Wave Serpent

Eldar Portal

Wave Serpent^[7]

The Wave Serpent is the Craftworld Eldar's main troop transport. Based upon the Falcon grav-tank chassis, it uses powerful anti-gravitic engines to deliver its cargo of Guardians and Aspect Warriors to any part of the battlefield. Its ability to travel all but the smallest Webway routes, and the tremendous speed with which it can operate, puts the Wave Serpent as possibly the best troop transport in the galaxy.^[1][2][3][4]

Technical Information

The Wave Serpent can be constructed by several Eldar Craftworlds, even some Exodite worlds have the capability to manufacture and repair the grav-tank.^[9] Chief among the Wave Serpent's many advantages is its ability to project an uniquely powerful energy field just in front of its bow. Field projector fins studded along the craft's wings create a shimmering wave of energy along the prow of the Wave Serpent to absorb and dissapate enemy shots.^[3][5a] This energy field is strong enough to deflect shrapnel from artillery blasts^[2] and renders small arms fire ineffectual, including Space Marine Bolters.^[6] Even a lascannon shot to the side-hull is only able to do scorch damage.^[9] However when flying in tight formation multiple Wave Serpents can combine their fields together to not only create a reinforced barrier but turn it into a potent offensive weapon. At close range the shimmering energy field can be released in a tsunami-like wave which, while rarely lethal, can disorient and sometimes paralysis living creatures and overload delicate circuitry.^[5a]

An Ulthwé Wave Serpent armed with twin Missile Launchers.

Weapons carried by the Wave Serpent are more than capable of providing supporting fire for its deploying passengers. A small remotely-operated turret can mount twin-linked Bright Lances, Eldar Missile Launchers, Scatter Lasers, Shuriken Cannons or Starcannons. Chin-mounted twin-linked Shuriken Catapults provide additional anti-infantry firepower, although these too can be replaced with a single Shuriken Cannon. Control of these weapons and of the craft itself is handled by a single pilot.^[3][5a] As with all Eldar vehicles the Wave Serpent is constructed of Wraithbone and other psycho-plastics formed by Bonesingers. Specially attuned to the Eldar's natural psychic talents, the use of the material makes it impossible for other races to copy or operate the vehicle.^[5b]

Within the rear of the Wave Serpent is its transport compartment, which is large enough to accommodate twelve fully-equipped Aspect Warriors and Guardians or up to five Wraithguard along with two accompanying Eldar. In addition some Wave Serpents are upgraded to include Star Engines, Spirit Stones and Vectored Engines.^[3][5a]

A Saim-Hann Wave Serpent armed with twin Bright Lances

Technical Information
Length	9.85m[9]
Height	3.61m[9]
Hull Width	7.1m[9]
Weight	23.5 tonnes[9]
Armour	35-60mm[9]
Speed at low altitude	180kph[9]
Speed at high altitude	850kph[9]
Crew	2, Pilot, Gunner[9]
Passengers	10 Eldar or 5 Wraithguard and a Warlock[9]
Armament	Twin-linked shuriken cannons & twin-linked shuriken catapults, various alternate configurations[9]
Main Ammunition	5000 shots shrunken cannon salvos[9]

Images

• 

  Wave Serpent^[8a]

• 

  Wave Serpent diagram^[8b]

• 

  3rd Edition Epic Scale Wave Serpent

• 

  Forge World Wave Serpent, (Warhammer 40,000-scale)^[10]

• 

  1st Edition Epic Scale Wave Serpent

Related Articles

• Eldar Vehicles

Sources

• 1: Codex: Eldar (3rd Edition), Pg. 12
• 2: Imperial Armour II, Pg. 10
• 3: Codex: Eldar (4th Edition), Pg. 45
• 4: Epic Swordwind, Pg. 21
• 5: Imperial Armour Volume Eleven - The Doom of Mymeara
  • 5a: Pg. 177
  • 5b: Pg. 179
• 6: Know Thine Enemy (Short Story) by Gav Thorpe — Let The Galaxy Burn (Anthology), Pg. 298
• 7: Codex: Craftworlds (7th Edition) Grav-Tanks
• 8: Chapter Approved 2001
  • 8a: Pg. 41
  • 8b: Pg. 75
• 9: White Dwarf 253 (UK), pg. 53 — Chapter Approved: Transport Vehicle Rules
• 10: The Lost and the Banned (saved archive page, dated August 2007, last accessed 20 March 2025)