Oldhammer Orc Spears

I've finished another unit for my orcs, this time six spear armed orcs. 

Spear Carriers

They are a mixed bunch, two Marauder orcs (ORC 03 and ORC 22), two C15 orcs (Shield Bearer and Nazram) and two ORC 1 Polearms (PA-01 Gubbut the Armpit and PA-12 Lampost Nagblade).

Painting is my standard orc method, and once again I gave them looted shields and tunics. The black and yellow tunic, seen on an archer here, makes a reappearance, as does the Severed Hand on all the shields. They will fit in my Orc's Drift project as part of the Severed Hand tribe, but it makes a great shield design anyway.  My aim is to return to specific shield designs and equipment across my orcs, you should be able to spot some of them already.  I'll then use these when I paint various elves, dwarves etc, or borrow other painter's designs, as I have already done with a few from Bodvoc.

ORC 22 in Plate w. Spear

ORC 03 w. Spear & Shield, Barefoot

ORC1 (PA-01) Gubbut the Armpit

ORC1 (PA-12) Lampost Nagblade

C15 (85-01) Shield Bearer / Spear Man

C15 (85-12) Nazram, Javelin

These were great fun to paint, and nicely divide into three types. The early C15 orcs sculpted by the Perry twins, Kev Adams' later ORC1 chaps and the Marauder Miniatures, all with slightly different styling, which fits my image of them as a ragtag bunch of raiders, but all obviously orcs. This is my main issue with the Fantasy Regiments orcs, seen here. Great minis simply oozing nostalgia, but too regimented when compared to these.

Unit Sizing and Future Planning

If you're wondering why the orc units are various sizes, it's either all I have of any particular type, as with these spear armed orcs, or a sensible subdivision of this, as with the five archers. As I'm slowly increasing my collection, I will revisit them and bulk them out. Indeed I already have a few more to add to the spears and more archers too.

Did you catch my Drift?

Recently I teased about a target for my Oldhammer orc collection. 

I was, of course, referring to Bloodbath at Orc's Drift.

The Best Scenario Pack Ever?

I've waffled on about the second edition scenario packs at length before, Orc's Drift especially. I suspect that a lot of this is simply nostalgia kicking in, but they have become a standard I measure a set of rules by - if I could play Orc's Drift with the same sense of enjoyment I had back then, then the rules must be good.

Now I should say that I'm unlikely to ever play Orc's Drift using second edition Warhammer Fantasy Battle. A while ago I looked at adapting it for Dragon Rampant in 15mm, and I could still do that in 28mm. I might also look around at other systems to see if they give the same enjoyment that I remember from my early games. Mostly it's a goal to aim for; collecting and painting some, or all of the orc clans and maybe also the Good alliance.

Collecting the Forces

When Orc's Drift was released GW did a miniatures deal. All the minis you'd need to play the scenarios for what now seems a ridiculous £90. Of course I never bought them back then, oh for a time machine! There were a few new sculpts for the campaign, but the bulk were taken from Citadel's existing ranges and I wonder if they used this as an opportunity to clear out some less popular stock?

Making Compromises

I'm going to have to make some substitutions. The miniature of Hagar Sheol was sculpted specially for the pack. He's the only scenario specific miniature on the orc's side ( the good guys get rather more). He's understandably rare, much sought after, and expensive. I can't currently find him on eBay, and I am informed that he last sold for 'silly money'. When just the ordinary minis used as the villagers at Linden Way are fetching around £20, one can only guess what this might be*.

There are also instances of characters where I already have something that I consider at least as good. 

As for the rank and file orcs, the campaign features three tribes; forty with spears, twenty with spears and ten with bows (and ten hobhounds) and thirty with spears and ten with bows.  I'm certainly not intending on finding 90 spear armed orcs, I'll continue collecting small units, some of which may well have spears, but there'll also be orcs with two handed weapons, and just ordinary sword, axe or club armed troops.

I'm also planning on collecting a few extras that don't feature in the original scenarios. I already have a war machine or two (they would certainly have made a difference at Kachas Pass) and I've a few goblins to add too. I believe the campaign background mentions a goblin army providing a feint elsewhere, so I'm fine with that.

I'm not even sticking to GW minis. There are some very nice alternatives out there, often much cheaper. At some point I may well send off to Eorbis, or whoever does the Black Tree Design minis now. Some of their orcs are exactly right to stand alongside the old GW stuff.

I will also use the scenario pack as a source for painting, though not everything is detailed, and realistically I'm not going to be able to match Gary Chalk's lovely banner designs. I'll be sticking with my idea of the orcs using wargear taken from their foes and putting their tribal icons on the shields. The command sheets give some ideas for these icons, and I've already started with the Severed Hand with the orc archers here.

So here are the orc heroes. I showed most of them previously, but here I've included my version of Guthrum Mane, Hagar Sheol and Bagrash.

C15 (85-03 Cyclops) also the official mini for Fangor Gripe

I was never that convinced by the recommended Giant War Troll for Guthrum. With his fancy armour he looks too well equipped. I did recently see one for sale on a Facebook group, but I already have this C Giant. He's missing most of his weapon, but I'm sure that I can find something suitable.

C28 (87-02, Witherwattle, or Ninefingers body with 87-07 Gumsnapper head), my version of Guthrum Mane

Hagar was harder to replace. He's the only orc to have a complete full colour illustration, which also gives us a great shield design.  I've already used this design on one of the orc archers here.

But (see above) I'm never going to own him. I did remember a great mini called Dwarfsmiter; appropriate considering his tribe attack the dwarves at Ashak Rise. Sadly he doesn't have a shield, although I will investigate how he looks with one slung on his back. I found one as an 'or best offer' and since he doesn't have the Orc's Drift association I was able to snap him up for a reasonable price.

C15 (85-08 Dwarfsmiter) my version of Hagar Sheol

C15 (85-04 Warlord, or officer according to his tab) also the official mini for Grashak Kra

C15 (85-10, Maniac) also the official mini for Magyar Ironfist

The official mini for Bagrash is an armoured orc.  A nice mini for a leader, but not my idea of a shaman.  I got this chap very cheaply on eBay, so he's my choice.

ORC4 (OC10-Zigblogg Witchstaff), my version of Bagrash

I've never been impressed with the recommended King F'yar. He does crop up occasionally, but commands a high price. I do already own, a mini I bought in a job lot at least twenty years ago and never did anything with. This is a great opportunity to get him painted. That said, if I do find my old Hinchcliffe Models wyvern, as used when I played through the campaign over twenty years ago, I'll use that, purely for the memories.

Azhag the Slaughterer, my version of King F'yar

So there they are.  The orc heroes of Orc's Drift.  Now all I've got to do is paint them.  Regardless of whether I get to play the campaign, they'll make great characters for my Oldhammer orc collection.

*I've just seen Bromedir, leader of the elves at Orc's Drift for a starting price just under £50!  Whether he'll sell at that price is s different matter of course.

Oldhammer Elves part 2

I've actually finished painting something!

I'm aware that we're nearly a quarter of the way through 2024, and I've not actually posted anything newly painted this year. This is probably because I've been so caught up in thinning out the minis that I've not allowed myself the time to get any finished.

The First Elven Unit

Back in July I showed the unpainted models for the first unit of elves for Team Good. I've had to revise that slightly. The elves were a mix of 'Wood' and 'High' elves, and didn't quite work as a unit for me. I got part way through them and stopped.

I've managed to obtain a few more old school elves since, and I now have enough for six of this more Sylvan style. I thought I might as well finish the three I'd started before beginning anything new (besides, I'm also part way through painting something for Team Evil).

A (Very) Reduced Model Unit

4210/13 Bow 9, ME 31 (02) - Sylvan Elf, ME 31 (01) - Sylvan Elf

That tactical rock needs some lighter tones.

Initially I painted the grip and tips of the bow as metal, but I though that some sort of horn or ivory might fit wood elves better, besides, I've seen compound bows like this at the Royal Armouries.

So here they are. Individually each one was a joy to paint, and I think that's significant. My dwarves were each painted as individual models with no intention of them being a unit. Perhaps I need to be a bit looser in approaching the elves as well?

I enjoyed keeping to the vague brief of "the greens and browns of the forest" while avoiding having them too uniform. I can't really give exact paint recipes as everything tends to get mixed up on my wet palette, but I gave each elf light green hose and a dark green jacket or tunic. The collars were all reddish brown, based around the rather nice Vallejo Model Color Orange Brown. 

I feel that the contrast between hose and jacket on ME 31 (01) could be greater, and perhaps ME 31 (02) is a bit dark overall. I may go back and touch up a few details at a later stage, but for now I'm calling these done.

The bases were textured using Geek Gaming Scenics Plains of New Zealand mix.  I added more grass tufts to bring out the 'nature' side of the elves.

Oh, and I'm experimenting with my photography again.  I've gone back to my fold up light box, this time using my newer phone.  I think there's an improvement, and I like the effect of the blue background. I think I need to find something without the fabric texture though, as the camera has tried to focus on this and my eyes don't pick that up until I enlarge the pictures.

Oldhammer Elves part 1

When I explained how I'm collecting and organising my Oldhammer minis I showed a group of elves. Well these are going to be the first reduced model unit for my Good Alliance. In that post I suggested a unit size of four, but I'm going for six instead.

L to R; C08 (3C - 11) Bowman, C08 (3C - 08) Guard, C08 (3C - 04) Orc-Slayer, ME 31 (02) Silvan Elf, ME 31 (01) Silvan Elf, 4213/10 Bow 9

These are lovely minis and include some of the classic Lord of the Rings minis that Citadel did long before the films. (I've got quite a few of the ME minis scattered around; I'll have to see if I have a full Fellowship somewhere for a future project).  The first three in the line-up above are all sculpted by Aly Morrison but I don't know who did the others.

I don't think of this lot as an organised unit, so no uniforms; that said, there will be quite a bit of green.  I'll probably go for light green hose and dark green tunics, where relevant, rather like the different greens I used on the Reaper Bones Undead Elf. I'd also like to use some browns, following the description of Legolas "clad in green and brown".

I'll vary the shades slightly as well, as I feel this gives a more naturalistic look to pre-industrial fabrics.  There are some nice details, such as straps, buckles and studs, which will give plenty of interest, but not so much that I get confused as to what to paint things (a complaint I have against many of the more modern minis).

I've also got another unit ready, again lovely Oldhammer models. This time a unit of Light or Heavy Foot. It'll be a while before I paint them though, I think I should do a unit for the Evil side first.

Organising Oldhammer

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll know that I've been slowly painting my few remaining Oldhammer minis, especially dwarves. I can use them in Fistful of Lead, but that only needs around a half dozen minis a side, so I don't really have any larger goal.

You may also know that I paint much more effectively if I have a vague hobby goal to work towards, but I've been struggling to find one for my Oldhammer collection. After chatting with Ben (of The Quest for Stillmania) I realised that I can assemble a couple of Dragon Rampant forces harking back to the early days of fantasy wargaming.  In these early games, armies tended to be a mixed bag of Good vs a mixed bag of Evil; I particularly remember a Warhammer scenario from Tortured Souls magazine based around an evil Runesword. The Good side had captured it and had to keep it out of Evil hands while it was purified. Both sides were a mix of the appropriate races, and the story background made it great fun.

I'm unlikely to ever collect enough Oldhammer style minis to field, say, a purely dwarven army, but a unit or two in a Dragon Rampant Good army is definitely achievable - especially with reduced model units. I'll begin with units of four (unless they are obviously heroes, wizards, war machines or monsters). If I get enough of anything I can expand to six, then maybe even twelve (I like to keep the unit size even numbers so it's easy to tell if the unit is Battered).

So now I have a rough plan, and I have enough to make a start with a unit of elf archers (Light Missiles with Sharpshooter), an elven repeating crossbow (Heavy Missiles) and some dwarf warriors (Offensive Light or Heavy Foot).  I'm sure I also have a few old Empire minis that might just squeeze in as Oldhammer, and I know I have an old Bretonnian cannon that will be fine.  That's plenty to start with for the Good army.

For Evil I have a few goblins and orcs, though I'm not sure how many (how I regret selling off my collection years ago!).  I've also got a smattering of Undead, Chaos and Dark Elves, certainly enough for reduced model units.  I've also got some of the original Golfag's Ogres Regiment of Renown, which I'll probably use as a group of mercenaries available to either side.

Here are some examples of what might be coming up.

Classic elves

More nice stuff. The Skeleton knight can lead the zombies. The Necromancer is a unit in his own right. 

The lovely old Empire Flagellants will make a unit of Bellicose Foot 

This is going to be a long term project, and I'm certainly not rushing it.  I will keep an eye out for any interesting minis to add to the collection; I would eventually like to have full model units, which is usually twelve in Dragon Rampant, but that seems unlikely, especially with the way prices are going on evilbay at the moment, and initially I'll probably want two Reduced Model Units of six rather than one of twelve.

15mm Dragon Rampant - Minis From the Vaults

Whilst sorting out my F'yar Guard I came across the elves I painted for Orc's Drift, along with some undead that may eventually be used if I ever play Terror of the Lichemaster.  As I've never shown these before I thought readers might like to see them.  They all date back to before my current basecoat, extreme highlight, wash style of painting rank and file troops.  The elves in particular have had increasingly light highlights, which looks good on these models, but takes a long time to do compared to my 'quick' method.

The elves are Ral Partha Demonworld, lovely minis and a joy to paint.  You can just about see them in the Kachas Pass battle report here.  I still need to come up with an emblem for the banner; the Kachas Pass elves have a unicorn banner, which sounds fun, but I'm not sure my freehand painting is up to it.  I might be able to find a transfer that works?

I'd originally planned for these elves to stand in for Bromedir's Bows at Orc's Drift as well, but those elves are armoured, so I might look for some in mail, there are plenty of Demonworld elves, and some of their High Elves look the part.

Elf archers

Elf command and heroes

The unicorn banner of the Kachas Pass elves

The undead are Magister Militum Blood Dawn, and like the F'yar Guard, rather large compared to other ranges.  Whilst I like the minis and they paint up well, if I were starting again I'd choose Demonworld minis, simply because they are more in scale with the rest of my collection.  I have some of the Demonworld zombies for the second and third Lichemaster scenarios, and the height difference is noticeable, though I'll live with it for now.

Skeletons with command

More undead with hero

The 15mm Dragon Rampant box also contains some unpainted dwarves who I need for Orc's Drift (and the Terror of the Lichemaster, if I ever get onto it), so who knows, perhaps they'll get painted soon.

Orctober - F'yar Guard Completed

I've finished the Blood Dawn orcs which I will use as a reduced model unit in Dragon Rampant, probably the general and his guard. In Bloodbath at Orks Drift they will be the F'yar Guard.

Painting was as per my orc painting method, well I do use it for other things, but I do paint a lot of orcs.

Drummer and drum carrier

Two of the F'yar Guard

Standard and Leader, I've still got to paint a device on the standard.

The whole F'yar Guard on movement tray

and from above

The orcs are a bit large for their 15mm bases.  I could have put them on 20mm bases, but I wanted to be able to swap them out for troops in other units to give them a tough looking champion.

All the bases and the movement tray are magnetised (tray from Warbases)

I've mentioned before about how big they are, around 20mm tall in some cases. Here's how they fit with the other ranges of orcs in my army. 

L to R; Grenadier, Chariot, Blood Dawn, Essex, Kallistra (10mm)

Big, but given that I'm using them as an elite unit they are fine. The standard needs King F'yar's device on it, which should be a crowned orc head, judging from the artwork in Bloodbath at Orc's Drift.  I might try a simplified version of this.

I really enjoyed painting these orcs.  There's plenty of detail on them, but not so much that I struggled to think what to paint.

I also think that I've got better at painting orcs looking at the comparison shot above.  I could go back and do some repainting, but then again, I've got plenty more to paint, so next up, an entire army.