WIP Oathmark Dwarves

It's been a bit of a busy last two-three weeks as we've packed up our house and moved. I've now a small shed cram packed with all my gaming gear while I await a new wooden shed I've ordered to be built so I can reorganise my gaming collection.

Anyway the move finished on Thursday so I headed down to the bach for a bit of R&R and managed to get some painting done. One of the ongoing projects is the forces for my Middle Earth gaming, lots more planing than gaming unfortunately.

A couple of years ago I bought some GW LoTR dwarves off a gaming mate and wasn't overly impressed with the figures so last year started afresh by getting some Conqueor Models Dwarves crossbows, which are lovely. Wasn't that keen on the Conqueror infantry units and so have been awaiting the release of the new Oathmark Heavy Dwarf infantry for my rank and file and once released ordered myself a box to check them out.

You get 30 models in the box, 5 different torsos, 20 heads and a wide range of weapon options making this a very useful set. I really love the proportions and options- you can make a great variety of figures. I've gone for 2 units of weapon + shield armed dwarves for my regular units and one of two-handed weapon (and fully helmed) armed dwarves to be the elite infantry. I am really impressed with this set,; it is very, very useful.

A few work in progress pictures

A comparison with the Conqueor dwarves. The Conqeror models are more Dark Ages/Viking inspired and a bit less bulky but the two ranges fit together very well and can see me adding more of both ranges to grow this force a bit more.

Tonight I undercoated the bases

A few comparisons:

Fireforge Russ (aka Easterlings) & Oathmark

Oathmark and GW Rohan infantry- quite a bit chunkier and almost the same height but I'd happily put them in the same table though in different units.

 GW Rohan and Oathmark

Oathmark and some GB Vikings- both plastic and metals

GB Plastics and metals & Oathmark

 Oathmark & GW Rohan

 Fireforge Russ and Oathmark

Craig

WIP- Easterlings for Middle Earth

I've been slowly working away on my Anglo-Saxons but not really doing much painting the last couple of weeks. Real life has decided to intervene. My wife and I have sold our house so I'm in the middle of downsizing/ getting rid of shit in preparation for the move which happens in the next couple of weeks. I have managed to pack up most of my gaming stuff, but have  a whole lot of sorting to do at some stage- and some serious downsizing needed of my 15mm terrain collection but fr now it is all safely packed away and stored.

Yesterday however some Fireforge Russian infantry and Gripping Beast Noble Goth Cavalry arrived. I've been waiting for these for a few weeks now, my plan was/is to use them as Easterlings for Middle Earth gaming. I've not bought any Fireforge before so was interested in how they'd work out.

Below is the sprue. 5 different figures and a variety of weapons, shields and armour. I'd like to see a couple more hand weapon options and also a couple more arms. The 2x guys with scale style armour only really have 2 sets of arms that work for them so that does limit the poses a wee bit. However with the variety of weapons available in other ranges (such as the Gripping Beast Saxon and Vikings) it should be easy enough to kit bash the figures and indeed that was my intention with these guys.

I've added some Gripping Beast Tumerid shields to the figures to give them a uniform/middle eastern look.

The second unit are armed with hand weapons (for offensive heavy foot in Dragon Rampant) and using the shields they come equipped with.

My plan was to combine the Gripping Beast plastic Noble Goth Cavalry with the spare heads from the fireforge Medieval Russian's to give a more eastern/Easterling look to the Gripping Beast figures and am happy with the results. Again I've used metal Gripping Beast Tumurid (shields (plain ones this time) to add to the look. 

Once painted up, I think they'll look the part.

Today is ANZAC day here in NZ, I'm back from the Dawn Service, and so intend to spend a few hours today on this little project...

Craig

More Vikings and Anglo-Saxons

Over the past few days I've slowly been chipping away at the rebasing project for the Vikings and Anglo Saxon forces.

First up the Vikings

I've enough for 8 units worth in Dux Bellorum or 2 divisions in Hail Caesar. I'm keen to expand by another 4-8 uiits but will wait till the new Victrix Vikings are released later in the year- which is when i intend to add some more lightly equipped Bondi units to the force.

The Anglo-Saxons

A smaller force. I've quite a few more metal Ceorls to base up but am replacing the old soft metal spears with plastic Fireforge ones and am awaiting for more to arrive.

Currently there are 3 units of Thegns- each base has 4 spearmen and a single axesman or swordsman as the plastic GB Saxon Thegns boxset does not have enough spears for everyone to be armed with a spear. I also had a few GB kite shields left over from the Gondor project so added those for more variety(and to help differentiate them still further form the Vikings).

The plan (in Hail Caesar) is to run divisions of 2x Thegns and 2x Ceorls as the core of the army.
,

There is one of Huscarls armed with Danish axes to differentiate them from the rank and file.

I also painted up my last 20 plastic Saxon thegns to add two more units to the force.

Lurking in the background is 1.5 units of lighter armed Ceorls- I've only completed 1.5 units (3 bases worth) as I've run out of plastics spears at present. All the Ceorls are metal Gripping beast figures.

Both forces.

The Vikings

The Anglo-Saxons

Craig

WIP- Anglo Saxons and Vikings

Over the past few days I've been slowly chipping away at updating my Viking and Anglo-Saxon forces. prying them off their bases and starting to rebase to my new standard. I've most based and permafilla added to the bases. Next step is the black undercoat to the bases (a fiddly job) and then painting & flocking them.

The figures are a mix of metals and plastics- but most are Gripping Beast. I've had my metal figures from GB for nearly 20 years and there are also plenty of the GB plastics Saxons and Vikings. I'm really looking forward to the new Victrix plastic Viking and Saxon ranges coming out and wll definitely be addig some as they look very, very good.

the Saxons are a bit light on the ground. I've quite a few metal GB Ceorls but am waiting for more plastic Fireforge spears to turn up to replace the old (and mainly bent) metal spears they are equipped with. I've also 2 units (20) GB plastic Thegns to paint up to bulk out the force a bit more. I will probably also add some of the plastic dark ages infantry to bulk out the Ceorls.

The army has one unit of elite Huscarls armed with Danish axes.

The Vikings. 
I can field 8 units (2 divisions) in Hail Caesar and have plenty for Dux Bellorum or Dragon Rampant forces- not sure which rules I'll end up using yet.

So next job, getting stuck in finishing the bases.

Craig

More rebasing- Goth/Gondor cavalry

Yesterday I continued my rebasing mission, this time the rest of my Goth cavalry were rebased to my (6 figures per unit) new standard- and can now pull double duty as Gondorian reinforcements if necessary.

Most of the figures are Footsore but two bases (lurking in the back row) are GW Rohan with different shields.

In bigger battles (eg Hail Caesar) they can form a division.

I'm still unsure which rules I'll end up using more- Dux Bellorum, Dragon Rampant or Hail Caesar. But is good to have options.

Craig

Gaming at last!

I am happy to report that after months of inactivity I finally managed to get some gaming in. Two games in two days in fact!

Simon and Mark were down from Wellington so we arranged our usual annual "Craigcon" catch up. I was down at the bach and got back to find an email checking if we were still on for a game. For some reason I thought it was next Thursday we had arranged but no, it was the one just been. They were turning up at 7ish and I only got home about 6:30 so quickly threw together two armies for Dux Bellorum. Not having read the rules in quite a while it wasn't going to be the best.

Anyway we had a God faring Late Roman army (supported by some monks) led by Barry, older and much less well known brother of Artimus, aka King Arthur. Apparently Barry was killed in some long forgotten battle and disappeared from and annuals of history, unlike his more PR savvy younger brother. Barry was out to rewrite history and make a name for himself, or die trying,vs a mass of unwashed, hairy Saxon (Gothic) rabble.

The game was a lot of fun, Barry charged the Saxon cavalry in turn 1 and remained stuck in combat for the rest of the game, slowly chewing his way though the enemy whilst his sheildwall (rabble) cheered on- or actually set about trying to win the game despiute him. About half way though we discovered not having a hill to stand on (British shieldwall tactics 101) is bad for sheildwall troops but by then it was too late, Simon and his sheildwallers were gleefully taking the fight to the hairy warband Saxon hordes who apparently "don't like it up 'em."

In the end though both armies broke and Barry was left alone and forlorn, even abandoned by his priests, to rue the fickle gods of fate.

We did make a house rule though, defensive LPs mean you get a save not automatically cancel a hit. It seemed to work well.

A few pictures:
Late Romans on the left, Hairy unwashed hordes n the right of picture.

Barry and his nobles

 Thew unwashed, and unnamed, Hairy hordes of Mark.

 Barry leads the boys in a charge, way to go Barry.

And promptly gets itself into all kinds of trouble. Being a wuss he used his LPs turn after turn defensively, whilst awaiting rescue from his fryd. Simon wasn't having any of that though and stoically marched towards the Saxon warband and away from his general. Barry never was one to command respect of his troops.

"They don't like it up em sir. Let's charge eh!"
What about finding a nice safe hill?  instead?
"Nah, hills are for girls."

 The armies clash.

Simon being far more aggressive than "Barry" used his LPs each turn to get extra attack dice.

A few turns later and Barry is still slowly hacking his way through the Saxons. Flanks, we don't care about flanks! Or as he was heard sayg to one of his followerers. "Surrounded? We're nobles we are supposed to be surrounded."

The Shieldwall even manages to push the warband back a few times.

 More random clashes.

Slowly both sides are being ground down.

Oops. Not much left now. Both sides on the point of collapsing. Barry still engaged in combat with Mark the Hairy- having chopped up the easier meat he is getting his arse handed to him by the Gothic general.

The Late Romans are all out of LPs.

A victory (just) to the Saxons/Goths. A great game, really enjoyed the way it played, fast simple, LPs made for lots of entertainment and decision making each turn with LP allocation mechanic. A fun game and entertaining evening, it is always a pleasure to catch up with Mark and Simon and definitely enjoyed Dux Bellorum.

Craig