Craftworld Lo-Sian

Some Dark Eldar art I found quite inspirational.

*INTRO*

Hello everyone, I've spent quite a bit of time surfing these forums in the last few months. I haven't properly introduced myself, as I am a newer player and have spent most of my time learning. I am in the final process of putting my first army together, and thought it would be interesting to hear any thoughts you guys/gals might have. Thanks

*BACKGROUND* 

I've been playing 40k for just about a year now (although I did paint dark elf models as a kid, never played the game though) and after much learning, planning, evolving, and adapting I've finally collected all the models needed for my first 40k army. All I have left to do is to paint them, and I thought sharing this experience might be cool.

My goal was, and still is, to complete an 1850 army, something I can play in every setting (including tournaments, albeit not the most competetive), and have it 100% painted/based. Its been an interesting evolution since I first started, but there isn't any turning back now.

It all started with the idea of a "Pirate Craftworld" sorta thing, its funny the pirate gimmick is so popular here lol (great minds think alike?). I had this typical rogish caricature in my head with all the theiving, ruthless, elusive, ambusher, shady elements that I wanted my army to capture. To best introduce my army, a short bit of fluff I wrote should suffice, or you can skip to the army details below, if that sorta thing ain't your cup of tea



*FLUFF*

     Craftworld Lo-Sian, is a lost world, drifting through the void thousands of light years beyond the faded boundary of the Milky Way. This long forgotten world now lingers from afar, much like a bird watching its prey, soaring silently from above. The inhabitants of Lo-Sian, once a virtuous and noble people, have fallen into the darkest of depravity. A darkness born not of sickening decadence, or by the hand of a chaos god, but of desperation, in a fight for survival.
   
    Horrified at what their homeworld had become, Craftworld Lo-Sian spent much of its time traversing the Webway. Dreaming of distant galaxies, and fleeing their own. Finding itself at the limits of our galaxy, the ship set sail into the great void. While attempting a Warp Jump in Intergalactic space the ship's Infinity Circuit experienced a catastrophic loss of all psychic energy. Spiraling out of control, the ship found itself alone, abandoned far outside its mother galaxy. Nearly all critical faculties, including webway access, and major life supports had been lost.
   
    Survivors found themselves fighting for the little they needed to stay alive. Hoping to save the ship, many of the most gifted psykers sacrificed themselves to merge within the Infinity Circuit, helping gain some measure of control over the ship and its support systems. Bloodshed was quelled, but despite their efforts, it was not enough. Lo-Sian was left stranded, doomed to a slow death.
   
    Centuries had passed, and the remaining survivors had long since been taken with depresssion. Dejected and without hope, many Eldar simply awaited death. In this darkest of times, an Autarch took to the void above his Craftworld. Aboard his Nightshade Interceptor, he coordinated the planned attack, to murder and harvest his people. Rangers by his command silently executed everyone else onboard, meeting little resistance. Collecting their souls, he joined them to the Infinity Curcuit, Lo-Sian was now in his control.
 
    Lo-Sian never again attempted to make contact with another Craftworld however. With its Webway portals operational, an alliance between twin Archon brothers named Abrasax, from Kabal of the Demiurge, was at some point made. The world is now full of shadows wherein lies the watchful eye of a Ranger, as hordes of Dark Eldar Kabalites march the many thoroughfares. Where once a brilliance shone its light over the world, a green taint hangs over and radiates from its heart. A heavenly bastion, turned living monster thirsting for souls. In hunting raids, Lo-Sian now preys on all sentient life, favoring the lives of Eldar to feed it's corrupted Infinity Circuit. A living hell world, tormenting and sacrificing the lives of its brothers and sisters endlessly, a nightmare on the edge of oblivion.





*ARMY LIST & STRATEGY*

----------Eldar CAD (620pts)----------

~HQ (145pts)
     ·Autarch with Faolchú's Wing, Swooping Hawk Wings, Banshee Mask, Power Sword, and a Fusion Gun.

~Troops (120pts)
     ·5xRangers
     ·5xRangers

~Fast Attack (160pts)
    ·Exarch Crimson Hunter with Bright Lances.

~LoW (195pts)
     ·Avatar of Khaine

----------Dark Eldar CAD (1230pts)-----------

~No Force Org Slot (340pts)
     ·Court of the Archon, 4xMedusae, Venom with Splinter Cannons, and Chain Snares
     ·Court of the Archon, 4xMedusae, Venom with Splinter Cannons, and Chain Snares

~HQ (220pts)
      ·Archon with Webway portal and Blaster.
      ·Archon with Webway portal and Blaster.

~Elites (400pts)
     ·4xKabalite Trueborn and Dracon with 4xBlasters and Haywire Grenade, Venom with Splinter Cannons, and Chain Snares.
     ·4xKabalite Trueborn and Dracon with 4xBlasters and Haywire Grenade, Venom with Splinter Cannons, and Chain Snares.

~Troops (110pts)
     ·4xKabalite Warriors and Sybarite with Haywire Grenades.
     ·4xKabalite Warriors and Sybarite with Haywire Grenades.

~Fast Attack (160pts)
     ·Raider with Dark Lance, Chain Snares, and Nightshield.
     ·Raider with Dark Lance, Chain Snares, and Nightshield.

----------1850pts Total----------

I wanted an ambush army, something that would surprise attack in hopes of crippling the enemy, lure and pounce tactics. From the beginning I knew I was making a reserve army.

This is why I have the Autarch and the Crimson Hunter, they are simply the best when it comes to reserve enhancements. Plus I enjoy playing with both models. The Autarch was originally a sniper, but since the FAQ I've given him a Fusion Gun, Faolchú's Wing is just too cool of an artefact, so awesome when combined with Swooping Hawk Wings. Being able to leave the board at anytime, and being able to run 48' with a rerollable cover save the turns you enter from reserves, is just amazing for slay the warlord point denial. He's also snagged me quite a few objs in maelstrom games I've played, and his Fusion gun can be fun to use late game. The Exarch Crimson Hunter was one of the first models I purchased and now with the the new Death from the Skies rules is invaluable for getting or preventing enemies from gaining, Air Superiority. Plus he's got a few more high str/low ap weapons my force needs. In the first game I've played with my brother who plays Dark Angels, I've had the pleasure of sniping his Ezekiel (sad he has no invu save, and yes he rolled a 1 for lookout sir, was great). So I like the Hunter, hes actually been better then expected in most of the games I've played, the extra Ballistic skill really helps.

The reason these reserve benefits are so great is because my Archons have Webway Portals. They will deepstrike with either the Medusae or Trueborn, which ever I think will be more effective vs any given opponent. The unit not joined by the Archon will start on the board in its dedicated transport venom, the empty venom left by the Medusae/Trueborn who were chosen to ride with the Archon will screen and stay within close proximity to the full Venom, available to act as a second transport in later turns if needed.

So to begin deployment, the four Venoms are split into two teams, each with two Venoms and carrying a Medusae or Trueborn unit. The Kabalites Warriors I try to place on an objective, usually near the front battlelines. Rangers deployment is all over the place, thanks to infiltrate, which I try to take advantage of, I can also make one or both of the units fearless. Thanks to the Avatar of Khaine's aura, who happens to also be my most controversial peice. I haven't played any games with him yet, but in the few smaller games I've played, I noticed a need to at times deepstrike my Archons into my own backfield to support one or more of my units. I don't like this, they are supposed to be forward assault, striking at the heart of an enemy. So hopefully, he will provide me with some of that backfield support, and I don't mind if he acts as a fire magnet. Although I imagine I'll be trying to hide my units in cover, and blocking LoS as much as possible in the first turns. Waiting to strike from reserves, I have the Autarch (who is actually trying to stay in reserves mosta the time), Crimson Hunter and two units of Trueborn or Medusae with both of the Archons in Raiders.

Its pretty simple from there on out, move and shoot, pick your targets wisely, pray to the dice god. Its a faSt to play, no psykers and such, and only the Avatar of Khaine is interested in the assault phase.

*ALT LISTS*

I bought 2 more Crimson Hunters recently. I think running the Crimson Death Formation with this army would work well. I'll post Lists when I update.

I'll update as I complete models



The Avatar of Khaine

In the heart of every corrupted Craftworld, sits a tainted Avatar.



The Autarch

Known simply as "The Bird".



Two Kabalites Warrior Units

Meat for the meat grinder.



Two Trueborn Units

Born with a Blaster.





I shoulda been finishing up my Medusae (only got the one done 100%), but I've been messing around painting this Ranger, settled on this look. Both pictured above, all the Medusae should be finished soon.

I'll also post about some of my battle experiences (tactics fans anyone?), my brother is ultra competetive, he plays pure Eldar, Dark Angels, and just bought an 1850 Tau army... Suspiciously right after I told him my plans for my army and played a couple smaller games with him *cough*interceptor*cough*. Yeah he's a power gamer, should be fun. Anyways, till next time.

They look really great, I like the conversions, colour scheme, backstory, everything really, keep us informed ofyour progress.
I also like your avatar, lol.

Sounds like a Craftworld that avoided the Fall only to have its own fall into corruption via neglect. Downfall through utter dejection and misery inviting evil rather than them being truly evil themselves. I rather like the fluff you have written for Lo-sian, although I think a Craftworld traveling through the warp is a bit odd.

Overall it is quite nicely painted, too. I like the colourscheme and the kitbash for your Autarch is nice.

I am looking forward to seeing more.

*UPDATED PICTURES*

Hello, and thanks, much appreciate your comments

As a quick response regarding the fluff I'd like to say. Yeah it is odd to be traveling the Warp outside the Webway, but if my understanding is correct, its tunnels are confined to the Milk Way Galaxy.

Lo-Sian was attempting to leave our galaxy for another. I imagine disaster stuck soon after entering intergalactic space, no tunnels to travel out there. maybe Dark Matter and Dark Energy affect the Warp in an unexpected way? Warp travel may not be as stable when traveling the darkest of voids. But yeah, I believe when trying to cross that sorta distance, your normal sub-light speed travel is just much too slow. They risked warp travel, and much like air rushing from a canister opened in a vacuum, the souls of the ship's Infinity Circuit were stripped away.

I haven't quite fleshed it out yet really. I even like the idea of it being a sabatoge. Afterall, whatever they witnessed on their homeworld terrified them. Just as they lost faith and planned to abandon the rest of Eldar civilization... Maybe an individual onboard thought all his people were a doomed species, hopeless, and at one point or another, destined to be corrupted. Maybe this individual thought it better not to spread such a blight? It was a pretty rough time to be an Eldar just before the fall, and many foretold doom.

Anyways whatever caused it, they are lost pretty far out there now, thousands of light years away from our galaxy... not so far as to be completely disconnected though. After all what's a few thousands light years? Andromeda our nearest galaxy is like 2.537 million light years away haha. Someone's gotta give the Tyranids a hand for intergalactic space travel /clap

-EDIT I also added and rewrote a little in the second paragraph of the fluff. Hope that helps, thx again.

Thanks for the clarification. I overlooked them being outside of the galaxy, so that makes more sense now. It's all in all very interesting. I haven't read much fluff about leaving the galaxy.

Also, good work with the Trueborn"

Gorgeous looking models!
And I love the look of those conversions/count as!
Very nice work.

-Bnaca

Wow, this is really amazing; great stuff

My first 1850 army 100% complete... Took me just about a year, but its over whew. Time to play some games! I'll post better pictures above later.

Atm I have a bunch of hemonculous symbols on my vehicles mainly cause I thought they looked cool. The only ones that carry the symbol of my Craftworld are the Archons, with the flag on thier back. I might change em all later though.

This is what I'm working on next, 2 more Crimson Hunters for the Crimson Death Formation variant. Then 2 fire warrior units and dark reapers for my Aspect Host version of this army. I'm also working on a bit of fluff involving these new additions.

Going very well it looks like