Epic - Eldar

[Original Draft 2022-02-12]

My 'Epic Career' has definitely reached a terminal state and I can't see myself embracing the game again, at least not as seriously as I had previously.

I like the scale very much, I like playing it with my hobby people, but the game itself is good but not great.  I might occasionally participate in a tourney just for shiggles, and I could be cajoled into a game with a mate or if someone new wants to try it out.

I still have a wish list of armies I wouldn't mind building, but the effort required vs enthusiasm is at a ratio where I don't see that happening.

I do however have a project underway... underway for a long time and over the last couple of weeks with my hobby enthusiasm piqued it has spilled over into epic enthusiasm... at least enough to get this project moving again.

Eldar.  Space pixies...  GW has coined a new trademarkable name for them but they are and always will be Eldar to me.

I had a force printed in filament as a tester, and in February 2020 I started making a print list and then in June 2020 I started printing.  I can't remember how long it took to print (couple of weeks most likely) but since then almost 2 years have passed with the unshucked models sitting out in the garage waiting for attention.

The biggest disincentive was pulling all of the print sprue off the model. Followed my mounting lots of skimmer/hover type vehicles. So lots of fiddly little annoying shiz.

My assessment wasn't far off the mark as over the last few days i've scrapped, chopped, sliced, whittled, ground and sanded off resin supports.

taking photos helps provide the sense of forward movement as the raw green resin gives way to chalky-texture, cream undercoat. Those last models (pic below) are now undercoated so that's everything.

while nominally waiting for the paint to dry I thought I'd whip out a progress report.

I already have some green contrast paint waiting to go on once the models are suitably dry (not today).

Green?  Yes, i painting green models green. Obviously there is green and there is green. the light cream undercoat should provide lighter greens at the middle of panels and pools of darker green at the crevices.   After that I'm not entirely sure where the paint scheme will go but it just feels good to have them moving towards completion, and not sitting in the garage any more, mocking my lack of enthusiasm.

each of the hover models, which is pretty much anything that is a vehicle is actually mounted on thin nails, but to length with holes drilled into the model and through the base. The titans were painful, being very thin and fragile. The planes were the only things that ended up on transparent acrylic.

I envisage that these models will be constantly breaking off little fiddly wings and widgets and annoying me no end. already the transports are sans some of the decorative spikes... sigh.   

Resuming this project did get me thinking about other armies... again.  I wouldn't mind doing up a chaos army still.  I like the concept of having a couple of opposing forces, rather than 'all imperium'. But I just can't see myself gathering the momentum to print and finish a chaos army.

[Update 1 - later that day]

I really shouldn't make predictions about... anything.

First splash of colour.

The contrast paint I'd planned on using was too dark and didn't pool nicely on the chalky undercoat. Just came out black.  So instead I went for a wash that I had, worked ok.

I'll next be using a dry brush on the panels to get the main colour. 

[Update 2022-02-17]

Haven't been great healthwise. Mobility related, but affects sleep and so on. Have still managed to splash some paint and got more done before that happened.

Well into the detailing now and have some 'effects' going on, probably 'stylistic choices' might be a better description. Will save for when their done as i need another pot of paint to finish this up.  Oh, and then basing of course, probably need some more astrogranite for that.

The wash i'd planned on (as per last update/pics) wasn't cutting it, the chalkiness was sometimes soaking up the wash, sometime working normally. So i ended up putting a base of vellejo sick green as the base instead, then a wash of the coelia greenshade. worked much better. so the models are a little paint-heavy but the solid colours weren't applied too thickly at any stage... bottom line, they're bearable.

I still like the chalky paint, it worked great for i.e. the templar project but in that case it was fine for it to soak up colour and just darken, rather than pool.

[Update 2022-02-18]

Oki doki, everything has their detailing on.  Just the basing to go.  Happy with the results so far and I think the basing will really make the models pop, with a darker background for contrast.

Not 100% obvious in the pic but the larger pieces have a 'patchwork' pattern on the large plates and panels.

This breaks up large slabs of boring green, where in a larger model with more sculpted detail you'd have channels and rills which washes would highlight better. These models are pretty basic so I tried this option.

Was a bit of a gamble (a really low one given if I didn't like it I could just paint over... again), but I'm kind of liking it and I think it's going to grow on me more aesthetically over time.  It's definitely a 'stylistic' feature and I don't recall seeing similar before.

Fluff-wise the markings could represent the pilot's name or their campaign badges, or a serial number, or a tribe allegiance... whatever really, but they're all different.

[Update 2022-02-21]

The day that is the day is now that day.

Just looking at the pics I realised I haven't put the grass tufts on... and they need magnetising...  and a box...  but...

THEY'RE DONE.

Specifically they're finished enough to be used on a tournament table for a game. Painted. Done.

Above: Full army.   Below: Tanks (equivalent).

Speeder bikes, one of the core/mandatory formations - Shining Spears. These are one of my favourite units. 

One of the core infantry formations - guardians + farseer, with some heavy fire support, and transports - wave serpents.

Various war engines (artillery eq etc).

More speeder bikes, but a lesser type...

And the Avatar...

And that about wraps everything up. 

Some of the bits are super-fragile and I think there will be a lot of super gluing in this army's future, to the point where I'm kind of contemplating dolloping some super glue onto those types of structures to help support them.  For example the Avatar's sword snapped just as I was setting up this board, and the Scorpion (war engine) cannon is held together with paint.  Not much I can do about that as they're just very spindly pieces.

Anyway, happy with the results and officially calling the project done. Though there will be a little post-project tinkering (not requiring commentary).

[Update 2022-03-12]

Got a (now standard) Modifx case for them. One of the medium size ones, like the Custodes and Death Guard.

Ordered some Eldar dice for them today. Seems like a way of closing off the project. Just an accessory but a nice finishing touch I think.

So Custodes are the only Epic faction without custom dice... And of course I just checked out if there were any. Yes - so of course I ordered them.

Ok, so each Epic army is now all squared away in a uniform bag and has their own set of faction dice.  None of it necessary, but it's about the arts and craft at this stage.

Until next time...