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So with the new Eldar Codex having dropped Spiritseers have lost their ability to make wraithguard troops. To be fair I think we all saw this coming, every other dex lost it's force org manipulation why would this one be any exception. Previously I enjoyed running The Only Good Eldar list, and as we all know the only good eldar is a dead one. Previously I ran nothing but wraith troops and some vehicles (always loved the fluff stuff about how even some ships were crewed entirely by spirit stones). Now I find myself forced to include tiny living beings (and no as far as I'm concerned seers leading wraith troops are dead inside).

Personally my ideal model would be a set of the wraithbikes made by mousemuffins a couple years ago, but since he's stopped selling them I find them hard to obtain. I'm not a fan of the not-failcast wraithbikes, they just kinda look terrible to me. I've been trying to mess with the new jetbike model to create an appropriate wraithbike idea but have yet to succeed.

Guardians don't really fit because T3, regardless. I am painting Iyanden but again, I don't want the squishy ones to have any part of this. Same partially for Dire Avengers, though I was tempted to do an Exarch Council thing but decided against it for both modeling and rules issues (stats are too off for my tastes, and trying to do 10 exarchs is nasty).

So folks, anyone got any ideas of how to keep an entire army of the dead with eldar? Oh and before anyone else makes the joke the whole squads of modeled corpses on bases bit has been done.

I wish I could help.

I have really no idea except maybe to make tiny wraith constructs. Like mini wraithguards/bladesto represent dire avengers or the like. You could mount those on a bike if somehow that could work. But thats just spitballing and probably wouldn't work.

sorry, but good luck nonetheless

-Mikey

Have you talked to your local group about just playinh the same list as you always have, just that it's now Unbound. I appreciate some people have a no Unbound policy, but it seems unreasonable to disallow you the exact same list you were using last week just because there's a new codex that has removed the option (probably in the assumption that Iyanden players would use Unbound rules).

However, if that isn't an option, then here's an idea:

Animated Statues. Basically, just take some Dire Avengers, Guardian or Jetbikes and paint them as stone/ceramic/metal, and say they are automatons controlled by the Spiritseers as a last line of defence, to back up the Wraith Constructs

While restrictive, you could just take the wraithhost formation. It does lock you into a very specific build (seer, 3x guard/blades, lord, knight) but you do have some flex in unit size and upgrades. Not optimal, but allows you to play a bound list.

Did the Iyanden book get dumped?

I shall share with you my idea and you shall paint the squishy ones as ghosts.

gummyofallbears wrote:I wish I could help.

I have really no idea except maybe to make tiny wraith constructs. Like mini wraithguards/bladesto represent dire avengers or the like. You could mount those on a bike if somehow that could work. But thats just spitballing and probably wouldn't work.

sorry, but good luck nonetheless

-Mikey

Had this thought, main issue is designing mini wraith constructs is going harder than thought originally.

Paradigm wrote:Have you talked to your local group about just playinh the same list as you always have, just that it's now Unbound. I appreciate some people have a no Unbound policy, but it seems unreasonable to disallow you the exact same list you were using last week just because there's a new codex that has removed the option (probably in the assumption that Iyanden players would use Unbound rules).

However, if that isn't an option, then here's an idea:

Animated Statues. Basically, just take some Dire Avengers, Guardian or Jetbikes and paint them as stone/ceramic/metal, and say they are automatons controlled by the Spiritseers as a last line of defence, to back up the Wraith Constructs

For fun games certainly but my area has a very competition style format, not to say that players are all waac nuts or unwilling to play fun, just the local community prefers bound armies and so do I. I would like to be able to take my fun and fluffy list to a tourney (where it will promptly be wiped out by each IG, DE, and tau player there). The statue idea is a new one and I may look into this, perhaps dire avengers.

Nevelon wrote:While restrictive, you could just take the wraithhost formation. It does lock you into a very specific build (seer, 3x guard/blades, lord, knight) but you do have some flex in unit size and upgrades. Not optimal, but allows you to play a bound list.

Unfortunately the wraithhost formation is too points intensive to field a flexible force, being that bare bones it's over 950 point. Higher point values could be reached but it would be so points intensive it's like running GK terminator spam without the survivability. Also there is one unit I want to use from FW in my army, a wraithseer, I highly enjoy the model and rules it has and it is one of the reasons I'm building this force.

buckero0 wrote:Did the Iyanden book get dumped?

A few days ago someone got a response from gee dubs about the iyanden suppliment. Answer was something like the iyanden book was designed for an older eldar codex and not designed for this edition, but if you want to use it with your friends go ahead. Kinda bs since there's nothing in it that discounts it's compatability. Personally I look at it like when marines went from 3rd to 4th, the original 3rd ed DA, BA, and SW suppliment still worked with 4th ed codex and rules, and that was back when gw still ran their own competitive scene. Regardless the iyanden dex doesn't help me as the wraithguard as troops rule was in the main eldar codex, bound to wraithseers.

For reference, the statue idea is super-easy to get decent results with. A prime, basecoat and wash over the whole model gives a surprisingly good effect, add some simple weathering to age them a little, some moss or chipping to break it up a little, and you're good to go.

I did this a while back for some elf-themed clay-men, about ten minutes of painting per model gets you this:


Which I think looks pretty convincing. Maybe you'd want to use a whiter stone like you often see on Eldar terrain, maybe even marble, but the theory should be pretty transferrable and give you a unique army.

 Paradigm wrote:
For reference, the statue idea is super-easy to get decent results with. A prime, basecoat and wash over the whole model gives a surprisingly good effect, add some simple weathering to age them a little, some moss or chipping to break it up a little, and you're good to go.

I did this a while back for some elf-themed clay-men, about ten minutes of painting per model gets you this:


Which I think looks pretty convincing. Maybe you'd want to use a whiter stone like you often see on Eldar terrain, maybe even marble, but the theory should be pretty transferrable and give you a unique army.

Picking out the spirit stones with something bright would add a splash of color to this concept.

... Unbound done right? i.e. fluffy not WAAC

Hmm Clay guardians sounds cool actually lol.

Perhaps doing a simple head swap with the bike riders for a more spirit seereeee head would work? and add more sprite stones.

Nevelon wrote:

 Paradigm wrote:
For reference, the statue idea is super-easy to get decent results with. A prime, basecoat and wash over the whole model gives a surprisingly good effect, add some simple weathering to age them a little, some moss or chipping to break it up a little, and you're good to go.

I did this a while back for some elf-themed clay-men, about ten minutes of painting per model gets you this:


Which I think looks pretty convincing. Maybe you'd want to use a whiter stone like you often see on Eldar terrain, maybe even marble, but the theory should be pretty transferrable and give you a unique army.

Picking out the spirit stones with something bright would add a splash of color to this concept.

I love this look and idea, my problem is that basic eldar infantry doesn't have the "mass" that fantasy minis do. There's not nearly as much surface area to really illustrate the stone effect (regarding guardians and dire avengers). I can kinda see maybe doing a kit bash with fantasy elf minis with guardian heads for a true statue (having a guardian statue in standard mesh armor kinda feels like having a modern statue in Kevlar and web gear) Figure out a nice way of doing shrunken catapults with them. Regardless if I end up using this for my troops I think I'll eventually model some up like this just for reasons

Brennonjw wrote:... Unbound done right? i.e. fluffy not WAAC

Works great for fun games but I'd like to take this to local tourneys too, win lose or draw I always end up with nice combat trophies and stories for models.

Desubot wrote:Hmm Clay guardians sounds cool actually lol.

Perhaps doing a simple head swap with the bike riders for a more spirit seereeee head would work? and add more sprite stones.

Thought on that alot actually, issue is that guardian bikers still look too fragile to really feel like wraith constructs.

Right now I'm also looking at ways to turn a bike into a predator drone style bit (waaaay harder than it seemed like). Another interesting thought I had was what about fantasy dryads, several eldar stories describe wraithbone in tree-like shapes, nice bone or marble covering and smooth out the faces into our beloved wraith style. Would still need to figure out how to do the shuriken weapons for them but GS branch hands into the grips is the easy part. This idea was actually part of an exodite force I was designing as an exercise ages ago.

Other interesting points for the army, I've finally got my Bonesinger, not sure if I wanna alter it yet but I think it'll make a great addition to my Iyanden shadow council. Going for 5 different seer models (not sure if I'm gonna count the wraithseer as one) so far I have a nice old metal warlock, plastic farseer, resin spiritseer, bonesinger, and a harlequin shadowseer (old resin). I have a couple spare spiritseer heads (apparently not everyone likes the blank face) and plan on modding the models all into spiritseers. The bonesinger may not be a proper seer but it's fluff is just too good not to mix him in with an iyanden force.

Also noticed that in the current codex there's a picture of wraithguard illustrated with the hip armor and tabard of a wraithblade. Mistake or heraldic variant? Aw who am I kidding some of the best fluff in 40k comes from mistakes and cool conversions. Probably gonna do my last (4th) squad of wraithguard with those parts. Currently on 3 teams of guard and now adding one of blades (axes). Idea is to put the spiritseer from the wraithhost with the blades (cad not formation team, battle focus is a waste on blades) and keep them in the vanguard so more enemies are inside the seer's 18" bubble. Also I just wanna do axe wraithblades, they're so cool, and a bit terrifying if I can roll protect/jinx.

Also I'm still on the lookout for one of those mousemuffins wraithbikes and offering cash (paypal) for one or more if anyone comes across them (ebay and swap shop have failed me here).

Oh yeah almost forgot I started a discussion over in background about the idea of warlock exarchs probably my next distraction project.

Okay posting again this time with some of what's been done with this whole project full of corpsey fun






So that's about where I am now, between taking pics and posting I've also built a squad of wraithblades (axes cause they look awesome) and cleaned up a wraithlord who's probably gonna get a pair of EML to act as anti everything (frag, krak, and flak come standard now). Once I get that lord and his sibling done (identical builds), I'll start work on the seers, 2 for battleforged (3 including the wraithseer, I know I do) and 4 for unbound parties.

Talked around with my local crew about doing unbound for fun games, most said since I was just running the iyanden build from last edition (guard as troops and shadow council of spiritseers) that it wasn't any kind of issue, so good day there.

Also happened upon a great idea for wraithbikes. Start with a new bike, cut it down to the seat and engines, shave seat down as forward sloping. Replace lower vanes with back vanes from a wraithlord. On forward slope mount wraithlord head. Not sure how it'll all tidy up but the prototype looks pretty sweet. Will have to figure out a source of those back vanes and wraithlord heads, probably find a Chinese or russian supplier.

Also bit of a fun note, the guys half hidden in the background is GorFrag for those of you who know him. He only agrees to help me with this project cause it's only dead elves and orks can get behind the idea of more dead elfs

Love it!

The poses on the actual wraith stuff looks great, never assembled any of the kits, so I didn't realize the awesomeness of the poses.

Quick note, on the stone eldar, the colour would look really nice with a lighter gray and some green moss effects, I just say that because I think the brown colour is kinda wierd looking IMHO

happy wargaming,

-Mikey

 gummyofallbears wrote:
Love it!

The poses on the actual wraith stuff looks great, never assembled any of the kits, so I didn't realize the awesomeness of the poses.

Quick note, on the stone eldar, the colour would look really nice with a lighter gray and some green moss effects, I just say that because I think the brown colour is kinda wierd looking IMHO

happy wargaming,

-Mikey

Aside from the wraithguard none of my poses are stock. The Seer had to have one leg cut and repose and the shoulder armor rotated (Also cool fact right now his spear from below the blade to the pommel has one uninterrupted pin in it). Both wraithknights have had their keys removed (models leg joints are keyed like a tau riptide which means you get one pose) with the keys removed I still had to cut the back of the calf down on both knights to bend their knees that far.

If you can't tell yet I kinda abhor how static baseline knight and lord models look. I recently finished both wraithlords and I'll probably get pictures of them up later this week. Also still tooling around with the wraith bike/drone idea.

As for the stone model ideas, personally I'd go ivory or marble rather than standard stone. I think th brown color was for clay soldiers, like the Chinese terracotta ones.e

Oh and cause some people might care, went 1850 against a GK player saturday and won. Guy was so worried about the wraithknight he ignored the wraithseer (who happens to be as tough and strong as the knight, and still carries a 5++) who ended up killing one of his dread knights in one assault phase. The Wraithknight was kinda a non event, did do 3 wounds to a different dreadknight with with a ranged shot but aside from that and later doing one more wound to that same knight in cc, he was mostly a distraction. Overall biggest weaknesses here, model count (cripplingly so) and other psyker heavy armies. End of the game I was fighting a death star using invisibility and gate of infinity with 6 warp charges (librarian[ML3], grand master [ML2], with terminator squad [ML1]) against my entire army with 7 (4 spiritseers[ML2 each] one was dead, and 1 wraithseer [ML1]). So basically every turn was us blocking each other from casting our best stuff.

sounds like a great game. Some GK builds are kinda ridiculous, but I cant fault the players, really the only way to get millage out of the codex from my experience.

ya, I will still prefer the solid stone, but hey, your project and it comes down to a matter of opinion, and you win in this case, but out of the two, I think the marble is a better pick.

best of luck, and happy wargaming,

-Mikey