Buying stuff, gifts, and sorting Slann.

 As I mentioned in my last blog update I have decided to take a little break from the Rogue Trader World Eater Renegades. I have been focused on them since October 2015, and decided to have a break.

I am revisiting the Slann, and all Slann-equse nonsense. I wanted to paint something colourful, and I have been wanted to reorganise the army a little. In addition, I have been reading a history of the Conquest of the Inca, which has got back in the pre-Columbian frame of mind.

So I have done a little shopping. First of all I have bought some of Ral Partha Europe's Phroggs range. They are space frogs, basically Space Slann, and created after a kickstarter campaign last year. The range consists of six miniatures. Unlike Citadel's Space Slann they are a lot larger, more Ogre sized. They remind me of the Von Daniken idea of 'Giant Space Aliens' coming to help humanity in ancient times.

The painting is still a WIP, and I hope to have them finished for next week. I quite like them as a little range, the sculpting reminds me of Alternative Armies Toadaroni in that it is slightly 'comic' and less sharp than some other ranges, and the Phroggs themselves are slightly bull frog-ish. They have kept the slightly Aztec/Maya look to the sculpting concept, and detailing wise they are nicely done.
The range can be found here:
http://www.ralparthaeurope.co.uk/shop/phroggs-scifi-frogs-c-193/

Secondly I bought some giant frogs from a new company called Toad King Castings. I bought a selection of Giant Frogs of varying types for the Slann army to see how they look. I was not dissapointed. They are very nice quality, made from a durable resin, and beautifully detailed. I like these very much, and plan a second order in the next couple of days. They are'nt too expensive, and I plan the have a unit of Slann riding the 'Giant toad (large), and a unit of 'Tengu Toads' as a summoned 'Monstrous Host'. They do some nice looking skull packs too.
The website can be found here:
http://www.toadkingcastings.co.uk/

Thirdly I bought some shields for the Slann. They are Aztec design shields (not shield type which the Aztecs would have used though), which I purchased from Wampstore, http://www.wampstore.com/store/miniatures
and are made by Ristulsmarket http://ristulsmarket.com/ . They are nicely detailed resin shields, and will come in handy for Cold One riders and the Altar Guards for my second Slann War Altar.

Leaving aside my purchasing, I have very kindly been sent some castings by my friend Justin, of the Masterworkguild blog:  http://themasterworkguild.blogspot.co.uk/
Justin had sent me a few of his first castings of Goblins some time ago, which shamefully I have'nt got around to painting yet. In addition he has sent me a casting of an undead version of the (in)famous Citadel C23 Ogre 'Ogre Captain Hrothyogg'.

Lastly, I have wasting a little time sorting out my 1980's Fantasy Slann collection. I have decided to seperate the solid based Slann, and the Slann from the 'Magnificent Sven' scenario, in order to creat a seperate Slann army of the old solid based Slann to repsresnt the forces of the Sven Scenario, and Slann of the pre-slotta era. The army will be compatable with the 3rd Edition Warhammer Armies lists, and have addition to Gurggl's basic forces.

It's a bit of distracting fun really, but does mean that I can split my Slann down into three seperate armies: Gurggl Greenwakes solid based Slann; another army of all the maximum options fulfilled (excluding Monstrous hosts) with all of the correct Totem Warrior miniatures; and a third army of Slann made up from those left, maybe led by Kremlo (although I might have him lead a Norse army!).

Enjoy :)

 Ral Partha Phroggs WIP. 

 Scale comparison with a Citadel Space Slann. The Phrogg is based on a lipped 30mm round base.

 Toad King Castings toads. 

Left rear are the Giant Toad (Large); right is the Tengu Toad. 

Front left are the Giant Toads (Medium), centre is 'Terence the Toad, right is the Boss Toad.

 Scale photograph of Boss Toad with Slann.

 Terence the Toad.

A Toad smoking a pipe! :)

'Aztec tribal Shields'.
At the top are the smaller versions, at the bottom are the larger versions.The are nicely detailed, you get six of one the versions in each pack.

Scale shot with a Slann for scale.

C23 Citadel Ogre, with his undead counterpart.

Close up, show the lovely attention to details.

Rear view.

One of Justin's Goblins. He is armed with a little sword, and hasa tab on his arm ready for an addition of old Citadel shield

The tab syas 'Lee', which is great. -a Goblinlee! :)

Gurggl Greenwakes solid based Slann army. Well most of it, the rest are in the following photographs. In total it stands at Gurggl himdelf, 20 Venom Tribes, 15 Scouts, 60 Spawn Bands, 20 Bull Slann, 15 Bull Slann Cold one Riders, Slann Animal Handlers and 2 Warhounds, and 6 Human Slaves.
I will convert up one or two Wizards from solid based Slann. I also have 5 Troglodytes and about 20 Lizardmen, all old solid based, to add.

Freshly dettol paint stripped Slann Spawn Bands.

15 Bull Slann Cold One Riders.

Finally a random and totally unnecessary photograph of all the Slann Wizards I had been sorting out on my painting table.

Next blog update will be on the painting Phroggs!