syph0n

Yep that's very true. Equally, how many people play happily with their friends just using house rules or adjustments? It's the most important rule after all. Anyway, pragmatically, I will still plough ahead with my plan. 1) I'll use them for Legends games. And I bet the rest of the Dark Elves will join them eventually. 2) I'll use the High Elf rules in a GA army for the Bolt Throwers and find something else instead of the Sorceress. I think I just hoped that the removal would happen when more than just the Dark Elf rules were available.

Exactly. I'm just frustrated that I can't use the models in a matched point game, and I've just spent some time and money making up darkshards to make a list my models would be usable in.

I have the basis of an Order Serpentis army, about 1250 points, but obviously Drakespawn Knights aren't GA Order battleline. I don't have enough Order Serpentis units for 2k, but if I converted 10 models to Darkshards, I would have enough to make a GA Order army that used both all of my Order Serpentis units, but also my older models like the Sorceress on Drakespawn and the Bolt Throwers to make a 2k force. I just have loads of old Dark Elves sat primed and unloved that I had a brain wave about using.

Damn. Just started converting some Darkshards to have enough battleline for an Order army. Gutted. I had a lovely 2k list that used everything I had from my past life. Back to straight Order Serpentis then...

Can anyone clarify something for me? I had just started to shift my army towards a mixed order list, using bolt throwers, sorceress on drakespawn etc, basically some of the 'Exiles' units. These still have points values, so until they disappear (eg GHB18 or whatever) they're still usable in matched play? I think there seems to be some confusion on places like Facebook. Saw one post, said with great authority, that the only Dark Elves left were Deepkin and DoK, which is not my reading of Legends at all.

I think it depends on how quickly they do other Legends armies. I hope that it takes a good while personally, as my own army has a chunk of older Dark Elves like Bolt Throwers and the Sorceress on Drakespawn! I'm guessing though they'll be dumped sooner rather than later though, just cos that's my luck.

Great stuff! What's the next batch?

The Sorceress model is cool and I'm trying to utilise her in a Order list which is basically Order Serpentis. Too good to not use! I've got the old Morathi model too (not Pegasus) - she's a bit more clothed than the Pegasus one! I used to think the Lokhir model was a big loss, but actually, he's quite a simple sculpt. I think I had 'lore' glasses on. Still, I think he's cooler than the current Fleetmaster. Completely agree about the Dreadlords. Could have easily fit in Darkling Covens or Order Serpentis . Don't get me started on this bloody line though... What the hell are Shadowbades all about?! That's me. The game is a motivator to paint, at best. And even then, actually, it's the collection isn't it? The Leviadon is more than I hoped, but not surprised. Eels seem reasonable. Based on what people are saying about the Allopex, I don't know anyone who will buy one unless they are in for the modelling aspect.

Can you take a side by side of both of the Phoenix? Looking amazing!

I've got some drakespawn coming and I'm gonna kitbash the old metal knights. I've already done a bit of converting and alterations for my 2nd drakespawn unit, so should have 3 noticeably different units when done. Link in my signature to my own thread. Looking forward to seeing the next batch you do!

They're already being described as thralls, which makes sense. Equally, there's a couple of shots where the pointy aelf sorcerer, or whatever it is, is surrounded by the thralls, directing them perhaps? Regarding floating sea creatures, I'm not struggling too much to imagine how it might work. We only see the models, but if you use your imagination... Magical, flowing ethereal sort of water, doesn't have to be 'wet' for anyone else, but those that are affected by it's magic are carried along and buoyed by it. I'd like to see this carried over into the rules, that could be a bit like Angilvard where enemies could be caught up in this magical tidal wave, washing them away on failed rolls or whatever. All will become clear I'm sure. To be fair, it's absolutely huge. Also, it's one of few 'armoured' sea creatures (that I'm aware of), and, it's got that massive snapping maw too. I think it's seriously cool but also suitably aelven in a traditional sense. Aren't turtles also known for carrying young on their back? The king/commander character is also on that really cool serpent/narwhal/seahorse - I think that's a brilliant amalgamation of sea creatures.

The two different versions we can see are very similar. I wonder if there's a version without the drummer at all, making the turtle a platform for maybe a magic user or a hero? Maybe even without the artillery? Edit: I hear that the two versions of the melee guys are called thralls (heavy and light), whereas the bows are known by something else. Perhaps they are a dual kit too, which we just haven't seen a bit like the khinerai and melusai?

This really annoyed me when I returned to the hobby. I get killing characters, fine. Lokhir is still Lokhir, just a rubbish version called a Fleetmaster. Malus can just be a Dreadlord on Drakespawn, or even relegate as I probably will to a dreadknight captain or whatever they are. However, the none-named lords and stuff just being dumped frustrated me no end. Yeah, don't include old scuplts in Battalions or whatever for the sake of moving the setting forward, but don't just outright remove Dreadlords on foot or Drakespawn (why not Order Serpentis???), the Sorceress on Drakespawn could go in Covens or Serpentis (preferably Serpentis) and like you say, keep Pegasus in Covens. It means those of us who own the models can use them within the Faction and those who don't could convert or rush out to buy when on made to order. It's all in the name of progress I guess. It's just made some of my choices very, very narrow.

Love the Lokhir model, even if in End Times he turned into a ****. I still use him as a Fleetmaster model, though his old rules seemed so cool. Never played the game then though, was he actually good? I've also got that sorceress model on the drakespawn too. I might just end up using her as a female knight if they kill her compendium rules currently.

I was hoping so but I don't think they will. Even with the eye patch Lord on Seahorse looking very piratey, I just don't think they will. Of course, they can be allied to the SP faction. In some ways, even their lore overlaps aside from just being aelves (eg: Realm Reavers battalion and the ID being referred to as 'reavers' themselves...)

These drakespawn are taking ages. Started painting these, ooh, when these models were first released! Think I've done as much as I can. Might have a bit of a touch up on the grey. I do now have a scheme I can use on the next 10!

A big aelf fan and those Phoenix Guard are really lovely. The Phoenix has come out brilliantly - I guess the challenge is to make each of them look individual. I find in AoS with older factions, the one off or two off models you may have had in WHFB become a big part of an AoS Faction and it gets samey. Finding the same with my Drakespawn Knights and I know I'll be looking to make a different looking Hydra etc. Your snow is brill too.

As a painter of Aelves, they always take bloody ages stuck together or otherwise! I love this model, but glad I have the Lokhir model for a Fleetmaster - his pose is open! Love the skin colour - what is it?

AR is a potential future for wargames. It won't ever replace the physical models, because that's a huge draw (and massive profit) on its own. However, it opens up new revenue streams definitely. Use of simple cards or one off models, using AR to build real battlefields for the app itself to 'do the fight' like a turn based RPG. Could be really good, and a quick way to play a casual game in the AoS setting.

Aye this is what we were discussing the other day isn't it. Makes sense.

@Gaz Taylor Yeah I think we discussed along those lines before, but I genuinely think it's not gonna be that theme. I'm keeping my eyes and ears peeled to see a horrible octopus or kraken like creature joining the army, something like the logo, but I think that logo might well be a red herring (BOO!!!), or just to allude further to the water theme and links to the aelven faction it seems to be heading towards. Again, selfishly, I hope to see a closer alliance with the scourge privateers but I doubt it.

Big turtle, hero on a mount, another hero (like a champion or chosen or something) and some sort of magic? They could all be expensive with crazy abilities... Could be configured multiple ways too, if you consider the DoK Cauldron etc. Why isn't 8 enough? AoS factions are small aren't they really? If it's an elite force, powerful, I don't expect many models. 4 weeks to release isn't a long time really is it? First week battletome, a hero, battline. Next week the big monster turtle or whatever it is, another hero etc. Can easily see how with 8 kits or whatever that it could comfortably be two a week. Various sources have mentioned Mathlann that I've seen, even to the point one of the heroes is some how related to him. Agreed, soul hunting is not very Mathlann-ish. Controlling massive sea creatures, being particuarly unforgiving and dangerous however is. Teclis creating them doesn't exclude Mathlann though, if they were failed then 'rescued' by another Aelven "God". The lore is the hardest to suss out anyway, because at least rumours of units can come from someone actually seeing the models in a warehouse or design room somewhere! Mathlann being dead... So is Khaine, that's not stopped Morathi! We'll see in the fullness of time. Part of the fun of rumours I guess!

Yep absolutely. Some sort of magic hero (maybe Mistweaver), the faction leader on some mount of some description, some hero of another sort. Big turtle dude Souless-Aelf battline Shark/sea horse chariots/cavalry That's 8 with dual kit battleline and dual kit elites.

I think we might see a mixed kit of sea horse and shark. Poseidon has lots of imagery on a chariot, especially with sea "horses" with proper front legs, but similar faces to a sea horse and sea horse tails. A bit like Scourgerunner vs Drakespawn Chariots with current Aelves, or the Gorebeast or horse chariots of the Slaves to Darkness. Cavalry wise could be similar. Heavy vs light?

Yes forgive my use of High/Dark, but the factions are still definitely separate by their alliances. Just Aelves would do, with the only 'new' Aelves we've seen so far being of the old 'Dark'/new 'Shadow' faction. We've had Khaine, because Morathi is using him. Mathlann could easily be remembered by any of the new Aelven Gods (Malerion, Tyrion etc). Perhaps it's deception, maybe it's something else. I think Teclis messed up, or was intereferred with rather than tricked maybe? Perhaps Malerion wanted more of the share, so corrupted them? Who knows! Exciting nonetheless! @DantePQ yeah we'll see how Mistweaver slots in. I did think at first she would, but now I'm not so sure. Mist does hint at water, obviously, but could it just be another way of weaving shadows, smoke etc? I don't know the lore behind Mistweaver so honestly don't know. It would be another unit they wouldn't need to make I guess! Glad you know the lore around the old Gods and of Aislinn as I'd forgotten that. In any case, any alliance between the Deepkin and other Aelves even seems tenuous at best, these guys seem really desperate!