250 Points Of Elves

I spent much of today painting, and at the end of it all I had 250 points of High Elves done for my Maiden Guard! Of course, this means I need new movement trays for the Heart of Isha and Tears of Isha regiments, but that's a tomorrow problem. It'll be something I can do while playing Dungeons and Dragons (with my Tabaxi cleric of the Cat Lord, as opposed to my Goliath barbarian who is the Friday D&D character). Looking at them all arrayed in their finery, it seems quite a formidable 750 point force, what with the Battle Standard, the Noble, and lots of spears and bows and shields. 

Then there's the other players in the league, bringing things like cannons and Kroxigor at 500 points, so I have no doubt fairly soon my poor Elves will be quite significantly outclassed in the combat power department. However, until then, I can enjoy the fruits of my 3D printing and painting labour:

The banner is slightly different to the one in the Uniforms and Heraldry of the High Elves book, not just because Isha here is dark-skinned and black haired, but she's a little smaller and there's an extra rune - not just quyl-isha (left) but also daroir (right). Roughly this means the sorrow of memory, or remembrance of mourning, or similar, in Eltharin

Lots of gems, because these are High Elves, and a nice shot of the cloth hanging down with gravity

You get a good idea of the parts that went into the banner in this photo - the lance tip from the High Elf Noble kit, the crossbar and flag from the High Elf Spear kit, the wire pole

Lots of gold, too, on Finelle herself, as well as on the banner pole - the golden crescent moons on her leather gloves, the gold on her shoulder armour

Of course it's not all about the character - although she does, by herself, represent 103 of the 250 points in this stage of the army's growth!

These may look like original 5th Edition Warhammer Fantasy Battle Maiden Guard, but they are - in fact - 3D printed versions! The shields are also 3D prints

The dark skin goes really nicely with the white and green and gold, I think

White is a pain to paint, often because it can be hard to find good quality white. I miss the old GW Skull White, which (I seem to remember) was pretty good

I love the ridiculously huge heart-shaped rubies on the shields

 And then, because I spent the money on the STLs, I also have a differently attired Maiden Guard unit:

These ones are much more heavily armoured than the originals, but in their own unit they look great

The high ponytails give them the appearance of wearing plumed helmets

The quivers are a lot less decorated than the official versions, but are still Elven in nature

This lot are the second rank of the Heart of Isha, so have their spears braced to receive a charge, rather than their bows out to shoot (like the third and, eventually, fourth ranks do)

But all these Maiden Guard lack magic bows, so it's time for some skirmishing scouts:

In comparison to the official Games Workshop plastics, these 3D printed Sisters of Avelorn stand-ins are positively restrained in terms of detail

That said, I do love the ithilmar corselets and the ruby brooches that fasten their green cloaks 

One day I will take a good photo with the correct lighting; today is not that day

Those swords are not just for decoration! They can use them reasonably well... but the bows are the main damage dealer, with their 30" range and reducing armour saves by 1 on a 6 to wound

 All together then the 13 "Maiden Guard" that I've finished today look like this:

I'm really pleased with how they've turned out - they're not the most carefully detailed models I've ever painted, but I am enjoying painting them (in batches smaller than 27) and I'm very much looking forwards to the next round of the Escalation League and seeing what nonsense other people bring in 750 points

With these done, tomorrow's job is making movement trays, and then from Monday on I'll be painting those commissioned board game pieces from last year. Oops. Luckily the commissioner is both understanding and not bothered by the delay; but I do feel very guilty about it all!

Painting Points:
Today: 13
This Week: 13
2026: 40