The first part of the year was spent cracking on with my 28mm Robin of Sherwood figures for Lion Rampant, but this has ground to a halt as I wait for Rogue Miniatures to release their Gulnar and Owen of Clun figures. I'll show the finished forces when I have acquired and painted these 2 bods.
Having finished painting all my Thistlewood figures I need to arrange a grand review and to umpire the game, but in the meantime I have embarked upon my next project, travelling even further back into the early 1980's to rebuild the armies shown in this little picture from White Dwarf 35 (November 1982).
I've burbled on about this picture before HERE , but just to recap it shows one of Joe Dever's epic battles he used to put on at shows like Dragonmeet and Games Day. I was obsessed by this tiny picture back in 1982 (remember gentle reader, we had no recourse to any pictures of fantasy figures let alone battles, other than those shown in White Dwarf, and they of course were grainy and black and white), and even went so far as to build the howdah bearing dinosaur which featured in many games before being sold off in my great fantasy purge of 1987.
Anyhow, I've identified most of the figures in the picture so far as I can, and have managed to collect them all, (or suitable substitutes). I hope to show them as they get painted and based and them assemble them into the scene shown above...... what strange pastimes we have.
To kick off with, I have rebuilt the dinosaurs, recapturing my lost youth (the models that is, not real dinosaurs), and the figures Joe put in them look like Minifigs Hobgoblins. It's difficult to see, but I reckon that's a sensible guess, and I love the models. Of course I had to collect more than just the crew, so ended up getting about 60 extras!
The Hobgoblin contingent....WIP. I'm waiting for some brass chain to affix the howdahs, a Hobgoblin (or in fact Samurai) chieftan from Tin Soldier Miniatures and some crescent moons to go atop the infantry standards.
Asgard ogre skull at the top courtesy of the ever helpful Dave Wood (aka The Dozing Dragon) who has helped me out a number of times...a perfect gent. The pva on the big standards has just been applied, the theory being it forms a flexible skin which will give a bit and prevent the paint cracking, however it seems to be "pooling" rather a lot, so I may have to go back to the drawing board. The skeletons on this and the original are from the Citadel Fantasy Tribe range. The dinosaur itself is the Airfix Ankylosaurus and the howdah a cut up Airfix Sherwood Castle. I happily found a box of spare castle bits at Warfare show in Reading a couple of years ago, so didn't have to chop up my complete castle (which will be featuring in future Prehammer games).
I just love these chaps. They scream OLD SKOOL D&D!!!! The illustrations in the Monster Manual set the trend for Hobgoblins being Oriental for the next 10 years or more.
Some of them were in a frightful state, but I replaced a number of weapons with spare Minifigs kit (luckily I have a good supply, having been buying MF for 35 years or so), and they had a good blast with oven cleaner to spruce them up. The lack of heavy detail is a real boon to paint removal and some of the castings came up looking brand new (which was nice).
The banners will bear the device of the Bloody Bat and have a little MDF crescent moon on top. I have some very similar Hobgoblins riding lizards from Garrison Miniatures (yet to de-flash) and the shields have cast on bats, so there you go.
The generals steed (Airfix Triceratops), being whipped and prodded by spare hobgoblins. The general has yet to appear in the form of a seated Tin Soldier Samurai Lord. The little howdah, so far as I can see in the original pic. is made up of a slice of Airfix tower, so I have done the same here.
What fun. I'll hopefully get on and paint these soon and then be back to show you how things are progressing.
Glad to see you back among the living (and posting lol)! A most worthy project, I've always liked the Minifigs Hobgoblins figures (God knows where mine have got to!). I'll be looking forward to how this turns out...great start!
ReplyDeleteThanks Don...hoepfully my next posts will be a bit more regular!
DeleteGood to have you posting again.I,m reading this at 04:30 with a cuppa as I can,t sleep tonight too well.What an interesting project. Have seen photos of fantasy battles in old copies of battle practical war games too but they are grainy and small. Have you thought of emailing White dwarf/ foundry to see if they have copies of the original photos somewhere in their archives which might help? Off to try to get back to sleep and looking forward to seeing this progress!,
ReplyDeleteCheers
Alan
Hi Alan...sorry thear you are having a bad night sleeping. That can be very wearing. Hopefully this post will have lulled you back to the arms of Morpheus, although Mrs. Broadsword is always castigating me on the use of the pc before bed, saying it will keep me awake. I would very much like to contact Joe Dever himself, who is still active on the wargames circuit and slaver over his collection if he still has it.
DeleteJaw-dropping project. Can't wait to see it painted up!
ReplyDeleteHand on to your mandibles, it might be a while but I'll get there.
DeleteThat dinosaur all on it's own will be an awesome addition to your force Springfield....let alone the rest! A commendable effort :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Mr P....looking forwars to finishing it and getting on with some more early 80's goodies.
DeleteWow - looking great! Can't wait to see them painted and in action.
ReplyDeleteThe airfix Trioceratops takes me back - remember building that and the Dimetrodon as a kid!
Ah...the dimetrodon.....that's the one with the big sail thingy on it's back? I want to get another triceratops and a err thigysaur which I had in days of yore to add extra howdahs to.
DeleteBrilliant! Looking forward to seeing this progress!
ReplyDeleteHi David. It's been brewing for 35 years and I aim to have it finished by the end of this year..... but don't hold your breath!
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