Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So, it appears that in the space of less than 6 months, I've started up four armies. Forgot how addictive buying these little gits are. I've always liked High Elves, and it was always going to be a matter of time, due to all the old models I have knocking around. Anyway, to bolster my old 4th Edition monopose blocks of spears and archers, I went and bought the high elf contingent from Island of blood.

What a difference 4 editions makes. I was blown away by the quality of the sculpts. The 4th edition sculpts were fine, but there were only two poses for the entire elf army!

They arrived from fleabay today, and I eagerly got cracking, doing a tester model for my Lothern Sea Guard. I'm not a fan of the GW white/silver/gold hyper-shiny elf scheme, so I wanted to put my own stamp on them. For me, elves should be colourful and stylish, without being all clean and pristine (they are fighting a war after all), so liberal use of black ink to get my shading.

Having started back with Spezz Marines, I was a bit sideswiped by all the detail on these things, but I'm getting there.

Obviously the model below is not finished - a lot of highlighting, gems and the shield to sort out, as well as the base, but it'll give you an idea of the style I'm going for. Lots of greens and blues to represent the heritage of the sea guard. I'm thinking a retro green basing style for this army - like White Dwarf models circa 1990.

All C&C, advice or tips always welcome, though I appreciate its hard to critique unfinished minis. Hopefully get him finished tomorrow.

So I finished my proto-LSG. He turned out ok, but I need to refine my technique for painting gems, as well as the highlights on the waves, as the LSG are covered in them!

Initial pics before I redid the base something less lurid:







And then I decided a more muted scheme would help them pop a little (my whole army is planned to be as colourful as possible - if the Eldar do the rainbow host thing, and they are the elves of the future, I'm going to apply the same thinking to my elves.



Anyway. That's the first one down. In the cupboard to be painted I now have:

another 9 of these LSG (IOB)
Prince on Griffon (IOB)
10x Swordmasters (IOB)
5x Ellyrian Reavers (IOB)
Mage (IOB)
20x Spears (4th Ed)
22x Archers (4th Ed)
Tyrion (old metal model on cav base)
Teclis (Old metal model)
Prince on Sun Dragon
5x Dragon Princes of Caledor
Bolt repeater

Basically, a fairly decent sized army, mostly consisting of two starter sets. Not a bad way to get started! I'm not allowing the purchase of any more Elves until I have a minimum of two units done.

I like your color scheme. I also have picked up a lot of armies in a very short period of time. Keep up the good work.

So I thought I'd chuck up a rather grey pic of the core of my army. All that's left to add is a sun dragon, 5 dragon princes and a front rank with lowered spears to add to the 4th edition monopose block, to give the unit a bit more drama. It's getting named The Rainbow Host, which I appreciate is rather ironic at the minute...



You can see an old original tyrion lying at the side. He just needs stripped, but the horse needs some work to get it back in shape. Everything with paint will be getting stripped, other than the front left lsg.

I have a LOT of painting to do. Better crack on.

Some progress with my elves force. Built my sun dragon and dragon princes of caledor. Also picked up the supplies for my prototype magnetic movement trays. I'll be batch painting the sea guard this weekend, and hopefully finding time to do a test scheme of my sword masters.

Final additions for now. At least I have enough unpainted elves to play now!



.9mm steel plate for making movement trays. The magnets are crazy strong, but they'll need to work through a layer of green stuff and a layer of sand and paint.

I like the colors you have used. The shield is my favorite part.

That is a sweet dragon.

Just a couple of WIP of the my first unit as it nears completion. Just a few highlights, faces and jewels to do, and a couple of bits to tidy up, and they'll be done. Next up is a tester for my SwordMasters, and the old school bolt thrower that I've stripped, ready for painting. I like my war machines to have bases where possible, so I've knocked up a monster base for it, with a little bit of landscaping. I've also finished my prototype magnetic movement tray, which I'm very pleased with. Just some self adhesive felt to add to the bottom, and its all done.

Wow. I want to collect high elves now.