Thorgrimm Brandedimm, Gobbledigook, and a few other Fantasy Tribes era chaps.

I've felt I have neglected my Fantasy Tribes Gnolls/Great Goblins and Dwarves for far too long and had a yearning to paint some before I start any next project.

As anyone who has looked at my blog before, they will know my love of Goblins, and especially the old Fantasy Tribes Gobliniods. This also extends to the Fantasy Tribes Dwarves, which I have'nt really painted much. So I picked a few Dwarves to paint, and some Gnolls/Great Goblins to paint or repaint, as well as the Gobbledigook miniature from the White Dwarf comic strip, and a more modern cottage scenery piece.

Enjoy :)

 Dwarves and Great Goblins clash in the hills during the 'Goblin Wars'.

 Thorgrimm Brandedimm.
This miniature was available via from Mail Order after collecting vouchers. He was also the Dwarf Chieftain in the 1st Edition Warhammer scenario 'Ziggurat of Doom', and armed with the magical hammer 'Foebane'.
I really like this miniature. I like that he is beckoning, taunting, any foe (probably Goblins :/ ) that stray close. His Dragon Helm is great and detailed . The photograph is'nt that great, it make the miniature look darker that he is, but we have had some odd lighting in Sussex today! 

 Rear view.

 FTS11 Dwarf Skeleton with Axe and Shield.
Again another miniature from the Fantasy tribes era I really like, this time Skeletal Dwarf. I painted him with Citadel's Nihilakh Oxide over a white undercoat to give that spooky feel to him. I only bought him recently, earlier this year, but have been wanting to paint him.

A FTD3 Dwarf with sword and polearm, and a  FTD2 Dwarf  with light Crossbow and sword.
The Dwarf with polearm is wearing some sort of Tyrolean Alpine Hat, so I painted him up in alpine greens.

 Rear view. 

The runes on the back of the read 'Karl' in Dwarf runic script. I thought that might be a good alpine Dwarf name.

Gobbledigook.
He was a little Troll in an occsaional comic strip featured in White Dwarf in the mid 1980's. The miniature is from the SS6 White Dwarf Personalities box set.

'ello!

 Gnolls/Great Goblins.
Both of these are Great Goblins from the slightly later C12 range of Great Goblins in 1984.

 Shield.
I tried out the shield painting guide in White Dwarf #101.

 Another C12 Great Goblin, this time an archer.

On the left a FTG3 Gnoll/Goblin standing with hand weapon, again, another trial using the White Dawrf #101 guide.
On the right is another of the C12 Great Goblins, this time with a 'Green Man' style shield.
I am not a great painted when it comes to shields and banners, but I am looking through and trying out the old painting guides and artwork and deciding to give it more of a go.

 Cottage.
I bought this cottage last year at Salute from Twilight miniatures as a ranodm Goblin-esque piece of scenery. I really like the detail and look of it.
Their website can be found here:
http://worldoftwilight.com/Miniatures.html

 Side view, showing the tree stump which the cottage is built around.

 Roof top platform and cistern.

 The other side with water-butt.

Roof tiles and wood stump chimney top.

Next weeks update might be on more Gnolls/Great Goblins and Dwarves. I am also writing a history of the 'Goblin Wars' based on the background and infomation from 1st and 2nd Edition Warhamer Fantasy sources. 

Citadel Eternal Champion range: Dyvim Traash (twice).

As a precursor to painting my Melnibonean army, I have painted a couple of test models.

Now I had already painted some test models for them some time ago, painting them in gold armour, but I was unhappy with the result. As a fan of Rodney Matthews artwork and of Michael Moorcock's concept of the Multiverse, I wanted my Melniboneans to stand out from just being gold or metal clad variations of generic fantasy models.

So, I have opted for a very colourful palette of colours for the armour, horses, and equipment. Rodney Matthews artwork provides very varied, almost clashingly colourful artwork for some of Michael Moorcock's writings. In addition, Moorcock himself describes Iymmrr and the Melnibonean's themselves as clad in a variety of colours, both bright and pastel. So I wanted to relflect this in my painting.

I will update more on Matthews artwork, and the links to the Melnibonean army in a later update. For now here are the two new test models I have painted. Both are the Citadel Miniatures Eternal Champion range EC06 Melnibonean Cavalry miniature 'Dyvim Traash', mounted on the horse 'Hawkswoop'.

Enjoy :)

 Both 'Dyvim Traash'.
Whilst I have based them on lipped 40mm round bases, I am considering rebasing them, and the Melnibonean army on more conventional Warhammer gaming bases for gaming. Although the infantry should be on 20mm square, they might end up up on 25mm, as the miniatures themselve are large and also deserve more room.
I have gone for odd looking bases, with bright flock on top of redish looking desert bases (Citadel Martian Ironcrust) to give that other worldly looking feel.
The backdrop is the Rodney Matthews artwork 'In Search of Forever'.

 I have painted this 'Dyvim Traash' in turquiose armour, with a shield bearing runes from a Matthews artwork. I wanted an other dimension look to both them and the horses, and so have opted for colourful armour, and non-standard horse colours. The green horse in similar that of demi-horses from a Matthews artwork entitled 'Obsidian Castle', used for an the Elric short story 'Elric at the End of Time'.

 Right side view.

The other  'Dyvim Traash'.
I opted for a paler horse, and contrasting purple armour.
The runes again are from a Matthews artwork.
I have a problem with this miniatures in that I tried out GW's ardcoat varnish. To my horror, and despite asking in the shop, the varnish turned out to be very gloss. Whilst I have painted over most of the part of the miniature that looked really bad shiny, the model still has a shine to it. :(
Back to Vallejo varnish for me!

 Right hand view.

 Weird scenery.
In addition to the two 'Dyvim Traash's', I repainted an old piece of bizarre scenery from Ground Zero Games I had bought long ago in the 1990's. It fits the odd looking art of Rodney Matthews, as well as useful for any sci-fi encounter.

Top view.

Next update could be anything. After finishing the Dark Elves I have several projects I might tackle. I also might photograph my 1990's Dark Eldar army as an update.

Photo-shoot of the pre-slotta Dark Elf army.

This weeks blog update is a little bit of a 'photo-album', as in that there are a fair few photographs, but little accompaning text or prose as the photographs are largely self explanatory.

After photographing my completed pre-slotta Dark Elf army last week, I booked a table at my local gaming store, The Dice Saloon in Brighton, to do a proper photoshoot of the army on a full sized gaming table, as I have done with my Snakeman army. The Classical looking scenery is mine, which I think complements the classical look of the Dark Elves, the rest of the scenery belongs to the shop. I am really happy with how the army looks, and the Classical Greek look.

Enjoy :)

Side view of the army.

Front view.

From the view of a Dwarven Gryrocopter.

The flank of the army, with Scouts advancing.

Crossbowmen.

General on Dragon.

And again.

Better view of the General.

Cold One riders.

Cold One riders, with better view of the standard.

Cold One riders, showing the shields.

Standard bearer and leader.

Shields.
I chose some of the more intricate designs for the Cold One riders shields to signify their elite status. 

More shields.

Even more shields. These three are some of my favourite.

Dark Elven sorceress.

Rear view of the sorceress. I painted her cloak black, but the lining purple, as per some coven cloaks. 

Male Dark Elven sorcerer.

Bound Ghost. I love this miniature, it's a very old miniature, simple sculpt, but effective.

(Great grandpa's!) Mengil Manhides regiment.

Top view showing the shields.

Shield wall!

Alternative painted sea raider version of Mengil Manhides.

Top view.

Shield wall!

Witch Elves.

Witch Elf.
I painted her up in a slightly Gothy look, with stripey leggings.

More Witch Elves, about the fail a frenzy test!

Crossbowmen.

A few of the Crossbowmen's shields. 

More Crossbowmen's shields.

Shadows, Darf Elf Scouts, moving through the forest, er, scouting I suppose.

Scouts.

I took a few different photographs of the army.
Here they are marching through the ruins of an ancient Elven city in the forest.

Closer up.

Glimpses through the trees of the passing army.

Crossbowmen and Cold One riders.

Crossbowmen and Cold One riders from the other side.

Rear Guard of the army.

Sea raiders.

The first of a few 'Classical Greek' vignettes.
Crossbowmen tackle a Hydra in a ruined Classical Greek temple.

Shadows corner a Gorgon, but is that such a good idea?

Witch Elves attack a Harpy perched in another ruined Classical temple.

The Army General amongst the ruins of a ancient city.

Next weeks update may be on my Slann armies, or my redux Catachan army, both of which are currently distracting my attention.