Eldar Wave Serpent Part I (Vehicle)

Some time ago, at a swap meet, I lashed out and bought myself a Wave Serpent kit.  Wave Serpents are the Eldar's standard way of shipping their troops around the battlefield, so if I was going to build an Eldar Army, Wave Serpents (yes plural) are a must have.  Bugger.  I am slightly daunted by the build and I'm even feeling anxious about the painting BUT with the Bezpin Campaign slowly gathering steam, providing my space elves with the means to transverse the cloudy Mon'keigh realm is a necessity.  There is no escape.  So I better get into gear as I've approximately two months to get this grav tank game-worthy.

What's in the box?

There are lots of extra bits - I recall someone mentioning to me that there's more in the kit than is needed, but still.  Also there's some bits that look like they're from a different kit... maybe some options?

Instructions are included - nice - and some waterslide transfers.  But I've got to say, the prospect of building the ^%$#@, magentising it, and only then painting it... zero appeal.  But made a start anyway - I've now cleaned up the model so it's ready for gluing and magentising... maybe next weekend...

<Some time later>

So it's lucky I went along to the House of War quarterly Swap Meet on Sunday 3/3/19.  Whilst poking through the many tempting bits and pieces, I came across just the ticket: a built, largely magnetised and undercoated Wave Serpent for the grand total of $35-.  Noice!  So that's sped things up considerably.  Over the course of the following Saturday I applied my base coats, did the panel recesses, most of the basecoats of the spirit stones, some of the vanes and a first wash on the weapons.

Using my trusty $90 Aldi airbrush compressor, $3 Aldi airbrush paint and
an $16 airbrush on eBay (yes, only the best will serve), I've now got a nice
yellow basecoat laid down.

I thought I'd try doing the recesses now and 'attempt' to keep them clean
throughout the rest of the build.

After MUCH internal debate, I decided to go with a red to contrast with the yellow.
The base red you can see there Mephiston Red, because (1) I've had good results
with that particular colour before, (2) I do my weapons with a blue wash - so that discounted
the use of the blue and (3) I'll save a green for another time.
After a number of coats, it was looking fine without too many mistakes.

I then used Mithril Silver on most (opps, missed a few) of the spirit stones + pilot's windows
(unfortunately they were undercoated), skull white on the front six vanes and Drakenhof Nightshade
on the weapons.  I've put down a black undercoat on the engine cowling and gone back and
re-applied the recess washes where they've been compromised by my unsteady hand.

So half-way into the job, what are my thoughts?

• For starters, my unsteady hand saw what was initially a nice, crisp paint job slowly and surely degrade.  Oh well, hopefully I can repair/touch-up it some yet.
• I can definitely see the sense in painting some of these parts independently, pre-assembly - doing those engine cowlings justice is going to be a ^%$#, hidden as they are underneath some of the body.
• I had painted the underside and back of the Serpent in a Moot Green which doesn't really look any good at all... I may go with a dark grey or blue-grey instead... bugger.
• The Yellow-Red contrast nicely, I'm happy with that choice and it should nicely compliment my existing 'bright' Eldar army.

Next steps.  This is where things get tricky.  It is one of my bigger 'kit' jobs and the last thing I want to do is overcook it.  however, leaving it as it is would definitely feel half-finished, so I'm intending on the next elements:

• I'll do some line edging on the block colours.  E.g., a lighter red on the Mephiston, like Evil Sunz Scarlet and a white (maybe 50/50) on the yellow.
• The spirit stones will all be done using the Citadel Technical gem paints.  I know you're meant to use something other than Mithril Silver as the undercoat, but that's the closest thing I have.  My standards are Blue on the weapon's spirit stones, a single Green representing the life-force or something and Reds on the armour.  I might even keep a couple of them silvers.
• I think I will go Golds on the air intakes.

The things that trouble me is trying to touch-up all my little mistakes and messes - looking at the model in the cold light of day there's more than a few!  Damn my unsteady hands!

Stay tuned for more...