This was the first part of a project that I started after picking up a bunch of clearance kits from the FLGS that closed earlier this year, and that I’ve been working on off-and-on in the background since the start of the year. It’s no secret that Eldar (or Aeldari, if you ask 10th Edition) are my favorite faction in the game, but I also felt like I had taken my Ulthwe army about as far as I could and filled it out as much as it really needed, and wanted to try something very new and different in terms of the paint scheme, and also very weird. As it happens, working on Tyranids occasionally for @brittneystucklessart meant that I had a ton of additional Tyranid bits lying around. You might see where I’m going with this: Genestealer Cults.

Instead of a primary black and bone-colored paint scheme, I decided I was going to go something in a very bright, gleaming white. White always looked great on Biel-Tan, and I also thought that by going with a bluer black for shading in the recesses and leaning a little into blue and teal colours for things like gems, tabards, and cloaks that I could give them a sort of monochrome look, that I could then break up with things like fleshy bits, special gear, or basing (especially since I’m getting in on the local trend of the neon flocking, since it makes for a brilliant piece of contrast.)

This was also my first time working with the updated Guardian Defenders sculpts, and I have to give credit where it’s due, GW outdid themselves not only with the sculpts and the update to the old Guardians but with the sheer amount of extra bits included for customization. My bits box is all topped up now, and I love visually how these guys came together. A few of my Genestealer Aeldari have that more traditional purply Genestealer tone, as hybrids, while some just look like regular Aeldari from an earlier generation. Many of these are either going to be sporting their helmets, extra hoods, or goggles, and I’m trying to give them a little bit of that Genestealer Cult inconsistency while also balancing that with the regular, elegant Aeldari aesthetic.

I’m very happy with how this first piece of the new army came together – and there’s going to be a lot more where this came from. I had several initial ‘plans’ for this army, before settling on it being a 1,000 point Incursion army for this edition but also being a travel army that I can conveniently haul all over the city (and country, if things continue to go well) for games against friends, family, and maybe a tournament or two. More than that, though, and especially since this is an army where I really got to exercise creative control, I think this one is going to be a long term or “forever” army, and I’m looking forward to getting practice in with them soon.