counts. Below are three complete lists built for 11th Edition, each with a different playstyle, plus tactics, a buying order and the mistakes that cost new Aeldari players the most games.
If you’re new to the faction, start with our Eldar army guide for the background, unit overview and Craftworld options, then come back here to build your first force.
Why play Aeldari at 1000 points?
Aeldari are the scalpel of Warhammer 40,000. Almost every unit is a specialist: Fire Dragons melt tanks, Howling Banshees cut down infantry, Dark Reapers pick things off from across the board, and Windriders zip onto distant objectives. At 1,000 points that specialisation is a strength, because you can build a tight force where every unit has one clear job.
The army is fast and fragile. Guardians and most Aspect Warriors die quickly under focused fire, so the faction rewards careful positioning, using terrain to hide, and striking first. Their army rule lets them reposition after shooting, and Fate dice let you lock in key rolls at the moment that matters. That combination makes Aeldari one of the most satisfying armies to get good with, though it does punish sloppy movement.
Model count is low to moderate. Most of the lists below run 30 to 45 models, which is a very manageable painting project. If you like smooth armour panels, gems and bright Craftworld colours, our how to paint Eldar guide covers the classic schemes.
A quick note on points and rules
Every points value in this guide is approximate. Games Workshop adjusts points through Munitorum Field Manual and balance updates, and 11th Edition has already seen changes since launch, so check the current values in the Warhammer 40,000 app before you play. Aeldari don’t have an 11th Edition codex yet; they use their existing codex rules and detachments alongside the 11th Edition core rules until a new book arrives (see our 11th Edition rules changes guide for what changed at the table).
At 1,000 points you have 2 Detachment Points to spend on detachments. Each list below names the detachment we’d build around; check its Detachment Point cost in the app, and read our Detachment Points explained guide if the system is new to you.
List 1: Craftworld Battle Host (Beginner-Friendly)
This is the list for a player who has just opened the Combat Patrol box and wants to grow it into a proper 1,000-point army. It has a bit of everything: a psyker, a durable anchor, cheap objective holders, fast jetbikes, dedicated anti-tank and a transport. It teaches you how every part of the Aeldari toolkit works without leaning too hard on any one trick.
Army composition
- Farseer (singing spear, shuriken pistol) — ~70 pts
- Warlock (singing spear) — ~45 pts
- 10x Guardian Defenders (with heavy weapon platform) — ~100 pts
- 3x Windriders (shuriken cannons) — ~80 pts
- 3x Windriders (twin shuriken catapults) — ~80 pts
- Wraithlord (bright lance, shuriken cannon) — ~140 pts
- 5x Dire Avengers — ~80 pts
- 5x Fire Dragons — ~120 pts
- 5x Dark Reapers — ~90 pts
- 5x Rangers — ~55 pts
- Wave Serpent (twin bright lance) — ~125 pts
Detachment: Battle Host — the general-purpose Aeldari detachment most players start with.
Approximate total: ~985 pts
Unit roles
Farseer: Your warlord and the brains of the army. The Farseer’s psychic support and Fate-dice manipulation make your key units more reliable. Keep her near the Guardians or inside the Wave Serpent and use her where she can affect the biggest fight of the turn.
Warlock: A cheap second psyker who joins the Guardians and makes them noticeably harder to shift. Cheap characters like this add up fast at 1,000 points, so one is plenty.
Guardian Defenders: Your home-objective holders. Ten Guardians plus their weapons platform give you a solid body count on your backfield objective and a decent volume of shuriken fire at short range.
2x 3 Windriders: The fastest units in the list. Use them to grab far objectives, perform actions, and finish off damaged enemy units late in the game. Never park them in the open on turn one.
Wraithlord: Your anchor. It’s the toughest model here, so push it toward the centre of the board and let it soak up fire that would otherwise kill your infantry. The bright lance gives you another anti-tank shot each turn.
Dire Avengers: Flexible midfield infantry who are reliable shooters and good at clearing light screens.
Fire Dragons: Your tank killers. Carry them in the Wave Serpent, wait for a high-value target, then drop them out at close range and melt it.
Dark Reapers: Long-range fire support. Find a firing lane with good cover and keep them there all game.
Rangers: Cheap, hard-to-pin-down infantry that deploy forward and screen out enemy infiltrators. They’re excellent for early scoring.
Wave Serpent: A fast, tough transport that keeps your Fire Dragons alive until they’re needed, then contributes bright lance fire for the rest of the game.
List 2: Aspect Warrior Strike Force (Elite)
This is a more aggressive list built around the Aspect Warriors, the iconic specialist shrines of the Craftworlds. Almost every unit is a precision tool, and the army wins by trading up: one squad kills something much more expensive, then gets out of the way before the counter-punch lands. It’s harder to play than List 1, but far more rewarding once you learn the timing.
Army composition
- Autarch (dragon fusion gun, star glaive) — ~85 pts
- 5x Fire Dragons — ~120 pts
- 5x Howling Banshees — ~90 pts
- 5x Striking Scorpions — ~85 pts
- 5x Dark Reapers — ~90 pts
- 5x Swooping Hawks — ~85 pts
- 5x Dire Avengers — ~80 pts
- 3x Shining Spears — ~110 pts
- Wave Serpent (twin shuriken cannon) — ~125 pts
- Wave Serpent (twin bright lance) — ~125 pts
Detachment: Aspect Host — the detachment built to reward Aspect Warrior units.
Approximate total: ~995 pts
Unit roles
Autarch: A tactical leader who joins an Aspect squad and makes it better at its job. Attach him to the Fire Dragons for a nasty anti-tank package, or to the Banshees if your opponent is all infantry.
Fire Dragons: As in List 1, they’re your answer to tanks, monsters and walkers. Delivered by Wave Serpent, they should kill their target the turn they arrive.
Howling Banshees: Very fast melee specialists. Use them to charge and clear objective holders or shooting units that are hiding behind cover. They’re fragile, so only commit them when the charge is close to guaranteed.
Striking Scorpions: Stealthy melee infantry who are good at sneaking up on backfield units and holding ruins. They’re a strong pick for scoring objectives in the enemy half.
Dark Reapers: Your long-range damage dealers. They stay at the back and pick off whatever the rest of the army has softened up.
Swooping Hawks: A mobile objective and action unit. Keep them off the table at first and drop them where the enemy is thin.
Dire Avengers: Midfield shooters and the most forgiving Aspect squad to play. They hold the centre while the specialists go hunting.
Shining Spears: Fast jetbike cavalry with lances. They’re great at hitting elite infantry and then jumping away before anything can hit back.
2x Wave Serpent: Transports for your two most valuable squads (usually Fire Dragons and Banshees). Two Serpents also give the opponent too many tough targets to deal with at once.
List 3: Spirit Host (Themed Wraith Army)
The Aeldari aren’t all glass cannons. The wraith constructs, piloted by the spirits of fallen warriors and guided by Spiritseers, are slow, durable and hit very hard. This themed list is the most forgiving Aeldari army to play, because it can actually stand on an objective and take a beating. It also looks spectacular painted in bone or Iyanden yellow.
Army composition
- Farseer (singing spear) — ~70 pts
- Spiritseer — ~65 pts
- Spiritseer — ~65 pts
- 5x Wraithguard (wraithcannons) — ~170 pts
- 5x Wraithblades (ghostswords) — ~170 pts
- Wraithlord (bright lance, shuriken cannon, ghostglaive) — ~140 pts
- 10x Guardian Defenders (with heavy weapon platform) — ~100 pts
- 5x Rangers — ~55 pts
- Wave Serpent (twin bright lance) — ~125 pts
Detachment: Spirit Conclave — the wraith-focused detachment that rewards pairing Spiritseers with wraith constructs.
Approximate total: ~960 pts
Unit roles
Farseer: Psychic support for the whole army. Stay close to the Wraithguard so you can boost them on the turn they fire.
2x Spiritseer: One leads the Wraithguard and one leads the Wraithblades. These two pairings are the core of the list, so protect the Spiritseers with good positioning.
Wraithguard: Short-range heavy firepower. Wraithcannons punch through almost anything, so walk them up behind terrain and pick your target carefully.
Wraithblades: Your melee hammer. They’re tough enough to survive a counter-charge and dangerous enough that your opponent has to deal with them.
Wraithlord: Another big, tough model with long-range anti-tank firepower. Use it to hold the centre.
Guardian Defenders and Rangers: Cheap scoring units. Guardians hold home, Rangers deploy forward and grab or deny a midfield objective.
Wave Serpent: Carries the Wraithguard or Wraithblades forward to make up for their slow speed.
What about the Exodites?
The new Aeldari Exodites fold into the Aeldari faction rather than forming a separate army, so you can add their dragon-riding cavalry to any of these lists once you have the models. Dragon Knights in particular give the army a fast melee punch that a wraith or Guardian list otherwise lacks. Their datasheets and points are in the Warhammer 40,000 app, so check current values there before swapping out a unit.
General tactics at 1000 points
Kill first, then hide. Aeldari win by removing the enemy’s most dangerous unit before it acts. Pick one target each turn and commit enough firepower to remove it completely; half-dead units still score and still fight back.
Use terrain for everything. 11th Edition reworked cover so that incoming ranged attacks against infantry in cover are harder to land. Your Guardians, Aspect Warriors and Rangers need that protection. Plan your movement so they end each turn out of sight or in cover.
Spend Fate dice on what matters. It’s tempting to use them early. Save them for the rolls that decide games, like a Fire Dragon wound roll against a tank or a critical saving throw on your warlord.
Screen against deep strike. A 1,000-point table is small, so enemy reserves can reach your backfield easily. Rangers and Guardians should be spread out to deny landing space around your Dark Reapers and characters.
Play the mission. Fast units like Windriders and Swooping Hawks are often worth more for scoring late objectives than for their damage. Hold them back until turns three to five, then grab what the opponent has left open.
What to buy first
- Aeldari Combat Patrol — the best starting point. It gives you a Farseer, Guardians, Windriders and a Wraithlord, which is the core of List 1.
- Fire Dragons — every Aeldari list wants dedicated anti-tank, and nothing does it better.
- Wave Serpent — your squads need a ride, and the kit can also be built as other grav-tanks later.
- One more Aspect squad — Dark Reapers for a shooting focus, Howling Banshees if you want to charge.
- Rangers — cheap, useful in almost any list, and quick to paint.
From there, decide whether you want to go Aspect-heavy (List 2) or Wraith-heavy (List 3) and buy toward that list.
Common mistakes
- Leaving Guardians in the open. They will die. Use them only to hold objectives where enemy fire can’t reach easily.
- Charging Windriders into real melee units. They’re for objectives and finishing blows, not slugging matches.
- Spreading damage across several targets. Aeldari don’t have the durability to trade blow for blow. Focus fire.
- Forgetting to move after shooting. Repositioning out of line of sight is one of the faction’s biggest advantages; use it every turn you can.
- Overloading on characters. At 1,000 points, more than two or three characters eats too many points that should go into units that score.
If you’re on the other side of the table, our how to beat Eldar in 40k guide covers the tricks Aeldari players rely on, which is just as useful for learning what your own army does well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aeldari a good army for beginners?
They’re rewarding but not the easiest. Aeldari units are fragile and specialised, so mistakes are punished hard. List 1 or the wraith-heavy List 3 are the most forgiving places to start.
How many models do I need for a 1000 point Aeldari army?
Roughly 30 to 45 models, depending on how many Guardians and Aspect Warriors you take. A wraith-heavy army can be even smaller.
Do Aeldari have an 11th Edition codex?
Not yet. Aeldari use their existing codex rules with the 11th Edition core rules until a new book arrives. Check our 11th Edition rules changes guide for what changed in the core game.
Can I use Exodites in a 1000 point Aeldari list?
Yes. Exodites are part of the Aeldari faction rather than a standalone army, so their units can join any Aeldari list. Check the Warhammer 40,000 app for their current datasheets and points.
Which detachment should I use at 1000 points?
Battle Host is the general-purpose option most players start with. Once your collection leans toward Aspect Warriors or wraith constructs, Aspect Host or Spirit Conclave reward that focus.
Related guides
Eldar army guide · Aeldari Combat Patrol · T’au Empire 1000 point army list · Necrons 1000 point army list