October Monthly Challenge; The Lichemaster's Undead

October Challenge 

It's traditional in Hobbyland to either paint orcs in October (Orctober), or do something spoooooky ready for Halloween.

I've done a couple of Orctobers, last year sorting out 6mm orcs for Fantastic Battles and in 2021 trying to paint as many different orcs as I could.

Orctober

So with the maxim "a change is as good as a rest", I decided to do something Undead. After all, I've had plenty of practice recently with my D&D skeletons and zombies.

But what?

As an old Grognard with a liking for the second edition Warhammer Fantasy Battles scenario packs, the obvious answer is The Terror of the Lichemaster*. 

Ulterior Motives

Just as with my Orc's Drift project, this is really just an excuse to collect and paint some undead.

Unlike Orc's Drift, I'm not really trying to collect the recommended minis. Anything vaguely similar will do. There'll be several different manufacturers, and I don't think I'll find anything to match the main characters anyway. They do crop up occasionally at silly prices, but I'm happy to save my limited hobby cash for more, cheaper, stuff.

I don't know how far I'll get in one month, but it'll be fun to see.

Planning 

Here's a brief rundown of what would be required for the full campaign, should I be mad enough to try that.

The Assault on the Mine; Ranlac the Black (skeleton champion), twenty skeletons, Gimbrin Finehelm (dwarf hero), dwarf miners.

The Attack on Bogles Farm; Mikeal Jacsen (skeleton champion) ten zombies, the Bogles (five human settlers), Samgaff (halfling) and Fritzy (psycho dog)

The Defence of Frugelhoffen; Heinrich Kemmler (necromancer), Krell (undead hero), twenty skeletons, ten zombies plus the surviving undead from previous games, twenty spear armed villagers, twenty bow armed villagers and five additional characters, Rialta Snow (elf), Albi Shutz (human champion), Grimwald Calaco (human anarchist), Antonio Epstein (lovestruck human chancer) and Gim Grundel (halfling).

That's quite a lot for the final game, but the preliminary games should be quite achievable. 

I'm not really seriously planning on collecting everything, (well, not at the moment anyway) but I do hope to paint a small force of undead for games like Warlords of Erehwon, and if I can run the first couple of games using WoE, that's a definite bonus.

A True Tyke

In the spirit of saving time, money and effort, there's a lot of crossover with the Orc's Drift project. The Linden Way Militia will provide the spears and some of the bows for the defence of Frugelhoffen, the villagers provide the Bogels, and the dwarves from Ashak Rise provide Gimbrin's miners.

I've got the dwarven mine buildings already from the Second International Townscape Challenge (I've even got the mine head that I built when I first got the pack, it just needs a bit of fixing up) and I painted a suitable dog for Fritzy when I was experimenting with hobhounds (the recommended mini is a different one of the four AD&D Blink Dogs, I'm sure Fritzy won't mind).

I've also got an actual Rialta Snow, "Star of Stage, Screen and Warhammer Scenario", and suitable minis for most of the other heroes.

As for the undead characters, Antediluvian Miniatures do a pack of suspiciously familiar undead heroes. Tempting. 

The Bare Bones

Needs work

So here's the start of the undead, some random skeletons from various manufacturers. These include Citadel, Grenadier, and Prince August, the result of decades of random collecting and a couple of job lots from evilbay. I rather like the disorganised look with no standard of arms or equipment. They are different heights and build too, which helps sell the story that these are skeletons animated from all over the place, rather than a trained military unit brought back from the grave.

Many of them need repairs to get them battle ready, so it's off to the bits box for some weapons and other gear. I've got nine more that were more complete and are now primed ready for painting.

Altogether this lot should get me sufficient for the first battle.

Painting 

I'm aiming on keeping the painting fairly simple, after all,  many of the minis are little more than bones and weapons.  

I'm keeping it more 'traditional', in the manner of my old school orcs, so base coat, highlight and wash, with whatever extra detailing is required.

*I intended taking part in Dave Stone's Apocalypse Me challenge this month, and the undead hordes are ideal. But for reasons he explains on his blog, he's got more important matters to deal with. I wish him well; think of this as continuing his great work in the hobbysphere.