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...

Jaakko and Rugluk - Rank & File month #4

Act 4

The dwarf fort jutted from the foothills all grey and unfriendly with it's thick walls and murder-holes. It looked like it didn’t want visitors. Rugluk Backstabba glared at it from his makeshift war throne.

“Why won’t da stunties come out?” he growled.

They’d been chucking boulders for three days straight. The walls didn’t care. Neither did the dwarfs-except to shoot back. A black orc chief had lost his head to a cannonball. A goblin regiment routed when their battering ram caught fire.

Rugluk bellowed at his lieutenants, kicked over the stew pot, and ordered a charge. It ended in complete chaos. A pump wagon broke up halfway across the field, splattering the crew and flattening three goblins who’d been hiding behind it. Then came the arrows. Cannonballs. Boiling oil.

That night, the camp was quiet. Too quiet. Rugluk didn’t like it.

He paced his tent, muttering. “They’z whisperin’. I know it. Gits think I’z lost it.” He scratched his chin. “Maybe I ‘ave. Or maybe it’s them dat needs stabbin’...”

A goblin runner crept in with bad news-another warband had left during the night. Rugluk stared at him for a long time before saying anything.

“Anyone else got ideas ‘bout leavin’?” he shouted to no one in particular.

Outside, the lads kept their heads low. The mutterin’ had started. They said Rugluk was cursed. Said da wyrm lied. Said da boss had lost it.

And Rugluk? He stared at the dwarf fort and thought he saw it grinning.

 

And so, the final Rank & File month is here! There’s still a lot I plan to do, but the heavy lifting is done. I can feel the pressure of the challenge lifting from my shoulders-and it feels nice. I chose to paint a big unit and two war machines, but honestly didn’t expect to finish all of them. The Goblins were quicker to paint than I expected, though I admit some midnight oil was burnt.

 

I managed to finish painting a unit of Goblins, two Skull Crushers, and a Sow (shown later). As mentioned earlier, Grom's Goblin Guard was a priority-Tom gave me part of the unit, so I really wanted to paint it this season. They’re a fine addition to the force, and as you can see, they’ve already successfully stormed the fort!

I like the elite look that monopose units have. A block of Goblins is always fearsome to behold… but yeah, okay-I admit they're only elite in the fluff.

The cheek and neck guards remind me of Roman legionaries and I let that influence the shield design.

I usually varnish my models after taking photos, and naturally, managed to chip some paint from the banner. There's a red checker pattern hidden somewhere under that layer of dirt.

 

I also managed to paint two Skull Crushers with crew. One of the front wheels is a spare made from green stuff.

 

This month in points:

 

 

 

 

I'm very happy with how things are going at the moment, but I understand that painting a horde is an endurance sport. I've already made some outlines for what I'd like to paint next season, but I still hope to reach the minimum army requirements in Warhammer Armies in addition to the OWAC requirements this season. That would mean painting a unit of Stickas, a few more Arrer Boyz, and of course Rugluk.

 

SIEGE

I'm keeping it simple in the Siege section.

I picked up this Sow from Wargames Foundry and gave it a simple paint job. I chose to keep it generic, without anything orky, so I can use it with other armies too. It came with some human crew that I’ll paint later.

 

The Sow is basically a mobile cover that you can push around the battlefield. It's not very manoeuvrable with it's movement of 3" and turn radius of three times the moved distance. You can enter it and shoot through the slits. I imagine putting a small unit of Arrers in it.  The points value depends on the crew capacity and varies between 10 and 30.

 

And that’s it for the month. I think Rugluk will have to wait a while longer, and May will be my Wild Card month, with a focus on the Siege section.