The Hobbit Advance Orders: Elrond, The Knights of Rivendell and Grim Hammers

Games Workshop has more from the Hobbit ready for Advance Order! Place you order tonight (Sunday Jan 27th) for Elrond, The Knights of Rivendell and Dwarven Grim Hammers. You can have them delivered to your local hobby center for pick up on launch day, Saturday February 2nd. You can also have your miniatures shipped to any other address, just place your order by Wednesday January 30th, and they'll ship it on Friday February 1st. Orders placed after the 30th will be shipped on Monday February 4th .

If you have seen The Hobbit an Unexpected Journey by now, you should have been impressed by the ranks of stalwart Dwarven defenders of Erebor. OK they were crushed by a dragon, but they did look great before that.

These Dwarf warrior miniatures are shod head to toe in gleaming battle plate and shining mail.

In the box set you get twelve Grim Hammers. Stout and sturdy figures who come appropriately equipped for defending the halls of Erebor.

Each wears chainmail and is covered from beard to toe in heavy armor  Each model takes a unique pose, swinging their pick hammers or sharp axes at different angles.

Their glorious beards hang down underneath masked helmets.

This plastic kit contains 30 components and twelve 25mm round bases with which to make twelve Grim Hammers. It retails for 35.00 USD.

Elrond is featured in two different ways. On one he rides his horse into the melee, his long sword extended and his expression is one of battle-hardened rage. The other model features him on foot, though wearing the same long, flowing robes and elegant armor across his upper torso. He stands on foot, holding his sword aloft with two hands, ready to strike his foe.

This finely detailed resin kit contains five components, a 40mm round base and a 25mm round base with which to make Elrond on foot and mounted on horse. It does retail at a steep 40.00 USD

An elite band of warriors formed of the nobles in Elrond's house, the Knights of Rivendell are formidable cavalrymen. 

Their devastating charges leave shield walls in tatters, whilst their nimble steeds can weave and dodge through even dense woodland with ease.

You'll get six highly dynamic Knights of Rivendell miniatures in this bow set. They are a beautiful addition to any The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey collection. 

With their cloaks billowing around them, they wearing elegant Elven armor and carry ornate shields, and long lances - though there are also options for one to carry a banner or a war horn. 

They come in multiple poses, each one a variant of a Knight of Rivendell riding their steed into battle. 

The kit also comes with casualties, to denote a fallen Knight of Rivendell.

This plastic kit contains 54 components and six 40mm round bases with which to make six Knights of Rivendell.

The kit is a great set of figures, but it will set you back 50.00 USD retail. As much as we love these miniatures, we find Games Workshop to be pushing the pricing as to be out of reach for new hobby enthusiasts and souring the taste of the older ones

Have a Great Battle,

The Old Crow

The Dwarves from The Hobbit An Unexpected Journey by Gamesworkshop

Well we did go see the Hobbit an Unexpected Journey on opening day and out of everything the dwarves were the most unexpected of all. They were not as lack luster as Tolkien originally wrote them . These guys were very inspirational in their dwarfishness (is that a word?) and would never be stuffed into a sack. Thorin Oakenshield and the dwarves really got into the thick of things with axe, sword, hammer and yes even a bow. The movie gives you  a great deal of background information on the dwarf culture and their lot in Middle Earth.

Games Workshop currently only offers these mighty heroes in the "Escape from Goblin Town" box set. Hopefully they will be made available in a set of their own in the near future. Lets take a look at them one by one! The Leader of this illustrious band of adventurers is Thorin Oakenshield. The front of the model is pictured above wielding Orcrist, or Goblin-Cleaver.

And here is the back of the model. You can see the beautiful scabbard, which is what caught Thorin's eye in the troll lair.

Next in the line is Balin. Balin appears older and more scholarly but can dish it out in a pinch

Dwalin carries a mighty dwarven hammer  and wears some nasty "Brass Knuckles" for dishing out additional damage.

Here you can see the nicely sculpted features like the knife worn on his belt and axes carried on his back.

Bifur uses what could be called a pole arm for a dwarf. It is a sweet combination of spear and halberd rolled into one and carved on the figure in a fierce pose.

Wearing a wonderful hat and swinging his war hammer, Bofur also strikes a grand pose

What troop of dwarves would go anywhere without food and a cook? Bombur fills the roll in a large way. He also utilizes his  iron ladle along with butchers cleaver to handle any goblins that get to close!

Another deceptively grey bearded dwarf is Oin. Yes, he is hard of hearing and his "ear trumpet" can be seen slung on the miniatures belt. he wields his iron shod staff with great force.

The back of the figure shows his dwarfish sword.

Gloin is the closest thing to Gimli you'll see in the movie and as a sculpted figure too. Hear you can see his axes careening wildly and effectively. He also has a full compliment of metal beard ornaments. Quite a family resemblance wouldn't you say?

Dori is finely crafted swinging his sword and mace. The dwarven sword and scabbard are unique to the character.

The rear of the miniature shows the detail in hair and clothing.

The unmistakable "tri peak" hairdo sets Nori out from the rest of the band. The model completes his look with the three braids in his beard. He has his long handled mace raised and poised for an attack on a luckless goblin.

On Nor's back is sculpted his twin swords.

The youngest of the dwarves is Ori. He is carved in a slingshot release, no doubt taking down another goblin. His weapon did not fair well against the wargs!. His knife is seen strapped to his belt and his book bag slung from his shoulder.

Fili is one of the more adventurous dwarf characters and always ready for action. this miniature has a nice fighting pose. His throwing knives can be seen sculpted into his gauntlets..

and his sheaths carved on his back.

Kili is also a younger more adventurous dwarf. Here he is sword raised for the strike. This model has some nice features like the studded gauntlets and belts, extra knife...

and his bow and quiver worn on his back. The figure has a lot of motion carved into it like the coat swirling behind him.

Kili is probably my favorite one in the bunch and overall the sculpts are very nice. They have a good amount of detail but are missing some extra pouches and the likely assortment of paraphernalia a dwarf would have on an adventure. We've also come to expect more from Games Workshop and Citadel miniatures.

With that said, we do look forward to seeing these guys in their own box set and will probably add them to the never ending miniature collection.

Have a Great Battle,
The Old Crow

Advance Order The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Strategy Game from Games Workshop

Well, here it is, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Strategy Battle Game is the tabletop game for two or more players to recreate the exciting events of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey with your collection of Citadel miniatures.

You can now Advance Order the Games Workshop products before the release date of December 1st. Order by midnight Sunday November 25th and choose to have them delivered to your local Games Workshop Hobby Center  and they'll guarantee the product will be there for you to pick up on launch day - absolutely free of charge. Order by Wednesday November 28th, and they'll ship it directly to you on Friday November 30th.

So, what do you get? You'll get a beautiful but expensive, at 85.00 USD, 288-page full-color hardback rules manual containing all the information you need to begin your adventures in Middle-earth. Get the miniatures too and you can unleash the heroes of Thorin's Company and their dreaded foes on the tabletop.

The rule book includes full instructions for playing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Ideas for beginning your collection seven exciting scenarios recreating the events of The Hobbit as well as more taken from the history of Middle-earth, such as the attack at Weathertop are included.

As always you'll get details on fighting Points Match games and a gallery of gloriously painted Middle-earth Citadel Miniatures.

What else can you advance order? For a 125.00 USD you can get the limited edition set, The Hobbit: Escape from Goblin Town. So what do you get for your hard earned money?

The Limited Edition of The Hobbit: Escape from Goblin Town features an exclusive miniature of Radagast the Brown that you can only get with this set. The box set is sold in limited quantities and only available While supplies last. 

The Escape from Goblin Town set contains 56 Citadel Miniatures including: Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield, the limited edition Radagast the Brown, Oin the Dwarf, Gloin the Dwarf, Nori the Dwarf, Ori the Dwarf, Kili the Dwarf, Fili, the Dwarf, Dwalin the Dwarf, Bombur the Dwarf, Bofur the Dwarf, Bifur the Dwarf,The Goblin King, Grinnah the Goblin, The Goblin Scribe, Goblin Captain, 36 Goblin Warriors, and The Goblin King's platform. Also included is a 48 Page full color 'Your Journey Begins Here' booklet, 1 Play Sheet, a 112 page full color rules manual, 8 Dice, and 1 Ruler.

Radagast the Brown is an awesome centerpiece to this stunning collection of miniatures. He is posed striding merrily across fallen trunks, with his hedgehog companion Sebastian tucked under his arm. The miniature sports a long beard, shortened trousers, and a ragged yet ornate cloak which comes with intricate patterns sculpted into it. A satchel full of leaves hangs by his side, he wears an unusual wizard hat and carries a branch-like staff. It is a remarkably detailed miniature that is only available with this limited edition.

Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit miniature comes with two variant arms - with one he is gripping Sting and with the other variant he holds his walking staff. The miniature is garbed in a long coat, short trousers, scarf and waistcoat, and displays the thick hairy Hobbit feet. 

The splendiferous Gandalf the Grey is posed reaching forward, leaning upon his staff, and wearing a long robe, a scarf and sword - and not forgetting his iconic pointy wizard hat.

Thorin's Company is a remarkably detailed collection of Dwarves. Each model carries a unique piece of weaponry - Thorin Oakenshield brandishes a sword while for the rotund Bombur the Dwarf, a ladle and meat cleaver will do the job nicely. Their beards are impressive in their own right and come in an array of styles, loose or plaited, short or long. They are stout, sturdy figures, garbed in jerkins or doublets, heavy boots, hoods and hats, as well as different levels of armor  from none at all, to gauntlets and thick chain-mail.

The box set is also bursting at the seams with Goblin miniatures, wiry and misshapen creatures that are covered in boils and clutching crude, primitive weapons. The Goblin Scribe sits within a sling, his withered legs dangling before him, clutching a parchment and board. The Goblin Captain is even shorter than normal goblins (the smaller they are, the tougher they look) and displays a ferocious, snarling expression. While finally Grinnah the Goblin, the Goblin King's lieutenant, is armed with a barbed Scourge and a primitive dagger. 

The Goblin King is an immense figure with phenomenal jowls and a toothed crown, and huge arms whose knuckles drag along the ground. He holds aloft a timber pick and is seated upon a towering platform made of wood and stone, and which is strapped to a rock face. 

So as you see, you do get quite a bit for your money but the value is only in what it's worth to you. It's a great set with fine miniatures as always, but if nobody you know wants to buy it and play the game, where is the value?

Next post we'll go over the new trolls and orcs.

Have a Great Battle,

The Old Crow

The Hobbit an Unexpected Journey and Unexpected Game?

The Hobbit an Unexpected Journey is less than a month away and fans are eager to see what Peter Jackson can cook up to make an entire trilogy. Much speculation has been discussed on forums and blogs all across the internet.

Also in the pot is the fact that Games Workshop once again has hold of another money making opportunity. If you've been paying attention at all, you'll know in August there was an "accidental" release of miniatures they'll be producing. The release date of the Hobbit Strategy Battle Game? You can expect it to be announced soon in the next issue of the White Dwarf on November 24th.

The exhaustive list of figures made it's way about the internet and raised more speculation on what might be in the movie. We know Games Workshop took liberties with the Lord of The Rings trilogy movies and could expect the same for the Hobbit.

Mithril Miniatures, a subsidiary of Prince August has been making Hobbit and Lord of The Rings figures since the 1980's. A couple samples are Cirdan the Shipwright and a vignette of Bilbo Surrendering the One Ring.

Models from Mithril are produced in 32mm and 54mm scales. Games Workshop Lord of The Rings line was produced in 25mm and we'd assume the Hobbit figures will be too.

If you have not seen the list of Games Workshop Hobbit miniatures, we've included them here by catagory.

Have a Great Battle,
The Old Crow


Dwarves: Dáin Ironfoot & Iron Hill Boar Riders
Dwarves: Kili & Fili & Longbeard Archers
Dwarves: Bombur with Kettle
Dwarves: Dáin & Iron Hill Berserkers
Dwarves: King Thráin & Longbeard Vanguard
Dwarves: Young Thorin & Longbeard Mattockguard
Dwarves: King Thrór
Dwarves: Dís, Mother of Kili and Fili
Dwarves: Gimli (Stubble)
Dwarves: Samwise Gamgee (Red Book)
Dwarves: Dragon Mithril Company of Dwarves
Dwarves: Drogo Baggins & The Tavern Maid

Men of Esgaroth: Bard & Greystreak Bowmen
Men of Esgaroth: Bain & Quickstrings Gang/Trout Guild Militia
Men of Esgaroth: King Girion
Men of Esgaroth: Fram the Watchman
Men of Esgaroth: The Master of Lake-Town
Men of Esgaroth: Alfrid & Loyal Town Guard
Men of Esgaroth: Garf & Footsoldiers of the Dale

Silvan Elves: Legolas & Mirkwood Fire Archers
Silvan Elves: King Thranduil (Battle Garb)
Silvan Elves: Tauriel (Mounted)
Silvan Elves: Castellan Amroth
Silvan Elves: Mirkwood Warhost

Beornings: Meneldor & Swiftbeak Flock
Beornings: Gorm & Woodmen Axethrowers/Skin-Changers
Beornings: Whisperbark/Gnarlfir
Beornings: Black Bear Pack
Beornings: Woodmen Healer
Beornings: Fair Daughter
Beornings: Enraged Beorn
Beornings: Grimbeorn (Greataxe)

White Council: Mounted Rivendell Nobles
White Council: Lindir the Harper
White Council: Radagast with Roäc & Swoop
White Council: Galadriel (Water Steed)
White Council: The War Council
White Council: Arwen & Estel
White Council: Galadriel (Barrel)
White Council: Galadriel & Lórien Drumhooves
White Council: Chief Aravir & Dúnedain Rangers
White Council: Dúnedain Runecaster
White Council: Elrond & Rivendell Spearguard
White Council: Elros & Rivendell Outriders
White Council: Radagast's Chariot/Spellfire Cart
White Council: Cirdan the Shipwright

Mountain Orcs: Azog & Orc Needlers
Mountain Orcs: Azog (Wounded)
Mountain Orcs: Bolg & Great Goblin Bodyguard
Mountain Orcs: Armoured Hill-Trolls/Frenzied Trolls
Mountain Orcs: Orc Stone Thrower

Grey Mountain Dragons: Fire-wyrms
Grey Mountain Dragons: Braga & Goldscale Worshippers
Grey Mountain Dragons: Venomblade Assassin
Grey Mountain Dragons: Goldscale Priest
Grey Mountain Dragons: Bofur on Cold-Drake
Grey Mountain Dragons: Dragon Thrall
Grey Mountain Dragons: Money Bags & Hired Knives
Grey Mountain Dragons: Fell Hatchlings

Dol Guldur: Leaping Spiders/Shiverfang Spiders
Dol Guldur: Spiderlings
Dol Guldur: The Necromancer/Flesh Avatar
Dol Guldur: Narzug & Orc Summoner Coven
Dol Guldur: Tomb Wights
Dol Guldur: Mounted Tomb Wights
Dol Guldur: Bloodwraiths
Dol Guldur: Gwethil
Dol Guldur: The Willowhags
Dol Guldur: Saruman & The Ringwraiths
Dol Guldur: Vampire Bat Swarms

Adventure: Gandalf's Quest
Adventure: The Battle at the East Gate
Adventure: Assault on the Aerie
Adventure: The Clearing of Foul Roots
Adventure: Assault on the Barrows
Adventure: Clash of the Beasts
Adventure: Raid on the Wizard Hut
Adventure: The Last Stand
Adventure: The Belltower
Adventure: A Thief in the Night
Adventure: The Fall of Dale
Adventure: The Raven Hill
Adventure: Thorin's Folly
Adventure: The Battle of Five Armies
Adventure: Breaking the Siege
Adventure: Revenge of the Goblin King
Adventure: Blacksoil Slope
Adventure: The Clouds Burst
Adventure: The Ritual
Adventure: The Final Onslaught
Adventure: The Haunted Tombs
Adventure: Gollum's Escape
Adventure: The Blight Breach

Wargs: Feral Wolf Pack
Wargs: The Werebeast
Wargs: Orc Chieftain on Warg
Wargs: Orc Wolfbone Shaman
Wargs: Lagdush & Orc Wolfcloak Warrior
Wargs: Narzug & Orc Warg-Riders
Wargs: Dol Guldur Orc Overlords
Wargs: Grinnah & Mirkwood Werewolves
Wargs: Dire Warg

Smaug the Golden
Gandalf (Dual Sword)