My heroes are still in early (undeveloped) stages where some may be recruited off to other armies.  [Above left] This Hero is an old Games Workshop character model from Heroquest or another earlier role playing game.  Although it is technically a High Elf hero, there is sufficient green (and the tree shield) that places it in service of the Wood Elves for now. The model on the right is from Reaper Miniatures.  I believe it was called something like the Wood Elf king, but nothing gives it the appearance of being a Wood Elf model.  At the moment, I am contemplating moving it to "the dark side" and making it a Dark Elf character.  Tullaris or Kouran, perhaps?

These Spellsingers (Mages) are a good example of how my brother and I approached painting models differently many years ago.  I don't know the origin of the model on the left, but I painted it for Dungeons & Dragons at least 15 years ago.  At the same time, Duncan was putting quality into his paint work and produced the Games Workshop model on the left.  I imagine this model was available singly, although I also have another of this same model that came riding in the back of the old Wood Elf Battle Chariot.  In playing against Duncan's well-painted armies I was shamed into putting more effort into my paint.  The utilitarian "this will do" standard couldn't stand up against models such as that shown above.  Even still, there are many techniques that we use now that Duncan didn't use in the better model.

[Above] Relics being held back from extinction.  These 3 character models are all old Ral Partha figures that go back to our Dungeons & Dragons days (that's a Scrabble piece that the center model is mounted upon).  Duncan Colby painted the one in the middle while I did the ones to each side.  I think Duncan's model can still hold it's own as a Marksman in a unit of Elf Bowmen, but the other 2 models will probably be stripped and re-painted.  I can't bring myself to pitching either one of them.

Core Units

What Core units are there other than Glade Guard?  When I started collecting this army, it was my intention to overwhelm the enemy with bow fire and 4 units of 10 archers each were procured for this purpose.  One unit (old Grenedier models) has all ready been tossed since the paint was substandard and the models not inspiring enough to strip and do over.  These models are 4th Edition plastic models with a metal command group (standard bearer remains incomplete).  These models were painted around 2002 as a practice before working on contract models for some one else's army.

After painting 100 models of a Wood Elf army as contract work, I wasn't ready to throw in the towel without working on some Glade Riders (the army I painted didn't have any).  The dapply grey horses were started back in 2002, but the riders not completed until several years later (around 2006).  These are original 5th Edition mounted archers.

Old Glade Riders came with spear OR bow.  The 6th Edition army calls for them to be armed with both.  So, these models had to be modified by adding spears.  I used strips of greenstuff to represent the strapping where the spears are fastened to the belts of the riders.  The red on the tunics is part of the old 4th Edition paint scheme.

These Dryads were painted by Josh Lyons.  As you can see the bases still have to be completed since (at the time) I hadn't decided what kind of basing scheme I wanted on the models.  I have sufficient Dryads to deploy 6 units (3 in the 6th Edition form and 3 in the 3rd Edition form).  I'm just not certain how they will all look when fielded together.  These plastic 6th Edition models are certainly preferable to the old, stiff metal ones.

Special Units

6th Edition War Hawk riders also come with spear and bow.  However, considering these needed to be reassembled for this photo shoot, I figured on holding off modifying the models until it becomes necessary.  (War Hawks are not part of my Lord of the Rings army list, so it is possible they will remain dormant for a long time to come).

These two Wind Riders (War Hawk Champions) have hand painted shields and date back to the 5th Edition models along with the bow-wielding riders shown above.  The will probably remain as unit Champions since there are several units' worth of models that can still be deployed with the finished army.

Unimpressed with the 6th Edition Tree Kin models, I found the opportunity to use other under-sized treemen in the role as Tree Kin.  The model on the left is an old Reaper model while the one on the right is a modified plastic toy of unknown origin.  Mounted on Ogre-sized bases, they are about the right size for Tree Kin models.  At the moment, I am tempted to pick up some of the new LOTR Ent models, which will either become Tree Kin or Treemen, depending on the size.

Rare Units

As one of the first truly deadly units in the 4th Edition army book (the first formal army book dedicated exclusively to Wood Elves), my Waywatchers were an early addition to the army.  Therefore, the paint is not up to my present-day standards, but it is good enough to stand on it's own.  The Champion model with the raised sword is a normal Wood Elf champion from the 5th Edition collection. 

As mentioned earlier I have been dissatisfied with the GW treeman models for a number of reasons.  Of the produced models, only two of them are in poses that I am happy with (other ones have abnormally long arms sticking out to one side or the other).  This model is one of the poses I like and I was able to pick it up on EBay for a nice price.  It is yet to be determined whether he will remain a Treeman or be demoted to a Tree Kin (probably an "Elder" since he stands a little taller than the other two models).  My hunch is that the new plastic Ents are taller and will displace this guy to lesser duty.

Gwaihir remains my favorite Great Eagle model, but he is on display in the High Elf showcase and I am designing my armies so that they do not have to duplicate (use) models from other collections.  Therefore, there are plenty of other great eagles (that may or may not be the size of War Hawks) in my figure box.  The model above is a resin piece that I found in a roadside gift shop.  It was mounted to a lighthouse (of all things) on a solid base for $4.  So, with the help of a hacksaw, some paint and a drill (to mount the new base) you can see I have a respectable (and large) Great Eagle for my collection.  The stand is a large flying stand, which demonstrates the size of the model.

Early Great Eagles, like this model from Grenedier, were not much larger than the GW War Hawk models (for the record, GW's Great Eagles weren't much larger either).  This model is mounted to a large flying base to denote "big bird" rather than "medium sized bird."  But, you can get an appreciation for how small it is compared to the eagle above or Gwaihir.