Prince Andris and the Silver Host

 hi all, 

so what does the mighty host of Ulthuan look like, now it is all dusted off and the final models painted (15 years after they were started!)

Well first up, the main man himself  - Prince Andris Deftblade,  Lord of the Alzuri Heights, Keeper of the Sacred Chalice, Protector of the Shrine of Alfeyri Nubaris. Thankfully he just needed dusting off. I could have painted more detail, as my skills have improved somewhat over the last decade and a half, but tbh I just wanted him on the table, so he got a coat of varnish and voila. Mounted on his favourite steed, the Griffon - Razorbeak and armed with a lance, full plate armour and shield, and carrying a longbow (just in case there is a turn he has nothing he can do). He is a mobile death machine and can strike the flanks and rear of his enemies, confident that he will turn the curs and run them down. Originally, I modelled him with a dragonscale shield, made out of putty but that magic item is no longer available in the new (old) game.

Next up are the magi. Archmage Webril Feylight, the prince's best friend and most trusted advisor. She is mounted on an elven steed for mobility and a bit of protection (barded save). She also has the silvery wand, which means she can take 5x High Magic spells, which is awesome. With her is Aolex Crystalgaze, her apprentice and protegee. Aolex is currently studying the lesser magics of the monkee (humans) and is a level 2 battle magic user. She also has the silvery wand (a common item for elves), so can take 3x spells. Again both of these models were painted before and just needed dusting and varnishing.

Lastly from the characters section, we have Captain Stefire. Stefire is a Chracian noble who charges into battle on the "Kurnus's Pride", a massive lion chariot. He carries a giant Chracian great blade and wears the Lion pelt over the top of his full plate armour. He also has a Dragon Helm and carries the seed of rebirth, in an effort to keep him in the fight. Another old model, that has been dusted off etc.

For my core units, what High Elf armour would march to war without ranks of long bow archers! Once again, just a quick dusting and varnishing. 

I then turned to an old favourite of mine - the Lothern Sea Guard. Unlike the other units, this was incomplete. I had painted 75% of the unit and had to paint the remainder. That meant purchasing some GW paints (I now use Army Painter almost exclusively), as I didn't have the purple that I had used as a main army theme. I also didn't have the right shade of brown for the base edges or turquoise for the streamers either, so I had to put in an order and wait for it to arrive.

The next units had to be painted from scratch as they had only received a black primer spray. I tried to keep the painting in keeping with my style from 15 years ago, but i couldn't help it and I spent a bit more time on the smaller details, that I just used to paint over back in the day when i painted mass armies.

First up is a small unit of Phoenix Guard, these beasts are a hard hitting unit and stay in the fight longer than their small size would suggest.

next is an eagle claw bolt thrower, i must admit to really liking the painting of the wood chassis of the war machine. 

Then we have Bartilla and his Dawn Patrol - a small unit of Ellyrian Reaver Knights. This tiny unit of skirmishers killed off a Bull lord minotaur in their last game, so....

Lastly, we have the mage from the Isle of Blood set, I don't actually use him in my army but it was the last high elf i had left, so finished him off too.

And that's them. My High Elf army in all its glory. All painted, and blooded! Having their (and my) first game of WHFB in a decade and a half. We even managed to scrape a win against a hellish beastmen tribe. Incidentally this is the first army I've completely painted ever! despite owning 6 armies of various completion (before i'd get bored and move on...)

**edit** I realise I haven't photographed my small unit of Swordmasters. Oh well, please imagine a gorgeously painted (?!?) unit of SM.

hope you enjoy

dGG