Goatboy’s Model Review Time – More Dark Eldar Goodness
Goatboy here again, continuing my model review of the new Dark Eldar game pieces. Today I want to talk about the new Plastic Wyches, Hellions, and Reaver Jetbikes. All I can say is hurrah for Plastic models :). I really have enjoyed painting and building this new lot of minis. I just hope I can find an army in this pile of plastic and metal models at the end of it :).
Dark Eldar Wyches
Well the man faces are gone :). They look mean, evil, and graceful. All the things a Wych should be in the new Dark Eldar Race.
Value – 8 out of 10
You get 10 guys/gals in the box with one of every special weapon option. I wish they had at least two of each option but I can take what I can get. The poses are cool with all the models have a slightly different look and feel. This gives you a lot of options and with two boxes you can get a really cool looking unit. The best thing is at least the 10 models are under $25.00 (especially with online discounts) which is great as some of the other army basic troop boxes start hitting at the $35.00 dollar range for 10 dudemens.
Look/Form – 8 out of 10
You know the new Dark Eldar models are at the peak of plastic model design. The interesting thing I feel from this set is that their actual anatomy design is more realistic then what has been created in the past. Yes they are small but they actually look like what I feel would be gothic/evil space elves.
Paintability – 6 out of 10
They look good, but they don’t always stay together well. The razorflails are a pretty terrible design. One part is a nice solid sword while the other is a small plastic whip with tiny “links” that spread out in front of the model. I have been painting a local’s Dark Eldar army and I think I only got one true Razorflail model without a broken flail. I had to do extra gluing the strengthen the links in order to “save” this flail. A bad design on that weapon choice. The shardnets are kinda bad too but they at least stay on. The Hydra Gauntlets are rad though – so they bring up the score more. I also hate how the legs were two parts that are not multi parted for the other legs. Just make them one piece just like the Marines, I know you can do it GW. Still the models aren’t hard to paint – just a pain in the ass to put together.
Reaver Jet Bikes
Holy dog poop these models are rad. The old jet bikes looked like spike phallic members from some terrible Caligula dream. These new bikes look lean, mean and just so “Eldar” that I can’t wait to see what they come up with for the Craftworld versions. I knew I had to paint some even if I wasn’t going to use them.
Value – 8 out of 10
You get 3 bikes per box and all the options for that unit size. The good thing is that each sub unit per box gives you all the options you could ever need for that set. So that is good. I wish the cost was less as it would make running larger squads easier on the wallet. You do get an extra flat face mask which is pretty sweet and something I liked as I used them on a special conversion you will see at the end of this.
Look/Form – 9 out of 10
These look like some futuristic jet bike that a crazy goth space race would fly around. They are just awesome looking. They look fast and mean which is all I really care about in a Dark Eldar model. Each of the weapon options look good and I just think these models are great and a big thumbs up for Games Workshop on this boxed set.
Paintability – 8 out of 10
These models went together easily and were fun to paint. There was very little covering up by the models forms and it was easy to paint. You could easily see the gaps between different forms on the model so figuring out what to paint was easy. Also you had two different “forms” that allowed you to create two different color schemes on the model, which helps make it a lot more interesting to look at. As you know there is a ball joint underneath the model so you could pose it around. Personally, this won’t stay so I would say just glue it on when you find the way you want your model to look.
Hellions
Thank God these are plastic now. It is also the “we don’t suck anymore unit so please buy lots of boxes” option in the new Dark Eldar codex. I plan on running a ton of them so I know I will have a ton of these sprues/boxes laying around. You will probably see these models used as a base for a new Seer Council unit.
Value – 8 out of 10
You get 5 models per box and the cost is right at $25.00 smackers. You also get all the options per boxed set as well as models that are easy to swap out with Wyches. There are a ton of different things on the sprue so you get a lot in a boxed set. For all the new options in the book this boxed set gives you two – Beastmasters and regular Hellions. Mix this with an option to be a troop and you got a sweet box set.
Look/Form – 8 out of 10
No man faces – Check. Different forms for each model – Check. Lots of options to make things look different – Check. These models look good and when you compare them to their older counterparts and you can just put those metal/plastic monstrosities up and maybe on Ebay.
Paintability – 8 out of 10
The interesting thing on the new Dark Eldar stuff is that there seems to have been a conscious design build to not let things cover up important parts of the model. All parts are easy to get too and there never was a time when I could get my brush into whatever tiny crevice some random under arm sculpt left for me. These models were easy and fun to paint with lots of raised texture and forms that allow for washes to easily find crevices to create shadow and different forms to try blending and other techniques.
