So I realize eldar have swooping hawks to match with the jump infantry of every other faction, but I was just thinking it would add some nice flavor and use warp spiders instead. How does teleporting work in a third person game? Awkwardly, that's how! A short ranged teleport in the direction you're pressing the movement keys would work well. Holding the key gives you a few seconds of "free movement to select your position in basically no clip mode. Would it work? Of course not, mechanically swooping hawks are easier and would work better in every situation. But warp spiders are cool...

There is already a thread for this: http://forum.eternalcrusade.com/threads/why-hawks-instead-of-spiders.51448/

Warp Spiders will likely appear later on as an elite unit just like outcast rangers.

Swooping Hawks are a intresting hybrid of a Shock Unit and a Skirmisher. Performing a similar roll to air assaults/raptors but with a twist. While air assaults / raptors use powerful slams to disrupt enemy lines. Swooping Hawks use grenade bombing runs. However unlike air assaults/ raptors they are not a true assault unit as they do not follow up their shock attacks in melee. Instead they start herassing the enemy with lasblaster fire only to quickly retreat once the enemy turns to fire on them.This produces an opening for the rest of the attacking force to move in. As a result Swooping Hawks are by far the most distinct. They are even unique among aspect warriors as being perhaps the most adaptable in terms of function. While Dark Reapers shred infantry at range, Howling Banshees cut them into ribbons in melee and Fire Dragons kill any vehicle they so much as look at. Hawks on the other hand are effective at blasting apart mobs of light infantry, forcing an enemy to move from it's position and are great at anti vehicle thanks to haywire grenades (They can even fly up to and take out fliers with them). This also distinguishes them from tacticals as they are not good for holding and taking points on their own, instead they blast apart the enemies defensive line for the other more specialized aspects to then perform their bloody work.

Warp Spiders are indeed cool however their teleportation coupled with their marine shredding weapons would simply make them too good in the right hands. Which is why they will most likely be an elite just like the ranger (Which is the only super long range sniper we know of to be part of EC)

Preach it brother I cannot wait for the skies to drop bombs.

I'm already noticing good places to perch and be SUPER annoying! =p

So many places! Particularly on Torias. I may have to make a map of good spots!

Man swooping hawks are going to be sick ! I almost feel bad, well not really

Also @Iyan I notice there is no clan sig, under your name. Do you need a Craftworld to hang out in ?

I suspect the Hawks' loadouts are going to consist of only short and medium-range guns. The snipe-tastic snipey potential of flying to some inaccessible location and picking enemies off from range is too cheesy to believe it could ever be considered.

The swooping hawk lasblaster is one of the few eldar weapons that shares the range of a bolter. However it does significantly less damage and fires 3x faster then a bolter. What this means is that you can not snipe with it. As it takes too many shots to kill the enemy for them not to notice coupled with the obvious nature of lzaers exposing you're position to the more deadly bolters. The standard lasblaster is a great weapon for harassing the enemy forcing them to move.

However the lasblaster has a few relatives which may be exarch exclusives.

Hawks Talon: Same rate of fire but even stronger, in fact 2 points stronger making it even better then a bolt gun damage wise and with triple the rate of fire.

Sunrifle: Same strength as a Lasblaster but better AP, but that's not why you take it. You take it for the blind it inflicts. Whats more annoying then a hyper mobile unit that grenades you? One which can also blind you. This is a definite for Exarch only.