Craftworlds Wraith Army Project by David/Blackvigil

[blackvigil]

Hey Guys,

I decided that I needed to do a new army. It's been a hot minute since I was active in the scene, but my wife and I decided to both start new forces, and this seems like a good spot to document my progress. (I'll see if she feels like doing the same.) Initially I was going to do another Imperial Army, since I have marine, and a detachment of guard, but I decided to take a hard right on that, and go xenos. I've loved wraith models for a long time, and I don't really care that they aren't uber competitive. I'm fine with being merely ok in that regard. Cool models > cool rules imo. 

Plan: I plan to do a purple and cream color scheme, with some free hand "webway" effects on larger models, particularly vehicle. (It's hard to describe, but it's an effect from a Squidmar youtube vid) Dire Avengers will be used as base troopers, with helmet swaps to some cool ones I found online. I'll post pics when they get here. I will also be converting up some custom Rangers, using guardian bits, helmets and rifles from a 3d printer/modeler guy. Again, I'll post pics. I plan to convert the 2 Wraithlords from the Apoc box into Wraithseers, because I think they're really rad. I'm not really focused on list-hammer in this thread, so I'll just leave it at that. 

Basing is going to be an dark rocky planet with green crystals jutting up from the ground. The gems in the wraiths will match the translucent basing, to tie it together. I think it should be cool and work with the purple/white scheme. I will do some test bases and model, just to make sure.

This picture is of the models I have thus far. I have another order out from Dice Age, my local shop. I have a third wave order I need to place once I get into this stuff. 

I'm going to post progress pics as I go through the process of modeling, converting, painting, etc. Let me know if you have ideas for cool conversions, etc.

-David

[blackvigil]

I got some stuff in the mail. Obviously I want the codex for the art, etc. I use battle scribe for lists, but I like to have physical books, and cards too... 

I'm going to use the Delaque Gang for a couple things. I hoping to use some of their bits in my kit-bash rangers. I'm also planning to assemble these guys up for use in Kill Team. I was considering using these guys as the basis for Rangers, and adding some eldar bits, but I'm not sure. Anyone have an opinion? Guardian bodies + various bits added in, or Delaque bodies + bits? I loe their long coats, and grim style. Wraiths are grim right? lol

[Psilence]

The gangers will be cool for bits 🙂

Looking forward to your progress pics

[blackvigil]

I've been dragging my feet a little, because we're waiting for my wife's models to come in. We like to craft together, so I'm not rushing just yet. Last night we got a little done. She's working on her Tau army, starting with a Coldstar Commander. While she modeled that up, I worked on my Wraithguard and Wraithblades. I started with 1, and then did methodical builds on the rest. I'm not quite done yet.

I'm priming the bodies black, and the heads, guns, and melee weapons white. They were out of white primer, and I'm waiting for a little bit more basing material, so I'm just getting things slowly rolling. 

This is specimen alpha, my first model of the new army. I'm going to give him something special on his base or maybe paint, to designate his prototype status. I always do things like that. It's more of an inside joke for myself.

 

I'm going to be doing a rocky cooled lava style base, with green translucent crystals for contrast. I'll be painting green gems on the chests of the wraiths, etc. Eldar love gems. (I'll be modeling everything on the base except the crystals, and then priming. That shale will get painted to a dark basalt look.)

I'll post more after Friday, when our models come in, and my wife gets her stuff. 🙂

[blackvigil]

I am loving these models... They almost have me reconsidering doing my own conversions. Has anyone bought from Artel?

https://artelw.com/Outcasts-Reconnoitre-Team-p192950093

[ZeroStride]

I have, I bought some banshees and scorpions for kill team.

Great resin, great models. Hardly any cleanup. I'd make sure they're still shipping and whatnot due to COVID but they were great when I ordered from them. It does take a while to arrive, just be forewarned.

Size comparison

Edited May 21, 2020 by ZeroStride
Added pic of models next to GW model for size

[blackvigil]

Nice! Maybe I'll give them a closer look... although I did buy the bits to make my own snipers. lol

[blackvigil]

I got a little done today, but most importantly, i don't have to work on monday. The wife said "maybe we can work on models all day like total nerds." That was music to my ears. I dropped by Dice Age to pick up some paints, and models for her Tau force. I sure can't wait until I can actually go and browse. Rumor has it you can do that in Portland. A friend texted me a picture from *gasp* inside Guardian Games. I guess I can browse and impulse buy some cool models. I'm good at that. lol. 
I did something super important... I went through all of my paints, checked for dead ones, and tossed them out. I was surprised at the amount that were still good. It's been 3 years since I painted anything, so that was nice to see.. I can't find my mixing medium. Anyone have a recommendation for an additive to "sort of" thick-ish paints?

[blackvigil]

Finished this step. I have the models glued together for priming black. The bits in the bag will be primed white. I put the large "stones" on the bases before priming so i can paint them later. I'll add the black lava and crystals after all of that. I normally like to do basing all at the end, but I decided I wanted this stuff primed, so it had to be done in stages.

I went into Guardian today and picked up one of those GW paint handles with the arms and clips for holding models together while glue sets. It's already proved invaluable. It's probably hard to tell, but I did some arm customization. I cut some of them at the elbow join and turned it a little. I want the shimmer shields to face out, rather than be to the side. There are a few subtle stance changes, which caused a little havoc at the hips. All in all, I'm happy with this. I have never messed with priming 2 different colors, so we'll see how much I regret that...
Next up... Prime black/white, finish assembling, then move to my spirit seer, farseer, and bone seer. (Subbing in Mistweaver model)

 

[WestRider]

Looking good! And yeah, that painting handle with the clips is so useful for super fiddly conversions. I never would have got the Power Sword on my Escher gang leader without it.

[blackvigil]

I started doing some priming. I'm going to base coat the black parts purple before gluing the white parts on.

 

While those were drying I busted out the wraith lord kit, and started converting a Wraith Seer. I am going to make 2, so this is prototype 1. I may do the other one with a more extreme pose. This is one is going to be standing tall, weight on left foot, left hand extended with palm out in a wizard-ish pose. I am going to be putting a shimmershield on the left arm, similar to a wraith blade. I'll be using excess wraith blade bits, combing 2 shields. I saw a really cool conversion on reddit that did this, so that's my goal. 

 

For the staff, I am going with a glaive look. I also plan to field it with a wraith cannon, rather than a D weapon. I'll magnetize that later. I decided I wanted a cap on the butt of the staff, so I opted to use the tip of a wraith cannon. Seems like a fun decorative way to include the weapon. 

I had to drill and pin the pieces, or it would be too fragile. Here is a tool pic, then  pic of the glaive up close. 

I had to shave the bright lance bit that I used as a haft. I might need to do a little more filing. 

Moving forward, I need to do some more modification of the head. I filed the back part to swoop up a little. I also got rid of part of the interior part. I'm considering using green stuff to add a far seer style rim. I also considered adding a gem on the forehead or something. I'm not totally sure, but I have time to consider it. 
I'm planning on having the various cloth bits be white, and I might add some extras in from the extra wraith guard bits. Not sure yet. I want them to seem "special" but not over done.

[Ish]

I always thought it be fun to have a Wraithseer that had become overgrown with vines and other foliage... Like it’s body had been sitting idle for centuries, being partially “reclaimed” by the forest, until the Eldar were in desperate need and called its animated spirit out of the Infinity Circuit.

Could be something of a Radagast the Brown counterpart to a shiny bright Gandalf the White.

[blackvigil]

That would be a really cool conversion! I'd love to see it.

[blackvigil]

The first Seer is just about done. I need to do some green stuff work, which includes the wrists, so it has no hands.

The second one is going to be walking forward, with the glaive in the left hand, and a green crystal in the right. 

That decision to put the glaive in the left hand had ramifications. The model has it in the right hand, so I had to cut it off. I took a closed fist and drilled it through. This is a bit more pinning than I planned on, but I think it's going to turn out well.

It's been a little slow, modeling these guys. I have some external pressures on my time. One of those pressures is an impending move. So I was sorting through some boxes, and I found a bunch of models for old projects. At one point, I was going to do something with these guys. 

I have 2 brand new boxes. Turns out, these will make awesome conversion fodder. I could do Wyches really easily, but I think I like the idea of using the cloaks for my kitbashed rangers. My original plans were to use the Guardians, but I'm not sure it's better. I'll clip some bits off and use greenstuff to assemble a few in different ways. That way I can take apart the losers. I'll post up the different options. I'm still waiting on my Shapeways order for the rifles and head swaps, so it'll be a minute.

[Ish]

The Black Ark Corsairs is an absolutely gorgeous bit of kit. They were my absolutely favorite unit back when I had a Dark Elf army in WHFB 7th and 8th Edition... But, man, were they a [Witch Elf] to get to rank up properly.

[blackvigil]

I was pretty excited to find the kids in my boxes. I've moved a couple times since I saw them. I just got my shapeways order, with the new heads. I will post pics soon. I am no longer waiting for anything. Time to get working... 

[blackvigil]

I finished these 3 this afternoon. Bonesinger, Spiritseer, Farseer

Here is the whole gang. I still need to clean them up, and get ready to prime.

 

[Inquisitor66]

They had some wraith things on clearance at the Portland game store earlier today. Don't know much about eldar.

[blackvigil]

Maybe I'll head in there today. Thanks for the heads up.

[blackvigil]

I got a ton of stuff modeled today. I'll post pics soonish. 5 more wraithguard (from the 40% off table at Portland Game Store), Wave serpent, dire avengers including head swaps, and a couple finishing touches on the seers.

I find myself needing 2 D Cannons for magnetizing to the Wraithseers, but I can't find any online. I don't want metal, and the bits market seems dry, so I am once again turning to Shapeways. 3d printing is a great thing. It'll just be delayed a bit. 

I picked up the wraithknight from Dice Age on Friday so I'll be building him soon, with full magnetization. That ought to be fun. My battlefoam order came in, so I have places for these things. I just need to get them built.

[Torg]

looks like a possible option on thingiverse... 

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4038184

- d

[Ish]

Eldar bitz seem like they would be very difficult to print, unless you have a resin printer. Too many complex curves and smooth lines.

[blackvigil]

I don't have a printer myself, but I've ordered a couple things from shapeways. Here is the one I'm looking at.

https://www.shapeways.com/product/MEP9SGMEN/d-cannon-2-1?optionId=150668864&li=marketplace

[Torg]

Ohhh nice

[blackvigil]

I'm trying to build my own rangers... I also have a "faceless" theme to my army, because of my custom fluff. It's kind of an homage to the wraith style.

What do you think?

Still need to clean it up, but this is the prototype