The Hobbit - Goblin Town.

I finally finished my 'Goblin Town' set up for the game scenarios from the The Hobbit game set.

Not too bad for about 2-3 weeks work...

Its the sort of set up that you could just keep building more and adding to it over time to further embellish it.

I kept it fairly straight forward at this stage, with simple flat platforms of varying lengths that can be overlaid in a endless array and variety. I did include a higher level walkway, which works its way down with sloping sections and ladders up and down to give a sense of 3D to the overall scene. This could lead down from the 'cage' into which the The Party was dropped in the movie.... I might build a little cage to further embellish this end...

I still of course have to include the plastic Goblin Town components from the The Hobbit boxed set, which includes the rather iconic throne. And of course I need to populate it and thats what I am busy with now... I have just about finished trimming and basing the 36 Goblins from the boxed set.

So  48" x 48" set up, with plenty of scope for variety and ease of storage as the whole is composed of many small parts...

In games terms lots of routes across and out from Goblin Town to escape, but lots of edges of platforms and walkways that will effectively trap any model that loses a fight whilst unlucky enough to be on the edge.

That will result in lots of cases where double wounds will be being rolled for!

And of course remember for this scenario the base of the board isn't there but drops away into nothingness...

Any models that fall off the edge are removed as a casualty!

So there you have it, project complete, now must press on with painting those goblins and dwarves and a certain hobbit and a wandering wizard! ;-)

Achtung Schweinehund

Achtung Schweinehund!

Another post I don't often do - a book review.

I borrowed this book off good mate Roly, who suggested I should give it a read, and I'm glad he did!

To anyone who grew up as a young boy through the 60s and 70s as I did, this is going to strike a chord, big time!

It did for me especially, as Harry grew up in Teeside, just a few miles south of my old stomping ground of Tyne and Wear, so many places he mentions in his tale, bring back many memories of my childhood life back in the UK...

The link below the above picture, goes to the Amazon site with its own review.

Its a great little book that details Harry's early life and how and why he got into 'Wargaming' and more importantly stayed with it into adulthood.

It plots the trials and tribulations of being a wargamer and figure collector / painter. It touches on our self perceived nerdy geekdom, and our concerns at 'coming out' to the greater community...

Oh and if you're a fantasy player, or gasp even worse a LARP-er , be prepared for a verbal kick in the krackers! You have been warned!

So if you remember playing with Airfix toy soldiers on the carpet, and shooting them down with flaming matches from the end of sprung loaded die-cast toy tank barrels, or throwing Action Man with his parachute out of the upstairs bedroom window or playing classic boardgames like Escape from Colditz, then this book is for you! ;-)

Cracking stuff! Give it a read if you can get your hands on a copy!

The Hobbit - Goblin Town WIP - "The Capture" scenario terrain

I recently finished the rocky terrain layers, that will be used as a basis for Goblin Town, but they also are perfect for the preceeding scenario; "The Capture"

Above shows the 4' x 4' layout, with its 4 corner pieces, 4 mid side pieces, and 4 main central pieces, plus an assortment of rocky ourcrops.

Here below is the scenario from the The Hobbit rulebook....

  

... and a close up below of  the map for suggested terrain  layout....

The good thing about this terrain set up is its sufficiently 'generic' also for use in say, Shelobs Lair, Isengard, or any other evil themed desolate rocky areas...

After the crazy day that is Christmas with the kids, today, Boxing Day I managed to sneak off and spend some time to myself, while they played with their new prezzies, slicing balsa and gluing it together to make more platforms and levels for Goblin Town. Just need to get it all painted and laid out.

In the meantime now I've settled back into trimming some of the goblins from the set, with a glass of vino at my elbow.

Stay tuned for progress.

~~~~~~~~~~o0o~~~~~~~~~~

Merry Hobbit Christmas

Wishing all my readers and fellow bloggers a very merry 'Hobbit' Christmas, and prosperous New Year!

I hope you get all the goodies you hoped for!
See you in 2013.

All the best

Scott and Family

New Zealand

xxx

Kick off!... 3rd Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge underway! And Goblin Town - WIP

Well the 20th has arrived and that means the start of the Analogue Hobbies 3rd Annual Painting Challenge!

By definition of the rules, models may be undercoated before the start of the challenge, well I have managed to get 2 models prep'd and ready to go... Groblog the Goblin King of Moria for LOTR/Hobbit, and a Police Inspector for EotD...

I have manged to trim and base the first 14 goblins from the The Hobbit starter set too, so a quick blast of black undercoat and they'll be good to go...

I'd also like to get this battalia of Gondorians finished too since I have recently got back into LOTR. I started them ages ago when I first got my airbrush, thinking, 'Ooooh I can whack some silver on that lot quick as you like'. But other than a quick dark brown wash afterwards, they have languished unfinished... I realise they wont score me any points as they are already started but I'd still like to try and get them finished none the less... (I am offering this as part of an excuse when I don't score too many points during the challenge!)

And of course I am pressing madly on with Goblin Town...

It's getting to the screaming point ! If I see another bit of bark mulch I'll flip my lid! ;-)
But here it is now mostly assembled, just needs painting. I stacked the layers together just for ease of photography....

 

I have only got a few more bits to finish off assembling.... And then there was several sheets of balsa to chop up and glue together and paint brown for the wooden platforms of Goblin Town. This old ice-cream container is brimming with them, ready to use. I'm going to give them a light dry brush to finishes them off...

So thats where I am at. In some ways the Challenge hasn't come at the best time for me as I am part way into several projects, one major one of which is terrain...

But no matter, I am just along for the ride, and just happy to log whatever I can against the Challenge.

I have set myself a target of 600 points and we'll soon see how close I manage to get to it.

Heres wishing all my fellow Ronin the best of luck!

The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey

Well, my family and I went to see a highly anticipated movie on Saturday afternoon and caught the 3D showing of The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey!

I don't normally do film reviews on this blog, but in this case I will make an exception!

Warning - may contain SPOILERS!

I have to say we all thoroughly enjoyed the film, and the 3 hours went past in the blink of an eye!

Although rated PG13, my six year old daughter and nine year old son had no issues with any of it, though they have already been quite used to seeing LOTR at home...

The movie appealed on so many levels - there was great continuity between it and the prior trilogy of Lord of the Rings. The movie followed the story of the Hobbit, very well and typically was embellished with movie drama. Where it differed to the book, I did not not find any of that an 'issue', and I loved the fact that they brought into it the greater back story - information gleaned from the Appendices of LOTR and Unfinished Tales no doubt.

The discussion of the White Council was very appropriate as was the initial scene setting sequences too. It wasn't just the dwarves off on an adventure, there was clearly a sense of greater things afoot!

Whilst initially skeptical at the idea of Radagast played by Silvester McCoy and his 'rabbit sleigh' - it all simply worked and was quite charming and mildly humorous too. I also liked the idea of Radagast investigating Dol Guldur too.

Great to see the elves again, this time mounted and I can't wait to get my hands on the new Rivendell cavalry models. Seeing Thranduil on his Stag was very nice, and the scene set up the animosity between the elves and dwarves very well.

And Smaug? Well, I liked the fact that we didn't get to see him in all his glory from the get go, no doubt he will feature in the subsequent movies. But his power and menace was clearly in evidence.

Another aspect I really liked is the fact that the orcs genuinely seemed something to be feared, and weren't simply 'cannon fodder' as they were so often in LOTR... Plus the fact that the orcs spoke their own Black Speech, which was subtitled on screen. This gave them a greater authenticity and menace...

I would equate it to watching a WWII movie, where the Germans speak English... its always far more authentic to have them speaking German, with English subtitles on screen...

All the scene setting was simply marvelous, from Kingdom of Erebor, to the glimpses of Dale, and the greater views of Rivendell, and the general panorama of Middle Earth, provided by the New Zealand backdrop, and of course seeing Hobbiton again, knowing we had walked those paths ourselves, when we last visited the movie set location at Matamata...

Basically it had it all; drama , tension , humor, excitement!

We are off to see it again tonight for a charity viewing, this time in 2D though in perhaps a more comfortable cinema setting, which has better seating and spacing... can't wait!

So of course now I need to get the sound track, and then wait eagerly for the movie's DVD release... and then an Extended edition??? More than 3 hours? Bliss!

And of course now I think the figures are great, and can't wait to get them painted up!

My construction of Goblin Town is progressing well, and even my understanding wife is not raising her eye brows too much, at the the fact that there is bark mulch, balsa and polystyrene all over the house! ;-) The figures have been clipped from the sprues are and steadily being trimmed ready for paint.

So what more can I say, if you're a fan then no doubt you'll be seeing it anyway. If not already a fan, go see it and enjoy the beginning of the ride! I say this as my boss isn't particular a fan and I don't think has bothered to go see or sit down and watch the LOTR movies, but he did go an see this and thoroughly enjoyed it. If that's not an endorsement then nothing is!

Oh, a movie rating? It would have to a 5 out of 5, no surprises there then ;-)

The Hobbit - SBG - ...And so it begins! Goblin Town - WIP

Well this weekend saw me skipping about with excitement. First when I came home from work on Friday night, my The Hobbit rulebook had arrived! So I had the weekend to have a perusal through and see what these new rules tweaks are all about.

Certainly a lavish book, and very pleasing to see the LotR Source Journey books are all still valid, as are the recent Warbands Armies books.

The new rules work seemlessly with the existing models and rules and stats... so all is well, and quite a relief!

And Monday when I came home from work the Starter Set was waiting for me! Wonderful!

Knowing what was going to be in the starter set -  and having seen the movie trailer, I realised I had suitable terrain for just about everything already, except 'Goblin Town'... so I made a start... I had some poly sheet and some dense poly too left over from previous projects, and a pile of balsa. I quickly used the balsa I had and grabbed some more from local toystore.

NZ$20 and I have enough blasa sheet to cover most of the board... I'll see how it goes, might need a bit more...

Goblin town wooden platforms start to take shape

So dense poly shapes cut out and a quick once over with sand textured paint, and it was starting to take shape...

Goblin Town planned out on a 4' x 4' sheet of 2" thick poly

Then a quick rummage in the garden borders and a pile of bark chip mulch was sourced.

Bark Mulch from the garden - 'Free' terrain supplies! :-)

And on it gets glued into place to effect the rock walls.

Smaller bark bits will be added to fill the gaps, and the joins sealed with more sand textured paint.

 I hope progress will continue apace!

Stay tuned Hobbit fans!

Victorian Civilians - Empire of the Dead

One of the scenarios in the Empire of the Dead game, required there to be 10 civilians on the board. They are essentially going to be the prey for one faction; Werewoves or Vampries, whilst the opposing faction - Gentlemen or Brotherhood, are trying to protect them!

So as part of my recent mini figure haul from Westwind, I grabbed their assorted civilian pack, and a pack of their strumpets (love that word!).

So I got 6 males and 4 females finished and ready to give me an interesting assortment of 'targets' for the game!

Again they were the older style figures with cast bases, which I cut away to put them on the round plastic bases, and effected a paving pattern with greenstuff.

The 'gents' arrayed outside the cemetery...

... from L to R; the old codger, the stevedore/sailor(?), the chimney sweep, the drunk, the paper boy and the bare knuckle fighter...

And the 'ladies of the night'...

... quite a mixed bag of strumpets here! I have tried to restrain the colours and not go too over the top. Thinking that these women would be hard living and probably equally hard drinking souls, frequenting gin shops and the like, and then selling the 'wares' to those they can find in the street, probably in not the cleanest of locales... I wanted to give them a rather grubby look, yet perhaps with an attempt at 'airs and graces.'

However, to quote local parlayance; "Go on mate, you're 'aving a larf! I wouldn't touch 'er wif yours!"... ;-)

Bearing in mind the diseases that would be widespread by dealing with such as these delictables of the nocturnal setting, is it any wonder someone set about their demise with a rather sharp knife!

Also remember that the cure for syphilis at the time was to inject mercury down the shaft of the willy, todger, johnson, call it what you will. Whatever you call it, the thought of it brings tears to my eyes I can tell you! ;-)

 These would have made a nice little start to my Painting Challenge entries but I had started them last week so no hope of that. Still it clears the painting table for the Challenge to commence!

So I think that brings to more or less conclusion the figures I need to play most scenarios for the Empire of the Dead. Now I just need to make a selection of city buildings and effect a terrain board for them. I have got hold of some brick patterned Plasticard and am just awaiting Atenocities Workshop getting into stock some doors and windows, and I can make a start. I have an idea for a corner public house to start with...

However this project will have to vie for attention with 'Goblin Town' that I started making yesterday, for The Hobbit. My Hobbit starter set arrived in the mail today, after having my new Hobbit Rulebook arrive on Friday, so I am positivley fizzing with creativity. The new rules look great and I am looking forward to trying them out...

As ever I am typically biting off more than I can chew with projects in states of completion around the house! Just aswell I have an understanding wife!

----------ooOoo----------

3rd Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge

Well after having a lot of fun with this Challenge last year, I have joined in once again this year for Curt Campbell's Painting Challenge hosted at his excellent blog; Analogue Hobbies, which is actually a great blog title too in these days of electronic entertainment!

The underlying theme of this years event is the 47 Ronin, and it appears I have become one of these listed entities, presiding at an alphabetical rank of #39.

Curt's challenge has always been focused at the Historical spectrum of the wargames hobby, and I was unsure whether it would be worth entering, as I knew my personal model painting focus this year, from the time of the event, would be the 'The Hobbit' range of miniatures by GW.

There has been much web based angst at the prices of the newly released figures, but I have had to bite the bullet and press on...

Curt, has very graciously accepted The Hobbit / LotR figures into the Challenge, which is very sporting of him. So I may get a chance to score a few points after all :-)

I always viewed Tolkiens work as quasi-historial anyway; he did after all intend it as an 'alternative history' of the world.

As always I do not expect to win, as there are some phenominal painters in the Challenge, both in quality and output, but its nice to be involved and along for the ride :-)

I also have another slight problem - I have just embarked on building "Goblin Town" - a 4' x 4' terrain board full of rocky outcrops and levels, and a plethora of wooden platforms.

I know Curt doesn't include terrain in the Challenge and that is fair enough as it would be impossible to score fairly...

Now here's a thing! Curt's tweaked the points slightly this year to make painting larger models slightly better scoring, which suits me fine as I prefer the 28mm scale anyway. But, we have to set ourselves a Personal Challenge Par! In other words whats our personal target of the challenge...

Last year I managed a little over 600pts if I recall correctly. However last year I managed to do a whole pile of 15mm FoW stuff, which whilst it has its own challenges, I think can be painted faster than 28mm single models. Equating that 600pts to 28mm foot figures at 5pts per pop, thats about 120 figures!!! For me thats a lot! I think I typically average about 30 figures a month... so over 3 months of the Challenges thats 90 figures and a little more than 500 points...

As it happens I got home tonight and found the The Hobbit Ltd Ed Starter set waiting for me in the mail. Well thats going to be part 1 of my Personal Challenge Par. I'd like to think I can get that done which is about ~56 figures. Add to that the set of Trolls if I can source them and receive them and get them done in time before the challenge ends I'll be happy. Even if the trolls dont score me points, I dont mind but they are part  my Challenge to me! So thats my 'Par' at this point. And of course whatever new releases GW may do between now and March could well be factored in. So the not knowing , will be part of the excitement.

I may slot a few other bits and bobs in as time allows ;-)

So I am happy to contribute in my own small way to this Challenge and wish all the rest of my fellow 'Ronin', all the best in their endeavors!

Right, what am I doing sitting here,  in my best 'Saruman' accent; " We have work to do!"

Jack the Ripper, and the Peelers - Empire of the Dead

More figures completed for my Empire of the Dead gaming...

And its a small set that compliment each other quite appropriately, the devilish fiend; Jack the Ripper, or known more simply as 'The Ripper', and the Peelers, who pursue him through the streets of old London town.

The Ripper is an interesting figure for this milieu as he actually constitutes a 'historical' entity, though for the game, appears a slightly supernatural being, as befits his actual apparent abilities to evade the law...

I do recall a fascinating documentary which narrowed down the likely true identity to a 'pseudo-doctor'... visiting from the US, and who was believed to have fled London and returned to his native US, where a series of macabre murders, that matched those in London, in manner, appeared to seal the link...

But I digress, back to the game!

Here is the Ripper, cornered by 'London's finest', outside an old cemetery...

The Ripper figure and the Peelers, are from Westwinds older range of Vampire Wars figures rather than their recent Empire of the Dead range, but the two ranges merge perfectly. The only difference being the solid cast bases of the older range.

These I cut away, and drilled and pinned the legs into the newer style 30mm round plastic bases as come with the EotD range of figures. Then the greenstuff paving layer was added to conceal the join.

I realise its perhaps hard to get excited over the paint job of these figures, which is for the most part black! But they are a required part of the back drop of Victorian London, and I do rather like them and their poses.

The Ripper

Several movies feature this character, but I do rather like 'From Hell', and if you haven't seen it, I'm not going to give away who the Ripper is!

I love the period 'mutton chops' moustaches on these peelers, just excellent!

Constable

Constable

Sargent

And the young constable, who hasn't grown a formidable moustache to hide behind just yet and looks rather scared, shining his torch in the gloom of the nocturnal Victorian alleyways...

Constable

I have a set of civilians that are nearing completion that will soon join these models on the table top.
After that some police inspectors and London gents...

Till then dear reader I will leave you with something that believe it not scared me as a youngster and had me diving  and peeking out from behind the sofa and asking my dad, if he was gone yet! ;-)

A brilliant mini series from the Two Ronnies - classic!

The "High" Ground - LOTR SBG BattleReport; Rohan vs Mordor.

Managed to have an impromptu game tonight, with Brett and his muster of the Rohirrim!

 We agreed to drop the points of the game to 500 points, to make for a smaller game, hopefully playable to conclusion in an evenings playing time available.

To theme the Battle, I decided to take a a Mordor force, across the Anduin, into a raid into the Eastfold...

I selected:

Mordor:
Mouth of Sauron, on Armoured steed, leading warband of 6 Morgul Knights with banner and Horn, a spectre and two orcs, shield and spear.
Kardush the Fire caller leading a warband of 12 orcs including a banner.
An Orc Captain leading a warband of 12 orcs.
(I had been toying with the idea of having a Troll Chieftain lead my force, but at 140pts he seemed too much for such a small force)

Brett took:

Rohan:
Eomer Knight of the Pelennor (model proxied by Theoden), leading a warband of Riders of Rohan. 
Erkenbrand (model proxied by a nicely coverted Mounted Boromir), leading a warband of Westfold riders.
The Kings Huntsman (model proxied by Legolas), leading a warband of Warriors of Rohan on foot.

I had set up the board again depicting an isolated Rohan farm.

We rolled off for mission and got The High Ground. Having already placed the farm centrally I didn't want to shift it all out of the way to place a hill there, so we just decided that the cornfield had mighty tall corn! So that would be the prize!

Brett won the initial roll, selected the side closest the cornfield and started deploying...

The forces deployed.

I then managed to win the roll for starting turn, and started my attack, charging in with two Morgul knights and supporting with the rest of the force. I advanced into the cornfield with the central warband, but was wary of being outflanked by Eomer heading down the road, so left a few orcs to cover my rear.

Brett pulled back as best he could, playing for time, and hoping to have his archery do some work... and probed down the road with Eomer...

Seeing the possible risk to my flank and seeing the chance to trap Eomer's warband in the confines of the fenced road, I swung the central orc warband over this way... whilst the fight hotted up on my left flank...

Brett stays out of reach on my left... still playing for time and very wary of the Morgul knights backed by a horde of orcs...

After several heroic move declarations the orc captain leads his warband across the fence into the packed horsemen... Eomer was bunched up and pinned against fences and his own men with the orc captain and his followers swarming in to get to the action... This scrap then raged over several turns with Eomer hanging on and eventually forcing the orcs back!

The evil forces continue the press on the other flank, eventually forcing Rohan to commit...

The ongoing scrap for the farm and road...

My best chance to really hurt the resolve of Rohan; Erkenbrand  attacks the end of the orc line with more riders piling in and others holding off the Morgul knights... But evil saw its chance, the spectre swung in behind Erkenbrand, and the Mouth of Sauron trotted forward and with a wave of his claw like hand, Transfixed Erkenbrand, then charged in to trap him and seal his doom!

Erkenbrand was beaten in the fight and trapped took double hits, but his high D7 saved him and he managed to only take one wound from 8 dice (needing a six to wound). He fluffed his fate roll, but had survived, and I had thrown everything into that transfix!

The battle raged on another turn but Rohan had escaped the trap, Erkenbrand fought clear, and Eomer stayed lucky and forced off the orc attackers back down the road. Kardush was lucky to survive a fight against 4 foes on the edge of the cornfield.

By this point the orcs were broken and time was telling so we called it.

Brett had managed to break me without being broken himself, he also had more troops in the cornfield at the end than I had.

So win to Rohan, 9 - 1 .

 A great fun game. I, as usual lost sight of the victory conditions, hold the field, and went after Rohans troops. I could have sat my whole force in the field and possibly held on for a win, but thats not the way I play!

Interesting points:
The Morgul knights were certainly a handful!
Kardush wasnt terribly effective, his spells achieved nothing...
The MoS, was cool to use but couldnt land the killer blow against a tough opponent.

The D7 Eomer and Erkenbrand took all that was thrown at them.
The Huntsman, sniped a couple of orcs, nothing too telling... though Rohan archery overall took a steady toll of orcs.

Again a lot of fun and looking forward to the next battle in Middle-Earth...