40K: DE Archon On Jetbike Tutorial (pt 1/2)

There are few things in Warhammer 40,000 as intimidating as Dark Eldar Archon zooming across the field of battle to engage the enemy in close combat. Anyone who says otherwise hasn't been playing very long.

The normal Dark Eldar are fast little models with spike protruding everywhere. That's OK for a standard model, but the Archon is special and I wanted him to arrive on the enemy's doorstep in style! The standard Eldar jetbike was a good start, but needed some work before it could fit the sleek-but-dangerous feel I was trying to achieve with my Kabal.

The story (if you need one) behind this particular jetbike is that it once belonged to an Eldar Farsser who fell before the Dark Lord in combat. Having taken his head, the Archon decided to take his flashy jetbike as well.

Here are the parts and raw materials used for this conversion and their part numbers (where applicable):

• Eldar Jetbike w/Shuriken Cannon Boxset (46-12)
• Asdrubael Vect Gunner 1 (011203008)
• Dark Eldar Lord Arm (011200902)
• Bitz from Dark Eldar Raider Crew Sprue (99390112003)
• Citadel Modeling Epoxy Putty - "Green Stuff" (66-13)
• 1mm sheet of plastic card
• small round plastic rod
• thin paper clip (for pinning)

Step 1: I clean the sprues and pewter parts using an old toothbrush and some dishsoap. It really does make a difference when it is time to apply glue or primer

Step 2: Parts needed are clipped from the sprues and mold lines are cleaned off using an X-acto knife and files.

Step 3: Using an icon I designed for my Dark Eldar, I print out three sizes and compare them to the nose section of the jetbike. I decided on using the medium one.

Step 4: Some thin plasticard is taped over the image and traced with a fine-tipped marker.


Step 5: The design is cut out and the edges are filed smooth.

Step 6: After putting a slight bend in the plastic icon, it is glued to the nose section of the jetbike. Be careful not to use too much glue - just enough to hold all the corners down.

Step 7: Using some round plastic rod, short rivets are cut and glued to the corners of the icon.

Step 8: Moving on to the guns, I cut the end of a splinter rifle with an X-acto knife and clipped the end of the Shuriken Cannon. Some filing was required to get the fit together correctly as the clippers tend to "pinch" the metal to a point.


Step 9: The barrel of the splinter rifle is glued to the Shuriken Cannon. If you are able to successfully pin it together, I'd suggest doing it. I couldn't get it to work out for me, so I just superglued it and moved on.

Step 10: This was my first time using greenstuff. I used some between the barrel and the shuriken cannon as well as covered the seam on the jetbike's fuselage. A little greenstuff goes a LONG long way here!

Step 11: Now the fun begins! I start work on the Archon by cutting one leg at an angle of the Dark Eldar gunner using a thin-bladed hacksaw.

Step 12: The other leg is cut up at an angle matching the model's pelvis.

Stay tuned for Part 2!