Void Scorpions

I suggest using old PC parts - I'm doing also some more generic terrain (and I like city fights) and I really find PC parts inspiring - you should try it yourself.

Wilku, inspired by the Reaver tactics on http://www.thedarkcity.net/t3565-the-black-buzzards-vs-ig-airborne-1000pts, I have decided to try it differently. I have removed the Hellions and switched towards a second Reaver squad. Since it was more expensive, something had to go. Meaning the shardnet and impaler, playtesting will just have to teach me if you were correct. In any case, 2 gunboats with 16 splinter rack augmented warriors and 12 reavers with grav talons and bladevanes should put a dent into enemy infantry... If not, 2 ravagers and 3 raiders with 24 wyches / bloodbrides are standing by. All I can wring out of it.

Now how to wring it out of my purse...

What can I say? I LOVE jetbikes and bikes based armies... Shame we can't put them into troops...

So you understand me in this manner :-)

I have tried the last possible alternatives in my army list, how to replace 3*8 wych raiders by 4*5 wych venoms with added special weapons, like you suggested. However that drives my points through the roof, so no go.

Second I looked whether I could replace the bloodbrides by a venom with a flurry of hydra gauntlet bloodbride attacks, for a really devastating assault (looked like an awesome picture, 5D6 extra attacks in the charge...), sadly it is one special weapon for each three bloodbrides so I think this won't be better than my 7 and succubus in a raider... At least I am not willing to spend the points.

I guess I have found my final army list then. At least I hope it is final, as endlessly replacing units while not even owning the mini's is getting ridiculous...

So here it is!

Quote :

HQ (250 points)

- Succubus Chaeril with venom blade and haywire grenades (75 points)
- 7 standard bloodbrides with haywire grenades (115 points)
- in a raider with flickerfield and dark lance or disintegrator (70 points)

ASSAULT TROOPS (362 points)

- hekatrix with venom blade and 7 standard wyches, with haywire grenades (111 points)
- in a raider with flickerfield and dark lance or disintegrator (70 points)

- hekatrix with venom blade and 7 standard wyches, with haywire grenades (111 points)
- in a raider with flickerfield and dark lance or disintegrator (70 points)

FIRE SUPPORT TROOPS (324 points)

- sybarite and 7 standard mercenary warriors (87 points)
- in a raider with flickerfield and splinter racks and dark lance or disintegrator (80 points)

- sybarite and 7 standard mercenary warriors (87 points)
- in a raider with flickerfield and splinter racks and dark lance or disintegrator (80 points)

FAST ATTACK (334 points)

- arena champion with venom blade, 2 grav talon reavers and 3 standard reavers (167 points)
- arena champion with venom blade, 2 grav talon reavers and 3 standard reavers (167 points)

HEAVY SUPPORT (230 points)

- ravager with flickerfield and 3 dark lances (115 points)
- ravager with flickerfield and 3 dark lances (115 points)

After yet another failed job interview, I needed something to comfort me so I went out to buy my very first Raider!

Assembly is almost finished, but without loads of sticks and pikes, I gather they will just break off ten at a time, I want my models somewhat sturdy and easy to transport (hint to myself: go play Nurgle instead...).

Question remains how to paint the Raider, however we will learn soon enough!

Question also remains what to do with my 400 points first goal: is a 3 strong reaver squad even viable? 2 wych squad raiders? a wych and a warrior squad both in raiders? An added Ravager? I am happy with the 1500 point army list, but I want to start playing 400 point battles and I have still not found 'it'... That while my 400 points nomad IG army is clear as crystal to me. At least this list should be able to contest with the other one...

Can anybody help? What's the minimal 400 points army list using the above list to have a chance at victory? Requirements: one troop, no HQ.

My first Raider getting shape! I must say, I love this model!

OK I must admit, I have messed with the assembly rules, so now it is reasonably sturdy, and with loose base, sail and prow gun easy to store and transport. No abundant spears and so on means less to paint and less to repair... Call it a 'Raider Light'...



I will try to find a star sky / horror movie effect for the sails (I count the fin as a sail too), red effects need to be added, and, oh, the crew too! I will choose a pure wych crew for this one.

And about my former question, never mind, the point is moot. If I want to play small 400 point battles, I don't need Raiders but Venoms. Reasons: smaller squads mean more squads (and every one counts if for instance my Nomad opponents are 35 infantry and 10 rough riders strong, 8 wyches just won't cut it...), and at 400 points people will select more infantry, meaning the splinter cannons on the Venoms will count double...

EDIT: with extra details and highlighting, details and crew to continue.



And yes I agree: that summer grass is NOT Dark Eldar style

EDIT: I just figured out a doable 400 point list, meaning 1 raider with splinter racks and flickerfield with 10 standard warriors, and 2 venoms with dual splinter cannons and 5 wyches in each. Problem is, out of points and only one DL anti-tank, grrrr...

Would make an AWESOME match for my 400 point Nomad list on http://www.thedarkcity.net/t3254p40-project-log-the-nomad-legion-necromundan-ig-army though...

Trying a new picture and now on my desktop, as the above summer picture was too fluffy even for my taste!

I still like the contrast yellow gives, but zooming across the internet and this site to see the work of others continuously gives me the same sad feeling - did I do right choosing yellow??? I will never know as I can't turn back...

Your yellow looks good. There is no "wrong" base colour for Dark Eldar, in my opinion. With eccentric space elf space pirates, anything goes, really.

Really great job with the yellow. It is an absolutely awesome colour on you Raider.

Good job, I'm looking forward to more!

no, you did right.

Thanks!

I have made some mistakes here:

- the tailfin is clearly upside down, I only learned when it was glued in place... Even while in this fashion the pattern is fascinating (I will paint both fin and sail to both become aethersails) and the model easier to stock (without the base it can lie flat), I do not know whether I will continue pasting them all upside down, or no...

- I learned watching a youtube movie on painting raiders that I shouldn't leave the whole sail system unglued but only the top sail, same question, will I do them all wrongly?

- on painting, this is the first army I have with a white undercoat, but it is hell (and not a pleasant, Dark Eldar hell...) to paint huge parts black afterwards. Next model I will separate parts with black undercoat from parts with a white undercoat and do both with the spraycan...

- I do not know how to magnetise! So I have just kept the prow gun in three different parts...

Been shuffling around with points again to get my first 400 point target so I can get my first battle in. And yes I know it is starting to get boring like this...

I think something like this:

Quote :

- 5 standard warriors in a venom with 2 splinter cannons = 105 points
- 5 standard warriors in a venom with 2 splinter cannons = 105 points
- 10 standard wyches with haywire grenades in a raider with flickerfield and dark lance = 190 points

= 400 points on top.

This setup seems to give me fast anti-infantry fire support with the two splinter venoms, and a heads-on wych squad which can both be used AI or AT, with the dark lance present for surprises.

Meaning I'll have to look if I can't put two venoms into my 1500 point list, as I don't want to waste money on redundant miniatures and I will call it a day at 1500 points in either case.

Possible that I'll switch the venom warriors for reavers for the same reason, being not needing to buy more models than I can reasonably afford (I already have three painted Reavers)...

This alternative list would be:

Quote :

- 8 standard wyches in a raider with dark lance = 140 points
- 8 standard wyches in a raider with dark lance = 140 points
- 5 reavers with 1 grav talon = 120 points

= 400 points on top

Cheaper to buy and faster to paint, but I gather less effective than the first?

So why 400 points?

Years ago, GW launched the '40K in 40 minutes' setup. To be found on http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?showtopic=151926. This was the system we as a friendly gaming group used. That group however fell apart due to the suicide of a member plus all kinds of real life stuff intervening and driving people apart. But still, it is the quickest way I can envision to get my first game in, gather some experience, hopefully win... So yeah, I am finally in business as soon as I can get this little warband functioning...

Oh how much I loathe constantly going back to army building...

But I clearly need venoms, as for small armies at least they seem imperative. Where to find 12 splinter cannon shots for 65 points? Clearly well thought out economy against infantry heavy lists.

So... Hopefully the last time around...

Quote :

HQ (205 points)

- Succubus Chaeril with razorflails and haywire grenades (80 points)
- 4 standard bloodbrides with haywire grenades (60 points)
- in a venom with 2 splinter cannons (65 points)

ELITE

- 4 standard bloodbrides with haywire grenades plus syren with venom blade (90 points)
- in a venom with 2 splinter cannons (65 points)

ASSAULT TROOPS (280 points)

- 4 standard wyches with haywire grenades plus hekatrix with venom blade (75 points)
- in a venom with 2 splinter cannons (65 points)

- 4 standard wyches with haywire grenades plus hekatrix with venom blade (75 points)
- in a venom with 2 splinter cannons (65 points)

FIRE SUPPORT TROOPS (280 points)

- sybarite and 9 standard mercenary warriors (100 points)
- in a raider with flickerfield and splinter racks and dark lance (80 points)

- sybarite and 9 standard mercenary warriors (100 points)
- in a raider with flickerfield and splinter racks and dark lance (80 points)

FAST ATTACK (334 points)

- arena champion with venom blade, grav talon reaver and 3 standard reavers (135 points)
- arena champion with venom blade, grav talon reaver and 3 standard reavers (135 points)

HEAVY SUPPORT (230 points)

- ravager with flickerfield and 3 dark lances (115 points)
- ravager with flickerfield and 3 dark lances (115 points)

Plusses:

- no more headaches 'but I don't have venoms!' during army selection...
- symmetry respected with 4 venoms, 4 raiders/ravagers and 10 reavers
- I can finally glue down the dark lance on the Raider I am building since 4 venoms and 2 gunboats are enough AI.
- all transports filled to maximum capacity, so no waste there
- gunboats getting max efficiency out of the splinter racks
- still more than enough ground forces (40) for my taste!
- 4 (smaller) instead of 3 wych or bloodbride squads. They will hurt less but tarpit more. I hope... If not, so sad, points are done...

Right, this is the first Raider finished (I think...)

The transfer-logo can be easily doubled as a scorpion, so now it does...



And the whole painted 'army' as of now (minimal points):

- 10 wyches: 100 points
- 3 reavers: 66 points
- raider with flickerfield and dark lance: 70 points

Grand total (...) 236 points...

Oh, I do like the star pattern on the sail and rudder the reversed rudder also gives an interesting look that I like. Very well done! My only suggestion would be to shade the red markings to give them some depth and make the excellent freehand work that you've done show a bit more. I really like where this army is going

The star-patterned sail looks great! Looks really good so far, keep it up.

Evil Space Elves wrote:

My only suggestion would be to shade the red markings to give them some depth and make the excellent freehand work that you've done show a bit more. I really like where this army is going

OK, I'll bite - how would you do that?

And would you advise me to continue with 'wrong' rudders, or do the next one right?

The big plus on this setup is that without the base, the figure can rest horizontally with no problems.

Thank you, both!

To add depth you could paint a thin edge of black around the border of the red freehand. This alone would add a bit of depth, especially where the lines intersect each other by making one appear to be closer/on top. If you didn't feel comfortable using a detail brush to paint this on you would use a fine point Micron pen. (.005mm would be easy to pull this off) You could also use a slightly darker read or crimson color to apply to the bottom part of the freehand parts. I think that both , or one of these would really make the red parts standout.

ESE, I would like to thank you for your sound advice! It may look like children's drawings to draw a finer line under the main colour for the freehand painting, but it works! I used Doombull Brown, as that colour is one of my few extra colours for details here, and now the thorns really stand out! That was a missing link for me, as I just didn't like those thorns as they were, now I know it was because they looked 'painted on' and rather one dimensional.

Amazing how much I am learning painting-wise by just changing armies and effects! Before I always used a black undercoat and worked from dark to light, now my main undercoat is white, with a oily yellow effect on top. It made me repaint other areas in black without end, a dull process. Next model I will be spraying parts white and parts black and see what it gives. I will not paint the red last, after the white highlight, but before the white highlight, and lastly, I will be using brown to sharpen the contrast of the red where it is needed. Evolving as we go!

I demand pictures when you finish with the Doombull shading Glad it helped!

Decisions, decisions... Today I went out for my september purchase, which were 10 warriors. Just assembled and undercoated them.

Scratching their transport means I will have a cost effective army list to put down in october, at long last!

My first few battles (after my october purchase of 3 more reavers) will be played at 400 points with:

- hekatrix and 9 standard wyches with haywire grenades in a standard dark lance raider (NO flickerfield!) = 190 points
- sybarite and 9 standard warriors on foot = 100 points
- 5 standard reavers = 110 points

Can't be more standard I guess! But in this fashion I will be ready for (limited) war in october (as soon as the last three reavers are painted), which is good! Two months faster than predicted!

A friend of mine has already challenged me, so for the first time in perhaps 6 years, I will again fight a 40K battle, against Eldar, no less!

EDIT: gleaning the GW website, I understand that I have assembled box per box their 85 euro battleforce for 106 euros... None too bright... I guess that after my 400 point army is a fact, I will be saving up to buy myself such a box, as I need this force at least double...

EDIT 2: the whole army target at 1500 points!



EDIT 3: another 'army' overview. Don't mind the white, some conversions going on.

My tryout warrior with its basic coating white - casandora yellow shade - black.

You can notice I chose to use more black, at least on figures with more 'armour' like these warriors.

Next I have decided to use less red, secondary colour next to yellow and armour will be brown, red is only for details.

Now I hope I can still tie the whole army together using a slightly different colour selection, without redoing my wyches... I will mix the next batch into the first, but will that be enough?

Any hints are welcome!

Tryout warrior finished, still unconvinced about the colour scheme - what do you think?

Hmm, can't say I like it. I think it's the colour composition. The undersuit almost always looks better if it's darker than the armour plates. As it is, the guy almost looks naked. If you want to go with accenting metallic segments of armour, I also suggest using them somewhat more sparingly. A kneepad, shoulderpad, few armour plates here and there, but not to overwhelm the main colour of the armour.

Siticus the Ancient wrote:

Hmm, can't say I like it. I think it's the colour composition. The undersuit almost always looks better if it's darker than the armour plates. As it is, the guy almost looks naked. If you want to go with accenting metallic segments of armour, I also suggest using them somewhat more sparingly. A kneepad, shoulderpad, few armour plates here and there, but not to overwhelm the main colour of the armour.

Problem is his armour 5+, he should look better armoured than his wych sisters...