Two down...

Here's the converted Solitaire in all his desaturated glory. As with the slaanmarine I'll wait until the end of the Invitational to show him in full colour. 

I've deliberately kept him clean and avoided any diamond patterns or large free hand designs. A solitaire rune on his chest and a small diamond on his left spaulder will have to suffice for now. I might go back and paint a slaaneshii rune on the back of his coat later on though. 

Invitational Solitaire

Here's my second take at a converted solitaire using a wrack mask and elf archer legs. 

I must confess to appreciating the decidedly non-dynamic pose of this guy after working with the super-jumpy harlequin kit for a while...

The Solitaire Strikes

The Eldar have always been close to my heart and perhaps particularly so the enigmatic Harlequins ( the word "enigmatic" has to be used at some point when discussing the Eldar...)

Now harlies were among of the first GW models I painted - including that awesome smiling jetbike. A friend of mine had the big harlequin box and the WD with the Rogue Trader rules and I was completely mesmerised by the imagery, the background, Jes´s models and the 'eavy metal teams exuberant paintjobs. 

Unfortunately I'm a bit conflicted about GWs new harlequin release. My thoughts (rant mode warning...) on this matter can be found in the comment section on my buddy Kraut Scientists most excellent and comprehensive review of this release: 

Send in the clowns

Suffice to say my two gripes about the models boils down to two things: 

- The over dynamic (and sometimes ridiculous) poses. 

- The strange shape of the masks. They have an unescessary rim that goes around the underside  softening their profile and making them look like they have a double chin. (This can easily be rectified by carefully scraping the lower rim away.)

That said, these were issues that applied to the previous finecast incarnation of the Harlequis released in noughties so it's really not something new and the new versions are multi pose plastic so they're at least easier to tweak. In the end I just had to get a box to see what I could do with them - they are a treasure trove of bits and with some modifications, careful posing and a headswap or two you can make some truly spectacular pointy ears.

Here's my first attemt at a solitaire using a head from the dark eldar witch elfs:

Here she is showing off against the great enemy:

After struggling with the domino pattern on her right leg I have a newfound respect, bordering on awe, for the 'eavy metal painters. Doing such microscopic checkers like those on the studio army would have driven me insane...

Newmonculus

The wrack kit is just amazing. Here's the second haemonculus I've put together using the multitude of bitz it offers. I've also cobbled together a nomal wrack (well, normal for wracks...) just to test the kit - I'll put that up when it's finished. 

For now here's haemonculii number two on the operating table. 

Flight of the spinal chords

A box of the new wracks, a wraith and a rather frenzied kit bashing spree resulted in this nasty customer. 

I've had the idea to make a different looking haemo out of the wraith for awhile and finally we got the wrack kit to  provide some necessary extra bits! 

Gonna leave it be for awhile and get back to it after some pondering... It's not 100 % yet - but it's a start. Any improvement ideas are more than welcome!

Talos all about it!

I let the haemonculus rest for a while before undercoating it.

Instead I cobbled together this talos out of what was left after pilfering the gribbly arms and the pelvis. 

The loss of the pelvis was actually a bit of a boon. It adds unecessary bulk and clutter to the model, plus I never really liked the way the tail jutted out backwards at a random angle on the original model.

I rather prefer this profile - it's a bit more sleek, plus you get away from the flying stand. 

What's your opinion, dear readers?

Pinhead

Here's a final update on Drax before I start painting. 

I actually tried some sculpting on this one - trying to make the face seem like a streched skin mask, held in place by a meat hook anchored to his carapace. Very Clive Barkery - as befits a haemonculus. 

It turned out okay I guess, but I'm centainly no Jes Goodwin or Brian Nelson...

The doom that came to Anyah-Ra

As you might have noticed eldar of different kinds are in vogue here at the convertorum. Might have something to do with the approaching Fall (see what I did there).

As I've stated before, they're intended for a craftworld ghostwarrior/haemonculii coven team up army: 

The (as usual rather sketchy) backstory is that the craftworld Anyah-Ra (a homage to the classic swedish science fiction epic "Aniara" by Harry Martinson) has been ravaged by the forces of She Who Thirsts. More or less depopulated they face the same grim realities that Iyanden does and now they have to rely heavily on ghostwarrior constructs in times of war. But in their desperation they go one step further...
In the hope of finding a way to restore their population through whatever means necessary the remaing farseers have decided to strike a deal with a renegade Haemonculus Ancient - a master of cloning and other, more sinister, rejuvination practices.  

The price for his services are high though - perhaps higher than they ever could have imagened...

Here's the finished wraithguard unit:

And here's where the Haemonculii Ancient, working name Zalasaar Drax, is at the moment: 

Whatever doesn't kill you only makes you... stranger...

Hot on the heels of the Acothyst comes her boss, the Haemonculus (in a blue-tacked, very work-in-progress state):

I view this guy as a haemonculii ancient so old and withered only his head remains, hooked up to a biomechanical robotic suit. A bit like Herman von Klempt from the Hellboy comics:

A different set-up. 

Perhaps cooler but somewhat less wierd:

Black Adder

Here's the finished Acothyst - Aspis Viprexx

Actually she might even be fielded as a rookie Haemonculii - certainly looks the part... 

Or what do you guys think? Middle management or boss?

Snake preview

Here's a little preview of the painted wrack mistress/acothyst. She's not completely finished so I'll wait with full figure pics until she's done.

The ancient and the twisted

RI'm in full eldar mode at the moment - finishing up the wraithguard squad I started when the new kits came out a few months ago.

These will be for a ghostwarrior/haemonculii team-up army. 

Wracks, naturally, will be part of that - and here's the acothyst for the first squad: 

EDIT:

Added a third arm for some bonus wierdness! 

I've gone for a snake-like bodymorphed look using the tenticles from the talos kit. Works pretty well methinks... What say ye?

"The Borg? Hmmm. Sounds swedish..."

Here's the painted servitor. I like this guy - he's got a nice Borg-thing going on.

"Resistance is futile" etc. etc.

Here's a few other models I'm working on... 

Eldar corsair bountyhunter, a sort of mech-smith-cultist and the humble beginnings of some nasty little wierdo...

Wraithguards and Vampires!

Finished the wraithguard test model this morning!

It turned out pretty much as I hoped to. Actually probably a bit better than the standard I could hope to keep up for a whole unit - let alone a whole army. Oh well...

Paintscheme is sort of Ulthwé in reverse, but with a earthy light grey instead of bone. Eldar can get a bit too slick so I added a lot och of wear and tear. 

Haven´t decided on a name for the craftworld yet. My first idea was Mohr-Righán inspired by the Morrigan from irish mythology: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Morr%C3%ADgan 

However, now I´m leaning more towards Anya-Rah. Goldstar to those who get the literary reference...

Only thing left is some sort of decoration on the loincloth. 

Also made some progress with the Psyber Vampiress - here's where she is at the moment:

The Real Ghostbusters

Couldn't help myself - I just had to pick up a box of the new wraithguard...

I've always loved the ghost warrior parts of the eldar army and after the new codex came out a plan to do a ghost warrior army with dark eldar allies has been brewing. The theme being a craftworld (working title Mohr-Righán) with an almost completely decimated population after a devastating Slaaneshi attack who in desperation turn to the their dark kin. And them good 'ol harlequins of course.

No conversions on these guys - just a straight out of the box build. Eldar are hard to convert and the minis are beautiful as they are...