If looks could kill

I have spent some time building BB teams and getting excited about the modelling and painting aspects of them. But I find myself unable to stop thinking about Elf teams! I just can't bring myself to commit to playing a low agility team!!! Terrible I know!!! And kind of pretentious! oh my god! I think i'm turning into an elf!!!

After coming to this realization, I have decided to embrace my true BB coach self and build a Dark Elf team next, in the hopes of having it ready for my BB league's next season.

I like GW models and I am going to use their DE BB team. But there is just ONE problem... I hate the Blitzer's helmets, more specifically the angled face mask/eye coverings. They bug me SO much that I was actually considering not getting the team at all because of it.

That is when inspiration hit me! I will swap their heads and everything will be ok. It was at that point that my themed conversion obsessed mind took over. I have had had my eyes on the Melusai models for some time now, and this seemed like the perfect excuse reason to pick them up! And the following explains why.

I like to combine GW fluff and mythology as inspiration for my teams. My EU team is the Ellyrian lightning and their logo is a Pegasus (Thanks Jed!)

Naturally I needed something a little darker of this team, so I decided on Medusa... After some thought I went with the broader classification of the monster which is Gorgon. After that I scoured maps of Naggaroth for city/tower/location names that may fit with the name and I found Hag Graef the second largest Fortress-City in the land. Descriptions of the City were perfect for what I had envisioned. Dark, cold, cruel, powerful, and evil... What more could a Druchii coach ask for? Their heraldry (below left) matches the coins in the GW team set too, so that was a bonus. I think that I may need to use the logo on the right with the addition of flames for a turn counter conversion if I am unable to model two hands holding a burning heart, I would prefer to do the two hand version as it fits with the dice, but only time will tell. Both look cool IMHO. And so the HAG GRAEF GORGONS are born! Or the Pretty Hate Machine as they are otherwise referred to. 

                      

So now that I had the theme largely worked out, it was time to look to the models! As I mentioned, I REALLY like the way the Melusai Blood Sister helmets look, and given that they are "medusa themed" they fit perfectly for how I envision the team to be.

At first I thought about using the Melusai models to represent the Blitzers, and not use the originals at all. Then I had a change of heart, the models themselves are great, its just the heads that I take issue with as I mentioned above. So the plan is to add these heads to the existing team's Blitzers, but not to include the hair. But $60 for 4 heads! That's crazy, surely this isn't happening!!! My thoughts exactly. 

I have decided to use the Melusai Blood Stalker build as Witch elves! The hair, open face masks, and lack of armour are right in line with the Witch imagery, and the snake bodies fit with the theme! My research into Mythology when thinking about the team taught me that Medusa actually had two sisters! Stheno and Euryle, Both of whom were transformed into Gorgons at the same time she was! Two sister, two Witch positionals! It was meant to be!!! And yes, those will be the names of my Witch elves :) 

                       

So the idea is to use the Melusai Blood Stalker as a base and use the BB Witch arms, and dangly waist straps to tie them into the team a little more. I will use the pictured arm holding a heart for one, and the alternate open hand for the other, I will also reposition the "clawed" arms slightly on each model to add a little more individuality to the pieces. Another interesting factoid (to me at least) is that Medusa's sisters are described as having brass claws, so I have decided to paint the claws on the model in brass just to add a little more fluff and depth to the team. I am VERY excited about these conversions and they will most likely be the centre pieces of the team.

I am also thinking that I will use the Melusai holding the dragon as a coach model, but I still have a lot to think about what that will look like beyond the cool dragon...

For the Runners... I am thinking that I will either model the hair to be a little different between the two available to the team, or just differentiate them with hair colour when I paint them. 

For the line elves... I am pretty happy with the way they are, but I was thinking that giving them a little something extra to tie them into the theme might be needed.... So, I am throwing around the idea of sculpting their helmet spikes to look like serpents. I will either use the ends of the Blood Stalkers bows to replace the existing helmet spikes, or try my hand at scratch building snake heads from GS and/or plasticard onto the existing spike which kind looks like a rearing snake body already. I am also very excited about this conversion element as I think it will be subtle but powerful.