+ inload: Meanwhile, Elsewhere in the Sector +

+ inload: Meanwhile, Elsewhere in the Sector +

+ With all the purple prose I'm writing for the Court of the Sun King, you'd be excused for thinking that it's more than just a tiny little conspiracy going on in a tiny corner of an obscure world in a backwater subsector. Anyway. My point is that while the 'campaign' is progressing, there's more happening elsewhere. It's also a particular snapshot of time in the sector. +

+ So, what's going on elsewhere? Well, the PCRC are gearing up for another of our big games this weekend, so it's been all ahead full on getting more Eldar painted. +

+ My desk has not been well-treated! I think it needs a proper clear-up after the weekend before I get stuck back into things. On the plus side (well, arguably), you can see what else I'm working on. +

+ I think I've painted more Eldar in two weeks than I did over the course of six months of last year, when I was supposedly building them up for our last Apocalypse game. Funny how the muse can strike and fade. +

+ I've didn't used to like Dire Avengers. My imagination was always caught by Striking Scorpions and (to a lesser extent) Fire Dragons. The plastic kit changed that for me. It's getting quite old now, but I think it makes some lovely models. Of course, they tend to be a bit samey owing to the limitations of the kit (compare them to the Space Marine Tactical squad kit for ease of posing and options). This does fit with the ordered way of Eldar warfare, but I prefer a bit more prancing in my space elves, so I've mixed things up with some kitbashing and conversion work. +

+ I like the idea that Exarchs run their shrines to focus on particular interpretations or philosophies behind the broader Aspect of war. As a result, I decided I'd run with different but related colour schemes for each shrine. Since the army is generally themed around M37 (i.e. pre-Tyranids), the models represent Iyanden at its largest and most confident – hence more living eldar than Wraith constructs (thought I do have a force of those to be pulled out for M41-era gaming). Eldar culture moves slowly, but I thought having the Aspects match the overall colour scheme, with the shrine colours being involved somewhere, would work well. +

+ Clearly a very conservative shrine leader here, as the Exarch is simply wielding a standard avenger catapult rather than any of the esoteric gear. He's also decreed that the warriors will fight in the colour of the Guardians, to remind them of their duty and place in society. This is obviously attractive to the chap with the mohaican haircut near the back. From the look of his extra kit, he's an ex-Dark Eldar. Reformed? Who can say.+

+ A more forward-looking shrine here, with bold colour livery of blue right leg and arm, and yellow-bone elsewhere. The Exarch fights helmless, with a ceremonial crest fitted to the back of his armour. + 

+ Both schemes are different to the earlier unit I painted last year, but they share similarities. +

+ You'll spot the pennants carried by members of each of the two new units. These always add a nice touch to armies, in my mind. +

+++

+ What else? +

+ Cadarn, Autarch of An-Angau, is what else. This chap is coming along nicely now. He's actually a bit further along than this picture shows (as are the Dire Avengers, come to think of it), as I did some more painting last night. +

+ The model shares some aspects in common with my earlier character, Monster-Whose-Name-Is-Crow (shown below) +

+ This model was sold a while back, but depending on how much Cadarn conducts himself during the game, perhaps I'll end up revisiting the Crow character. +