T'au SEED Destiny: GAT-X105+AQM/E-X01 Aile Strike Gundam

Every force needs a commander, and for the battlesuits I'm painting up, this one is it.

While I do have some other ideas, like the Coldstar Commander, a Tau battlesuit force can at the moment only have a single commander suit per detachment, so he will have to do the job in the 1500 points force.

The models is a slightly converted battlesuit commander, with the 'fins' on the head repositioned in order to pick him apart on the table (apart from his colourscheme) as the migthy plasma leader of dead.  Because I went for both a regular plasma (painted purple as the color of his anime counterparts Beam Saber) as well as a Cyclonic Ion Blaster for armaments, and a shield generator for protection.  Add to this his signature wargear of a Seismic Destabiliser to annoy models in cover, and his treat of Exemplar of Mont'Ka to advance and shoot without penalties with his Cyclonic.  And his armour is upgraded to Iridium for some extra protection...

He is also joined by two drones to intercept some shots coming his way of course, who like all my other drones have been painted up as "Balls", in the form of a Gun drone and a Shield drone.

The Inspiration

Strike was the first Gundam Kira Yamato piloted in the series, and it had an attachable jump pack for air combat, the Aile module.  I went for this option as inspiration because the T'au suits have those large jump packs, and the red of the Aile contrasts nicely with the predominant white and blue of the bodywork as a result.

Next in this project, either Zaku inspired normal battlesuits, or stealth suits which double as my Kill Team force...