Introducing the Aegean Elves
As we announced in our latest roadmap, in 2024 we are going to embark in a new visual and artistic journey in Patreon where we will be developing new fantasy races and miniatures to grant you a deeper knowledge of the art and style behind the future fantasy races and a bigger voice in the design process before the time arrives to select the future fantasy races that will come to Highlands Miniatures.
And we wanted to begin this journey with one of the most difficult fantasy race to conceptualize, the Aegean Elves.
Introducing the Aegean Elves
We began to conceptualize these miniatures following a historical approach based on the Ancient Greeks, as that's the general idea and inspiration behind this fantasy race. The influence of the Ancient Greek Mythology and the Greek Pantheon, also refered as the Twelve Olympians, will be a clear point of focus for the design of these miniatures.
Soon enough we realized that the classic greek armour comes with serious limitations in term of progression for heavy armoured miniatures, cavalry miniatures and so on. How can you develop a different look for each unit in a complex army when all the armours are essentially the same?
We decided to replace the chest for a clean metal breastplate and to stylize the pauldrons with a more pointy design, to add the classic fantasy aesthetic -that you can find in almost every fantasy videogame out there- to the mix, while keeping some of the classic greek elements.
Instead of a full covered skirt armour as the historical hoplite, we decided to simply add one clean strap of armour to stylize the figure and to reduce the overall noise of the miniature.
And this is the final result...
A captain of the Aegean Spearmen miniatures.
A selection of some Aegean Spearmen miniatures.
A selection of some Aegean Spearmen miniatures with alternative helmet.
A myriad of helmets
Helmets will be of heavy importance for these Aegean Elves, representing not only rank but pertenence to different units.
Each unit will come with a custom designed and unique helmet, easily recognizable, that represents and tell the story behind the specific miniatures that compose the unit.
We also understand the relevance of conical helmets for some of you, so we will put our focus on modular heads -for some of the core units of this fantasy race- to give you freedom of choice.
The anatomy of the elves
To design a new fantasy race also implies to think about how it compares with an average human.
We always envisioned the elves as per Tolkien idea of the elves: tall and thin figures, small waist and delicate features, majestic and beautiful but equally dangerous.
Therefore, these ideas have to be translated to the final sculpts, not only in the armour and weapons but in the anatomy.
And what a better way to showcase them than compared with our average human miniature. The elves will be taller than the average human, with elongated legs and thinner proportions.
We hope you guys enjoyed this first step into the visual and artistical journey for the future fantasy races and see you in the next artistical journey for one of the following fantasy races coming to Highlands Miniatures in the future!
Join us in our Discord server and have a chat with Highlands Miniatures!
Comments (69)
I mean if it wasn’t for the name I wouldn’t know these had that inspiration. It seems to me you went step by step and removed the most recognizable part of the «Aegean» and left the «elves». Not that I’m complaining as the models are cool but Aegean? The concept was cooler.
I'm so stupidly excited for this (literally even just for the helmets alone). I will be voting and hoping these are next on the timeline this summer!
I'm excited,beautiful work.
Oh my goshhhhh these are going straight in the printer when released
Love these, can't wait to make a start on them!
i need these in m life. Great work
So excited to see your Aegean Elves and really like the aesthetic you have chosen for them. I hope we get to see your version of an elf mounted on a dragon!
These are beautiful models. So much to love here. A unique look to High Elves, while definitely keeping that Old World feel to them. Lots of room to exercise some creative freedom while painting, I'm not a big fan of over cluttered models. Great poses so far, basic yet engaging. Only issue I have is the thickness of the spears, as they look thicker than previous models you've released. Maybe this is necessary for durability? Also hoping we see lots of female models beyond characters as this progresses. For some reason I just really feel Elven armies would have more female soldiers than other races. At any rate, really looking forward to this!
Very much agree with this post! One of the things I have increasingly seen with GW is the production of models that are overly, needlessly complex. The end result is there difficult to paint as each soldier has some unique detail on them no one else has. So I hope the design will remain over all elegant and simple. I also would like to see more female models. Though realistically with the current armor designs I doubt you could tell a female from a male. I'm of the opinion that the elven form is not generous enough to require specialized female breastplates.
These definitely have my vote
Yes please. These look great.
love these!!!! I can't wait!!!
Love these any plans for dark elves
Evil temptation sir! Evil! Tell me more...
Very nice models :-) When do you think you'll release them? Also, when do you expect to release your roadmap for 2024?
Hi guys thank you! There will be a poll for subscribers around April to decide what future fantasy armies will come to Highlands Miniatures in the future. Meanwhile, you have available since November the Roadmap for the first half of 2024: https://www.patreon.com/posts/highlands-2024-92165964
While I am absolutely delighted to see elves being added as there is frankly a utter shortage of good regimental elf models to be had. I'm a little unsure about the name... Aegean Elves sounds exotic and amazing. But... If you know that Aegean has its roots in the word Goat, a prominent symbol in ancient Greece its less impressive. Goat Elves.
It would be a capricious tragedy to make too much of this.
I kinda have to agree with EmperorMa. I think this is a lost oppertunity. I have difficulty recognizing the Greek influence apart from the Helmet combs. Not even the shields are recognizable as Greek. There were quite a few different armors in Greece: leather, partial scales, full scales, breastplates. Also greaves, arm guards... (or not). Creating different armors for light to heavy would have been quite feasable. Helmets didn't all have the combs (front to back or side to side), so smooth Greek helmets for the troops would have been cool. This is too much of a copy of GW IMHO.
Yeah, I also liked the original design more.: it was unique. This looks like stuff I have seen before from other creators. There are option for historical-ish heavy armor: roman plate, or even cataphrac for cavalry. And I cannot understand the need for those scale armor tussets on this design: its unnecessary, and looks like copy of LRL Warden design.
Hoping this will drop on a month or two
ooh love the elves, none of these tree hybrids nonsense
brutales
Sweet! I need some archers ti finish off my elf army.
As a long term high elf player you have my interest.
SI SEÑOR!!!
Can't wait!
i like the direction, close enough to high elves but enough differences to avoid being a rip off of GW. that being said, hopefully you can include a traditional tall GW style elf shield.
So happy to see the oldschool pointy helmets!
Not my cup of tea... so disappointed. But there seem to be a lot that lik'em.
Love the idea of Greek Elves, honestly it's not shown a lot in other ranges, so this is quite exciting to see.
Incredible work! Can't wait to see what the cavalry look like. You guys have great!
very excited about this new direction, Bravo!
Absolutely stunning, you capture the hints of Greek influence and mate it well to the classic fantasy elf designs
I would argue for helmets not being monolithic ,but instead include sideplates: this way, the armor wont look so cubersome, and also it will allow ears to show. Overall, maybe lean more into román and byzantine aestetix? It would fit failing empire beset by barbarians better, while still having strong greek influence
Good idea
I’m and so genuinely excited about this and the style you give picked.
😀🥰🥰🥰
"tall and thin figures, small waist and delicate features, majestic and beautiful but equally dangerous. " is really cool, so many models out there is lacking of it! Can't wait to see morr (:
Yes!!! Been waiting so long to see elves 🥳
fantastic work! well done! Looking forward to seeing more sculpts!
I AM EXCITE
Impressive work! I didn't expect this!
Will be the shields be seperated if I want to use a more "classical"style of elven shields?
This is great 👍 good job on these - I much prefer the historically based high elves
Love these! Your explanations of the design process are also really interesting!
They look awesome! Can’t wait to print them!
Thank you for the modular helmet decision! I'm sure you will make great helmet designs but having the classic fantasy high-elf helmet is very much appreciated.
Love it! I'm super excited for these.
Im so happy with this one, elves are difficult to find, you got me for one more year :p
This is what I've been waiting for! Hell yeah! Cant wait 😎
Loving the simplicity about the model, not all the over fiddly detail to clutter the model.
Finally Elves!!. Can't wait to print and paint them. Will the follow the way of the other releases and will have an equivalent to the HE units from WHFB? And could we get a little teaser to print? Pleeeeease😁?
YAAAAASSSSSSS
Bravo! This is a home run!
One the one hand, these disappoint as "Aegean". On the other hand, they are the best printable elves I've ever seen. So...I'll take it.
Fantastic! Looks great:)
I CANT WAIT !!!!!!Glad ima Patreon
Very nice!
Will there be any other race of elves apart from this one?
Yyyyyyyeeeeeeeeessssss!!!!!!! Ok, not wood elves, but wonderful elves!!!!
Oh HELL yes!
Perfect 👌
Yes, my second favorite army is comming
Damn elgi !
They need more gems XD
I love them
wow,fantastic news
Urgh! they're too pretty! no beards, perfect skin... sickening! Love it