Craftworld Eldar my friends. Not Space Marines, not Orks being chopped up and glued back together just super nice, super cool doom-ridden Craftworlders!
Click on for a break down of some words, a couple of pictures and a smattering of fond memories of my previous Eldar back in 2nd Edition.
My first ever Warhammer 40,000 models were a squad of Eldar Guardians. Not the ones we have now, ones with lasguns and the same helmets as the current, ancient jetbike model. I had a Dark Reapers on overwatch and their Exarch with, if I remember correctly, a missile launcher, power fist AND power sword. He was a Super Hard Dude™. Warp Spiders jumped anywhere they wanted, killed anything under a flame template then jumped away again. Banshees killed whatever they charged and Maugan Ra was the coolest model ever.
I went on to be distracted by Imperial Guard (also 2nd Ed when you only needed two tanks and 20 men and when Rough Riders were actually capable of murdering Marines!) then Blood Angels (still going with these guys). The Eldar got left behind. I think the main culprit was the evolution from 2nd Ed's 'hero-hammer' and things (all the Aspect Warriors) becoming balanced. However, if they do come back this is a band wagon I have a seat reserved on. Even if someone who isn't Phil Kelly writes it, though I hope he does, I'll be there on release day.
So, here's to the future.
There's been bits and bobs of 'new' Craftworld Eldar (CE) floating around for a couple of years now. It all started off with this prototype model from Jes Goodwin:
This design was clearly heavily borrowed from to create the beautiful new DE Reavers. One reason I stopped Eldar way-back-when was my dislike for the 'old' jetbike and the fact it didn't tie in with the up coming (at the time) Guardians so this is a definite good start.
Next up picture wise is the sneak peak from the studio team provided for those at last weekend's GDUK:
| More pictures from GDUK here |
Then there's the 'paper' rumours from supposedly reliable sources:
Eldar mid to late 2012. Possibly 1st or 2nd official 6 ed codex - Cool
Guardians being redone. Will include new weapons platform and storm guardian bits. - Good news they'll come with support weapons and Storm Guardian parts seen above, that'd be a ridiculous amount of spare parts though.
Avatar getting new fine cast version with weapon options (spear/sword) not as big as FW model, but larger than current - As mentioned above it's about time this fella had a new model.
Lots of new mech options. Jump pack/jet options for walkers similar to new FW models, but unclear if this is new model or upgrade to current model. Upgrade packs don't seem likely, and current model is decent, so I have my doubts about this rumor completely - hmm...making everything jump is very Tau/Dreadknight territory, we'll see.
New tank options...built on wave serpent/falcon chassis still. Hydra like flak turret, Bonuses against flyers and skimmers. Dcannon tank. And some pulse cannon monster tank...scorpion? - Yes please to all of this in plastic option form.
New jet bikes and vypers - of course. A new Vyper would be greatly appreciated.
New warlock sculpts - as seen at GDUK
New aspect sculpts, aspects still likely fine cast - PLEASE give me new Warp Spiders and Shining Spears (Exarchs please too?). The rest are all pretty much O.K
Some sort of shimmershield device. Portable cover save for a unit, but static once deployed...model in design for it. Sounds fishy to me? But the de have the portal...who knows, I say unlikely - a bit 'meh' about this. I like the idea of Guardians being a bit more stand-and-shoot than DE Warriors but a static shield would spoil CE fluidity.
From obvious dept comes the nightwing and some form of bomber. Neither look at all like de ships, or existing FW. Definitely eldar - yes to the fighter, not sure about a bomber. Making the link to DE it's a good assumption but we don't need a colourful version of everything from the DE codex.
Drop pod of some sort that can carry 20 troops, 10 wraith guard, or 1 wraith lord. Deploys as firebase that has higher cover rating for guardians. Sounds like a bastion that drops into play with a weapons platform attached. Not sure I buy into this rumor completely, it seems too complex the way it's been described. And I never saw any evidence of this in design before - a drop pod-fortification-bastion-weapons platform filled with Wraithguard. Split on this. That sentence makes it sound like a great idea, I just can't see it a)hapening in a CE army, b) happening at all.
All in all this stuff is waaaaayy off. We're talking end of next year at the earliest and rumours this far out have a huge failure rate - anyone remember the Frankenstein and his monster Blood Angels techpriest and crazy-dread? Pass the salt please. We'll have to wait and see.
However, it doesn't mean I'm not excited. It also means anything else new in the mean time will be less attractive, leading me to be able to focus on finishing Angels Sanguine, GK and Orks and clearing off the workspace gradually for what will be a total plastic-crack fest model overload!
Lastly, I'd just like to re-itterate: Pleeeeeaaasssee Games Workshop. Pleeeeeaaasssee give me new Warp Spider models!! Look at the picture at the top of this article and start sculpting!
