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(here's a quick link to my Current Eldar Army gallery)

Hi, there! I've never really considered doing a painting and modeling blog before, but with getting some new 6th edition models and wanting some people's input, I figured I'd give it a whirl. (plus, my phone camera is good enough that this is relatively painless)

I have been playing Eldar, my first army, since 3rd edition. Click here if you are interested in my first Eldar endeavors; I have long since sold my lumpy Ulthwe-esque Army on eBay a few years ago, but sure enough a year later I decided Eldar would be fun to start again from the ground up. So, rather than go Guardian & aspect heavy as I did before, I decided that Skimmers and Jetbikes would be my new army core. In chosing Alaitoc, the main reason was I loved the paint scheme; I actually strongly dislike Pathfinders (because of how stationary they are), so my army design itself with unit choices will be less fluffy than the color scheme. It's kind of like a blue Saim-Hann army. I also decided to take the most time I've ever taken to paint my models, so I can try to make them really stand out.

Here are a few samples of my paint scheme:



So, I purchased some of the new models: a box of Wraithguard, and a Crimson Hunter/Hemlock Wraithfighter kit.

Upon first impressions, I was thinking I'd magnetize all 4 weapons options on the Wraithguard/Wraithblades, but afterlooking at how that would be 50 magnets for 5 models, I decided just to go with plain-Jane Wraithcannons, since Strength 10 ap2 is much better than the old rules. I'm already planning on getting a second box as the D-Scythes are too sexy not to use as well, especially out of a wave serpent.

However, I'm at a loss of how to paint them: blue bodies with bone heads, or bone bodies with blue heads?

Wraithguard:



Now, yes, the Crimson Hunter. I decided on building the Crimson Hunter pretty early on as my army already has tons of anti-hoarde (3 Fire Prisms, anyone?), so why would I want a flyer with anti-infantry templates? So, anti-air it is! With the potential for BS5 and the host of special rules this guy has, he will be pretty rad in game.

However, I am not sure how I want to paint him either. I may paint him akin to my skimmers and the above pictured Vyper (blue top, bone bottom). But, since the Crimson Hunters are an aspect warrior, are they fluff-wise supposed to be painted red? I know I can break the "aspect warrior" paint scheme but I just want to get everyone's input. (Plus, I don't have a hard copy of my codex yet until the mail order comes in on Tuesday).

Crimson Hunter:



So, to recap my questions of your opinions:

1) Should the Wraithguard be painted with blue bodies and bone heads, or bone bodies with blue heads? (also, ideas about the guns please)

2) Should I paint the Crimson Hunter like the rest of my army's vehicles (blue on top, bone on the bottom), or should I paint it crimson, hence the name? Thank you for your interest, I will update this a few times a week, probably, showcasing my progress as I go.

I vote bone bodies with blue heads, would be a nice contrast.

Crimson Hunter is an aspect warrior, do you have other aspect warriors? Did you go with the aspect scheme or craftworld?

Also your painting is excellent

My vote goes blue body with bone heads.. then flip it on your D-Scythe guard when you get them.

 shamikebab wrote:
I vote bone bodies with blue heads, would be a nice contrast.

Crimson Hunter is an aspect warrior, do you have other aspect warriors? Did you go with the aspect scheme or craftworld?

Also your painting is excellent

Thank you! I am thinking I am swaying towards the bone bodies as Wraithguard are supposed to be contructed completely of wraithbone. The problem is all the guns in my army are so far bone-colored, and bone guns on a bone body is boring. Maybe just paint the guns blue too, then?

For my other aspects, I've always been a fan of sticking to the aspect colors. It adds a jeweled effect to the army, kind of like picking out spirit stones here and there. For example, my in-progress Fire Dragons and Striking Scorpions:
(Note: for some reason, the color balance of my camera made the Fire Dragons shift pink, even after adjusting in photoshop: it is Blood Red blended up to Sunburst Yellow, definitely an orange shift)



The main dilemma I have with the Crimson Hunter is how it is a large flying iconic vehicle that feels like it should match my skimmers - I don't think it would fit in to the look of my army if it was painted entirely red. Maybe I'll pick out some red details or stripes over an otherwise mottled blue paint scheme to designate its "Crimson Hunter" status. (obviously the model shape already does this, too; just to tie in colors for the story)

Could do it in Craftworld colours with some crimson design on it?

With the Wraithguard you could do the weapons in a contrasting colour (black would work for example, or maybe a deep red)

Red for the plane with blue as the contrast color. Blue bodies with bone guns for the wraith guard. My scheme isn't technically Alaitoc but that is how I have done mine.

 shamikebab wrote:
Could do it in Craftworld colours with some crimson design on it?

With the Wraithguard you could do the weapons in a contrasting colour (black would work for example, or maybe a deep red)

I'll probably put a Crimson Hunter Eldar rune in red on each wing, or something like that. that would be a cool way to denote it's status. I was considering black for the wraithcannons, but It doesn't show up anywhere else in my army, so that might look out of place. I am also considering the Copper I used on my Rune Armor of the seers, maybe with some blue detailing (and gems, of course). This way this will make the Wraithcannons appear to be made of a unique material that will remain consistent with the design of the rest of the army. That might compliment a bone body quite well; the copper on the psykers really stands out against the bone. I can always tie small bits of copper into the Wraithguard's body as well. I think I'm swaying to this option:

Wraithguard: blue heads, bone bodies, copper gun.

I painted my Crimson Hunter! It's mostly finished now, except for the final detailing (spirit stones, extra glow to the cockpit, etc) I decided to add the red panels to the back of the fins, and it has a nice effect, I think that will suffice for the "Crimson" part of the Hunter for my tastes. I found this relatively easy to paint, I finished it in one day, amid painting the Wraithguard at the same time (they will be posted soon, too). I think the model, not counting priming probably took me 3 to 4 hours to paint to this level of completion.

Detail of the stippling effect and red-tipped wings:


Detail of the bone underbelly:


Mounted on the finished flying base:

(I decided to prime this with a Rustoleum grey plastic primer, as that was the primer I had sitting around. Most of this army is primed with GW White Primer.)

Really great work .I love the Alaitoc colour scheme and want to paint up some allies for my Crimson Fists at some point.

I wish I could paint to that level that quickly! Looks great.