Exalted/Seeker Chariot Sprues/Assembly

[WarriorFish]

I have nabbed myself a Seeker Chariot for a decent price with the intent of trying my hand at a bit of converting work to make it a ride for a Herald. For those unaware I have the Diaznette models so that's the main reason behind it. I'm not overly fond of the chariots so if I'm to adapt one might as well make it count and do a singular HQ choice.

 

My understanding from instructions and the like is that the Exalted version is a duplicate couple of sprues on top of the standard Chariot - for the extra flayer roll and the two extra Seekers? I'm not after an exact replica as this is my own thing and I think that's a bit over the top anyway (especially for the base size), so it's mostly the extra seekers I'm after for a more fancy to help it stand out.

 

After all, 4 steeds is good enough for Settra so that must be the target for peak performance :P I have some spare plastic seekers from the standard kit but these are not quite the same, but if I'm correct with the above it should mostly be a case of some work so they are? Chiefly this appears to be the saddle part?

 

Any advice and knowledge to help would be gratefully received

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I've bought a couple of the "Start Collecting" boxes that contain the Exalted chariot, so I should be able to help out.  I downloaded the instruction sheets for the other chariots (seeker & hell flayer) and built those instead, as (as the Exalted looks ridiculous on the provided base).  Did mean I needed to order an extra base, though.

 

Basically, the seeker and the hell flayer have different sprues, largely due to their different rotating blade sections.  The Exalted chariot then takes the sprues from both and mashes them together into 1 model.

 

I would greatly recommend that you paint the components separately and then assemble them, as some parts will be very difficult to reach should you fully assemble it first.  I used blue tac to cover the connecting points while spray priming to permit me to use the plastic glue to join them.

 

Last point of advice is make sure the saw blades are on the right way before gluing them to the chariot - on one of mine I accidentally glued them on backwards.

 

As for building one chariot and using the extra steeds as seekers, that would also work - they are pretty much the same as normal seekers, just with more limited posing and slightly different saddles.

Edited April 28, 2021 by Dr_Ruminahui

[WarriorFish]

Thanks Rumi, I agree the extra blades so it can blade while it blades is a bit over the top so I can avoid that especially on the base - less is more, sometimes, even for Slaanesh :P Thanks for the tips this helps a lot, the other Seekers have different poses too so would be a nice way to spice it up. Might be a bit extra work but that's why I'm here with my Chaos armies ;) I am in the mood for some assembly so perhaps I'll start soon...

 

I'd be happy to hear more not just on assembly. I don't hear much about chariots especially Exalted ones, or as mounts for Heralds, what sort of experiences do people have? Do they suffer from being, essentially, light armour in a list that has little vehicle equivalents? Or is it a case of that you should take chariots in number, a mechanised Daemons list almost :P

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Haven't played much with mine, but yeah they are super fragile.  They are in a better place now that overwatch is a stratagem, as before they had a good chance on being killed by overwatch alone.  The hellflayer is probably the  most useful, as it's high strength attacks are something that can otherwise be lacking in slaneshi demon lists.  I think I've only ever used my two (a hellflayer and seeker chariot) in one or 2 games, and only in one did they do much (to be fair, in the other game nothing in my army did much) - and even in that game they got very lucky and were hanging around with 1 would left each.

 

Incidentally, if you do build an exalted chariot, its not really the blades that make it so cramped for its base, its the 4 steeds as the front-to-back part of the model is a lot tighter on its base than the side-to-side - additionally, having blades hanging over the edges is less of a problem then having the steeds do so.  As such, if I ever do one I'll be putting it on a knight base to make it a bit less cramped.

[Panzer]

 

I'd be happy to hear more not just on assembly. I don't hear much about chariots especially Exalted ones, or as mounts for Heralds, what sort of experiences do people have? Do they suffer from being, essentially, light armour in a list that has little vehicle equivalents? Or is it a case of that you should take chariots in number, a mechanised Daemons list almost

I have no practical experience with them, but looking at the profiles there are two things that just leap out to me.

 

1. I don't see any reason to play regular Seeker Chariots. They cost a bit much for what they offer and the upgrade to the Exalted Chariot is just a small step.

2. On the other hand I don't see any reason to play a Herald on Exalted Chariot due to the jump to 10+ wounds. You really want your Heralds to stick around to provide their buffs.

 

As for the Hellflayers I'm a bit torn. As mount for a Herald it competes with the regular Seeker Chariot since both are <10 wounds, but it has one wound and one attack less than the Seeker Chariot in return for Bladed Axle. The Bladed Axle however is something that works just fine as regular Hellflayer as well and doesn't require it to be a Herald's mount.

It's probably a coin toss on this one but I think I prefer my Herald on a regular Seeker Chariot for the +1W and +1A and have the Hellflayer as regular unit. Bonus points because the Hellflayer looks scary and your Herald on regular Seeker Chariot has a lower profile so it potentially splits your opponent's focus instead of having just your Herald in his sight.

[WarriorFish]

It started as a style/modelling thing but now I have expanded the chariotry I do need to look at more - like the rules :P I agree that an Exalted mount for a Herald doesn't add much benefit so I think that idea is retired now. Rule of Cool is the most powerful rule, but not invincible :lol: As I have an actual Exalted Chariot box (fresh out of the cellophane) I figured I may as well build two chariots out of it and be done with it. Could easily count them as Exalted if I wanted since they'd all be the same.

 

Hellflayers are something I've look at a bit and I thought them a decent stand alone unit so I'm tempted to build them as such, so a Herald on Seeker Chariot and two Hellflayers. I think this would be a decent chariot addition to my army? I'm not thinking I'll need more.