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Funny, I hadn't even seen this thread but had just started on my own Kroot Stand-in Dark eldar army that I had planned for a year. Doing a few things differently than what you are doing, for instance the fact that I dont own any forgeworld models, but otherwise we are certainly sharing some similar themes.

i also came to the conclusion that Dark Eldar was the best choice, as the whole eaters of the dead matching up with pain tokens seemed as just a too perfect fit for me.

Keep it up!

I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with your Kroot. One quick look at your gallery and I can tell you are capable of some excellent converting and painting work. I really like the bone armor on the head gear and shoulders of your Kroot, and may steal that idea if you don't mind. If I had one half of your skill with sculpting greenstuff, I would be able to do so much more with the Kroot plastics, they are a really excellent kit to manipulate.

[quote=Oaka 358656 5588165 256.jpgI have this bad habit of converting and painting one model, but then taking forever to get around to finishing more of them.

Just re-found this, I'm going to have a look at your codex and then maybe do this as my next army i'd love to do a kroot only army but the current tau codex doesnt let you :(
Definatly keeping my eye on this now

Young Logan

Very, VERY impressive!

This is brilliant. Way to go!

I'm quite excited about the new Eldar codex, and how it will affect my Kroot army. The Avatar is better and I now have a great counts-as option for the new Wraithknight.



I have updated the Kroot Mercenary codex to include the new Eldar codex rules and units:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/s/i/at/2013/6/Forces_of_the_Kroot_New_Eldar_Codex-05145226.pdf

Finished the models required to field a full Beast unit:

Two more beastmasters:


Two razorwing flocks:


A shot of the entire unit, led by Baron Sathonyx:


I am very pleased because now I get to spend the remainder of the Summer working on my Wraithknight. I will post pics of the bits and a crude sketch of what I hope to accomplish shortly.

Some images of where I am starting and what I hope to achieve for a model to use as a Wraithknight.

All the resin pieces with some preliminary dremeling to remove the saddle and ears.


Some porcupine quills shown next to the head for scale, the quills will be added to make the head look more like a Kroot species.


Some Kroot bits that will be used- the gunners will each count as a shoulder-mounted ranged weapon on the Wraithknight and will be in a howdah on the creature's back.


Ogre Kingdoms bits that will be added to the model.


Finally, a crude drawing of my plan.

I like the counts-as Wraithknight plan, it'll be really cool to see the finished model.

Out of interest, what is it that you're using as the basis for the build?

Unfortunately, I do not know where the model originates from. I was able to grab it from a friend's basement when he cleared out a lot of excess projects. I've gone ahead and magnetized the model, both so that I can work on the individual pieces without difficulty and to reduce eventual transportation headaches. Here is a nice size comparison shot. Models from left to right: Kroot Knosis, Kroot Great Knarloc, Kroot Knarloc Rider, Krootox, Kroot Carnivore, Kroot Hound, Kroot Bird. As you can see, he's big.

Is it going to get a pair of forearms eventually? Like all the former Kroot beasties?

I will not be adding any forearms. I'm envisioning the model to be a larger-scaled version of the Kroot Bird:



This model goes against the grain in respects to a lot of Kroot characteristics. The beak is more avian, it's missing its forearms, and it has only three digits per claw. Fortunately, it allows me to feel comfortable making a Kroot model that shares those characteristics.

I'm going to be working from the bottom up as different bits begin to arrive piecemeal. The base is already well detailed, so I've just added three stakes to draw a little bit of consistency with the army, as I used these stakes to build my Aegis Defense Line.

The base is finished! It includes scenic elements scattered throughout my army, to help tie it in together. I've based it with the same sand and gravel mixture I've used for over ten years, and then added patches of flock and static grass. In addition to the wooden stakes that were used for my aegis defense line, I added several small mushrooms around the base with green stuff and painted up in the same style as mushrooms on my resin bases I purchased for the pain tokens and some character models.



Now, onto the legs. Before painting, I'm planning on doing the following:

1. Sculpt the missing toes that broke off.
2. Putty in the cracked skin to make it appear like smooth muscle.
3. Add thigh quills that are present on Kroot models (planning on five quills per thigh with toothpick tips)
4. Build anklets on each leg to attach hooks of meat.

Cool idea.
I'll be watching.

Thanks for the interest, I feel like there isn't much of it. I have been trying to make this a proper blog but whenever I post my plans for this counts-as Wraithknight I get no feedback, so I'm not sure what to do.

This model is going to be my project for the rest of the 2013 Summer, so I want to take my time and listen to all criticisms at every stage.

Oaka, you know youve got my attention! im coming back to la this weekend so i hope to be painting while im there! looking forward to some inspiration from you!

Truly awe inspiring.

Possible counts-as Hellion or Eldar Jetbike in the works with the new Lizardmen releases? I played an 1850-point game this past week against Eldar and held my own, even winning all the small battles between units from each side. I ended up losing the game due to Eldar Jetbike objective grabbers on the last turn, and am sorely lacking that type of unit in my own army. With the Baron, Hellions can become Troops, and, of course, Eldar Jetbikes can be allied in. I think these new Lizardmen flyers would be great for either model choice, with a Kroot rider on each equipped with a ranged weapon to count as either the splinter pods on a Hellion or the twin-linked shuriken catapult on an Eldar Jetbike.

The Wraithknight performed amazingly well, and took all of the firepower on my right flank and survived, while also munching through a unit of Wraithguard, a Wraithlord, and Dark Reapers. The Avatar did the same thing on my left flank, and eliminated a unit of Striking Scorpions, Rangers, and a Farseer, before succumbing to a torrent of ranged weaponry. Perhaps the best part about it was that these two models took all of the opposing shots, allowing three Talos' to make it across the board unscathed behind a unit of beasts.

Cool concept and execution mate. I love the second blaster guy from the left, that's such a cool pose.

Look forward to seeing what esle you come up with.

Here is the work I have been doing on the legs, first up, some green stuff to fill in the cracks on the scales:



Close-up of the work, I tried to get the lines from the original sculpt to run right into the added putty:



Addition of toothpick tips to the thigh for quills like all Kroot models have:



More green stuff to blend the quills into the flesh:



Then, anklet strap were made to wrap around both legs, with some Ogre Kingdoms bits added to help identify the model more as a Kroot beast:



Both legs ready for some paint:

I really like the details on those legs, nice work.
Looking forward to see the end product, this is going to be good

Slowly but surely, progress is being made. The legs are finished.








I'm happy with them, other than the fact that you can probably steal my identity from the thumbprints in the legs, but it's still difficult to tell how it will all look when it comes together. I think I'll start working on the head next, along with assembling the howdah and weapon crew and painting them separately. The quills on the head are going to end up running right into where the howdah is, so I will need to build them simultaneously just to be sure everything will fit together in the end! I just registered for a tournament on November 24, so that has become my deadline.

The army's looking really good man. Good luck on at the tourney.

Here are a couple pictures of how the head is going to turn out. I've gone with seven pairs of quills running down the back, much like the pattern found on the knarlocs and great knarlocs from Forgeworld. The head needs some more work to cover up the dremel work, but is otherwise pretty close to getting some paint.




I also began to put together the gunners. These guys will count as the shoulder-mounted weapons options on a Wraithknight. There is nothing too fancy about them, just a couple Kroot Gun torsos from the Krootox model glued to some regular Kroot legs. They won't be on bases, they will eventually be fixed directly to the model. I was worried that the torsos wouldn't match up well with the plastic legs, but it works great because they are naturally aiming below them.



Since taking these pictures, I've bored out the barrels and added some accessories.

I really like the vision behind this project - I'm looking forward to seeing your big beastie finished!

Here are the pieces I have to build the howdah.



Rather than use the LotR Mumak model, I went for the less recognizable Great Beast of Gorgoroth howdah. I'm sure there will be some chopping and extending required in order to get it to fit on the back, but the proportions all work well and the shape of the howdah is such that it will drape over the back of the beast, allowing the Kroot gunners to stand on a platform on either side. This is what it looks like assembled, I have not done this yet with mine.



I will be painting the fabrics a dark purple to tie in with the rest of my army. The dark browns on the Kroot are broken up with blue warpaint and purples across all the models.

Howdah looks perfect for the job. Glad to see you continuing with such a great example of a counts-as army done right!

Thanks, I've actually had more fun building and painting models than actually playing games ever since 3rd edition. I ran a nasty Steel Legion list back then and also a White Dwarf Necron list and was able to win local tournaments without much effort, but I quickly learned that was the best way to lose casual gaming buddies. I love the models and the background, but just don't like how competitive the game can get. I'll probably roll into this tournament in November with an 1850 point list that I've never used before, lose four times, but have a fun experience regardless! And there is usually a prize for Best Painted and Best Army, so those are my new goals.