Phoenix Corsairs (part 1)

With the new Dark Eldar codex exploding with new fluff & rules, I decided it would be a good time for an army-wide revamp. I have been playing Eldar since mid-4th ed. and then 1-2 years later I started playing Dark Eldar (late 4th ed).

Backstory:
My army is a Corsair fleet that was formally a Wild Rider Clan from Saim-Hann. Too wild-tempered and foolhardy even for Saim-Hann, the young Pheonix Clan set out on a self-imposed exile form their Craftworld home, eventually growing large enough to be called a small Corsair fleet.

After some time during their exile, the Phoenix Corsairs found themselves often taking port in Commorragh, trading supplies and enlisting mercenaries for their Raids. They often trade for Eldar slaves in order to free them & return them to their homes.

When Dark Eldar take Eldar slaves, Aspect warriors are taken to the Wych arenas and Incubi Shrines, for what better quarry is to be had than fellow warrior Eldar. Former Aspect warriors freed by the Corsairs are often tainted by their time spent in Commoragh, behaving in a more primal way. Banshees act more like Wyches, Scorpions like Incubi, Fire Dragons like Trueborn, Dire Avengers like Kabalite Warriors, etc. These warriors are more likely to join the Corsairs as they can no longer take part in Craftworld society.

In this way, the Phoenix Corsair fleet grows and becomes stronger, yet forms into something that exists between Eldar & Dark Eldar; never able to return to their Craftworld homes, nor able to fit in with Commorrite society.

To update the army, I got a few new kit and used the bitz on a few select models. It has been a HUGE project and I am only half way thru, but here is what I have so far.

Farseer w/ singing spear:

As Psykers tend to not survive long in Commorragh without being torturted, this Farseer is one that was part of the original Saim-hann clan.

Warlocks on Jetbikes:

Converted mostly out of Shining Spears. The middle "Witch" is just that, a Wych. She is my Enhance Warlock, but instead on using a Warlock power to boost the squad, she uses drugs.

Haemonculi w/ Liquifier guns & Venom blades:

Converted using Daemonette torsos, Dark Eldar Scourge heads & Talos bits. These 'Haemoculi' are actually former Farseers that were taken to Commorragh and tortuted until their psychic abilities were all but spent. It is only be chance that they escaped the Dungeons on the Dark City to join the Phoenix Corsairs.

Wracks:

Converted from Empire Flaggelants with Dark Eldar bits and Necron green rods coming out of their backs. These 'Wracks' are other Eldar Psykers, mostly Warlocks that have been rescued by the Corsairs. As for Rules, Warlock powers like Destructor & Embolden are represented by Wrack upgrades like Liquifiers & Acothysts.

Jetbikes:

I usually run 2 units of 6, with either 2 Shuricannons or 2 Blasters depending on if I am playing with Eldar or Dark Eldar rules.

Eldar Tanks:

Top: EML Wave Serpents
Bottom: Falcons/Fire Prims
All tanks are fully magnetized.

Ravagers:


WarWalkers:


Avatar, Objectives & Webway Portal:

The Avatar is made for the Necron Deciever model. I have no fluff for him, nor do I ever play an Avatar, he just looks cool.

Hive Fleet GREEN Locust

Hive Fleet Red Locust has been comsumed by a new Hive Fleet. All its strengths have been assimilated into Hive Fleet Green Locust!

After having to sell my original Nid army for rent (having no job sucks), GW just HAD to release a flashy new book for them. This was just as well because most of my old army wouldn't have worked in the new book. Once I got a job I started building them back up and this let me explore a new scheme. I also themed all my conversions to include more insect-like abdomens.

I decided to study the 3 existing GW paint schemes: Behemeth, Kraken & Leviathan. All 3 share the following: Lighter chitin than carapce, Carapace is always based black and then highlit up to its color, Yellow eyes. Once I had this down and the fact that Nids work so well with washes, I decided to go with Green chitin and Orange Carapace.

Hive Tyrant with magnetized wings:

This is my old Tyrant(the only model I did not sell). It is made of Fex parts, Tyrant arms and Balrog wings.

Tyrannofex:

This is a T-rex toy with Fex bits on it.

Guants & Gargoyles:

Most of these are not finished, but here are my starting examples. Notice the alternate 'fleshborers' on the right-side Gaunts. This is to help pick out different units.

Mycetic Spores (for Zoanthropes mainly):

These are paper-mache eggs with hot glue & Nid-bitz.

Spore mines & Objectives:


WORKS IN PROGRESS

The Following are unfinished (painting), but any conversions are fully assembled. I finally got all of them painted to a point that they just need the detail work (carapace, eyes, claws & teeth, etc).

Tervigons:

Using plastic dinos as a frame-work, I used Fex & Trygon bitz to make these. I also used paper-mache eggs for the abdomen swolen with Gaunts.

Trygons:

I used bitz from the Tyrgon, Mawloc and Prime to make these look how I wanted.

Zoan & Venomthropes:

I replaced the front arms of the Venomthropes with claws, so I could use the Lashwhips for other conversions. The Zoanthropes are made from Hormagaunts with Trygon Prime/Mawloc crests. The dorsal vents are from the Mawloc.

Hive Guard:

Simple conversions made from Warrior bodies, Gaunt heads with greenstuff over the eyes, and Barb stranglers with fleshhooks.

Warriors and Prime

Since I started with the Nid battle force and used all my Warriors for Hive/Tyrant Guard and wasn't planning on using the 'Stealers, I used their bodies with the left over Warrior Heads & scything talons to make more sleek, gangly Warriors. The Prime is a Warrior with an 3rd ed ravaner face, pistacio shell shoulder carapace, lashwhip tongue & boneswords. The abdomen is a Trygon Prime chest carapace over lots of greestuff

Tyrant Guard/Primes:

Mostly used as Gaurd, but make good alternate Tyranid Primes, these conversions use Warrior bodies/rending claws, Venomthrope lashwhips, Gargoyle heads and boneswords made from upside down scything talons with Dark Eldar vehicle blades glued to them. Again the shoulder are pistacio shells.

Skink-Guants:

In an effort to have different-looking Guants for Tervigons, I use Lizardmen Skink with fleshborers. They can be said to be "not fully formed" guants.