Looking Back Part 6: Drukhari
Xenos got scraps when it came to releases, but if you’d ask me which race got it the worst this edition, then it would be the Dark Eldar.
Yes, Tyranids didn’t get anything this edition, and other races like the T’au and the Harlequins got like one new miniature, but at least the stuff they did get looked good.
The Dark Eldar have been a faction that I like aesthetically, yet I am constantly baffled at some of the design choices Games Workshop makes when making a new iteration of their models. For Example the Archon and the Succubus. Their 5th edition models looked absolutely gorgeous, with the Archon being an absolute badass helm and posture and the Succubus looking like an absolute Amazonian warrior. When they got redesigned in seventh, the Succubs gained a dynamic pose, but lost its buffness. The Archon became something even worse, instead of a helmet, he got a bare head that looks like a mixture between hugo weaving and Darth Maul, but without the charisma of both. It looks absolutely terrible.
Incubi are some of the most powerful Dark Eldar warriors that you could ever encounter on the battlefield. However, they aren’t part of the Drukhari military, for they do’t show any allegiance towards anyone save their shrine and their Dark Father. Instead, they sell their services as mercenaries towards anyone willing enough to pay for them. They mostly serve as bodyguards to Archons.
To become an Incubus is a very perilous and difficult task. The training that an Aeldari needs to do is very straining on their bodies and those that do not succeed are sacrificially executed at a Khainite Shrine. The trick to mastering Incubi training is to bassically be a prodigy that learns their teachings at a unnatural pace. One of the final parts of their training involves killing an Aspect Warrior and turning their Soulstone in a Psychic torture device.
Unlike most Drukhari, who want to backstab each other at every ripe opportunity, the Incubi show restraint and once paid for, will hold their end of the bargain up like a life-oath. This is why they are so sought after in Drukhari society, since you can trust your life upon an Incubus.
Incubi wield Klaives, which are Power Swords capable of cleaving through Space Marine armour. Their armour is also equal to that of Space Marine armour; the Incubus warsuit grants the same amount of protection without inhibiting the wearers dexterity.
While the overall design of the Incubi is good, and the amount of little details, such as trophies, is very nice, I don’t particularly like this iteration, because the posing is bland. It is fine, but not something I particularly find very interesting. My main problem with these models is the size of their heads, which are way too big. The Banshees didn’t have this problem and the older models didn’t either. I also wished the horns were way shorter, instead withholding the longer horns for Klaivexes.
I do once again like the little shrine object they have. It does however look like a striking scorpion (which might hint at their origins.)
A Klaivex is the Incubi equivalent of the Archon. They are the leaders of their group and their skill with the Klaive is unparallelled. An Incubi becomes a Klaivex through a trial that proves their absolute mastery of the blade, often through some horrid ritual. Of course, failing this trial will result in the aspiring Klaivex to be killed.
They carry Demiklaives, which they weild in two hands and can be connected together to create a massive Klaive.
Once again they have an unhelmeted version that indicates the Klaivex being part of the Ynnari. If the masks of the incubi are similar to that of aspect warriors, than it would make sense that the ynnari didn’t wear them.
Almost everything about the Incubi can be applied to the Klaivex; a cool looking model with nice details made unflattering due to the size of the head and their posing. I really don’t like the pose on this.one, and I wish he had a way more stationary or restraint pose. The Bare head looks bad, because no Drukhari looks good when they have the same hairstyle as Abbadon.
Drazhar is the champion of the Incubi Order. He is the executioner of the Incubi and his services are sought out by anyone willing to pay the fine. He, like the rest of the Incubi, wears the Incubus warsuit, and it is rumoured that he wears the original template of the gear. He goes into battle carrying Demiklaives and uses them like a whirlwind. He is taller than his brethren and way faster in both speed and in combat.
Much rumours surround Drazhar. It is said that he was once Ahra, the Phoenix Lord of the Striking Scorpions, and that within the suit is nothing but dust. This would become confirmed during the Psychic Awakening.
During Phoenix Rising, Drazhar was hired by Asdrubael Vect to kill Yvraine. He failed to do that, but he was able to kill Jain Zar in the process. However, Jain Zar got ressurected by Ynnead and Drazhar went back to try to kill her again. Instead, he got killed. Yet this wasn’t the end for Drazhar. A Klaivex found his armour and put it on, and as you would expect, the Klaivex got posessed by the spirit of Drazhar. Thus Drazhar was reborn again.
The model looks good. Yet I absolutely am dissapointed at how it looks.
Because I’ve seen what could’ve been. Look at this artwork of him in the early days.
He looks like a Tyranid Lictor and it looks absolutely awsome. I would’ve loved it if he still had those weapons and posing. He would’ve looked way more menacing and unique.
Instead, He is just a larger and more detailed Klaivex on a scenic base. He looks so boring and generic because of it.
I was so dissapointed with this. Give him the Lictor Look and he would look so much better.
I was really dissapointed with the Drukhari releases. It didn’t help that they got hyped to a ridiculous degree. They teased us so badly that everyone was expecting more, and Games Workshop didn’t deliver.
I am cautiously excited though for what 9th edition might bring us. We have been teased a new and Improved Lelith Hesperax Model. One that also gives her some pants finally.
I’m hoping that it will look as good if not better than her previous iteration. I am a staunch believer that Lelith’s current model is one of the best looking sculpts that Games Workshop has done.
It will be a while before I’m posting again. I will be working at a summer camp, teaching children the basics of digital art and digital painting. So wish me luck on that.
Next up: Primaris vehicles and Walkers.
previous posts: Primaris Mainline Infantry, Death Guard Infantry, Craftworld Aeldari, Primaris Vanguard Infantry, Chaos Space Marine Infantry/terrain
