homepage archive
An archive of previous site updates from the homepage.Battlefleet Gothic Transports completed - 22/06/21
As planned, I recently finished painting the last four of my five Battlefleet Gothic Transports. This takes the total number of painted ships in the fleet up to nine.
First Dark Reaper model painted - 14/06/21
My Battlefleet Gothic Transports aren't quite finished, but I have painted my first Dark Reaper. The colour scheme has turned out nicely; it's my first attempt at a (nearly) monochrome palette, with only a few blue and silver details (and the earth colours of the base) to add colour.
Vaul's Wrath Support Weapon platform & crew completed - 31/05/21
As I had planned at the outset of the year, I have now finished painting my Vaul's Wrath support weapon platform. I first started painting it in February 2014, so it's been a long time coming. I'm also relieved that I only have one in my collection. I had to paint it in four sub-assemblies; for such a small thing, it is very detailed and fiddly. I definitely don't feel the need to paint another one!
Continuing my plans for 2021, I will now move on to completing the paintjobs on my remaining four Battlefleet Gothic Transports. These are fairly well progressed already so I'm hopeful that I'll have them done in the next week or two.
Howling Banshee shrine scenery element completed - 25/05/21
I recently finished painting a scenery element; a small shrine to the goddess Morai-Heg.
New Battlefleet Gothic ships added - 12/05/21
With a few recent additions to my collection, I now have at least one of each of the released Battlefleet Gothic ship designs for the Corsair and Craftworld fleets. At this point I don't envisage adding any further duplicates, but I may look at converting or even scratchbuilding some new designs.
The new models are a (rare, genuine) Forge World Haven Spire, four Shadow Hunters, three Hemlock Destroyers and three Hellebore Frigates. I had previously purchased some metal recasts of the rare Aurora and Solaris light cruisers, but the quality was so poor that I ditched them in favour of keeping a hopeful watch on eBay. Fortunately my patience was rewarded and I was able to secure one of each in resin; the casts are substantially superior (though not without their defects; par for the course with resin) and I'm fairly confident that these are genuine. They're certainly good enough to work with, so I'm happy to carry on with these versions now.
I haven't had very much time to paint recently, but I'm hoping to change that soon and get some more models finished.
Objectives for 2021 - 27/02/21
Having achieved a major hobby milestone last year by finally completing the Pegasus, I am setting myself some new objectives for 2021.
Firstly, I am starting a Harlequin "renovation" project. A number of my Harlequin models were spoiled by a bad application of spray undercoat, leaving them with a grainy texture that will not look good when painted. These models will be carefully scrubbed and lightly sanded to remove as much of this as possible (stripping and re-undercoating isn't really an option, since so many of them have Green Stuff sculpting that would likely be damaged in the process). I am also going to re-base all of the Harlequin character models (Solitaire, Troupe Masters, Death Jesters and Shadowseers) on 40mm bases to match the rest of my Craftworld models. I have purchased some 3D-printed 25mm-to-40mm base extenders for this task. As part of this project, I am also going to paint my first Harlequin (and yes, I do intend to attempt the notoriously fiddly diamond pattern). If that turns out well, then I hope to do a few more over the course of the year. I am planning to paint them as the Masque of the Midnight Sorrow as theirs is my favourite Harlequin colour scheme.
I am also in the process of painting my Vaul's Wrath support weapon and crew. I started painting this model years ago but didn't get far with it. Now I am determined to finish it.
I'm making slow progress on the Revenant Titan, but I am a long way off being able to actually assemble it. I've added a project page for my Phoenix bomber, which I purchased back in March last year. I don't expect to have the Revenant assembled this year, but I think I should be able to get the Phoenix done.
I have managed to secure the extremely rare Haven Spire space station for my Battlefleet Gothic fleet, which I am really excited about. Additionally, I plan to finish painting the remaining four of my Transports (having finished the first last year) and start on the remaining BFG models. They are relatively quick to paint, so I'm hopeful that I will be able to get the majority of the fleet painted this year.
Wraithsinger painted, Pegasus featured in White Dwarf - 24/12/20
The Pegasus, my scratchbuilt superheavy grav tank, was featured in the December 2020 issue of White Dwarf (issue 459). It has been a life-long ambition of mine to have my models appear in the magazine, so I was delighted to see it receive a full page.
I also finished painting my Wraithsinger conversion; a deceased Bonesinger whose spirit has been summoned from the infinity circuit to inhabit a Wraith construct. This is some of my best painting work to date and I'm really pleased with how it has turned out, despite being extremely fiddly to paint due to the banners and tabard.
I have also been doing some drawings of some Aspect Warriors; I plan to add an art section to the site in due course with my Eldar-themed artwork.
I hope that 2021 is a better year for all of us, but I'm pleased to have got as many of my models finished as I have done this year - not least the Pegasus! I have four more Battlefleet Gothic Transports that are nearly finished and I am already thinking about the next 40K model to paint too. Have a great Christmas everyone (as much as is possible right now at any rate) and I'll continue to update the site through 2021 with my progress.
Shadow cruiser and transport painted - 29/09/20
I recently finished painting another couple of Battlefleet Gothic models; this time my Shadow cruiser and the first of my five transports. I have abandoned attempts to salvage a pair of (poorly) recast Aurora and Solaris cruisers and I am now looking for genuine versions to replace them. I am also working on painting the remaining four transports and my Wraithsinger, so I hope to have more updates on the site soon.
2nd and 3rd Nightshade Destroyers finished - 25/05/20
Continuing my Battlefleet Gothic drive, I've now painted all three of my Nightshade Destroyers. I've also added new project pages for several other work-in-progress vessels; the Dragonship, Wraithship and Phoenix ship.
Nightshade Destroyer painted - 30/04/20
I've painted my first Battlefleet Gothic model - one of my Nightshade Destroyers. This didn't take too long to paint (relatively speaking), so I'm hopeful that I can paint more of the BFG models in the coming weeks.
Warlock Skyrunner painted - 23/04/20
I'm continuing to paint regularly and the latest model to go under the brush is the first of my three Warlock Skyrunners. This model has also served as a test of my planned jetbike colour scheme, which I'll use on my other jetbike-riding models in the future.
Early photos of my work on the Eldar Transports for my growing Battlefleet Gothic fleet are up on the site now and I've just taken delivery of several more rare models that will be added in due course.
Plastic Howling Banshees added, Warlock painted - 09/04/20
I'm working on my collection regularly at the moment and making good progress on a number of projects. The release of the new, plastic Howling Banshees followed the example of the re-release of the Harlequins - the same classic, timeless designs but updated with more dynamic poses. That means that the new models fit in very nicely with the older ones amd I've added four more Howling Banshees and a third Exarch. Having previously decided on their colour scheme and completed a test miniature, I am keen to paint the rest now and have already undercoated the new additions.
I recently finished painting my very first Warlock in my Craftworld Miruaun colours and he's turned out very nicely; the non-metallic-metal effect on his red witchblade especially.
Some more Battlefleet Gothic vessels will be added to the site soon, as I've managed to secure some of the rare Eldar Transport models from Forge World that are (sadly) long out-of-production. Some early work-in-progress photos of my work on the Void Stalker have been added and I've undercoated my custom Nimbus cruiser.
Fire Prism/Night Spinner turret completed - 26/03/20
I recently finished painting one of my two converted Fire Prism/Night Spinner turrets. I'm regularly picking up my paintbrushes at the moment, so I hope that I'll have more painted models added to the site over the coming weeks.
I've also purchased a Forge World Phoenix bomber, which I'll magnetise and do some minor conversion work on.
Revenant Titan project log added - 11/03/20
I picked up a Revenant Titan with Sonic Lances last year and I have been slowly working through the preparation of the multitude of components. Being a resin kit, it has a lot of mould imperfections that need fixing. I am doing some subtle conversion work on it as well, to make the design a little bit more modern in places. It's a lovely kit - I have no idea where I am going to store or display it when it is finished, but I'm enjoying working on it.
My small Battlefleet Gothic fleet has been bolstered by the addition of a new class of cruiser, the Nimbus, which I converted using a Shadow cruiser. I'm also working on a Void Stalker but don't have photos of that to share just yet.
Lastly, I've ordered a set of the new plastic Howling Banshess, to supplement my existing metal ones. I don't know when I'll assemble them, but I'll add photos when I do.
The Pegasus, completed! - 27/02/20
I'd hoped to finish it in 2019, so it's a little later than planned, but here it is - the Pegasus, in all her completed glory. The project was finally completed late on 21st February 2020, meaning that from start to finish it took 9 years, 1 month and 12 days. There were times when I didn't think I would ever get it finished and long stretches when it didn't progress at all. In that time my wife and I have had two children and moved house three times! I am delighted to be able to present it now as a finished piece and I'm already excitedly contemplating which models to paint next.
Thank you to everyone that has shown an interest in the project over the years and has offered their words of encouragement and support. It is humbling to know that there are other Eldar collectors that have been inspired by it and I hope that this site continues to provide ideas and inspiration.
Progress update - 06/01/20
Updates on the site were a little sparse in the latter half of last year, owing to real-life demands on my time (studying for professional exams, among other things. However, I have continued to work on painting the scenic base for the Pegasus - although I perhaps predictably missed my goal of finishing it in 2019, there isn't very much left to do now, so it will be finished soon.... Honest!
I've picked up a Void Stalker for my small Battlefleet Gothic collection and I've started converting a new "Corona" class cruiser as well (photos to be added in due course). I'm not sure yet if I will add the new plastic Jain Zar to my collection, as I'm still pretty happy with my conversion of the classic model. I'll probably add some of the plastic Howling Banshees as the designs are nearly-identical to the models they replaced (which is a huge plus, in my book).
I hope that you continue to enjoy visting the site in 2020 and that your own Eldar collections continue to grow and develop.
Howling Banshee painted - 12/09/19
The scenic base for the Pegasus is now fully assembled, undercoated and ready to be painted. This is the last part of the project to be completed before I can unveil the model in its entirety; I am determined to have this finished in 2019!
I've decided on a colour scheme for my War Walkers (and may decide to paint all three of these after the Pegasus is done) and also painted my first Howling Banshee; I'm looking forward to adding a squad of the new plastic ones that were announced recently. Ellaria Starfarer (my conversion of Amallyn Shadowguide) has now been undercoated, as have my final two Falcons.
Interview with Wargamer Online - 30/05/19
A little while back, I was invited to do an interview with Wargamer Online, primarily around the development and construction of the Pegasus. That video is now online and can be viewed here. I hope that you find my ramblings interesting! I am hoping to do a follow-up once the Pegasus is completed. I still can't quite believe it, but I recently finished painting the model itself, however I want to finish the scenic base before I consider the whole project complete, so I'm aiming to progress that next.
New Miruaun transfers - 30/04/19
I recently took delivery of a sheet of custom transfers that I'd designed, which were printed by Railtec transfers. These have enabled me to update several of my painted models with runes for my new craftworld and I'm delighted with the results. The sheet is shown below - there are black and white versions of all six variants of Miruaun's rune.
You can see the transfers in situ in some new photos of my painted Hemlock Wraithfighter, Hornet and Falcon. The designs were created as vector artwork using Adobe Illustrator. In addition to the Miruaun rune designs, I also had some runes printed for the Pegasus and I've applied one of them to the upper hull already.
After several iterations, I've finally settled on a colour scheme for my Howling Banshees that should tie in well with my craftworld colour scheme whilst retaining traditional colours associated with the Aspect.
Pegasus update, new model purchase - 09/03/19
I've been considering purchasing a titan for a while now. I'd originally thought about a Phantom, but decided that ultimately it is just too large for me to store or display at home, and it might overshadow the Pegasus as the centrepiece of my collection. I instead opted for a Revenant Titan; a kit that I've admired for a long time. It is a little bit lacking in detail compared to the newer Phantom, so I will be adding some additional panel lines and a tabard to personalise it. There's no project page for it yet, as I've not started work on it in earnest. I am very happy with the purchase and expect that this will keep my occupied for many months once the Pegasus is completed; something that is looking increasingly likely with each passing week. The painting is really coming along now and the scenic base is taking shape.
Runes & symbols guide updated - 01/03/19
I have added some new symbols to the runes & symbols guide. The new additions are from the unique transfer sheet that shipped with Stormcloud Attack: The Eldritch & The Beast.
Progress on the painting of the Pegasus continues apace. The pilot and cockpit are finished and the upper hull is nearly done too. The underside still needs a lot of work though.
Introducing Craftworld Miruaun - 20/02/19
For some time now I've been contemplating moving away from identifying my Eldar as Craftworld Mymeara. I considered switching to Iybraesil, since my colour scheme has a lot in common with that Craftworld's, but ultimately I decided to create my own instead - Miruaun. I'm happy with this decision as my colour scheme is quite a departure from the standard Mymeara scheme of blue/green with predominantly black helmets. The background for Mymeara is also a bit of a muddle to me; it's not clear how the Craftworld could believe it was the sole surviving bastion of the Eldar race for so long, especially having been visited by Irillyth (who was taught by Asurmen), the extensive nature of the webway and the Eternal Matrix that connects all Craftworld infinity circuits. This belief is a defining aspect of their character in the background material that has been written so far, so I prefer instead to write my own background for an entirely new Craftworld, and have done so - you can read some more about Craftworld Miruaun and see the variants of its rune here.
To this end, I've updated a few projects that featured the Mymeara rune, requiring some minor re-sculpting on the banner of this Autarch and the tabard on the Wraithknight. I am working on designing a sheet of custom transfers in Adobe Illustrator, which I'll use to further customise my vehicles. My conversion of Mymearan Farseer Bel-Annath is now a Miruanian Farseer with a similarly militaristic background. I'll be choosing names for many of my models to further personalise my collection.
I'm continuing to paint the Pegasus and another major milestone has been reached; the interior is fully painted and the upper hull permanently glued in place. Work on the outside of the model is progressing well and the scenic base is coming together. I am getting increasingly confident that I will be able to completely finish the project in 2019.
"Wake the Dead" Spiritseer & new Ranger added, Pegasus updated - 27/01/19
I've assembled and undercoated my second Spiritseer, which is currently exclusive to the "Wake the Dead" boxed game (I got mine separately via eBay). I've also undercoated my two Gyrinxes, recent Warlock conversion and some parts of the Skathach Wraithknight, which is now nearly finished after I made some progress on the breastplate.
There are a number of odd design choices with the new Amallyn Shadowguide model (a female Ranger, currently exclusive to the "Blackstone Fortress" Warhammer Quest boxed game). I spent some time correcting them and I'm much happier with her now. I've named my version of this model Ellaria Starfarer; she will be painted in my Craftworld colours.
Some significant progress has been made on the scenic base for the Pegasus. The base has been through about 3 or 4 different iterations over the years, but I'm finally happy with the size and design. I'd originally planned to make two bases - one for it in flight and the other with it hovering near the ground. I've instead elected to have a single base, with the Pegasus swooping down to land. Painting of the model stalled a bit over the past couple of months, but I've picked up my brushes again and I hope to get the model completely finished this year. I started the project back on 9th January 2011, so it recently turned 8 years old.
Gyrinx conversion completed - 04/11/18
The second of my three Gyrinxes has been completed. This one has been quite extensively converted and is now lying down. It required a lot of fiddly assembly work and some sculpting, but I'm very happy with the end result.
New Warlock conversion added - 16/10/18
The Pegasus is still being painted (and will be for some time yet). I've also been working on a new Warlock conversion, using plastic components from a couple of different kits and assembled the first of three Gyrinxes (the other two will be converted so that they are in new poses). I've purchased the new Spiritseer from the "Wake the Dead" boxed set, which I'll build soon.
Bonesinger conversion painted - 27/09/18
Painting the Pegasus was always going to take a while and I recently found myself itching to paint something else instead - my female Bonesinger conversion. It's now finished and it's definitely one of the most challenging models I've painted to date. I'm pleased with the result, though the finish isn't quite perfect in some areas due to some issues with the application of the Corax White spray undercoat. I don't have many models left to assemble and undercoat at this point, but nevertheless I have fortunately been able to secure a couple of cans of the sadly discontinued (and vastly superior) Skull White spray. Corax White is just the worst (and it's not white, either).
Various updates - 16/09/18
Whilst I continue to (slowly) paint the Pegasus, I am also working on a few other small projects. I finally completed some minor sculpting work on my third Fire Dragon Exarch, several years after I first assembled it. It's also been undercoated. I've also picked up my Orc Boss model, which has received some attention. It is intended to be a display piece with a lavish paintjob and display plinth. I am considering it a test of my skills and a means to improve my painting techniques.
The Skathach Wraithknight inches towards completion. I only need to put the finishing touches on the removable breastplate; unfortunately this is proving to be quite challenging and more than a little frustrating, so I'm putting it to one side for a while. I have managed to undercoat some of the completed components though, as well as my second Bonesinger model.
Pegasus painting update - 19/08/18
The painting of the Pegasus continues - I have completed some more components and have started work on the interior. Once the interior is complete (which I suspect might take a while), I can glue the roof in place and blend it into the upper hull. After that, I can move onto painting the exterior.
I have also finally managed to purchase a set of large, customised MDF bases for my larger models, including the Pegasus. These bases will make larger models like the Scorpion and Panther look more imposing and provide a larger area for adding detailed scenery.
Fire Dragon paint scheme updated - 06/08/18
I finished painting my first Fire Dragon back in 2014, but I was never totally satisfied with the result. After some head-scratching, I identified some issues with the paint scheme that I'd used and decided to revisit the model and try to improve it. I am now much happier with the result and the quality of the paintjob matches my other models. I have added a download of the paint scheme to the project page as well and I look forward to applying it to the other models in the squad at some point.
New Bonesinger conversion added - 12/07/18
I've added a second Bonesinger to my collection, which has been converted from a rare Farseer model. In other news, my Harlequins are now all undercoated and ready for painting and I've made some progress on painting some parts of the Pegasus. I'm also changing how I base my larger models - the Lynx, Panther, Scorpion and Pegasus will all have substantially larger bases than the standard ones that are available from Games Workshop. These will be produced in MDF and will make the models more imposing, as well as providing a larger area to add scenery and detail.
First Wraithblade painted - 11/05/18
I've continued to work on painting my models and I've now finished painting my first Wraithblade, armed with ghostswords. This is the first Wraith construct that I've painted in my craftworld colour scheme and this will inform the colour schemes for the other Wraith models in my collection. I also tried a NMM (non-metallic metal) painting technique for the swords, which has turned out better than I'd expected. This will also be used elsewhere on witchblades, ghostglaives and the like.
Work on the Skathach Wraithknight continues; it is nearly complete now.
There is also a small update to the runes & symbols guide, with a few new runes added.
Shadow Spectre Exarch painted - 24/04/18
I recently finished painting my Shadow Spectre Exarch, armed with a Prism Blaster. I have also added the colur scheme as a PDF download, available via a link on the same page. I have four standard Shadow Spectres left to paint now, but I'm taking a break from painting the remainder of the squad in order to focus on some other models.
Something a little different - 11/02/18
I've been taking a break from my Eldar recently and have instead been working on a lightsaber replica. I bought the main hilt for it over 15 years ago and it's been languishing on a shelf or in a box for most of that time. I've now completed it and thought I'd add it to the site in case anyone found it particularly interesting. It was a nice change from my usual work, but I'll be back with an update on my Skathach Wraithknight again soon.
Irillyth painted & Harlequin update - 11/01/18
I've finally finished assembling and undercoating all of my Harlequin models! I have re-arranged the project pages as well to better reflect the unit compositions. In total, I have one Solitaire, three Troupe Masters, three Shadowseers, three Death Jesters and three full troupes of twelve players, each armed with a variety of weapons. These are the Troupes of Light, Dark and Twilight. I'm toying with various colour scheme ideas, how best to distinguish the troupes and what Masque these Harlequins will belong to. I may decide to add some vehicles in future, but I'm in no hurry to do so as of yet.
In 2017 I only purchased a few models (but quite a lot of bits for my Harlequins, among other things). One of these was a Skathach Wraighknight with Deathshroud Cannons. Rather than building an entire Wraithknight from scratch again, I've opted to make the upper body of my existing Wraithknight removable. I am currently assembling the torso of the Skathach, along with magnetised arms with the Deathshroud Cannons. At some later date I may decide to add Inferno Cannons as well to cover all of the wargear options.
After a long break from painting, I picked up my brushes again and completed my second Shadow Spectre in November 2017. I was pleased that I was able to recreate the pale grey of the armour on the first model and I've mixed up enough to (hopefully) finish the rest of the squad now. The other models have been progressed but aren't yet finished, with the exception of Irillyth; my first fully painted Phoenix Lord, whom I finished painting in early January 2018.
A review of Fracture of Biel-Tan - 23/05/17
Having had a few weeks to read and digest the universe-altering events of Fracture of Biel-Tan, I felt compelled to write a review (contains spoilers).
Updates to a few projects - 13/05/17
With spring finally here, I was able to get a few things undercoated recently, which was very satisfying. The Panther, my three Wave Serpents, Fuegan, Jain Zar and Eldrad Ulthran are now ready to be painted. There are some minor updates to the Wraithknight and Lynx and I've updated my guide to magnetising Eldar vehicles too. I have also purchased some empty paint pots so that I can pre-mix the shades that I need to complete my Shadow Spectres, which will hopefully speed things up and keep the colours consistent across the squad (once I've matched them with the test model that I've already completed).
New website design - 16/02/17
I've updated the design of the website; hopefully it looks a bit more modern now and is easier to read. If you notice any problems, please e-mail me. I've just received my copy of Fracture of Biel-Tan; I still don't intend on getting any of the models (unless I can pick up a Gyrinx or two), but I am interested to read the background that has been written for this significant change in the Eldar narrative. I hope that you enjoy the new site design - more content will be forthcoming; I am working on a few bits and pieces at the moment and I hope to do some painting this year, having failed to paint anything at all in 2016!
The (End) Times, they are a changin' - 25/01/17
A lot of noteworthy things are changing at GW these days. In recent months they have finally started to embrace the digital age and started reconnecting with customers. They're teasing upcoming products, producing excellent painting tutorial videos, asking players for feedback on FAQs, releasing boxed sets with genuine (often substantial) discounts on the contents, and they have built a new community site too. It is a very, very welcome change in attitude and direction. They are also producing miniatures and content at a phenomenal rate and releasing oft-requested fan-favourites like Genestealer Cults, Deathwatch, Legio Custodes and Sisters of Silence. And what do you know; they're reaping the financial benefits that come with these things. It's heartening to see and I am very impressed with just how much work they've put into this, after years of stubbornly doubling-down and ignoring growing dissatisfaction from their fanbase.
Eldar players are now digesting the reveal of a trio of new miniatures, which look set to herald the arrival of Ynnead in some form or another and some kind of unified Eldar aesthetic. We're also getting a new name - "Aeldari", though the original "Eldar" name is still going to exist as well.
Personally, I view these narrative, aesthetic (and let's be honest, legal) changes with a bit of trepidation. I am a traditionalist (sorry, whiner, according to Robbie MacNiven) and maybe I'm just resistant to change. I can understand GW's desire to progress the background of WH40K in order to tell new stories and sell new models. I am more concerned that in a short space of time (both in the real world, and in the 40K universe) we are going to see a huge amount of stuff happen, without lingering on any of it long enough for its impact to sink in. The rise of Ynnead has been hinted at and teased for years in the Eldar background, but now Eldrad's jumped the gun, messed up and splintered the nascent god into fragments that GW can sell and players can put on their tabletops. Are we getting too much, too quickly? Major, universe-shaping events are being piled on, thick and fast. In some cases, the narrative makes no sense - Eldrad stole Crystal Seers, attempted to drain every single Craftworld infinity circuit and failed to foresee a Deathwatch incursion that ultimately ruined his (totally barmy) plan - but all of this was just described in the fluff surrounding a set of campaign missions for the Death Masque boxed game. I'm presuming it will have no effect in the game or the rules, besides acting as the narrative driving force for the arrival of Ynnead - even though this could have had massive repercussions for every Craftworld across the galaxy and should have major repercussions for Eldrad, whose actions are plainly insane. Maybe The Fracture of Biel-Tan will prove me wrong on this, but that remains to be seen.
The new models are beautifully designed and are a substantial technical achievement. The Yncarne (the Avatar of Ynnead) wouldn't be possible without advanced CAD and it is an incredibly detailed model. Except, I don't like it. The majority of collectors will never be able to do the model justice; it will live and die on its painting, requiring blending and colour transitions that most of us will never manage. Compared to even the dated Avatar of Khaine, it's a small model for the physical incarnation of a god and if you take away the swirling soul effects, the design seems a bit lacking. The Visarch is a decent model, but primarily based on Dark Eldar designs (specifically an Incubi) with only token nods to Craftworld symbolism. Yvraine also appears to be primarily Dark Eldar in influence; the headdress is absurd and the enormous bustle is a bizarre choice. I do really like the Gyrinx though. In short, whilst all three models are very distinctive, I have no love for them. After waiting years for new plastic jetbikes and Wraithguard to finally arrive, it seems we have to continue to wait to see replacements for the (many) dated sculpts lingering in the Eldar range. Obviously Eldrad's redesign was a notable (very welcome) exception, so maybe these other models (The Phoenix Lords, the Avatar, Warlocks, Warp Spiders, Shining Spears and Swooping Hawks) are just waiting in the wings. Games Workshop's commitment to plastic (and the associated expense of producing the moulds) does make me worried that some of these models will never see the light of day and could even be written out of the background to save the expense of having to produce replacements. If these End Times events include a treatment of the Rhana Dandra, the Phoenix Lords would all die, for instance.
The concept of shaking up the existing narrative, unifying races and coining/copyrighting/trademarking new names for existing races all seems very familiar. This might not necessarily be heralding an "Age of Sigmar"-esque shake-up/reinvention of WH40K, but it's easy to draw the parallels. The success of the Horus Heresy (i.e. WH30K) range and the huge gaps in the existing timeline shows that there is ample opportunity to tell new stories in the WH40K universe without having to tear things up and rush towards an endgame all of a sudden. I don't know what the future holds, but for now I'll be concentrating on my beloved Craftworld Eldar, circa 999.M41.
After all that rambling, there's also an update to the runes & symbols guide.
Introducing the Eldar Panther - 19/01/17
I'd hope to have this model undercoated before I added it to the site, but with cold, damp weather now prevalent this seems unlikely to happen for some time. So without further ado, I present the Eldar Panther; a kitbash of a Lynx and a Falcon. It doesn't have any rules at the moment as it's more of a modelling project than anything. For such a deceptively simple conversion, it took a lot of work, though it was actually completed several months ago. I hope that you like it - I'm happy with how it's turned out and I hope to have it (and a whole load more models) undercoated once the weather improves in the spring. I've yet to decide on a design for its rune.
I've also assembled the new, plastic Eldrad Ulthran, which is a fantastic model. I've been working on my Harlequins too; the Solitaire has been assembled with some minor conversion work and more models are in the process of being constructed.
On a personal note, the arrival of our second child has naturally reduced my free time (and is part of the reason I didn't manage to paint a single model in 2016), so site updates will be less frequent for the time being. I will continue to work on my collection when I get the chance and I have a large update planned for the runes & symbols guide as well.
New Wraithknight photos - 07/09/16
Just a minor update today; I've added some photos of my Wraithknight with the various available weapon options, now that it has been undercoated. I'm hoping to get some more models undercoated before autumn properly arrives, including the kitbash project that I alluded to previously. I've also assembled the new Eldrad miniature and a Harlequin Solitaire; I'll add pictures of both in due course.
Fuegan and lots of undercoating - 17/08/16
I've decided to abandon my conversion of Eldrad Ulthran, now that a new plastic kit has arrived (which is very exciting!). I've also finished my conversion of Fuegan. I'd attempted a conversion before but ultimately wasn't happy with it so started again from scratch. Also, with some excellent weather a few weeks ago I was finally able to undercoat a large number of models. Some of these had been waiting several months, so I'm really pleased to have these ready to paint now.
These are some of the models that I've undercoated - I've uploaded new pictures for them as well:
- Prince Yriel
- 6x Windrider Jetbikes
- 3x Warlock Skyrunners
- Farseer Skyrunner
- Fire Prism turret
- Night Spinner turret
- Farseer Falcon turret
- Autarch 5
- Wraithsinger base
Large site update - 27/05/16
After several months of occasional attention, I have finally finished assembling my three Wave Serpents. These required a lot of gap-filling, especially around the resin components. I'm very pleased to have these done at last!
I've made progress on a number of other things as well. I decided to complete the turret from my abandoned Eagle as a standalone turret for a Farseer Falcon; this is now ready to be painted. Another abandoned project for an alternative design of Night Spinner turret has also been completed and I now intend to paint this at some point as well. Before the updated, combined plastic Fire Prism/Night Spinner turret was released a few years back, I had planned to make some Fire Prisms turrets using the Type II Falcon upgrade kits from Forge World. I still really like the classic Fire Prism turret design, so I decided to make one of these for a further bit of variety in my collection.
I've added photos of a selection of my 30 Guardian Defenders, which are waiting to be undercoated. I've also added a new Autarch and Prince Yriel to my collection. The flying base for the Pegasus is nearly complete and the scenic base for my Wraithsinger is ready for undercoating.
Lastly, I'm currently working on a kitbash project that I'd been mulling for a few years; this will probably serve as the last major modelling project for the collection (until I think of something else, of course....). It will be added to the site in the fullness of time - watch this space.
Brief update - 23/02/16
I have been steadily working on assembling three Wave Serpents, having acquired the (now extremely rare) Forge World Type II conversion kits necessary to assemble them to my liking. Unfortunately, progressing work on my Eldar collection has had to take a necessary backseat recently due to work and family commitments. This is likely to mean that there won't be many updates on the site over the next few months, though I will be able to respond to comments and e-mails. I'm still very keen to get the Pegasus painted in 2016 and to assemble the last remaining models awaiting my attention, but this will have to wait for the time being.
I'm now entering the "final" stages of assembling and undercoating my collection. I have 30 Guardians (not yet added to the site), 10 Jetbikes and a Phoenix Lord (Jain Zar) that are awaiting undercoating. In terms of remaining models needing assembly, I have some Harlequins, an Autarch, a Crimson Hunter (this will be magnetised so it can be fielded as an Exarch as well), Prince Yriel, Eldrad Ulthran and a conversion of Fuegan to complete. That's then basically my entire collection ready for painting (in theory). Sounds simple enough! I'm sure I'll continue to add the occasional new model, but it will be nice to have finally reached a stage where I've cleared my backlog of partially-assembled kits and can focus more on painting. I also have some vague ideas about sculpting some unique models from scratch, but that's a bit of a pipedream right now!
First Shadow Spectre painted - 02/11/15
After much experimentation and several late evenings, I'm delighted to announce that I've finished painting my first Shadow Spectre. The colour scheme has turned out better than I'd expected and I'm delighted with the results. The rest of the squad, their Exarch and their Phoenix Lord are paritually painted and I hope to finish them before the end of the year.
First Falcon painted, Jetbikes assembled - 16/10/15
The first of my three Falcons has now been painted. This has also enabled me to update the Warp Hunter page, since the different weapon options based on the Falcon chassis are magnetised and interchangeable.
Furthermore, after several weeks of steady progress, I have finished assembling all of my jetbikes; six Windrider Jetbikes, three Warlock Skyrunners and a converted Farseer Skyrunner. I've been waiting for these new jetbike models for years, ever since I saw the prototype model at Games Day 2007 and they are fantastic models.
I'm now painting my Shadow Spectres, along with their Exarch and Phoenix Lord. I'm very excited about the colour scheme that I've picked for them and they're progressing nicely. I should have photos of the completed miniatures up on the site within the next few weeks.
Hemlock Wraithfighter completed - 26/08/15
I've finished painting the detailed scenic base for the Hemlock Wraithfighter, which means that the whole project is now totally finished. I've also assembled and undercoated my fourth and final squad of Wraithguard/Wraithblades - these are armed with D-scythes.
Pegasus and other miniatures undercoated - 29/07/15
The fantastic weather has meant that I have recently been able to undercoat a number of my assembled projects. First and foremost, the Pegasus is now undercoated and I'm extremely pleased with the result, with very few imperfections or transitions between different components visible. I've also undercoated the Lynx (and its scenic base), the base for the Falcon (which in fact has also been painted), my Dark Reapers and their Exarch, my three new Farseers, my Vypers, my Communication array objective marker/scenery and my solitary Vaul's Wrath Support Battery platform, which I've not displayed on the site before. Some scenic bases, magnetised weapons and 11 pilots are ready for painting now too.
Vypers assembled - 07/07/15
My pair of converted Vypers are now assembled and waiting to be undercoated. I've also assembled a further two Farseers, completed the base for the Lynx and one of my Falcons and finally finished my conversion of the Phoenix Lord Jain Zar.
I've nearly, nearly finished painting my first Falcon now and I can't wait to get some photos of that on the site. I'm also working on assembling my last five Wraithguard, so that I have all four weapon loadouts represented in my collection. Thanks to birthday gifts and some additional purchases, I now have all of the remaining models (barring two more Type II Wave Serpents, which are annoyingly no longer available from Forge World) that I want to add to my army, which is quite something: Obviously there are a few units conspicuous by their absence, but I'm electing not to include these for various reasons (not least because I have to stop buying more stuff at some point):
- Storm Guardians - too similar to Guardian Defenders and I'm not a fan of the dated models.
- Warp Spiders - dated sculpts and limited conversion potential; waiting on new models.
- Swooping Hawks - ditto.
- Shining Spears - ditto, although it may be possible to convert these using the new Windrider models.
- Autarch Skyrunner - ditto, though the conversion opportunities are obvious, so I may add one at some point in the future.
- Corsairs - I'm not a big fan of the Corsair jet packs and their rules are sorely in need of an update.
- Wasp Assault Walker - A nice model, but I already have three War Walkers and they're not different enough to warrant inclusion.
- Forge World Avatar - It's good and a much more appropriate scale than the standard Avatar model, but I don't want to convert another one and I'm pleased with the one that I have.
- Nightwing - I'm not a fan of the model from Forge World and my attempt to convert something didn't go as well as I would have liked.
- Phoenix Bomber - It's OK, but I had a Void Dragon Phoenix and just couldn't get to a point where I was happy with the model.
- Cobra - Too similar to the Scorpion to justify the cost.
- Revenant Titan - a fantastic model, but I have nowhere to store one and the Wraightknight is nearly as big anyway.
- Phantom Titan - an incredible model, but I can't justify the absurdly high cost or the space it would take up.
- Vampire Raider/Hunter - I really like this model, but it would be extremely impractical to store.
- Harlequin Skyweavers - The models are OK but I'm much more keen on the Windrider Jetbikes.
- Harlequin Starweaver/Voidweaver - Again, a nice model but I don't plan on adding any as it's very similar to the Vyper.
- Dark Eldar - Although I have Harlequin models, I don't intend to add any Dark Eldar to my collection. Many of the models are excellent, but I'm not as keen on the background for them and prefer my Eldar to be enigmatic and inscrutable rather than outright evil.
Pegasus assembly complete - 12/06/15
I completed assembly of the Pegasus on 11th June 2015; over four years after I first started to work on it. I will now focus on painting it and completing its two scenic bases. As part of the flying base I'm including a removable a statue of Asuryan and his winged steed, which can also be used as a standalone piece of scenery or an objective marker.
Whilst I've mostly been focusing on the Pegasus, I've also progressed a number of other small projects. I've altered one of my Shadowseers, replacing the Harlequin's Kiss arm with one holding a Neuro-disruptor due to the changes to the permitted wargear in the new Harlequin codex; I've finished assembling my Dark Reapers and their Exarch and I've put together a female Farseer using the plastic kit from the previous codex release. I've also progressed the assembly of my pair of converted Vypers and continued to work on painting my first Falcon, which is nearly finished now.
The excellent weather over the Easter weekend allowed me to undercoat a whole load of models that I finished assembling and converting. This includes my Rangers, Alaitoc Pathfinders, Illic Nightspear, the base for the Hemlock Wraithfighter, Striking Scorpions, Striking Scorpion Exarchs and the Wraithsinger.
The new Craftworld Eldar releases look fantastic - I can't wait to add some Windrider Jetbikes to my collection after waiting so long for them to be released! My collection is now approaching its final composition - there are only a handful of unit types left that I want to include and with the vast majority of my stuff assembled and undercoated (and some even painted), things are going nicely.
Pegasus progress and more - 02/04/15
The Pegasus has been receiving some long-overdue attention. I've come up with a colour scheme for it that I'm happy with, I've started painting some of the component pieces and it has some new weapon options too. Ideas are beginning to come together for the interior detail and I've been working on various bits of gap-filling and other finishing touches on the exterior. I've also finalised the rune for it (see above left).
The only model that I've bought this year (so far...) is a Lynx armed with a Sonic Lance. It's a great kit and I've been meaning to add one to the collection for a while now. I've made some progress with it alongside my work on the Pegasus and expect to have it fully assembled soon. I won't be magnetising the main gun as I don't have a Pulsar to swap the Sonic Lance for (though the secondary weapon mount is magnetised).
I've now finished painting my magnetised Warp Hunter cannon; more pictures will follow once I've finished painting one of my Falcon hulls to go with it.
I plan to add some of the new Harlequin models at some point this year, but I'll likely "limit" myself to one of each of the three new character models and a single Starweaver and box of Troupers. The Skyweavers and Voidweaver don't really appeal and I don't want to add too many Troupers when I already have a couple of dozen. Further Starweavers down the line might be a possibility but I already have so much to paint, I don't want to make things unnecessarily harder.... The new Craftworld Eldar models that are in the pipeline are very tempting. I've been holding off buying jetbikes for years; ever since I saw the prototype at Games Day 2007 and talked to Jes about them.
Ranger & Pathfinder squads assembled - 11/03/15
It's taken a while, but my Ranger and Alaitoc Pathfinder squads are now fully assembled, with 10 squad members in each. I've also finished the scenic base for Illic Nightspear, which marks another batch of models ready to be undercoated. The weather is starting to improve now, so hopefully it won't be too long before I can get outside and break out the spray paints.
I've reorganised the Eldar runes & symbols guide, breaking it down into further sub-categories to make it easier to browse. The various new Harlequin runes are now included as well.
Right now I'm working on assembling a Forge World Lynx with Sonic Lance (pictures to follow), whilst on my painting table is one of my Falcons and the magnetised Warp Hunter gun. Once those are complete, I intend to turn my attention back to the centrepiece of my collection, the Pegasus, and finally complete its assembly, ready for some ambitious (and time-consuming) painting. Watch this space!
New Ranger, Pathfinder & War Walker photos - 11/02/15
My War Walkers have had some attention - I've changed the way that the magnetised weapons attach to them, so they now use the same weapons as the Falcons etc. and look a bit more like the Wasp Assault Walkers from Forge World (which are nice models, but I don't have any plans to add them to my collection).
I've added photos of the additional conversions that I've completed so far for my Ranger and Alaitoc Pathfinder squads, which are both nearly at full fighting strength of 10 per squad.
I've been downsizing my collection a bit of late. I've decided to stop working on my alternative Night Spinner turret and the War Walker squadron commander. Neither of these really fit in with the rest of the army now. If anybody would like to purchase them, please e-mail me and I'll consider offers for them.
I am planning a substantial update and overhaul of the Eldar runes & symbols guide once I've got a copy of the Harlequin codex, so watch this space.
Death Jester conversion added - 05/02/15
Well, my New Year's pledge to myself not to buy anything except new miniatures was timely, what with the new Harlequin models coming out of nowhere! The new Harlequins look great - I plan to add a Solitaire, two boxes of Troupers (to round out the ranks of my current Harlequin squads) and a third Death Jester and Shadowseer. Personally I'm delighted that the new models match the existing designs perfectly, as they've aged well and don't need re-inventing for the sake of it. I'll be mixing and matching parts from the plastic kits with leftover metal bits to provide increased variety. I'm a little bit undecided about the Sky Weavers and Star Weavers at the moment; if I do decide to add them, then I'll probably change a few details. However if the Harlequin army list has the option to field Falcons, then I will be sorely tempted to convert one, with lots of Harlequin-related runes and designs modelled onto the hull in Green Stuff....
In anticipation of the new miniatures, I've been working on a Death Jester conversion, which is now virtually complete. I've also added some new photos of the scenic base for Illic Nightspear, which is nearly finished now. The Death Jester conversion has been distracting me from my current project, which is to finish the last members of my Ranger and Alaitoc Pathfinder squads, taking both up to a total of 10. That's proceeding well, with only a few left to finish now.
First Hornet painted, more Striking Scorpions assembled - 22/01/15
I'm delighted to present my first fully-painted Hornet, complete with Pulse Lasers and scenic base. Obviously there are a lot of other weapon options that I've yet to paint as well! This is my first grav tank and I'm hoping to follow this up with one of my three Falcon hulls and my Warp Hunter turret.
I've also finished assembling the remainder of my Striking Scorpion squad and the last two (of four) Striking Scorpion Exarchs, so now I can field a full squad and choose from all of the available Exarch wargear options. The scenic base for my Hemlock Wraithfighter is ready for undercoating as well. I undercoat my miniatures outside, so I'm waiting for better weather before I can get these new additions (and my four Autarchs) sprayed and get my "miniatures assembled & undercoated" count for 2015 off to a flying start!
One of my resolutions for 2015 is to restrict my purchases to new releases. Although I want to add Warp Spiders, Swooping Hawks, Jetbikes and Shining Spears to my collection at some point, I'm waiting for new models to be released. I'd also ideally like two more Type II Wave Serpents and a Lynx from Forge World, but otherwise I'm considering my collection to be virtually complete at this point (a Cobra is too similar to a Scorpion to jusify the cost; the Phantom, Revenant and Vampire are too large for me to store and very expensive). Instead I'm focusing on assembling and painting the models that I already own. Although I did buy a fair few miniatures last year, I also made great progress with my models and the vast majority of my collection is assembled and undercoated now. With a bit of luck, expect to see the following in the coming months:
- Further progress on the Pegasus; specifically the interior and base(s)
- Conversions to fill out the ranks of my Ranger and Alaitoc Pathfinder squads
- Completion of the scenic base for the Wraithsinger
- A magnetised Crimson Hunter
- Assembly of my final 5-man Wraithguard squad, armed with D-scythes
- ... and probably some other projects that catch my attention!
Completed Autarchs & first Striking Scorpion painted - 05/11/14
I've been working on several smaller projects recently and I'm happy to say that I've finished converting and assembling all four of my Autarchs, which have been at various stages of completion for some time now. They probably won't be undercoated until the spring, now that the weather has turned cold and wet and I imagine they'll be joined by a number of other assembled miniatures that I plan to complete through the winter months.
One of the other things I've assembled is a piece of scenery in the form of a communications array. I have plans for a few other bits and pieces like this too. I'm also making progress on the detailed scenic base for my Hemlock Wraithfighter and I've made some changes to my conversion of Eldrad Ulthran to give him more presence compared to the other Farseer models.
More excitingly, I've painted my first Striking Scorpion. The colour scheme is a little different from what I'd originally planned but I'm happier with the end result. My current aim is to paint a single test miniature for each type of infantry, vehicle etc. I'm not sure what I will paint next but I'd love to get one of the beautiful Hornets finished, so that might be my next goal.
Panel lines tutorial video uploaded - 10/10/14
I've finally made a start on my working with plasticard guide, which contains a brief overview of some of the techniques that I use. There's also an embedded YouTube video showing how I make the panel lines that so many people have been asking about. I hope the article and the video are inforamtive, I will try to add some more detail in future but really these techniques aren't difficult, so there's not a huge amount else to add! The best thing to do is buy some plasticard and experiment with it.
Fire Dragon test miniature painted - 07/10/14
I've finished painting my first Fire Dragon and I'm pleased with the results. The molten metal on the wreckage on the base has turned out better than I'd hoped (though it did take a couple of attempts to get it right). This is an important painting milestone for me, as these colours and techniques will prove useful when I get around to painting the Avatar. I've also started to photograph my completed miniatures against a dark background as it gives a truer representation of the colours - I have gone back and replaced the existing photographs of my finished miniatures with new ones too.
After a lengthy construction, my converted Wraithknight has been undercoated and is ready for painting (barring some minor gap filling and tidying up).
I've decided to focus entirely on converting and painting now - I've not played a game of 40K this year and I've not picked up the 7th edition rules yet either. I may dip my toes into gaming again at some point, but for now I'm happy to let GW mess around with 40K without worrying unduly about how it affects the Eldar on the table (or the game in its entirety). They keep telling us that they're just a miniatures company after all.....
Pegasus and Wraithknight updates, Vypers added - 24/09/14
I've been working on my two large centrepiece projects for the past few months, as I really want to get them completed. I'm pleased to report that the Wraithknight is now ready to be undercoated after applying some final finishing touches to it.
The Pegasus has received a lot of my attention, although the photos don't really reflect that. I've spent a lot of time cleaning it up, neatening areas, filling gaps and correcting small problems and imperfections. One half of the scratchbuilt anti-grav vanes are now finished - I'm really happy with how they've turned out, but they have taken a long time to finish (and I'm still only halfway overall....). The interior is still a work-in-progress and I've spent/wasted a reasonable amount of time on some ideas for it that ultimately didn't work out. Happily, I'm now closer to finalising my ideas, as this is the last major part of the vehicle that needs my attention. I've also decided that the removable upper hull will be glued in place eventually. The interior will still be visible through the magnetised rear access hatch; although this is more limited than being able to take the roof off and look inside, I feel that the gap around the removable roof distracts from the surrounding panel lines and spoils the look of the exterior, which is arguably the more important (and most visible) part of the design. The interior will be fully detailed and painted first and I'll take some close-up photos of it before I stick the roof down though.
I've added a new page for a pair of Vypers that I'm converting using the Dark Eldar Venom as a base. This project has been on my to-do list ever since the Venom was released.
Large site update - 26/06/14
I've been steadily working on several projects for the past few months and have now reached the point where they are all undercoated and ready for painting. I've also tidied up the project logs throughout the site so that they should now better reflect the current state of my collection.
My conversion of the Phoenix Lord Baharroth has been reworked and Asurmen and Irillyth are complete too. Jain Zar and Fuegan remain the only unfinished Phoenix Lords (I have started a new conversion of Fuegan after I was dissatisfied with my first effort). My interpretation of the Mymearan Farseer Bel-Annath is finally finished following the addition of some detailed sculpting. I've also added a new page for Illic Nightspear and his converted scenic base. I've updated the photos of my Warlocks and split them into two project pages - one for those armed with witchblades (including a new, extensive conversion of one miniature) and one for those with singing spears. I've converted a third Harlequin Troupe Master, as well as another four Harlequins and a further four Harlequins with Harlequin's Kisses. Several of my Howling Banshees have been re-based and that squad is now fully undercoated and ready for painting as well. I've replaced the photos of my Guardians - I will be assembling more of these as I recently discovered that I have enough spare parts for at least another couple of dozen, plus two more heavy weapon platforms.
The last change to my infantry is also an important milestone - the completion of my first squad of 10 Dire Avengers. I have a second squad of 10 to paint (and the Exarchs), but I'm still really pleased to have finished my first squad.
I've made progress on my vehicles too. The first of my three Falcon hulls is now waiting to be painted, I've undercoated my Hornet squadron and the Warp Hunter turret. The Fire Prism turrets have also been updated - the crystals are now a deep purple to match the canopies and I think that the effect looks quite striking.
With a 3-month old baby, I'm counting myself extremely lucky that I've been able to continue to work on my collection, although finding time to paint is tricky. I'm happy to report that the vast majority of my collection is now assembled and undercoated. I still have quite a few things that require more work, but it's looking like a much more manageable number now. I'm starting to think that maybe, just maybe, this will someday all be painted as well! I'm not rushing to buy the new 7th edition rulebook just yet though as I'm ambivalent about some of the changes and the direction of the game in general. In the meantime I'll continue to enjoy assembling and painting my miniatures.
The next update to the site won't be for some time, but it should be worth the wait when it arrives....
Photos of the Wraithknight fully assembled, Scorpion undercoated - 26/04/14
It's taken me almost 4 years to get to this point, but my Scorpion superheavy grav tank is now undercoated and ready to be painted. Several more vehicles will be undercoated soon and I'm working on colour schemes for many of the Craftworld units.
With work on my conversion of the Wraithknight nearly complete, I have assembled it to see what it will look like. The custom warp vanes have turned out better than I could have hoped and give it a suitably imposing silhouette. I will be able to undercoat the many component pieces soon - painting it will have to wait until I have created a template for it and experimented with some colour schemes in Photoshop.
Hemlock Wraithfighter completed - 28/03/14
My first Eldar vehicle has been completed - the Hemlock Wraithfighter. I am really pleased with the colour scheme and the subtle conversion to change the angle of the wings has given it a much more aggressive profile. I am working on a scenic base for it and hope to have that painted soon as well.
More Wraithknight photos - 10/03/14
Some more photos of the Wraithknight have been uploaded, including a work-in-progress image of the scenic base.
The Wraithknight takes its first steps - 06/03/14
The Wraithknight can now be assembled (but still breaks down into component pieces, for ease of painting). This has allowed me to finalise its pose and get an idea of how it will look when it's finished.
Big Wraithknight project update - 22/02/14
The Wraithknight is progressing well. All of the arms are assembled, the first set of warp vanes is coming together, I've added a scratchbuilt Green Stuff tabard with raised runes and there's a little surprise bit of detailing lurking inside its chest....
Archiving old projects - 06/02/14
I've decided to stop working on several older Eldar projects, which have been relocated to this page for posterity. Sometimes I lose enthusiasm for a project; sometimes they just don't ever seem to quite work somehow. Rest assured, the Pegasus will never fall into that category! I'm just working out how to do the interior, with various ideas that I want to consider.
I've also updated the Eldar runes and symbols guide.
Wraithknight project update - 10/01/14
Work on the Wraithknight continues - I'm making steady progress with it and its starting to come together. The four sets of warp vanes will require a lot of work and I may end up making one set and having the others cast from resin so that they all match. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it!
Wraith updates - 18/12/13
New paint scheme templates have been added for the four varieties of Wraithguard/Wraithblades. I have assembled a squad of Wraithblades with Ghostswords and purchased my fourth (and final) box so I can put together a squad of Wraithguard with D-scythes. Although I could theoretically expand each squad to a full complement of 10, I think 20 Wraithguard is plenty and I have each of the codex options covered. The Hemlock Wraithfighter has been assembled, with just the scenic base and Mindshock Pod left to put together. I plan to paint this soon and I've already painted the dorsal fin separately and applied transfers to it.
I have also finally purchased a Wraithknight and I've been working on this project a lot in the past few weeks. There is still a lot of work to do, but my progress is good so far. Due to the amount of changes that I'm planning, most of the major components in the upper body require some converting. The legs will need less work.
Craftworld colour scheme finalised - 14/10/13
I have completed my eighth miniature - the Heavy Weapons Platform for my Guardian Defenders. Although it's not a particularly special miniature, it's an important milestone for me as it's the first thing that I've painted in Craftworld colours. I've created a colour scheme based around mostly white areas with two shades of blue. Most of the gemstones and spiritstones will be a deep red.
I'm really pleased with how it's turned out and the vibrancy of the white especially. I had originally planned to use snow and ice bases, but I've opted instead for grasslands and I'm surprised at how well the colours work together. Obviously the Eldar aren't camouflaged in the least, but I'm more interested in bold, vibrant colours than anything realistic. I hope that you like the colours - the design of the Heavy Weapons Platform means that I can easily extrapolate the colour scheme to Support Weapon Platforms, Hornets, Falcons and even the superheavy Scorpion and Pegasus. I am also going to make extensive (but not excessive) use of transfers - each Aspect will have their rune on their right kneepad and the vehicles will have a variety of warning emblems and iconography. Any banner designs will probably be created with a mixture of transfers and possibly some freehand work.
Website changes, Disqus, new projects and first completed miniatures! - 01/10/13
I've reorganised the website - all of my Eldar collection is now in a single section, reflecting my decision to simply it. The Harlequins and Outcasts are now found under the single "Eldar" section above. I have removed some older projects that I am no longer pursuing and have either sold or ditched because I wasn't happy with how they turned out.
I have added several projects that I've been working on for a while - a squadron of Hornets, a Hemlock Wraithfighter (with re-angled wings), Wraithblades with Ghostaxes, Wraithguard with Wraithcannons and a Spiritseer. I've also put up a placeholder page for a planned Wraithknight conversion too, which shows my concept for the redesign. I now have four Autarchs too; two of which are female and one has Shadow Spectre equipment. After a lot of work and some trial-and-error, I have now finished seven of my twenty Dire Avengers; they have been painted, had transfers applied, been varnished and based. This is a major milestone for me! I have also finalised my craftworld colour scheme, which I will reveal soon.
In a major change, I've added a Disqus comments section to most of the site. I considered importing all of the site content onto a hosted blog platform, but ultimately that was far too much work and would mean sacrificing a lot of the site's design and features. I hope that you find the comments section useful and I welcome your feedback and questions about my work.
My most recent commission, an Eldar Corsair Void Dreamer, has been added to the site. Lastly, due to personal circumstances (read: imminent parenthood) I have to announce that I am no longer accepting commissions for conversion projects, though I will continue to work on my personal collection and I'm always happy to offer advice to other hobbyists.
Female Eldar miniatures added - 31/07/13
I have converted several miniatures in my collection to better represent the gender equality in the Eldar forces. This is a unique feature of the Eldar race in the Warhammer 40,000 universe (where women are woefully under-represented, or absent entirely), though it is poorly reflected in the Eldar miniatures that are currently available. To that end, I have converted a female Dire Avenger Exarch, Fire Dragon and Striking Scorpion (and a male Howling Banshee). I also have a female Farseer conversion in the works and the Spiritseer pilot of my Hemlock Wraithfighter will be a woman as well. I am however still a long way off being able to reflect the statement in the new codex that Eldar Aspect Warriors "are equally likely to be male or female".
My first painted miniature, a Dire Avenger, is now nearly finished and the other 9 members of the squad are next in line. I've also (mostly) finished painting my first Fire Dragon.
I've managed to make some good progress on several older projects too, in my ongoing quest to actually complete things. Eldrad Ulthran is nearly complete (barring some work on the base), my 5th Wraithlord is now ready to be painted and my Striking Scorpion Wraithlord conversion is assembled. I've also put together a shiny new Wraithseer from Forge World.
I've added a stats counter to the frontpage (see right) to track my progress and (hopefully) act as a motivator to continue to complete projects and get things painted. I'll only consider a miniature painted/completed when it has had transfers applied, been varnished and based, so currently I'm still on zero!
Updated Wraithsinger photos - 04/06/13
The Wraithsinger is virtually complete now, with just the base left to do. I've been working hard on multiple projects lately; the new Eldar releases have been a good excuse to try and finish more of my existing collection. I've even picked up a paintbrush for a second time and almost completed my first Dire Avenger (photos to follow). Overall, I'm pleased with the new Eldar kits, although the absence of new jetbikes is ridiculous, the repackaging of the Dire Avengers ("5 for the price of 10! Buy now! Beat the rush!") nothing more than shameless greed and the Wraithknight has a lot of design issues. Still, it's a good time to be an Eldar collector. The Eldar runes and symbols guide has also been updated with some of the new designs and substantially reorganised.
The Wraithsinger - 24/04/13
This project has been receiving most of my attention recently. The Wraithsinger is a wraith construct that is taller even than a Wraithlord. It has been animated by the soul of a powerful Bonesinger and its design deliberately takes several cues from that miniature. I hope that you like it. I am awaiting with anticipation (and some trepidation) the release of the new Eldar codex and miniatures, which are rumoured to be arriving in June. If the new miniatures are well-designed and interesting to me, I will probably buy them, but I anticipate that this will be my last big Eldar purchase for the foreseeable future.
"GW fatigue" & the future of this site - 22/03/13
Games Workshop as a company have been making a series of disappointing and harmful decisions over the past few years, which have becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. I find myself now in a position where I no longer feel comfortable supporting them as a company. I have no immediate plans to purchase any more GW miniatures (and the rumoured Eldar codex is going to have to be very special indeed to even come close to justifying the standard codex RRP of £30).
I will complete the Pegasus some day. In fact, I hope to eventually have all of my collection completed and painted. I anticipate that this will take a long time (probably years) to achieve, so this site will continue to be updated periodically with my progress. I should also mention that I have several projects that I have yet to publish, which will be uploaded soon - a Hornet squadron, Wraithseer and a Wraithsinger (that is *not* a typo, and it is one of my favourite conversions to date), as well as additional squad members for several units.
Listed below are the questionable decisions that GW have made that have led me to this decision. If you too are suffering from "GW fatigue", the only thing you can do is vote with your wallet, as GW certainly isn't listening to our voices.
- The introduction of Finecast as an improvment over white metal (whilst being plagued with casting/QC issues) and as a means to lower costs (leading to ridiculous prices for the customer).
- Absurd price increases of up to 67%; especially brazen in a time of global recession.
- Charging £30 for a brand new Codex that requires 2 pages of errata on release.
- Digital publications that cost the same as their paper versions.
- Massively over-charging for hobby supplies; because they can get away with it (compare 6" of Green Stuff from GW and 36" direct from Kneadatite's preferred supplier).
- Limiting information on upcoming releases to a 1-week window due to The Hobbit license, making long-term purchase planning impossible.
- Sitting on redesigned Eldar jetbikes since 2010 and continuing to charge £8 for a design that is nearly 20 years old.
- New (and extremely restrictive) trading terms for 3rd-party retailers, designed to eliminate competition and bring all orders in-house.
- Massive (and totally unjustified) price discrepancies in foreign markets (particularly Australia).
- Over-reaching defence of its Intellectual Property (most egregiously in this example).
- Inability to deal with criticism from its customers (following the above).
- Charging any amount of money for the embarrassment that was the Ultramarines movie.*
- Game-breaking rules and massive balance issues, mostly authored by Matt Ward.
- An increasing tendency towards bad miniature design.
- Forge World charging for a formerly free event under the pretence of "managing numbers" (anticipate that the cost will increase in 2014 and that the queue for the sales counter will be as bad as ever).
- Forge World setting outrageous prices for the new Horus Heresy range, knowing full well that the demand will ensure that people buy it regardless.
* NB - possibly the most sensible decision GW has made recently was to allow the not-for-profit Lord Inquisitor movie to continue. It was a no-brainer of course, since it is probably the most faithful recreation of GW IP ever seen, costs them nothing and looks awesome; but that hasn't stopped GW from cutting off its nose to spite its face before.
I hope that GW is able to reinvent itself and starting caring about its customers again, but right now all I can see is a lack of honesty and transparency, coupled with extreme short-shortsightedness and greed. My personal feeling is that most of these decisions have been made because GW is a publicly-traded company and they are desperately afraid of doing anything that might upset their shareholders. I wouldn't be surprised to see a large drop in the share price over the next few years, unless GW makes some root-and-branch changes.
Huge projects update - 09/01/13
It's been a while since I updated the site, but I've been very busy in the meantime. My collection is becoming more refined now and I'm completing more and more of my unfinished conversions. In a shocking development, I've even picked up a paintbrush and started painting my Dire Avengers! I've only basecoated one miniature (and started on 9 others), but it's a start at least and I'm pleased with the early results.
I've now split my Eldar Harlequins into two squads - standard Harlequins and those armed with Harlequin's Kisses. I've added pages for several new additions too - a squad of Dark Reapers and their Exarch, a converted Phoenix bomber, the first of three planned Warp Hunter turrets and a squad of the beautiful Shadow Spectres. There are also new photos of my War Walkers squadron and an update for my Farseer. I've updated my Pegasus project log and the Apocalypse datasheet, with rules, background and a technical diagram of the Pegasus, is now online too.
In preparation for a large Apocalypse battle, I've been working flat-out to assemble Irillyth; the Shadow Spectre Phoenix Lord. I've also completed conversions of all of the other Phoenix Lords - Asurmen, Karandras, Jain Zar, Fuegan, Baharroth and Maugan Ra. I've also made conversions of the Farseers Eldrad Ulthran and Bel-Annath, the warlike Farseer of Mymeara - currently the only Eldar Farseer with access to the Pyromancy discipline of psychic powers. Lastly, I've added the remaining runes from Imperial Armour 11: The Doom of Mymeara to my Eldar runes and symbols guide. There are lots of other minor changes and updates throughout the site.
New photos and runes - 17/08/12
The Eldar runes and symbols guide has been updated with around 40 of the cursive runes seen in the background of the pages of Imperial Armour 11: The Doom of Mymeara. I will add the remaining 20 or so runes soon. New photos of my Fire Prism turrets have been added too, as well as a new photo of my first undercoated Pathfinder. My converted Shadowseer has been re-armed with a Harlequin's Kiss and I've also designed and sculpted a new scenic base for my Avatar, which looks much, much better than my first attempt and really finishes the miniature off well.
I've also started playing games with my collection, now that a new edition of the rules has landed and levelled the playing field a bit. My last game prior to this was back in the days of 2nd edition, so a lot has changed since then. I've played three games so far, of which I've lost two and won one. A nice side-effect of this is that I am motivated to get models undercoated so that I can actually use them, which means that I'm much more likely to get some things actually finished! It does also mean that I've started to add some more units to my collection to fill gaps in my army list, but I am committed to converting and undercoating them quickly to get them on the tabletop (without sacrificing my attention to detail). Expect to see more Harlequins, Rangers/Pathfinders, a squad of Dark Reapers and the start of a 2nd scratchbuilt Nightwing in the near future...
Site relaunch and huge content update - 27/06/12
As you can see, I've finally finished the redesign of the site. In the end, integrating a comments section or migrating the existing site content to a blog platform would have been very difficult and time-consuming, so just consider this site a blog with the comments disabled! The site has been expanded considerably in terms of content, though it (and my collection) is now more tightly focused on the Craftworld Eldar. By focusing my attention, I intend to actually finish some conversions and get some stuff painted. I will soon be adding a new conversion guide detailing techniques for working with plasticard, but in the meantime I've added a new section on Eldar runes and symbols and made my personal Eldar paint scheme templates available for download too.
My (supposedly) last major conversion project, the Pegasus, continues to go well. I aim to have it fully built (though almost certainly not painted) in time for the 2013 Forge World Open Day. In the meantime, I've been revisiting some of my Phoenix Lord conversions in order to make them fit in better with the modern styling (and scale) of the Eldar miniatures. To that end, I've done some additional conversion work on Asurmen, Jain Zar and Fuegan (and I've also started a brand new conversion of Karandras, which I will add soon). My Striking Scorpion Exarch Wraithlord is progressing well, I've almost completed my second Fire Prism turret (of three) and I've also started converting a squad of Pathfinders. Finally, I'm also working on a new Autarch conversion, which I'm very pleased with indeed. Most excitingly, I've actually begun undercoating some of my collection, which obviously paves the way for actually painting at some point in the slightly-less-distant-than-before future! I'm experimenting with paint schemes for my Craftworld at the moment, though I do know that the miniatures will mostly be on snow-themed bases.
That's all for now - this site will continue to be regularly updated with my progress, so do please keep visiting.
New Year update, site redesign imminent - 11/01/12
Happy New Year to you all! The Pegasus was a little neglected over the Christmas period, but progress has been made nonetheless and I'm confident that I'll finish it before 2013 rolls around. My other goal for 2012 is to streamline my collection a bit. To that end, I'm planning to sell off a few of my conversions in the coming weeks and focus my collection almost entirely on Craftworld Eldar. In light of this, I'm also planning a fairly major redesign of this site, which may or may not include a move to a more blog-like format with a comments section. Setting up a blog is easy enough, but integrating my "tags" and keeping the site structure broadly the same might cause an issue. We'll just wait and see how I get on with it, I guess!
A few more Pegasus photos - 03/10/11
Work on my scratchbuilt superheavy transport, the Pegasus, continues apace - the upper hull is almost finished (hooray!) and the underside isn't far behind (with the obvious exception of the anti-grav vanes, which I still need to get laser-cut...).
Even more Pegasus photos - 23/09/11
Some more photos have been added to the Pegasus project log. The underside is coming along very well and the port side of the vehicle is more-or-less finished. Work on the starboard side will commence soon.
More Pegasus photos - 02/09/11
I've uploaded a few more photos of the Pegasus to the project page. Progress is good - most of the larger bits have been glued together now! Still lots left to do, though....
Pegasus project log updated - 28/07/11
Some more photos have been added to the Pegasus project page.
More Pegasus WIP pictures - 01/06/11
I've uploaded more photos of the Pegasus to the project page. The forward prongs are coming together now and the ship is taking up more and more room on my desk...
Pegasus scratchbuild project update - 18/05/11
The Pegasus is coming along nicely, so I've added some more photos to the project page.
New scratchbuild project added - 28/04/11
The Pegasus is a scratchbuilt superheavy transport, based on a vehicle from a piece of artwork of the Lugganath Craftworld in the latest Warhammer 40,000 rulebook. This will be my last new project for a while - once its finished, I'm going to try and aactually finish my many other half-finished projects and maybe even get some things painted!
New scratchbuilt Nightwing added - 18/11/10
I've just completed a scratchbuilt Nightwing (it's not painted, of course - but that counts as "complete" in my book at the moment!). I'd previously attempted this project but it didn't go very well. Fortunately my latest effort didn't suffer from the same problems and I'm very pleased with how it's turned out.
Eldar Eagle datasheet and rules updated - 23/10/10
I've revised the rules for the Eldar Eagle; the points cost has been dramatically reduced and the way that the psychic relays work has been changed slightly. I'll be adding some more new photos of some of my projects to the website soon.
Plastic Fire Prism turret conversion added - 22/08/10
I've recently completed a subtle conversion of the new plastic Fire Prism/Night Spinner turret. The new design struck me as looking a bit odd somehow, but after playing around with the kit a bit I've come up with a slightly different version that I'm happier with. As usual, it's been magnetised too. I'd be interested to know your thoughts on this and if you think it's an improvement (or if the difference is only noticeable to me!).
Large website update - 02/08/10
It's been a while since I've updated the site, but rest assured I'm still working on my collection and intend to start painting some of my miniatures this year (hopefully!). Today I've updated many parts of the site; there are updates for my conversions of Jain Zar, the Falcons, Firestorm turrets, Exodite Dragon Knights and the Eagle. I've also added some new conversions - a heavily-customised Forge World Night Spinner turret, a Type II Scorpion and two new Wraithlord conversions that I've started working on. I've also decided to abandon my Nightwing conversion, though I do still want to have another crack at converting my own at some point. Finally, I've also added some work-in-progress shots of a minor conversion of the Games Day 2007 Orc Boss, which I've been inspired to work on following the release of the latest edition of Warhammer.
Farseer Wraith commission added - 26/04/10
I recently completed an unuaul commissioned conversion of a Farseer Wraith, pictures of which have now been uploaded. I've also added photos of another Ranger; the 1st squad is almost ready for undercoating and I've started work on a 2nd squad, which will have feature several conversions (pictures will be uploaded soon). Keep an eye out as well for pictures of a Forge World Night Spinner conversion and work-in-progress shots detailing construction of my Forge World Type II Scorpion kit (possibly the most beautiful kit they make, in my opinion).
Autarch added and other updates - 24/03/10
I've added a page for a new conversion - my first Autarch - as well as new photos for Sevareil Focul and Drazhar. Lastly, I've added a new shot of the interior of the Eagle, which is coming along nicely. Expect more photos of this conversion soon, as I'm making a lot of headway with it.
Dark Eldar conversion added - 08/03/10
With rumours of (relatively) imminent new Dark Eldar releases abounding, I decided to convert one of my favouite miniatures from the old range - Drazhar, the Master of Blades. I'm holding off buying Dark Eldar in any meaningful numbers until the new range is (finally) released, as most of the sculpts are absolutely terrible. Drazhar however is an excellent miniature - one of my favouties in fact.
Huge site update - 21/01/10
I've finished uploading a number of new bits and bobs to the site. I've added some photos of my first commissioned conversion, an Eldar Warp Hunter, and pictures of some recent Eldar Exodite Dragon Knight conversions along with some background information for them. I've also updated the Eldar Pirates section with some new conversions and written some background information for them too. Finally, I've now split up all of the squads so that each squad has its own page, so there are 5 pages for my Dire Avengers for example. Expect to see even more new content in the coming year - you never know, I may even get something painted!
New photos uploaded - 14/09/09
I've uploaded some additional photos of my Falcons and added a new page for my Wave Serpents as well. I will be updating the magnet conversion guide soon to include more information about magnetising the Wave Serpent. There are also a few more pictures of both Harlequin squads.
Large site update - 24/07/09
This is the first update since I launched this new, dedicated site for my Eldar miniatures and I hope that you like it! Firstly, I've added photos of a new conversion; a War Walker squadron commander named Sevareil Focul. Expect to see some rules for this new Eldar character soon. Back by popular demand, I've uploaded a new version of my magnet conversion guide for Eldar vehicles and lastly, I've also uploaded an Apocalypse datasheet for my popular Eldar Eagle conversion; I'd love to get your feedback if you try these rules out in a game!
Eldar site launched - 14/07/09
Welcome to my new spin-off site, dedicated to my Eldar miniatures collection. I've decided to put this site together to collect photos of the various conversions I've done and present information on how I've put them together. I've received a lot of positive comments from other collectors regarding my work so I'm hoping that this new site will be of interest to other Eldar fans out there. My main site, arhicks.co.uk, is now solely for promoting and displaying my art, photography and freelance illustration work. You'll also find any Games Workshop related pieces of art there.
Large Eldar update - 29/06/09
I've just finished uploading a large number of new photos of my Eldar miniatures. I've started work on a number of new conversion projects and also progressed some of my existing ones. New images have been added to the Fire Dragons and Eldar Eagle pages and I've created new pages for my 3rd Wraithlord, War Walkers, Firestorm turrets and Void Dragon Phoenix. As ever, the pictures are accompanied by information about how I made the conversions. I've also started working on a small force of Void Dragons (Eldar Pirates), so expect to see some work-in-progress pictures of these soon.
New Eldar conversions added - 08/03/09
I've been working on my Eldar army again and have added new pictures to one of the Harlequin pages and added a new scratchbuild project - a new Eldar vehicle of my own design; the Eldar Eagle.
More Eldar conversion pictures uploaded - 07/02/09
Further images and detailed descriptions have been added to the Craftworld Eldar pages. I've added new images to the Fire Dragons page and added a new page for my Striking Scorpions.