Thursday 23 May 2013

Combat Card Thursdays - Eldar Wave Serpent




With the Eldar Codex out in a few weeks time I felt it appropriate that I jump on the bandwagon for the second part of this series.

The Eldar Wave Serpent has a long history that as far as I know, actually began in epic scale.  The model above is the first representation of the now famously tough troop transport.  I for one would love to see a 40k scale model of this design, because I have always loved the huge prow, sleek lines, and massive wave turret. 

I feel it is a shame that the Wave Serpent that most gamers know and love is but a pale reflection of the original concept.  The whole reason it is called a Wave Serpent is because of the shield and 'wave' it can produce with that shield.  While the shielding is represented in game, the wave is not. There is a piece of art in one of the 3rd edition rulebooks, by John Blanche if I remember correctly, showing a battle scene in which several wave serpents are combining their shields and overrunning the foe.  I can't seem to find it on the internet, despite searching for the last hour, but just imagine if this was possible in 40k.  I don't hold out any hopes for this to change in the coming codex, but I do maintain that it would be very cool rule if done correctly. 

I feel the paint job on the above mini is worthy of note.  The Alaitoc sword and wave symbol are impressively painted by hand on a small scale, and the colours really suit the mini, unlike the bright yellow Leviathan last week!

6 comments:

  1. In epic they actually had a card representation of a wave which you placed on the board and models between the wave and the vehicle got pushed around or destroyed. Armorcast actually made that model ib 40k scale.

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    1. never knew about the template, thanks for the additional info!

      oh wow, they did? that is fantastic, i might have to try and get hold of one. the detail would be terrible though if the others i have seen are anything to go by!

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  2. ahh the old wave serpent...back when sleek eldar vehicles looked like my trainers in the 80's

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  3. I loved this as a concept... Scattering the foe, driving deep into enemy formations and n loading specialist troops into the midst of their lines.. The Wave Serpent was cool... The current codex version is a pale imitation of this I agree..

    Nce little model and roll on more combat card Thursdays!!

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  4. I just read in the new rumors that they actually included a rule to represent the wave attack:

    "the shield may be deactivated to grant a following shooting attack :
    60″ s 7 ap – assault d6+1, ignores cover, pinning."

    Ok, it's no push attack, but still something.

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    1. Yeah it's cool that its actually represented in some way ... I like it. Could be useful

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