Sunday 29 March 2015

Now On Radio 4, The Archers

Finally, I add some more Core troops to my Wood Elf army (spoiler alert: they're the kind that go twang!).

Quite a lot of models (by my standards), and they should probably be separated into two units to be effective - but it's Sunday, so let's have an Archers Omnibus!

Wood Elf Glade Guard, Warhammer Fantasy Battle
"Pum pa-pum pa-pum pa-pum!"

These date back to my original Wood Elf army, c.1999. Despite having a pretty good selection of archers available, I had a specific look in mind: long cloaks, long tunic, and swords only for the leaders. And I wanted them to be uniform.

Wood Elf Glade Guard, Warhammer Fantasy Battle
Although being elves, they wouldn't call it a uniform.
They'd call it 'raiment' or something.

The model on the left represents my earliest attempt at greenstuff sculpting (his tunic ended at his belt, so I extended it - mad sculpting skills right there).

Wood Elf Glade Guard, Warhammer Fantasy Battle
There were two kinds of archers: standing straight and leaning forward.

The colour scheme was based on the Warhammer Quest image of an Elf: golden yellow tunic, navy blue boots and gloves, dark green cloaks (I drew the line at a red bow).

Warhammer Quest Elf
I assume his right leg is standing on something, not performing a crazy battle jig.

The growth of these Glade Guards was unconventional: it began as a unit of 9, just archers and a guy with a sword as the champion. I then added another unit (the leaning forward one), also composed of 9 guys, including a leader.

This was before the unit minimums of 10, and when I was theming the army units along multiples of 3. I can't remember why, but it was around the time of Babylon 5 and I was influenced by the Minbari - who were very much Space Elves - and their love of multiples of 3.

By the time I needed to update them for 6th Ed (and their glorious WoffBoot II win), musicians had suddenly become useful and I needed ten models, so I bought a horn blower for each of them.

Wood Elf Glade Guard, Warhammer Fantasy Battle
I like the champion model because he's the only one not standing entirely flat.
He also looks a bit like Sid James.

Painting recipe as follows (and as far as I can remember):

  • Tunics and bows: Golden Yellow, Thinned-Brown Ink wash, Golden Yellow wetbrush
  • Cloaks: Dark Angels Green
  • Boots and Gloves: Regal Blue
  • Trousers: I don't remember - it was some blue paint I borrowed off Leofa. Not having access to it any more, I mixed an approximate with Regal Blue, White Scar and Nuln Oil.
  • Gems: another borrowed colour - I think it was Scaly Green. I replaced it with Kalabite Green.

And the reason it's important to record your colour schemes is because, after 16 years, I decided they needed to have a standard bearer. Despite the fact that I'll probably never field one, it looks nice and gives me a whole unit of 21 (oooh - another multiple of 3!)

Wood Elf Glade Guard, Warhammer Fantasy Battle
Proof that my painting has not advanced in 16 years.

Plastic banner bits were purloined off a High Elves sprue. The 'star' was painted with washes of Green Ink and Agrax Earthshade, followed by a Mithril Silver drybrush.

All done, and ready to stock up on Trueflight Arrows...

Wood Elf Glade Guard, Warhammer Fantasy Battle
"If we're in three ranks, don't we need Martial Prowess?"
"I've told you before Dennis - WE'RE NOT JOINING THE ETERNITY KING!"

2 comments:

  1. Love it! I was looking at the colours for ages, thinking 'I've seen this before somewhere' before it twigged.

    I also like that the banner seems to have your name on it.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! I'm not surprised it took a while to recognise the source - that WHQ Elf image is insanely difficult to find on Google. Its inclusion here is my gift to the Internet.

      The banner wasn't supposed to have my name on it - but once I start painting runes in freehand, I really have no say over the final outcome.

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