From Lexicanum

Contents 1 Aconite 2 Hellebore 3 Hemlock 4 Nightshade 5 Shadowhunter 6 Sources

Aconite

De	Taifun-Klasse

The Aconite is an Eldar space vessel. They are armed with advanced laser weapons systems and their speed allows them to circle enemy capital ships and attack them from behind, away from their main defensive weapons systems. They usually operate in groups of three or four ships and can lay down fire equal to that of a battleship's broadside. At least three Imperial capital ships and several Chaos vessels were destroyed including the Unholy Dominion.¹

Hellebore

De	Monsun-Klasse

The Hellebore is an Eldar space vessel. It is the embodiment of Eldar ideas and technology in that it is a good, all round vessel which can match the payload of an Imperial light cruiser while maintaining the speed and agility of an escort. They excel at ambushes as their torpedoes can scatter vessels and then their laser weapons take over to destroy stragglers. The Fortitude was reduced to a hulk and the Sword of Orion was crippled during the abortive Picus Offensive.¹

Hemlock

De	Orkan-Klasse

The Hemlock is an Eldar space vessel. It is a very simple design, consisting of a powerful pulsar lance and an engine, and little else. It is more of a flying gun than a ship proper. It is likely that the crew numbers are small, the interior power requirements for maintaining an atmosphere would take so much energy as to prevent the use of the warp drive or main weaponry. This makes them easy prey for boarding actions.¹

Nightshade

De	Zyklon-Klasse

The Nightshade is an Eldar space vessel. It is extremely fast and designed to deploy ordnance close to the enemy before retreating. When coupled with the highly destructive torpedoes used by the Eldar (including neutron or vortex warheads), the Nightshade is basically a weapon which can strike anywhere quickly and at will. There is evidence that three Nightshades crippled the Chaos battleship Damnation's Fury after three successive torpedo runs despite the protection of a number of other ships and escort vessels.¹

Shadowhunter

De	Schattenjäger-Klasse

The Shadowhunter is an Eldar escort class vessel. They are the smallest vessels used by Iyanden craftworld and are likely the smallest in the fleet. They often operate in vast numbers and sit close to the craftworld itself. They act as patrols vessels and also guide other vessels into the craftworld but can also operate at a distance from the craftworld which larger vessels would find dangerous when close defence is necessary.²

Shadowhunters have a very limited effective combat range due to this role. Everything is compact and miniaturised, making the ship highly manoeuvrable and can pursue enemies at such speeds that they find they cannot evade the Eldar fire.²

During the Tyranid attack on Iyandan, the larger vessels would disperse the Tyranids in space and anything that made it to the craftworld was easy pickings for the Shadowhunters. Eventually however the sheer number of Tyranids overwhelming the Shadowhunters and they were forced to join the larger vessels in deeper space fighting counter-actions.²

Sources

• ¹:Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook
• ²:Doom of the Eldar at Specialist Games (accessed 2008/03/04)

The Eldar Fleet
Class	Designs
Battleships	Void Stalker
Cruisers	Dragonship • Eclipse • Shadow • Wraithship
Light Cruisers	Aurora • Solaris
Escorts	Aconite • Hellebore • Hemlock • Nightshade • Shadowhunter
Other	Darkstar Fighter • Eagle Bomber • Ghostship • Transport Ship
Space Stations	Blackstone Fortress • Haven Spire