Just dumping a load of pictures gleaned from WD and Line Wolf publications for reference. All Chaos Warriors from Gary Chalk's collection. It's interesting to see the same figures popping up in different battles, sometimes changing sides in a truly chaotic manner.
I've been finishing off a couple of flags to match those shown in the White Dwarf article.
First up the Black Uruks. I painted a banner for these a couple of years ago but decided I wanted to copy the one painted by Gary Chalk. I finally worked out the banner pole shown was a Dixon samurai yari with severed head cast on, so ordered one which came in record time.
I just need to add the gloss varnish to the water, and then add the flock promised from The Last Valley, and it's finished.
Many moons ago, I finished some elves for Thistlewood (here) Since then of course I've acquired a good deal of the original figures used by Joe Dever, and among them were 15 Minifigs elves.
The army list for Thistlewood states 20 Loyal Half Elves are needed, so I knocked up another 5 ( plus leader, because I had him).
Just need to give them a gloss varnish and add the filler for the bases.
Over on the Project Aon site here
https://projectaon.proboards.com/thread/2830/lone-wolf-battle-day-photos
is a description from lucky fellow who attended a battle day at Joe's house. I was ecstatic to find these pictures as they provide another glimpse of Joe's collection. I'm lucky enough to be custodian of many of the regiments shown, but those I don't have, I am recreating.
The commander of the evil forces on the centre left of the first picture appears to be a Ral Partha necromancer with Minifigs Monk Spirit attendants.
He he is glimpsed in a couple of other shots too, below in the graveyard to the right of the turquoise statue.
Anyhow, as I didn't have the evil overlord and attendants, I set about copying Joe's.
Lurking in Joe's collection were this handful of Citadel Fantasy Tribes orcs. 9 survivors and 2 with leadrot in the right.
These guys are in the centre of this black and white picture showing part of the Battle of Thistlewood in WD43.
They are named as Vile Rune Orcs, part of a unit of 50. I don't know if there ever were 39 more, as Joe's collection doesn't always correspond with the army lists in his articles. I made the unit up to 50 anyhow, painted to match the survivors.
The Vile Rune Orcs appear to have been invented by Gary Gygax and first mentioned in a Wargamers Newsletter battle report in 1971. Gygax in a later interview mentions that their symbol was a fist with a raised digit. They are again mentioned in The Monster Manual 1977. Joe Dever was of course a champion D&D player, so would no doubt knew the name before he used it in the Thistlewood scenario and later in Bloodbath at Orcs Drift.
I painted the banner as described by Gary Gygax, but added a few runes from the Vile Rune orc banner shown in Bloodbath at Orcs Drift. Finally I topped the standard with an early 80s Citadel Broo head I had knocking about in my bits box.
I think this may have been one of Joe Dever's oldest and perhaps favourite units. Originally 20 strong these red Minifigs knights appear in the battle covered on the Project Aon site, and also in a picture from Thistlewood, battling a wyvern in the distance. They were depleted to 14 when I took command of them and I'm going to get them back to strength. I just need 5 knights, either like the unpainted one shown, or the one with the horns which have been snipped off in Joe's unit. If anyone has these Minifigs AX knights in the UK, please get in touch.
I just love the simplicity of these Minifigs medievals and the way they are painted in enamels, possibly gloss enamel rather than being varnished.
