Buying Dark Eldar Smart

So by now, most people (that are interested) have seen what is in the new codex. I've read a lot of posts about potential lists, and they may be very good, or crap. I have no idea at present, as the exact word rulings and small things in the codex make a big deal. Also, I'm more of a ran of playtest then of mathhammer, although both have their place.

However, whatever they are, I'm in. I made my purchase yesterday and should receive it sometimes in the first two weeks of november.

Now, what did I buy? At this stage, I think it's important to go with bread and butter. I don't know what units I will love, and which I will not.

So I bought the codex
2x Warrior Squads
1x Witch Squad
1x Archon
1x Incubi (Just because they are that bad ass)

Also because I don't have a store near me I got it at off the internet for 20% off and free shipping... wooo! If you have a FLGS, buy from them, but if you don't tear it up!

I want to playtest while I paint my core units, then by the end of november, early december, really make an informed purchase on what it is that I want.

I strongly advise no one to just drop a ton for the entire army. You don't want to end up with a lot of a unit you hate and never use (VESPID?!).

Also, I am seriously considering making a change to the way that I apint. I have largely beena high detail hand painter, but that means that it takes me around a year to get 2000 points painted.I want to try and cut that down to six months, as I would like to take the Dark Eldar to the Kalm this year.

I have used an airbrush a lot on vehicles, and I think this is a perfect time to really use to to lay down the solid colors on the models, and perhaps do the sading on the primary armor layers. Les over at Awesome Paint Jobs has done it to marines quite a bit with amazing effect. I'm unsure with the micro detail that DE have that it will work as well, but I'm willing to take a chance.

Usually I paint a squad at a time, but this time based on the air brush, I am going to paint all 36 models silmultaneously to give a solid coat to all the models.

Base Black
Airbrush Dark Purple
Airbrush Highlight up 1
Airbrush Highlight up 2
Airbrush gloss
Ink the lines
Airbrush matt
glaze purple

At this stage put down the airbrush and move to detail work, doing faces etc... that are not purple, accent colors mostly.

I am still trying to decide how I wish to do the bases. I have some autumn leaves from Skullcraft that I have been wanting to use on an army. That theme goes with the army emerging from a warpgate on a maiden world to defend it from interlopers (and see if we can make off with any Maiden World Booty), or doing a Cantena like board with a gladiator pit as the board, with witch elves fighting in it, which would be a more eldar isnpired bases.

Last night I finished my land raider conversion to make it modular between a Godhammer or Redeemer (although I do not have the flamestorms yet). I'll post some pictures of it soon. I am going to try to get it and a few other units painted before my DE come in the mail.