The Primaris have a devastating impact on my enthusiasm for the Space Marines, but the new Edition of Kill Team really got me, so my Eye fell on the Eldar and I decided to start with an Aeldari Kill Team. Here are my 10 Reasons for them.
But before we get there a few words on the Eldar. Yes, they are Elves in Space, yes Games Workshop took quite a lot from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. But … Games Workshops Writers and Designers – Jes Goodwin, Geoff Taylor, Andy Chambers and Rick Priestley in the first place – really created an
1. The Cover of the Second Editon Codex.
I already mentioned Geoff Taylors Work above, but the Cover of the 2nd Edition Eldar Codex ist just something totally own. The fountain of colour, the dynamic, the symmetry, the kaleidoscope of the battlefield, the grace, the pride, the art of warfare, the hint of something huge in the background … there’s sooo much to it.
I actually have to smile, everytime i see the picture. The fact, that the 1d4chan-Guys added the the caption “TASTE THE RAINBOW MOTHERFUCKER!” makes it even funnier …
2. Craftworlds
The Idea of putting more or less whole Planet and Billions of People within a gigantic, living but artificial Spacecraft is just awesome. That they keep their dead within the Spaceships very own structure, makes it even better.
3. Speed (and Firepower)
When it comes to things, I like about the game then there are two things: Firepower and Speed. Few things within games are more satisfying than to move your Units to the place you want them to have, no matter what. And come on … who want’s to ride bikes, if he can have jetbikes?!
Blasting everything to pieces you want to see in pieces is the second best thing.
The third best thing about (war) gaming would be Winston Churchills famous Quote …
“There is nothing so exhilarating as being shot at without result.”
… but that’s not too aeldarish, aaand … we’ll come to that in the next point.
4. Iyanden (and it’s Wraithconstructs)
The Story of Iynaden is one of the best parts of the whole lore. The Light in the Darkness, the greates Craftworld of all, omnomnomed by the Tyrandis, almost destroyed, 4/5th of it’s population dead and now … being forced to force these dead from their resting places within the inifity circuite (eg. grave) into battle … the greates Craftworld of all empty, the dead outnumber the living … just great, what an amazing metaphor for the whole eldar race. The tragedy of all the Eldars packed into the fate of a single Craftworld, and especially with the most amazing narrative and gameplay-ish focus …
The Greatness of Iyanden also includes the Greatness of Wraith-Constructs. Not only the pure concept is amazing: Giant Robot steered by the dead. They also look sooo great with the faceless helmets / heads. And: They are pretty good at “being shot at without result”. But the best thing about them is the narrative aspect: Noble dead, forced to fight for the living. The living forced to raise the dead. There’s so much in it.
And: I love Iynadens Colour Scheme more than any other.
Aaaand: They have quite defensive Special Rules, which I like a lot.
5. Howling Banshees and the Gender thing
Ahhh … strong women Characters. Finally a Faktion for me, that has a decent integration of females into their ranks. I love the fact, that there are 2 female torsos within every Guardian Box and the Howling Banshees are a damn awesome Unit.
But in truth you can kitbash pretty much every craftworld unit into a female version (if you have enought female torsos), which I like a lot from a narrative point of view.
6. Ghost Warriors
I really can’t decide what’s cooler: The concept of Dead steering damn angry robots of vengeance, or the design with the fully plain, minimalistic, expressionless helmets that don’t try to mimic anything except the most fundamental idea of a head.
They are true masterpiece and milestone of character design. And they kick ass like angry, dead robots should. And they are the most tanky thing the Eldar have, which I do like even more, because I do like tankyness, like … a lot.
7. The Rangers
I like the Rangers Minis so much, that I actually thought about converting them into Space Marines (back in the days, before the Primaris came out and I actually considered playing Space Marines).
8. Eldar Scenery
Games Workshop finally published an own piece of Aeldari Scenery, the quite huge Webway Gate. Until then thrid party Secenery Developers came up with Stuff, like Miniature Scenery’s Space Elven Range or other third party Suppliers.
9. They are Xenos
To be honest, pretty much all human factions are Nazis. That’s probably the most essential part of the 40k-DNA, and it sure attracts people, hell, it attracted me, until Games Workshop came around with the Primaris Marines. But …
To walk outside of the (other) Hell, that is the Imperium of Man, is quite … spirit lifting. To be one target of all the blind hate that drives Mankind in the 40th Millenium is quite, yeah, uplifting. I am really looking foward to win anything with my Eldars.
10. Jes Godwins Artwork / Unelvish Elves
Last but very, very certainly not least: Jes Goodwins amazin Mid-90ies-Artwork. I can’t overestimate the impact of Jes Goodwins Work on my addiction to Warhammer. Especially his pencil works continue to draw me into the Lore and the Hobby … in may ways it’s the pinnacle of Warhammer.
I think, that I discovered one of the reasons, that Jes Goodwins Interpretation of the Eldar still attracts me that much: Although it’s still obvious, that they come from an elven heritage, they have a few design aspects, that separate them from other, classic (scifi) elven interpretations. It’s a bit as if Jes Goowin (and the other great Artists who contributed to the eldar), tried to cut of the ties that link them to their Tolkien Heritage. And – of course – this adds so much to the autonomy and independency of the Eldar within the Warhammer 40.000 Universe as well as compared to other fictional worlds.Here are some of the aspects, that – in my humble opinion – make the stand out so much from other (Space) Elves …
They almost always wear helmets. During the first years, the Star Quest (as Space Crusade was labeled in Germany) years, I wasn’t even sure, wether they have human faces at all. This takes away the pointy ears, the long hair and the beautifull, slender, old and wise faces. At the same time, the late 90ies Guardian Helmets have such a distinct and badass Design, that you recognize it immediatelly and have strong sense of grimdark elegance.
They usually display a rich palette of strong, monochrome Colours. The core colours of the major Aspects of the Eldar are all strong, shining, almost always primary colours: Alaitoc; Saim Hann, Biel-Tan, Iyanden, Dire Avengers, Striking Scorpions, Fire Dragons, Swooping Hawks, Howling Banseehs. This is a strong contrast to the typicall white, grey, greenish most Elves usually wear.
Hardly and floral or organic patterns. Although the Craftworld Eldar have a generaly organic style, with many elegant curves, they hardly ever directly mimic floral or organic designs. The thornpatterns of Biel-Tan are one of the few exceptions. The overall style is much cleaner, more reduced and almost minimalistic when compared to other interprations of Elves.
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