Dark Elf (Marauder) - Collectors Guide
The purpose of this page is to collect images of all the extant Dark Elf figures in the history of Citadel Miniatures in rough chronological order by release date. In their earliest incarnations, Citadel Dark Elf miniatures owe a lot to traditional Dungeons & Dragons Drow- They are frequently painted with blue skin in early Citadel catalogue material and there is a higher percentage of female models in the Dark Elf line than any other, reflecting the matriarchal nature of Drow society.
Contents
Marauder MM-series Dark Elves
In the late 1980s/early 1990s, Marauder Miniatures existed as a distinct entity with its own lines of figures (Although they were always owned and distributed by GW). A complete independant line of Dark Elf figures was available from Marauder, intended for use with 3rd edition Warhammer (essentially replacing the earlier Bob Naismith line of Dark Elf miniatures, although elements of both lines were briefly available on into 4th edition Warhammer, sometimes even blistered together). The Marauder line includes a Hydra, but the Hydra model was not then specific to the Dark Elf army. There are also several models in the range that were released but never catalogued.
http://www.solegends.com/marauder/mm70de.htm
http://www.solegends.com/marauder/mm72darkelfcoldones.htm
http://www.solegends.com/marauder/mm71darkelfcavalry.htm
http://www.solegends.com/marauder/mm73deassassins.htm
http://www.solegends.com/marauder/mm73dewitches.htm
http://www.solegends.com/marauder/mm73dehounds.htm
http://www.solegends.com/marauder/mm73descouts.htm
http://www.collecting-citadel-miniatures.com/wiki/index.php/Dark_Elf_Cavalry_-_MM71/MM72
http://www.collecting-citadel-miniatures.com/wiki/index.php/Dark_Elf_Heroes_-_MM74
Marauder MM70 Dark Elf Warriors
Marauder MB3 Dark Elf Regiment
The Marauder MB3 Dark Elf Regiment figures were originally sold in a complete set of 12, featuring one of each of the 4 different command models and two of each trooper variant in a hard-shelled see-though "clamshell" package.
Marauder MM-series Cavalry
Marauder Dark Elf Cavalry (both MM71 Doomdrakes and MM72 Doomsteeds) included a bewildering array of mix-and-match legs, torsos, right arms, mounts and ramage. The range is reasonably well-documented in the Marauder catalogue, but Torso variant F and the set of hands/crossbow that go with it are left out. This page displays images of all the variant components. A complete blister would include: A mount (either a Doomsteed or a Doomdrake), a set of legs, a torso (with head & left arm attached), a right arm (with weapon), a spear & saddlebag, a crossbow & quiver, a plastic Marauder Dark Elf shield and a base. Torso variants A & F do not have shield lugs and were not packaged with a shield. Torso variant F used the same repeater crossbow bit as Marauder MM73 Scout type C. The riders from this range were briefly packaged with plastic unarmored Empire horses (on which they didn't fit) at the beginning of 4th edition Warhammer.
Torsos
Legs
Arms With Weapons
Ramage
Mounts
Marauder Dark Elf Shield Sprue
4th Edition Warhammer "Bastard" Blister
Marauder MM73 Witch Elves
Marauder MM73 Witch Elf 9 was apparently not sold in blisters with the other MM73 Witch Elf figures, and was only briefly available direct from GW as part of the "Karashalla's Reavers" Dark Elf army deal.
Marauder MM73 Assassins
Interestingly, the Marauder MM73 Assassin models are all marked with the rune of Slaanesh on their wrist bracers (apparently sectarian divisions did not run as deep amongst the Dark Elves back in the third edition...!).
Marauder MM73 Scouts
Marauder MM73 Whelpmasters
Marauder MM74 Heroes
These 2 figures were released, both in the original black & red Marauder blister packs and later in the Citadel 4th edition Warhammer green blister packs, but for some reason there is no catalogue reference to them. The figures included a generous amount of ramage (a bag of scrolls, a sheathed sword, Orc trophy heads and a staff with saddle bag). The MM74 Heroes were apparently only blistered with Cold Ones, never with the barded Dark Elf Doomsteed (although they both fit equally well on either mount).
Marauder MB11 War Hydra
The MB11 War Hydra was a generic monster model available to all 3rd edition Warhammer armies, not just Dark Elves.