L is for Lady Malys

I'm painting my kabalites as members of the Kabal of the Poisoned Tongue; their Archon is Lady Malys, who's described as wielding a crystalline sword and a razor-sharp fan. At the moment, I'm using a bog-standard Archon model, who seems quite blokey and is wielding a not very crystalline sword.

I found this conversion somewhere and it seems to be quite a good one, if a little boob-tastic. No fan though!

K is for Kabalites

The Kabals are the main movers and shakers of the Dark City of Comorragh, lair of the Dark Eldar. Centuries ago, these warrior bands overthrew the noble houses (although truth be told, some houses saw the way the wind was blowing and reformed themselves into Kabals).

D is for Dark Eldar

Although I've been interested in the WH40K universe for the last 20 years or so, I've never collected an army for the game before (I collected a couple of gangs for the spin-off game Necromunda. Ah-ha, a post for N!). So, upon my rejoining the 40K fold, I had to decide on an army to collect. Now, if I was sensible, I would have chosen either Chaos Space Marines or Dark Angels Marines (the two armies that come in the game's boxed set). That way, I'd be able to stick to one force, with one book (each army has an associated book with rules and background, honestly, this game is like a drug habit).

But no, I was seduced by the Dark Eldar. Here's why:

Lean, predatory, elfy, it's all good. The models are ah-bloody-mazing. Currently I have this set-up (I know it won't make much sense if you don't know the game):



+++ Dark Eldar 500 (497pts) +++
+++ 500pt Dark Eldar 6th Ed (2010) Roster (Primary Detachment)) +++

Selections:

Dark Eldar 6th Ed (2010) (Primary Detachment) Selections:

+ HQ + (105pts)

    * Archon (105pts)
        (Fleet, Independent Character, Night Vision, Power from Pain)
        Huskblade (35pts), Kabalite Armor, Plasma Grenades, Soul-trap (10pts), Splinter Pistol


+ Elites + (126pts)

    * Incubi (126pts)
        (Fleet, Night Vision, Power from Pain)
        Incubus Warsuit
        * 3x Incubi (66pts)
            3x Klaive
        * Venom (60pts)
            Envenomed Blades (5pts), Flickerfield, Twin Linked Splinter Rifles


+ Troops + (266pts)

    * Kabalite Warriors (125pts)
        (Fleet, Night Vision, Power from Pain)
        * 7x Kabalite Warrior (63pts)
            7x Splinter Rifle
        * Kabalite Warrior with assault weapon (24pts)
            Blaster (15pts)
        * Kabalite Warrior with heavy weapon (19pts)
            Splinter Cannon (10pts)
        * Sybarite (19pts)
            Splinter Rifle


    * Wyches (141pts)
        (Dodge, Fleet, Night Vision, Power from Pain)
        * Hekatrix (57pts)
            Agoniser (20pts), Blast Pistol (15pts), Haywire grenades (2pts), Plasma Grenades
        * 7x Wyches (84pts)
            7x Haywire grenades (14pts), 7x Plasma Grenades, 7x Splinter Pistol and Close Combat Weapon


Created with BattleScribe (http://www.battlescribe.net)


Basically, I have a general (the Archon) with 3 hired bodyguards armed with two-handed swords (Incubi) riding around in a flying chariot (Venom). On foot, I have 10 ranged warriors (Kabalites) mostly armed with rifles but with a couple of special weapons. The Wyches are gladiator-types armed with special grenades to use against vehicles.

A is for Archon

Of all the alien races that beset mankind in the 41st millenium, the Dark Eldar are perhaps the most cruel, or at least the most overtly so. Lithe elfin humanoids with pale skin and dark eyes, they lair within a conglomeration of cities on another plane of reality, using their almost magical technology to breach into realspace and raid for slaves, technology and their own enjoyment. The last reason is what sustains these decadent wretches, for they literally feed off the pain and fear of other beings, using it to stave off what they refer to as "soul-death", the continuous draining of their very souls by a god of Chaos that they themselves unleashed on the galaxy 10,000 years ago.

Foremost among the Dark Eldar are the Archons, powerful war-leaders amongst their kind. Leaders of the warrior sects known as Kabals, each Archon is a cunning and deadly combatant in his or her own right. They can be thought of as a cross between biker gang leaders, mafia bosses and fey monarchs. Most are either insane or paranoid; both are almost necessary qualities for these vile fiends.

I'm currently painting this miniature, and it is a fun figure, but it's been cast in the Finecast resin that Games Workshop now uses. I is Disappoint, kid. That's for another post.

In game terms, the Archon is an Independent Character (he can act on his own or join any unit) and can act as your army's Warlord (he gets a special trait that can aid your army in battle). You can outfit this evil nutbar with a variety of horrid close combat weaponry including a glowing pyramid that sucks out your opponent's soul, a sword that kills your opponent instantly if it hits, and other such lovelies. You can pop him in a troop-carrying vehicle to get him where he needs to be, and have him surrounded by weirdo flunkies such as ghoulish aliens, 4 armed snake guys, and a courtesan armed with enough poison for everyone.

Dusting off the cobwebs *koff koff*

Yeah... long time, no blog. I honestly have an excuse! I'm on a university course as well as a work placement connected to same, and the workload for this has meant that other writing has fallen by the wayside, even the meager amount that I normally muster for this blog. Hobby-wise, I'm wading into 40K; I have a copy of Dark Vengeance on reserve (the Chaos minis are the best that the Eye of Terror has seen for 20 years or so, the Dark Angels... hmmm...), 700 points of Dark Eldar are in various stages of construction/painting and I have loads of cardboard and Pringles tubes for terrain making (I have the classic GW book- gawd bless ebay!)

Razorwing - first 'unit' of the evil space elves finished.

In terms of RPGs, I haven't really done very much, having dropped the PbP I was running rather unceremoniously (sorry guys), and I haven't done anything in RL. I'd love to do some Flailsnails but I just don't have the time - I don't really know how people with kids are able to do it! Kyrinn of URUTSK fame has graciously involved me in a PbP in her unique and intriguing world, and that's been a fun experience. Let's see what 2013 brings...