Tom's Goblins and Orcs - APRIL // Leaders

APRIL!

After this month, it feels very much like the home stretch. I'm filled with enthusiasm for the green horde!

This month sees my leaders painted, plus an extra. It leaves only the orc regiment and the promised ogre for May, and then my Wildcard (which I guess could be nothing...😬) for June.

Anyway. *Clears throat* - 🎶here come the boooyoiz. Boyois. Boyz. Boyz🎶 👇

Now, I have heard of photostacking (to get everything in focus), but right now I'm not gonna learn it. Single pics rule, starting with the Warlord: Gorfang 👇

I omitted a shield, but he looks fine without one!

I very much remember doing some stripes on the cape as a kid, and enjoyed doing it this time round too! I do regret not doing more of a tiger orange though...

Next up, the Shaman. He's a model I've had kicking around in the unpainted pile for at least a decade or so, so he's well overdue for a lick o' paint 👇

He's a model I've really put off painting as he was a bit confusing - what is that, like, some netting over his body? But as soon as I was, like, whateeeever, I enjoyed painting it (lies -  what I really enjoy is seeing him finally finished!) 

Now onto that legend of the Combat Cards! My Big Boss...👇

I figured he could have some kinda magical sword or something. Mainly to make up for me not painting a back shield for him. But that big black spike doesn't look too out of place. (Could probably do with a few dwarven beards strung up on it though) 

I was vey pleased with how the red armour turned out.

Now onto the GIANTS! One is my planned Cloud Giant (available still from Ral Partha Legacy: LINK) 

The other dude is a Mountain Giant, from Satyr Studios (LINK). No need for a timestamp on him as he was only released a few weeks ago! 👇

I painted the cloud giant with the previous OWAC's giant in mind (LINK) - it's why there's a fleur de lyss on the shield. I'm a little gutted that I didn't go a bit darker on the skin, but hey ho! 

All the shine you see in the photos is the satin varnish I use. Generally I try to take pics before varnishing, but... 

I was  a little worried about leaving his base just plain, but it fits in with the rest and for me, that's what counts right now.

And the Mountain Giant 👇

I was very please with how he came out, although I did bottle doing a great big tattoo on that tummy!

I thought this pic would highlight the size difference between the three 👇

On to the war machines!

First up, the small rock lobber 👇

And now the bolt thrower. I really struggled with this one - it's sat since Jan half painted. Many thanks to my friend Paul Rayburn - currently doing a crazy NMM dwarf army decked out in yellow and black, (on this very Challenge). He came over for a painting visit and it was really motivating. Many thanks OP! 👇

Now onto the crew for the toys...

The guy who keeps everyone working 👇

The mean one 👇

The caring one 👇 For some reason his eyes are pretty messed up.

The one who thinks he's better than everyone else 👇

The lookout. He's got a hurty foot. 'Tis but a scratch though. 👇

The guy who actually likes his job 👇

And now, a secret EXTRA. The mighty goblin Grom. Feared slayer of Dwarfs and ingester of Troll.

Here's a quick timestamp just as I was starting, and a sneaky peak at the boys for next month! 👇

I have painted the dwarf on the base to match my current dwarf hold (which was painted here on the OWAC over two years...here's a link my instagram with a pic of them: LINK)  

Anyway. I tried a little bit harder on Grom as I'd like to have something to put into the OLDENDEMON comp: LINK. It's why the base rim is green 🙂 

It's always great looking at other peoples submissions, and it's super easy to enter. Do it! If I like trawling through everyone's submissions, there'll definitely be others who'll like it too. Who knows who you will inspire!

 👇

Well, that wraps up this month!

Next month will see the Orc Boys come to the fore, along with a third ogre. Here's a quick timestamp, and I've included some snotlings just in case I can get round to them too!

And here's a group shot of all of this months painted models 👇

Aaaand the roundup of the usual links back through my challenge 👊

Intro: link

January: Rank and File #1  link

February: Rank and File #2  link

March: Rank and File #3  link

April: Leaders

110...   Orc Warlord

72...     Orc Big Boss

33...     Goblin Big Boss

57...     Orc Shaman

200...   Giant 

200...   Giant

66.5...  Small Rock Lobba (with three crew)

46.5...  Bolt Throwa (with three crew)

Total: 785!

Cheers. See you next month for the unit of boys and the ogre. Who knows, I might manage to paint something else too!

Boy's a menace...

Ben’s Chaos Gnomes - Month 3

 When the ground began to thaw, Kazar ordered his axes to clear a field’s worth of timber, and that a mine be sunk in its place. The wood and the ore would help to resupply his troops, and rekindle the war engine.x However, there are some who have little appreciation for mining and forestry, and thus the industrial effort attracted the ire of an ancient elemental.

Before too much harm could come to the work, a pair of gnomish lords on great beasts appeared and in short order, they turned the elemental into kindling. Kazar met with them, and learned that they too had come for the pass, but had expected it cleared by now so that they might wage their wars on the other side of the mountains. After a long haggle, both lords had pledged their strength in the taking of the pass, but the terms of the agreement were not shared among the occupants of the tower. Whispers began about what consequences the parley would have, since the only gnome you can trust less than a stranger, is a stranger that shares your allegiance. Whatever was to come, it would have plenty of hammers and axes pledged to it.

+++++

Instead of making a new army this month as I had in January and February, I decided instead to bolster the combined force with some heavy hitters. First was a battery of four bolt throwers, manned by scale appropriate hobgrobles. I did not enjoy painting these as much as I’d hoped to, but a thing I’m learning this year is that you can paint toys like toys and not get in trouble. As long as I’m not unhappy with how they turned out, their paint job is alright by me.

This Sorcerer on Lamassu however was a hoot to do. I got to replace a lion’s face with a Muppet head, which is an automatic win in my book, and then I got to blend the rider to its steed, which was a second win if ever I had one. It occurs to me that this might be the army’s centerpiece model, with it being the most costly hero character my force can field, and that epiphany is fine by me. I’m proud of the conversion and the paintwork on this one, and so I’ll happily find room on my roster for the chonker 

Lastly, we have the Hero on Cockatrice, who is the king of “guys who barely fill out their bases.” To me, this epitomizes the army, where we try to manage the precarious balance of serious threat and little dog energy. In theory, the Chaos Dwarf list is very versatile, but to my understanding, the way I have built my roster is very goofy. My goal hadn’t been to build a “come and get me” brick, but when building with minis I’d gotten thanks to the rule of cool, that’s exactly what I did. Anyhow, I also like this hero and how top heavy he is; that poor Cockatrice is really putting in the work keeping its ride’s bulk from gracing the ground.

This Month’s Additions

Sorceror Lord on Lamassu - 528

Hero on Cockatrice - 254

Hobgoblin Bolt Thrower x4 - 168

Total: 950

With those additions, we now wield the current war host:

Chaos Gnome General - 165pts

10 Chaos Gnomes with Blunderbusses - 140pts

20 Chaos Gnome Warriors with full command - 348pts

5 Chaos Gnome Bull Centaurs with full command - 357pts

Chaos Gnome Sorcerer - 59pts

Chaos Gnome Hero - 104

Chaos Gnome Sorcerer Lord on Lamassu - 528

Chaos Gnome Hero on Cockatrice - 254

4 Hobgoblin Bolt Throwers - 168

Total: 2123pts

It’s likely not a legal list, but that is a huge chunk of dudes right there, with room to adjust for a 2k point game. Wild to think that three months into a six month challenge, I could be completely finished with this force (I’m not, but the end feels awful close.) I had a plan at the beginning of the challenge, and for the most part I stuck to it (despite my best efforts,) but now I’m faced with the fact that I only have 30 some-odd models to go until that’s a wrap.

That said, I did manage to pull out another 20 man unit of warriors from my bits bin, so hopefully I’ll be occupied until the end. My to do pile is now two more units of warriors, and maybe a unit of hobgoblin archers, so I can promise at least that much more to come. Who knows? I’ve still got to sort out the baggage train, so there’s still some opportunity for things to go off the rails :)

Anyhow, thanks for another lovely month! Keep up the good work, and see you in the next one!

Jaakko and Rugluk - Rank & File month #1

Act 1

Rugluk Backstabba sat alone by the fire, gnawing on a bone and staring at the biggest tent in the camp - Gronk Skullbasha’s tent. Inside, the warboss was probably snoring loud enough to scare off wolves, full from another feast of the best meat.

Rugluk spat into the dirt. “Da chosen wun,” he muttered, thinking of the wyrm’s prophecy. “Chosen fer wot? Can’t do nuffin’ wiv dat fat lump runnin’ things.”

A wicked idea started to form and he grinned to himself. “Da bigger dey is, da ‘arder dey fall,” he mused. “An’ wen dey do, dere’s always wun ta take da spot.”

His eyes shifted to the goblins scuttling around Gronk’s tent, meant to be guards but mostly just being useless. Rugluk chuckled. Goblins were good at two things: squealin’ and slackin’ off. But they were easy to trick.

“A drop o’ shroom juice in da grog’ll make ‘im sleep good. An’ den…” he flexed his fingers around his sword hilt. “He won’t be wakin’ up.”

He stood, brushing the dirt off his armor. “Dats da way,” he growled. “Time ta get choppy.” Rugluk disappeared into the shadows, already picturing himself on Gronk’s throne.

And so the first month of OWAC VIII, the OCHO, is finally here! It felt great to get going again and to finally have the chance to paint these models. Orc sculpts of this period are full of character and I've enjoyed painting them greatly. But thats enough words, let's check out the miniatures!

I decided to start with two groups of models and leave the bigger units for later months. I managed to paint a unit of 14 Arrer Boyz with crossbows and three sets of Notlob's Bolt Throwers aka Spear Chuckas.

 

I've been told that missile weapons given to orcs only slow them down on the way to close combat. I chose not to listen as I love these sculpts.

 The shield on the banner pole is taken from the Hammerers unit in my Dwarf army

The first thing I acquired for this project was a boxed set of RR14 Notlob's Orcish Bolt Throwing Engines. That is the reason I wanted to start the season by painting them. Some of the crew models are hilarious and were a lot of fun to paint. I have added a piece of string to add realism to the Bolt Throwers in my Dwarf army. I will probably do the same with these at a later stage.

This month in points:

 

 

The lighting in my gaming area is not ideal. I decided to add a couple of pictures taken in my usual studio (= kitchen) to better catch the colours.

SIEGE

As we are building a siege laying horde here, I took a look at what Warhammer Siege has to say about this month's output. It turns out that this month's troops aren't actually very useful in a siege. Neither of them do anything against the castle itself but with good luck they might hit some defenders occupying it. The Bolt Thrower does have a theoretical chance of damaging the gate (S5 against T8) but I'd much prefer using a battering ram to do the job. I hope to offer Rugluk something better next month!

And that's it for the month, see you soon!