Dark Eldar Release Timeline

This is the Dark Eldar release schedule since the dawn of time, broken down into months with information on the products, material and sculptors. It will serve as a tool for any player to find out more information about an entry in the Dark Eldar codex if need be. The timeline is not guaranteed to be 100%, I am in the process of reformatting it and adding glossaries; credit goes to Tymell of Warseer and his excellent 40k Release Calendar thread where the backbone of this timeline is lifted from.

Information missing:
FW Razorwing - Release date
FW Raven - Release date
Original Warriors with Heavy and Assault Weapons - Release date
Original Reaver Jetbike Squad - Release date
Beastmaster, Clawed Fiend, Khymera,
Razorwing Flock, Webway Portal, Sybarite, Haemonculi - Sculptor information

Did the Incubi with assault weapons come the same month as the punisher armed models?
Did the Wyches with wych weapons come at the same time as the generic Wyches?

Models yet to be released from new range:
Asdrubael Vect & The Dais of Destruction
Lady Malys,
Duke Sliscus
Baron Sathonyx
The Decapitator
Voidraven Bomber
(Various sergeant, upgrade options, Trueborn and Bloodbrides excluded)

DARK ELDAR RELEASE TIMELINE

Timeline is formatted as Model/Publication (Material, Sculptor/Author)
All models and publications prior to November 2010 (excluding the Harlequin range) are discontinued and unavailable, apart from Drazhar.
Entries marked with an * were limited release product.


June 2012
Warhammer 40,000: Sixth Edition

December 2011
*Dark Eldar Megaforce (10 Kabalite Warriors, 20 Wyches, 9 Reaver Jetbikes, 5 Scourges, Venom, Raider, Ravager)

October 2011
Forge World Tantalus (Resin & Brass Etch, Daren Parrwood)

September 2011
Sslyth (Finecast, Jes Goodwin)
Lhamaean (Finecast, Juan Diaz)

August 2011
Ur-Ghul (Finecast, Jes Goodwin)
Medusae (Finecast, Juan Diaz)

June 2011
Forge World Reaper (Resin, Stuart Williamson)
Dark Eldar Battleforce (10 Kabalite Warriors, 10 Wyches, 3 Reaver Jetbikes, 1 Raider)
Talos/Cronos (Plastic, Jes Goodwin & Oliver Norman)
Scourges (Plastic, Jes Goodwin & Juan Diaz)
Venom (Plastic, Jes Goodwin, Tom Walton & Aly Morrison)
Razorwing Jetfighter (Plastic, Jes Goodwin & Dale Stringer)
Haemonculus (Finecast, Jes Goodwin)
Wracks (Finecast, Jes Goodwin & Juan Diaz)
Grotesque (Finecast, Jes Goodwin & Juan Diaz)

March 2011
Succubus
Beastmaster
Clawed Fiend
Khymera
Razorwing Flock

November 2010
Codex: Dark Eldar (Phil Kelly)
Kabalite Warriors (Plastic, Jes Goodwin)
Wyches (Plastic, Jes Goodwin)
Hellions (Plastic, Jes Goodwin, Juan Diaz & Tom Walton)
Reaver Jetbikes (Plastic, Jes Goodwin, Tom Walton & Alex Hedstrom)
Raider (Plastic, Jes Goodwin, Oliver Norman & Aly Morrison)
Ravager (Plastic, Jes Goodwin, Oliver Norman & Aly Morrison)
Urien Rakarth (Metal, Finecast, Juan Diaz)
Archon (Metal, Finecast, Jes Goodwin)
Lelith Hesperax (Metal, Finecast, Juan Diaz)
Mandrakes (Metal, Finecast, Jes Goodwin)
Incubi (Metal, Finecast, Jes Goodwin)
*Webway Portal (Lightweight Metal, Designer not stated)

July 2008
Warhammer 40,000: Fifth Edition

April 2007
Harlequins (Metal, Finecast, Jes Goodwin)
Shadowseer (Metal, Finecast, Jes Goodwin)
Death Jester (Metal, Finecast, Jes Goodwin)
Troupe Master (Metal, Finecast, Jes Goodwin)

September 2004
Warhammer 40,000: Fourth Edition

November 2003
Codex: Dark Eldar, Second Edition (Jervis Johnson & Gavin Thorpe + Andy Hoare & Phil Kelly)

January 2000
Asdrubael Vect (Metal & Plastic, Chris Fitzpatrick, Gary Morley & Tim Adcock)
Hellions (Metal, Chris Fitzpatrick & Tim Adcock)
Lelith Hesperax (Metal, Paul Muller)
Wyches with Assault Weapons (Metal, Chris Fitzpatrick & Tim Adcock)

June 1999
Ravager (Metal & Plastic, Tim Adcock & Gary Morley)
Kruellagh the Vile (Metal, Gary Morley)

May 1999
Female Lord/Dracon (Metal, Gary Morley)
Drazhar (Metal, Chris Fitzpatrick)
Mandrakes (Metal, Gary Morley)

February 1999
Scourge with Splinter Rifle (Metal, Gary Morley)

January 1999
Scourges (Metal, Gary Morley)
Talos (Metal, Mark Bedford)
Warriors with Special Weapons (Metal, Chris Fitzpatrick)
Wyches with Wych Weapons (Metal, Chris Fitzpatrick)

December 1998
Raider (Metal & Plastic, Tim Adcock & Gary Morley)
Reaver Jetbikes (Plastic, Dave Andrews & Chris Fitzpatrick)
Beastmaster & Warp Beasts (Metal, Trish Morrison)
Lord/Archon (Metal, Gary Morley)
Incubi (Metal, Chris Fitzpatrick)
Urien Rakarth (Metal, Paul Muller)

November 1998
Codex: Dark Eldar (Jervis Johnson & Gavin Thorpe)
Warriors (Plastic, Gary Morley, Tim Adcock, Mark Bedford, Paul Muller & Brian Nelson)
Sybarite 1 & 2
Haemonculus 1 & 2
Wyches (Metal, Chris Fitzpatrick)

October 1998
Warhammer 40,000: Third Edition

WOW... I have been playing this game for a long time. Good work on the timeline.

Hmm there is a patter here, in new releases. Roughly once in 5 months we get something. Means next is April.

Everything is now formatted, things that aren't are incomplete - help is needed with those.

Well going by the first release we won't be seeing a new codex or models until November 2020. I'd like to highly doubt that but we've been extremely well serviced with the new range and releases.

Archon, the real credit should go to Tymell and his 40k Release Timeline which was the inspiration for creating my own. I've used his data and added some of my own, ie the FW stuff, battleforces, codices and believe there to be a few things missing that I need to track down. His original thread can be found here: http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?297915-Games-Workshop-40K-Release-Timeline-%28Mk-II%29

Anyway, I am going to add the Harlequins to the timeline as they are essentially part of our range too, does anyone object?

Feel free to help with anything missing.

Sky Serpent wrote:

Well going by the first release we won't be seeing a new codex or models until November 2020. I'd like to highly doubt that but we've been extremely well serviced with the new range and releases.

Considering how "fast" GW is with Xenos (there are still books from 3rd and 4th edition), that 2012-13 would be Hobbit era, that GW would try to salvage WFB trainwreck... I think it actually may be accurate. If GW would be around.


Also don't forget GW liked to mix plastic"grunts" and metal "heavy weapons guys" in past. I remember old Lances, Blasters and Shredders were metal only...

[edit]
Oh wait... nevermind, You did it already.

Thought I should mention - there was officially a Dark Elf Warrior released during the RT era circa the 80's. I think it was somewhat later retconned into being just an Eldar - but it might be worthy of inclusion.

Edit:

http://www.collecting-citadel-miniatures.com/wiki/index.php/Eldar%28Warhammer_40,000_Rogue_Trader%29_-_Collectors_Guide#First_40K_Releases

First model in the listings.

A great resource, thanks Sky. I must finish that list of articles.

This would be a good Wiki entry, wouldn't it? And will we be able to add a pic of each model mentioned?

It'd be really great to get this involved with the Wiki more.

I was quite disappointed the Wiki didn't take off but there is plenty of time for that.

Now, do you guys want this to become the DE collectors guide that I always wanted to make? That each entry would then link to a page on the wiki which shows the models? We'd have to look at sourcing all the images as GW isnt fond of others using their stock photos.

Why not turn it into a true collector's guide? That's what i would like to see, and I think it would help make us a more valued resource and destination site. I was going to suggest using some pics from CCM and SoL, but they actually have very little in the way of DE. So even more reason for us to do it.

I would envisage a collector's guide being done, or being accessible at least, in two ways if possible - chronologically and by individual unit. Not too useful perhaps when you only have two editions of gear, but it would still save some toing and froing for users.

40k edition release dates added to timeline.

Needed information added in red.

For now this will stay as a timeline but I do have plans to create a complete collectors guide.

Thor665 wrote:

Thought I should mention - there was officially a Dark Elf Warrior released during the RT era circa the 80's. I think it was somewhat later retconned into being just an Eldar - but it might be worthy of inclusion.

Edit:

http://www.collecting-citadel-miniatures.com/wiki/index.php/Eldar%28Warhammer_40,000_Rogue_Trader%29_-_Collectors_Guide#First_40K_Releases

First model in the listings.

So I just got to reading the wiki, and I'm really surprised that those hoary old Eldar models from when I first started playing 40k were as old as the old Rhino. I'd figured the range had been rebuilt sometime during 2nd Edition, but its certainly an eye-opener.

What surprised me more was that most of the 1991 Craftworld Eldar line is still available after all these years. That would mean those are either some of GW's best sculpts, or there's so few Eldar players that the miniatures get very little attention. I'm more inclined to go with the latter because of how long it took them to make the Wave Serpent and how few of them have been moved to Finecast.

The Dark Eldar line did need the attention a lot more, though. A lot of us were afraid that GW was going to have them go the same way as the Demiurg/Squats, Zoats, and Nicassr; but it looks like they finally pulled through.The old line just didn't have enough quality sculpts.

Added the release of sixth edition, if anyone can help finish this then please do.