Challenge Submission #6 - The Four Hobbits of the Fellowship of the Ring

 

The figures I painted for one of the Quadrant Challenges are the four hobbits from the Games Workshop "Attack at Weathertop" boxed set. When I bought the set many years ago I was primarily interested in the five Nazgûl, as I already had painted figures of the four hobbits from a different boxed set. As a result these minis languished in the 'big box of unfinished projects' until now. 

After gluing the miniatures to the bases with epoxy, sand was applied using Lepage PVA glue. All the figures were then primed black with a rattle can.  I looked online for stills from the movie to get the correct colours of the clothing for Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin. I used Vallejo acrylics for all the paints, along with some Game Workshop washes, primarily on the hair. They are shown with the scratch-built model of the ruined tower of Amon Sûl, better known as Weathertop, that I built to play the scenario with the Conscripts many years ago. 

 

I have included a 360° tour of the terrain piece. It was constructed over the course of a weekend out of a mix of different types of polystyrene, along with pieces of cardboard for the floor and to suggest stonework. The curved portion of the pillars are large plastic straws split in half lengthwise. The two statues were fantasy figures I found at the dollar store of a woman in long robes, and a wizard with a staff. I used latex house paints in black, and various shades of grey applied with a 1" brush with lots of drybrushing of the lighter shades to get the effect of weathered stone, Mixed green flocking and lichen was glued down after all the paints were dry.

 

Thanks for reading.

Challenge Submission #4 - The Lord of the Rings Good, Bad and Ugly.

 Last winter my painting focus was on whittling down my large collection of unpainted Dwarves, Goblins, Orcs, Rangers, and Uruk-hai from the Games Workshop Lord of the Rings range of miniatures, with a few character figures thrown in for good measure. That still left more than a few unpainted, and I thought some would lend themselves nicely to a few of the Quadrant XII Challenges. These are all 28mm metal miniatures released as blisters, or part of boxed sets. Alas, many of them are now out of production.

All were primed black with a rattle can, and then painted with Vallejo acrylics. Depending on the colour, or the effect I wanted to achieve, I used either washes or drybrushing.

Boromir and Lurtz

Aragorn at the Battle of Helm's Deep

Saruman and Grima Wormtongue

Legolas Greenleaf of the Woodland Realms

 

Thanks for reading.
 

Orc Companies of Mordor

This is the last of my Lord of the Rings mega-projects, and the one that took the longest. I started this just after I had completed my Elven Heroes of Rivendell and Lothlórien back in April. The first company of orcs took approximately a week to paint, the second company took two, and the third nearly a month and an half. It was a combination of burnout after cranking out nearly 300 minis over the winter, plus the lure of longer days and nicer weather that pulled me away from my workbench. However they are now complete - three companies of Mordor Orcs each consisting of a captain, a banner, four bow, four two-handed weapon, eight spear, and eight hand weapon and shield, 78 minis in total. 34 are the newer plastic figures, while the rest are all metal, including 38 'old school' releases that I picked up secondhand about the same time as I bought my metal Dwarves. 

 

All the figures were mounted on their bases, and sand and pebbles were glued on before priming everything black using a rattle can. The paints were primarily Vallejo water-based acrylics using lots of different shades of gray and brown with the occasional muted red, blue, or olive green. Once the base colours were applied the figures were treated with Army Painter Strong Tone Quick Shade. I then painted the bases and applied some pale green flocking to give them a unique look, different from my other Lord of the Rings armies. Once all the ground work was complete, they all got sprayed with a few light coats of Rust-Oleum Matte Clear spray to take down the shine left by the Quick Shade. I still have an armoured troll waiting in the wings to supplement all these orcs to provide a serious threat on the battlefield for the forces of Mordor.

Numerous, cruel and utterly incapable of redemption or compassion, the race of Orcs is nonetheless sprung from the same stock as the immortal and graceful Elves. Indeed, the first Orcs were once Elves, yet their fate was to be a very different one to that of their brothers after Morgoth's taint fell upon them. These ruined beings swiftly multiplied, as all unwholesome things are wont to do, and their numbers fed the armies of darkness, first of Morgoth and then of Sauron.

 

In the late years of the Third Age, Orcs are to be found in all the dark places in the world, from which they pose a constant threat to the Free Peoples. Fortunately, the fractious and quarrelsome nature of Orcs ensures that without an exceptional leader, or overwhelming numbers, they are a poor match for the well-trained and organized armies of the western kingdoms. It is only when under the command of one of the Nazgûl or another of Sauron's dread lieutenants that the mailed first of the Orc becomes a thing of power, for Orcs fight with unceasing fury when they fear that which is behind more than that which stands before them.

 

Radbug's Ruffians - for the captain I used a 'Grishnákh' figure to which I added a shield from my bits box. (On a completely random note, Grishnákh is left-handed.)

 

Lagduf's Lads

 

Shargo's Snagas - for the captain I used a 'Gorbag' figure to which I added a shield made from a small thumbtack.

 

I am happy that these are finally off my workbench, and not mocking me on a daily basis. Now that things are starting to open up a bit more locally, I am going to take a break from Lord of the Rings painting for a while, although I hope to be motivated enough to do some Bolt Action figures. I have a few boxes of plastic Russians that need attention.

Thanks for reading.

Elven Heroes of Rivendell and Lothlórien

I am continuing to whittle down my Lord of the Rings 'pile of shame'. All of these figures were based and primed years ago, and then languished on the work bench. I haven't done any elves so far in this current painting spell, so I thought some elven heroes should be next. The six I completed are Gil-galad, Elrond, Elladan, Elrohir, Haldir, and a Galadhrim standard bearer. All of these are Games Workshop casting from at least ten year ago, and most have been replaced with new sculpts.

 

 

All of these were painted using water-based acrylics, mostly Vallejo, plus some ink washes of dark brown and reddish brown. The elven armour was initially painted with bronze and then highlighted with gold. In the case of Haldir and the standard bearer, their armour was given a wash of reddish brown prior to the gold. That was followed with further highlighting with a silver-gold mix. Otherwise the method for painting was to lay on a dark colour first, and building up ever lighter layers on the raised areas. 

 

Gil-galad and Elrond

 

Gil-galad was the high king of the Elves and the mightiest warrior of his Age, his bravery and leadership inspiring his followers to carry out great deeds in battle. At the height of the War of the Last Alliance, Gil-galad confronted Sauron, throwing himself into combat with the Dark Lord for the freedom of Middle-earth. Though Gil-galad would never see the Dark Lord finally defeated, for he perished at the hands of Sauron upon the slopes of Orodruin, his name lived on in songs and legends - even those sung by Sam during the closing of the Third Age.

 

A mighty and renowned warrior, Elrond has been at the forefront of many great battles. He fought against Sauron in the War of the Last Alliance and bore witness to the Dark Lord's downfall. It was he who tried to convince Isildur to destroy the Ring for good, an act that would have saved much suffering in the Third Age. Blessed with the gift of foresight, Elrond is able to provide great wisdom for his allies.

 

Elladan and Elrohir

 

The twin sons of Elrond and Celebrian, Elladan and Elrohir are every bit as skilled in combat as their father. The twins often rode alongside Aragorn in his youth, forging a strong bond with the future king through their battles with the Haradrim and the Orcs. Whilst most Elves played little part in the War of the Ring, Elladan and Elrohir joined Aragorn as he ventured into the paths of the Dead and even followed him to the Pelennor and the Black Gate. Together, the brothers are a deadly foe, fighting with a whirl of flashing steel and the precision of the Elven lords of old.

 

Haldir and Galadhrim Standard Bearer

 

One of the most trusted captains and skilled archers of Lothlórien, Haldir is tasked with defending the woodland borders. It was Haldir that led the Galadhrim to Helm's Deep to honour the alliance that once stood between Men and Elves, a noble act, but one that would ultimately claim his life. His sacrifice was not in vain however, as the forces that were brought to the Hornburg no doubt provided incalculable aid in the defense of the great fortress.

 

The Golden Wood is defended first and foremost by the warriors of the Galadhrim, steadfast soldiers who have honed their skills in combat across many wars throughout the ages. Like all Elves, the Galadhrim are skilled with blade, spear and bow. Tasked with the protection of Lothlórien, these warriors shall give their lives in its defence, for should it fall, Middle-earth shall surely follow. The combat bonus of the banner allows the player to re-roll one of the dice rolled to determine who wins the fight.

 

While I already have some High Elves painted, Haldir and the standard bearer are the first Galadhrim figures I have painted. I liked the paint scheme used for these figures on the Games Workshop website, and tried my best to replicate it. I am pretty happy with the results. I have some unopened blisters of older metal Galadhrim warriors in my 'pile of shame', but I think it's time to do some companies of Mordor Orcs next.

 

Thanks for reading.

Goblins in Moria

With this project I was again back to a collection of secondhand plastic figures purchased off of eBay, along with some new metal character figures, as well as some metal goblin warriors and archers that are long out of production. In total I had 12 goblins with sword and shield, 12 goblins with bow, 12 goblins with spear, 3 goblin captains, a goblin shaman, a goblin drum with two drummers, and Durbûrz, Goblin King of Moria. 

 

All the plastic minis were in good shape, so no repairs needed to be done. After cleaning up any mold lines, the metal minis were glued to their bases using epoxy. Then a few 'boulders' (actually small pebbles) were glued  to some of the bases using epoxy again, followed by a layer of fine sand that was glued to the bases with PVA. Once everything was dry, all the figures were primed matte black using a rattle can.

 

All the 'rank and file' goblins were painted in an assembly line fashion starting with the skin colour, and working outward from there. The character figures got a similar treatment, but I also painted on yellow eyes with a black slit pupil, as well as any special colours such as the skulls on the shaman, or the bone 'drumsticks' on the goblin drummers. Water based acrylics were used throughout, mostly Vallejo paints. Once completed, everything got a coat of Army Painter Strong Tone Quick Shade, which has become my 'go to' medium for mass armies. When the Quick Shade was thoroughly dry, I painted the bases starting with dark brown, followed by dry brushing on a lighter shade of brown. The 'rocks' were then painted with a medium grey. Finally some small patches of flocking were added in a random pattern to all bases to match the ground work on some goblins that I had done in the past. Here is the final result.

Beneath the peaks of The Misty Mountains lie many Goblin kingdoms. The greatest of these is undoubtedly that of the former Dwarf stronghold of Moria, ruled over by the tyrannical Durbûrz. The largest and most brutal Goblin in Moria, Durbûrz has risen up the ranks before becoming king, and any who have dared to challenge his rule have been swiftly and callously dispatched. Durbûrz rules Moria with an iron fist and instills great fear in those who follow him. [below left]

 

Quite where the Moria Goblin Shamans received their knowledge of dark magics is unknown, although it is likely they learned it in the dark corners of the mountains away from prying eyes. Possessing a crude and brutish form of magic, these shamans are capable of whipping their followers into a bloodthirsty frenzy, enabling them to suffer grievous wounds yet still carry on the fight. [below right]

 

The sound of Goblin Drums heralds only doom and death to those unfortunate to hear it. To the monotonous beat of the crudely fashioned drums the Moria Goblins scurry into battle, driven forth by the constant rhythm. Whilst the sound of bone upon taut skin spurs the vile Goblins forward, the deathly sound strikes fear into the hearts of all of those that know the peril that they now face.

 

Whether it was through a vicious cunning or just out of brutality, Goblin Captains are those that have risen through the ranks to lead Goblin warbands. Although they lack the martial prowess of other races, these Goblin Captains ae not to be taken lightly, and they are certainly fierce enough to give even skilled warriors pause for thought - if only for a moment. (The figure on the right with the spear is actually one of the metal Moria Armoured Goblin Warriors that are now out of production. I had an extra goblin spearman, and I needed another goblin captain, so he got a promotion.)

 

Here are the rest of the four metal Moria Armoured Goblin Warriors that went out of production when Games Workshop introduced their box of plastic Moria Goblins.

 

I also had four metal Moria Armoured Goblin Bowmen that are also out of production. Along with the metal Goblin Warriors, they add some nice variety to the swarm of small, mean-spirited creatures that live a troglodyte existence in the numerous delvings beneath the Misty Mountains.

 

That completes all my Moria Goblins that were in my 'In' Basket, although I still have two cave trolls to paint, one metal and one plastic. With the re-conquest of Moria campaign that I am working on, I may also have to get myself a Balrog.

 

Thanks for reading. Stay safe and healthy.

 

Rangers of Middle Earth

Unlike the majority of my recent Lord of the Rings projects that were secondhand minis bought off of eBay and refurbished, this one involved all new figures. The 'Damrod' figure was purchased new, but I had already based and primed years ago. The rest were from an unopened box of Games Workshop plastic Rangers of Middle Earth, and three blisters of now out of production metal figures that were marketed as 'Faramir's Rangers'.

 

The plastic figures were fairly clean with only a few having flash or mold lines that needed to be filed off. The box comes with a total of 24 rangers divided into 8 firing bows, 8 wielding swords, and 8 carrying spears, although those not firing bows have a bow slung across their backs. The nine metal figures were fairly equally divided into the four sculpts that were done back in the day, two standing and two kneeling, with each of those either wearing a hood and mask, or not. The plastic figures required minimal assembly. One pose comes with a spear and hand as a separated piece, but the rest have no separate parts. All were glued to their bases using either plastic model glue or epoxy as appropriate. Then a layer of fine sand was glued to the bases with PVA. Once everything was dry, all the figures were primed matte black using a rattle can. 

Looking at stills from the movies for inspiration, I found the colours worn by the Ithilien Rangers had considerable variety, but consisted mostly of dark greys, greens, and browns. Rather than trying to make things completely random, I decided on four different colour schemes, but mixed up the poses so that no two figures that had the same pose were painted exactly the same. The only unique figure was Damrod, which I painted using the images from the Games Workshop website as a guide.

 

All were painted using water-based acrylics, mostly Vallejo, followed by a coat of Army Painter Strong Tone Quick Shade. Once the Quick Shade was dry, I painted the sand on the base dark brown, dry brushed with a lighter shade of brown, and then added the flocking, shrubs, and tufts of grass. The last step was to spray them with Rust-Oleum flat clear to take off the shine left by the coat of Quick Shade. Here is the final result.

Here is a close-up of the four different sculpts done of  the metal "Faramir's Rangers" to show the four different paint schemes used to paint all the rangers.

 

Having spent many years fighting Sauron's minions alongside Faramir with the wilds of Ithilien, Damrod is an experienced Ranger in his own right. As Sauron's armies advance, Damrod takes up his sword and bow in defence of Gondor as the forces of Mordor invade the ruined city of Osgiliath, in a futile attempt to drive them back.

 

I am currently on the hunt of minis of Madril, and Faramir as a ranger, to added some more Ranger heroes/captains to the force. Most of the online webstores don't seem to have them in stock anymore, despite them still being listed on the GW website.

Thanks for reading. Stay safe and healthy.