Combined armies colour schemes?

[Wrathbaby]

So what are people planning for their end times combined armies? I originally started as a high elf player so I have a fair few painted models, but their colour scheme doesn't match my dark elves. Thinking of running the two under different colours. Anyone got any thoughts on this? Will you be repainting models to match or leaving them as they are? (assuming you already owned some dirty high elf scum)

[stuaker]

Personally, if they're well painted and I just wanted to play with them, I'd keep them dual coloured. But if you didn't mind the fact in a year or two they may revert to being separate lists, and you wanted to make a cool looking combined army (maybe with a few conversions too) I bet it would look awesome. Depends how much time and money you have to sink into repainting I guess!

I've repainted a lot of my models, stripped the paint I did ten years ago as a kid with simple green. Worked very well on the metal ones, not as well on the plastic ones but after re-priming they're fine. Just took a bit of time to let them soak and then go over them with a blade and toothbrush to get the last bits of paint off

[flatworldsedge]

To your last point first, I own a handful of H*gh Elves by dis-virtue of the IOB box set. They live, unpainted, in terror. So far I've dipped into their prison just once, plucked out their Swordmaster champion and hacked off his hand. Their Prince is earmarked for a darker fate still; his legs are to be ground away from beneath him with glass paper. As for the rest of them, I think their likely fate is sale upon the slaver's block, aka eBay.

More on topic with the rest of your thrust, I'm combining Wood Elves with my Dark Elves. I've got a clear colour scheme and look/feel in mind, so all the Wood Elves will be painted in Dark Elf tones and will all have longbows replaced with RXB's. This includes some already painted Wood Elves of my brother's, which - once mine! - will be going straight in a bucket of bleach for a week or so to strip them down.

I'm seeing the combined list as a chance to provide suitable stat lines/special rules to proxy up new forces like Cult of Slaanesh, Autarii, etc., rather than a simple alliance between previously distinct factions. Framing it that way, however, I can see nice looking armies achieved without repainting - looking at the big sweeps of troops in the GW ET:K pictures, even with all those units just dumped together on a big table it all looks pretty pleasing to the eye. Maybe the sheer number of units helps in that case?

[Wrathbaby]

@stuaker, I think I'll leave the conversions to the pro's, I lack both the patience and the ability for it

@flatworldsedge, I must admit, the IOB models are some of my favourites I'm contemplating including a high elf prince on a griffon once I've read the rules on combined profiles. Also, if you're looking to strip plastic models, leaving them submerged in brake fluid works a treat. I've done it multiple times on the same models (poor white lions falling victim to my inability to stick to a colour scheme) and you wouldn't know they'd ever been painted.

[Swissdictator]

One trick would be based off my idea of how I'd paint Brets.


Choose two main colors for the whole army.
You will also use a third color depending on which army the unit is from.

For example: Two main colors are blue and green (as I am doing with my Druchii).
Secondary? Dark Elves: Purple. High Elves: White. Wood elves: Dark yellows or browns.

that's just an example, ignoring how colors work together and such.

This would, in turn, allow all your (insert army here) to look unified. While a force from the Khaine lists would still look like they're a part of the same army... while allowing the distinctions between their original army to come through.

[Rowena]

Our army already has a unique fluff that is somewhere halfway between dark and high elves and with all units converted we have even been considering making it a dual army, so I guess if Marchosias wants to use the combined profiles, we will just do the same we do for our dark elves - think of a conversion fitting our fluff and paint it in our normal colour scheme. As we are neither, the disctinction between the races really means nothing to our elves.

[Payce]

I will paint up everything in the same colour scheme. If you put my Shades, Waywatchers and Sisters of Avelorn next to each other, they will all be the same army. It's not that hard to change a set of clothes if you change allegiances or life priorities, I should think.

[Daeron]

Well uniforms tend to be per regiment, really... So a theme per unit is cery fitting. We tend to give all units one overarching theme for the impressive look it gives. I suppose I could paint both woodies and high elves in midnight or blue themes to match my Druchii...

I think red would be the easiest colour to use though.

[flatworldsedge]

@Wrathbaby - thanks for the brake fluid tip - that could prove very useful! Re: the IOB models, I completely agree that they're great models. The detail on the griffon is stunning, and the main hold up in converting the rider to a sorceress has been my constantly revisiting whether I should instead convert it to a Master on "Pegasus" proxy. The only issue, and why I'll be selling the majority, is that the IOB models being all one or two pieces they're a lot less convertible and better options exist for my rank and file. The sculpts are great though.

[faeli-n]

I use the gryphon and a dark elf converted rider, and love it.

I should say, as well, that brake fluid is carcinogenic, poisonous and in the uk it's illegal to dispose of it down a drain. There are a lot of better strippers (i.e. dettol, which strips amazingly but then you have to wash the models because they smell of disinfectant) which are better/safer to use.

[taggart]

If you are looking at stripping paint get hold of some Bio Strip 20 . Very easy to use , only takes an hour or so and will not make your hands feel as though you have put them through a paper shredder !