blog:miniatures:gw:wh40k:eldar

Games Workshop / Warhammer 40000 / Eldar|Aeldari & Harlequins

These are modern Eldar figures, all in plastic. These days they are referred to as Aeldari.

Most of the sculpts are modern variations on the classic models, sharing most of the classic Eldar design cues. Metal figures have mostly been phased out, with the very last models in metal (Warp Spiders!) finally getting plastic kits in late 2024/early 2025.

Collecting of these models started in late 2024 for a small display alongside some of my classic Eldar, not as a full army to play.

I decided to make a display for these models, check out the Eldar Forest/Hills display.

Final Image Manufacturer Image Build Images Instructions Name Quantity Base Size State Notes
amallyn.jpg Amallyn Shadowguide 1 32mm OWNED Not a 40K release, but available from the Blackstone Fortress boardgame set. Looks like a Ranger Exarch - often used as a replacement to the resin-only Illic Nightspear. Bought second hand, assembled but unpaint d, from eBay in Feb 2025. Assembled and added to completed base, March 2025.
99120104089_aelasurmen01.jpg Asurmen 1 40mm WANTED Updated plastic model of the Dire Avengers Phoenix Lord. Released in early 2025.
99120104077_aelautarchlead.jpg aeldari-autarch-1.jpgaeldari-autarch-2.jpgaeldari-autarch-3.jpgaeldari-autarch-4.jpg Autarch 1 32mm ORDERED
99070104003_eldarautarch01.jpg Autarch (Winged) 1 32mm ORDERED
99120104099_aelbaharroth01.jpg Baharoth 1 40mm WANTED Updated plastic model of the Swooping Hawks Phoenix Lord. Released in early 2025.
99120104068_aeldarkreaperslead.jpg aeldari-dark-reapers-1.jpgaeldari-dark-reapers-2.jpgaeldari-dark-reapers-3.jpgaeldari-dark-reapers-4.jpgaeldari-dark-reapers-5.jpg Dark Reapers 5 28mm WANTED
99120104033_direavengers01.jpg aeldari-dire-avengers-1.jpgaeldari-dire-avengers-2.jpgaeldari-dire-avengers-3.jpgaeldari-dire-avengers-4.jpg Dire Avengers 5 28mm WANTED
99070104001_eldarfarseer01.jpg Farseer 1 32mm OWNED Bought as an unbuilt kit, second hand from Ebay in November 2024. Assembled and added to completed base, March 2025.
99120104102_aelfiredragons01.jpg Fire Dragons 5 28mm WANTED Updated Fire Dragon plastic box set. Supposed to be released late 2024/early 2025.
99120104103_aelfuegan01.jpg Fuegan 1 40mm WANTED Updated plastic model of the Fire Dragon Phoenix Lord. Supposed to be released late 2024/early 2025.
99120104064_howlingbanshees01.jpg howling-banshees-1.jpghowling-banshees-2.jpghowling-banshees-3.jpghowling-banshees-4.jpghowling-banshees-5.jpghowling-banshees-6.jpghowling-banshees-7.jpg Howling Banshees 5 28mm ORDERED
Illic Nightspear 1 32mm ORDERED
Irillyth 1 40mm WANTED Shadow Spectre Phoenix Lord. Only ever released in resin. Now only available as recasts.
99120104063_cwjainzar01.jpg Jain Zar 1 40mm ORDERED Howling Banshees Phoenix Lord.
gw-99800104022-0.jpg Karandras 1 40mm OWNED One of the only models which has not been updated. This is the same pre-2000 metal figure. Built but unpainted figure bought second hand from Ebay in Feb 2025. I didn't want to strip and repaint my original Karandras figure which I painted in the late 90's/early 2000's. Assembled and added to completed base, March 2025.
99120104101_aellhykhis01.jpg Lhykhis 1 40mm WANTED New Warp Spider Phoenix Lord, teased with a release in early 2025.
99120104069_aelmauganralead.jpg Maugan Ra 1 40mm WANTED Dark Reapers Phoenix Lord.
99120104073_aelrangerslead.jpg aeldari-rangers-1.jpgaeldari-rangers-2.jpgaeldari-rangers-3.jpgaeldari-rangers-4.jpgaeldari-rangers-5.jpgaeldari-rangers-6.jpgaeldari-rangers-7.jpg Rangers 5 28mm WANTED
99120104066_aelwarlockslead.jpg warlocks-1.jpgwarlocks-2.jpgwarlocks-3.jpgwarlocks-4.jpg Warlocks 2 28mm ORDERED
99120104100_aelwarpspiders01.jpg Warp Spiders 5 32mm WANTED Finally, an update to the 25-30 year old metal Warp Spider models! Supposed to be getting released in early 2025.
Shadow Spectres 5 32mm WANTED Never released in plastic or metal form. These were available for a few years in the resin 'finecast' limited volumes. Now gone from the range and only available as recasts.
99070104007_spiritseer01.jpg craftworlds-spiritseer--1.jpgcraftworlds-spiritseer--2.jpgcraftworlds-spiritseer--3.jpgcraftworlds-spiritseer--4.jpg Spiritseer 1 32mm WANTED
99120104105_ktbladeskhaine2.jpg Striking Scorpions 5 28mm OWNED Not available in plastic as part of the main 40K releases, but available as a Combat Patrol box set as a 10 unit set. Will need to look for loose sprues to get a minimal set of 5. Three loose sprues bought in Feb 2025 as part of the 10 figure Combat Patrol kit - this totals 5 figures (including Exarch). Assembled, March 2025.
99120104098_aelswoopinghawks01.jpg aeldari-swooping-hawks-2025-assembly-instructions-00.jpgaeldari-swooping-hawks-2025-assembly-instructions-01.jpgaeldari-swooping-hawks-2025-assembly-instructions-02.jpgaeldari-swooping-hawks-2025-assembly-instructions-03.jpgaeldari-swooping-hawks-2025-assembly-instructions-04.jpgaeldari-swooping-hawks-2025-assembly-instructions-05.jpgaeldari-swooping-hawks-2025-assembly-instructions-06.jpgaeldari-swooping-hawks-2025-assembly-instructions-07.jpgaeldari-swooping-hawks-2025-assembly-instructions-08.jpgaeldari-swooping-hawks-2025-assembly-instructions-09.jpgaeldari-swooping-hawks-2025-assembly-instructions-10.jpgaeldari-swooping-hawks-2025-assembly-instructions-11.jpg Swooping Hawks 5 32mm WANTED Updated Swooping Hawks plastic box set. Released Feb 2025.

Harlequins got integrated into the main Eldar army lists part way through the 40K 4th edition ruleset (around 2006 or so). Prior to then the Harlequins operated as a seperate force, though I believe there were some rules about integrating into an Eldar army as a supplement to 3rd edition (a White Dwarf article perhaps?), still, I was out of playing Warhammer at the time that happened, so it never made much of an impression on me.

These days the models really lean in to the acrobatic, jester, trickster aesthetic.

Final Image Manufacturer Image Build Images Instructions Name Quantity Base Size State Notes
99070111001_harlequindeathjester01.jpg Death Jester 1 32mm OWNED Bought as a built, but unpainted kit, second hand from Ebay in November 2024. (This never arrived!). Second kit, bought new in January 2025 from Hobbygames.co.uk. Assembled and added to painted base, March 2025.
99120111007_aelharlequintroupelead.jpg harlequin-troupe-1.jpgharlequin-troupe-2.jpgharlequin-troupe-3.jpgharlequin-troupe-4.jpgharlequin-troupe-5.jpg Harlequin Troupe 6 28mm OWNED Bought new in January 2025 from Hobbygames.co.uk. Assembled, March 2025.
99070111005_aelshadowseerlead.jpg Shadowseer 1 32mm OWNED Bought as an unbuilt kit, second hand from Ebay in November 2024. Assembled and added to painted base, March 2025.
99070111003_solitaire01.jpg Solitaire 1 32mm OWNED Bought new in January 2025 from Hobbygames.co.uk. Assembled and added to painted base, March 2025.

I am planning to use the 'Mystic Bases, Round' from https://shop.microartstudio.com/en/:

28mm (x38), 32mm (x24) and 40mm (x8)

These will get painted in a earth/grass/bone colour (for the pathways and runes) and then decorated with both static grass and grass tufts from the Gamers Grass range - as I want a quite 'lush', overgrown ancient Eldar ruin feel to the bases.

Parts

  • 28mm Micro Arts Mystic base
  • 32mm Micro Arts Mystic base
  • 40mm Micro Arts Mystic base
  • WWS 2mm North Europe static grass
  • Gamers Grass 2mm dark moss
  • Gamers Grass 4-6mm marshy tuft set

Size Guide

  • Basic 'regular size' foot troops (Guardians, Dire Avengers, Fire Dragons, Scorpions, Rangers, Harlequins): 28mm
  • Larger troops, flying units (Warp Spiders, Swooping Hawks): 32mm
  • Command units (Farseer, Spiritseer, Autarch, Harlequin special characters): 32mm
  • Hero units (Phoenix Lords, named units): 40mm

Note: This is just my size guide, and nothing official. I just wanted some consistency between figure types, as well as the hero units to stand out.

Orders

  • 8x 40mm (6x from Hobby-Heaven, 2x from Element Games)
  • 8x 32mm (8x from Element Games)
  • 16x 32mm remaining (4 sets of 4x back-ordered from Element Games)
  • 38x 28mm remaining (8 sets of 5x back-ordered from Element Games)

As usual, I tend to complete the bases in a big batch before I prime the models (seperately) and then attach them to the base. Seeing the model on a completed base gives me much more encouragement to finish them than a plain black plastic stand! So, this section usually happens before any of the models above are built.

Vallejo black primer

Drybrush Vallejo Game Colour Khaki → Bone White → 50/50 Bone White + AK Interactive Off White:

Vallejo Game Ink Brown wash:

Earth colours added; Vallejo Charred Brown base, then Beasty Brown → Cobra Leather drybrush. Base edges painted in Cobra Leather. Some metallic parts picked out in Vallejo Brassy Brass and Vallejo Smoky Ink wash:

First layer of static grass (WWS North Europe grass 2mm) added to the 32mm bases:

Additional grass tufts (2mm dark moss, 4-6mm marshy set) added to the 32mm bases:

First layer of static grass added to the 40mm bases:

Additional detailing with the 2mm and 4-6mm marshy tufts added to the 40mm bases

  • blog/miniatures/gw/wh40k/eldar.txt
  • Last modified: 2025/03/02 20:26
  • by john