134,591 views, and pre-slotta RR3 Grom's Goblin Guard Regiment of Renown.

I've said it before, but wow!
In the last few weeks the number of views to my blog has increased quite substantially, and as of this afternoon has reached 134,591 views. Thank you for everyone who has taken an interest in my blog. I have noticed looking at the traffic on my blog that people have been looking at all sorts of things I have posted over the years, which is very nice to see.

Now, after posting all the armies from Warhammerr Armies last week, I have got rather distracted with things. So I have decided to finally finish off my pre-slotta Grom's Goblin Guard Regiment of Renown. I had started painting them a while ago, but stopped to paint something else. In keeping with my the rest of my pre-slotta/Fantasy Tribes era Goblins, Great Goblins/Gnolls, and Dwarves, I have based them on 30mm round lipped bases, with attention paid to the bases.

Well, what can be said of Grom's Goblin Guard?
This is the first incarnation of the Goblin and his regiment, released in June 1984. They were released, as the first range of 'human sized' Regiments of Renown miniatures were, in boxes of nine; eight troopers, and one command figure. The troopers are pretty standard Goblins, although the sculpts do suggest a more mean, brutal, and stocky type of Goblin, which is alluded to in the background -"creatures who were half Goblin and half Orc"- . I am not sure who sculpted them, but I suspect it was the Perry Twins. If anyone knows, please let me know.

As for the command, Grom is a lovely sculped Goblin, fat and ugly with that slight Ogre look which is also suggested in his background. The sculpt works well, and he is fat, but not too much as in later interpretations of him.
His second in command, Crud Longbone, is a sculpt true to his name and background, as he is a lanky longnosed Goblin. He was, like several of the Regiments of Renown Champions, added slightly later to the range, and is actually an early slotta based miniature.
The standard bearer is,well a standard standard bearer! He is a slightly different style to the troopers, giving him a little added bit of personality,. The severed hand on top of the standard is a nice touch.
Finally, the muscian has a horn which curves all right around his body and to me look like a cross between a Alpine horn and a Gramophone.

I like this Regiment of Renown. Not just because they are Goblins, but becuase they work well as a unit. The troopers look fine in ranks, and the personalities have a great deal of individuality. I would recommend picking up some if Goblins are your interest. The background is great too, giving them a backstory and history. The background and history of Grom's Goblins can be found here:
http://www.solegends.com/citrr/1rr03groms/index.htm

Incedently, several of the Goblins are also similar Goblins in the C13 Goblin range, which I have commented on further down the blog.

Enjoy :)

Grom's Goblin Guard.
I have a unit of 25 of them, including the eponymous Goblin himself, and the full set of command miniatures.
Simialr to my Great Goblins, but slightly different to the pale green of my C12 Goblins, I have painted the Goblins in a more of a flesh tone, to hint at thier mixed ancestry.

The command group.

Grom. 

He a mean, moody,ugly, looking critter, who looks like he could slay Wulfrun Willowhand, King of the Northern Dwarfs in  drunken brawl, start a war, and bully all of the Goblins around him!

Rear view.

Crud Longbone. 

With my miniature, the end of his left arm had snapped off, something which seems to be a common problem with this model as a lot I have seen on e-bay and around have been damaged. I resculpted the arm and added an old wooden looking shield to strengthen the arm and to be in keeping with the Goblin troopers. 

He has a great deal of character to him, and of course, a big nose and long bones! 

Rear view.

Standard Bearer.

The writing is in Dwarf runes, from the appendix in the back of the Lord of the Rings, and says 'Grom'.

Rear view.

The severed hand, and close up of the standard.

Musician.

Rear view.

Troopers.

They are a standard looking footslogger. The faces look like that cross of Goblin with Orc/Ogre/Hobgoblin. 

The fur jerkin over the armour adds to thier bulk and guard look.

A selection of Goblins, with decorated bases.

Related miniatures.
There are several miniatures from the contemporaneous C13 Night Goblin range. The Goblins from the C13 range were released in August 1984, after Grom's Goblins, so it is reasonable to assume that these Goblins were sculpted from Grom's Regiment, not visa versa.
I have'nt found a a sculpt made from Crud Longbone, but if I do I'll update with it. It might be because many of the Champion miniatures were a later addition to the Regiments of Renown.
 Here's the Stuff of Legends link to the C13 Night Goblins ranges:
http://www.solegends.com/citc/c012goblins1/index.htm

Just to note, of my C13 Night Goblin shown here, only the archer is finished, whilst the others are awaiting re/painting and their bases to be completed. 

 Grom and Goblin with club.
The have the same body but the heads and right arms are different. Also, the Goblin has an added shield.

 Rear view.
The Goblin has long hair with discs attacted to the ends, but you can still see Grom's left arm under the shield.

 Standard Bearer and archer.
Again, the same body, but the arms have been reposed, and the archer has a bone through his nose.
Incidentally, this C13 Night Goblin archer was produced both in pre-slotta, and slotta form (I have both :)  ).

 Rear view.
Apart from the addition of extra hair and a quiver, they are the same.

 Musician and club wielding Goblin.
Apart from the obvious lack of a trumpet, the Goblin has dramatically repostioned arms and a club. Their faces are similar, but the C13 Goblin has a bigger nose and slightly wider head.

 Rear view.
Apart from the trumpet, they are basically the same.

 Trooper and archer.
The C13 Night Goblin has different set of arms. The head is the same, but the face is different.

  Rear view.
Again, the same, except for the quiver.

Dragon Gate.
I randomly painted an old resin scenery piece made by Scotia Grendel.
I am planning to update the background and scenery for my photographing.
Which brings me onto...

...I have been experimenting with backgrounds.
I saw on someones blog (sorry, I have forgotten whose) a battle using background from the vinyl sleeve of Hawkwinds 'Warrior on the Edge of Time', created by Rodney Matthews.
Now Rodney Matthews is one of my favourite artists, and I have a copy of his artwork book 'In Search of Forever'. The book is named after a piece of artwork of his, and is the one which was used by Hawkwind for their Album cover.
Here I have photographed a 1980's Citadel  Dwarf adventurer in front of the waterfall part of the art, very much a fantasy take on the Victorian explorers in 'Darkest Africa' or the Amazon. 

Slann in what could be the depths of Lustria (perhaps near Curtis Falls perhaps? ;)  ) .

On the subject of Slann, I am pleased to have finally completed my pre slotta Slann Cold One unit. I bought a broken Slann Rider, which will be converted into a standard bearer.

I also have a smaller regiment of Slann Cold One Riders too.

Despite all the fantasy things I have to paint, my next blog update will be on two specific Rogue Trader era miniatures I want to paint up and write a blog post on.