Forest Goblins archers & a Doom Diver (November entry in the OWAC)

So the first part of my November entry is a regiment of  19 Forest Goblin archers, led by Noraz Stickblast, a Goblin Big Boss.

I must admit painting these fellows in a month has been a challenge; first because work has been very busy, and also because I didn't expect these guys to take that long! I mean, they're small, so they should paint faster, right? WRONG. I never noticed the insane amount of details goblin master Kev Adams had sculpted on these little fellow. Skulls, spiders, ear rings, bones, feathers, etc. He even sculpted them nails! These are not your typical clad in black night goblins. And at a mere 2.5 pts each, it probably makes them the worst deal in Warhammer history when it comes to bang for your painting time! 

But boy, do they look great once finished. The Kev Adams 4th edition gobbos are (by far) my favourite goblins, I love their look of mischief rather than pure evil. They are exactly how I envision Goblins. 

I decided to use the Shaman model as a standard, err Totem bearer, instead

It was my first time painting greenskins since, oh, 1993 or so, so I had to come up with a green recipe. I always liked my goblins to be a very bright green, and I'm really pleased with my results! As for the colour scheme, I went with a trio of bright colours in yellow, red and orange. I always like bright colours when I can get away with it, and I also wanted to give a nod to the "red" era when these figures came out. I also like to use a limited palette when army building, so I used browns and bones for the rest of the details, so to keep the attention on the bright green of the skin and the trio of hot colours.

My only regret is the shield. Didn't have time to paint a proper design

My original idea was to include war paints on the rank & file, but time constraint (and the fact I would then have to do the same on hundreds of other goblins) changed my plans so I only painted them on my Boss and the musician. It's probably something that I will keep doing on the rest of my army, i.e. limiting war paints to royalty and command figures. 

Now, goblins being goblins, the little bastards cost litterally nothing, so that whole unit, with a Big Boss, doesn't even reach 100 points! 

So here comes the second part of my entry...a Doom Diver!! If I'm really excited about this it is because I absolutely love everything about Doom Divers; it's such a perfectly stupid goblin war machine, it fits so well with the Warhammer goblin fluff, and the 4th edition model is just so cute and charming!

I gave him the same colour scheme as the rest of the force (when you kamikaze yourself, bright colours are in order!) and I decided to put him on a nice, big base. I'm not a fan of separate bases when it comes to war machines, and I always prefer to build dioramas and such. I like him a lot.

So to recap :

• 19 Forest Goblins archers, including standard & musician : 63 pts
• Noraz Stickblast, Forest Goblin Big Boss : 33 pts
• 1 Doom Diver : 100pts

Total : 199pts

Next month? I'm thinking bigger...MUCH bigger

My Old World Army Challenge (OWAC) project

Follow the Old World Army Challenge blog

Stick 'em wiv arrers'. Stick 'em with knives. 'an swords, and spears. Stick 'em quick and stick 'em where it 'urts. But most of all, stick 'em when they's looking in the other way.

I've been involved in Oldhammer, and it's awesome community, for around 4 years now. Now I won't bore you with my tales of nostalgia, although should you be interested you'll find it in here. My first love was Warhammer 3rd Edition, and the Realm of Chaos books. So when I started my Oldhammer collecting, and then painting, my first target was a Chaos army. But while I was building that army, my collector's sight were already fixed on amassing my second dream army; Goblins! For you see Warhammer 4th edition came out shortly after I started the hobby, and my White Dwarfs were rapidly inundated with pictures of Kev Adam's wonderful sculpts of those mischievous green creatures. To this day I've yet to find another range that embodies how I see Goblins; evil yes, but also incredibly stupid and yes, kind of cute. Basically, I like my goblins more on the mischievous side than the pure evil side, and Kev Adam's 4th edition Goblins are exactly that. 

But in the early 90s, while I was dreaming about building a Goblin army, the sad reality was that in was just that, a dream. In 1992-1993, I was but 13 years old, and a goblin only army was extremely expensive. Other than the plastic night goblins archers and the goblins spearmen from the boxset, all goblins available were in metal, and you needed hundreds of them! In those days the little guys were sold in blisters of 4 IIRC, so it was simply an impossible mission for a young boy with a 20$ bi-weekly allowance! I did buy many blisters actually, but it was a drop of water in the ocean!

So around 3 years ago I really started to collect a 4th ed Goblin army. And boy, it wasn't easy! One of the great mysteries of Oldhammer is, to me, the rarity of metal goblins and their prohibitive price on Ebay. So I was patient, waited for big lots, and when the big lots came I was as rutless as they come. THEY WERE MINE, ALL MINE! I was especially interested in the forest goblins, my favourite, and the classic goblins. If you haven't noticed yet, my thing is goblins, I'm not a huge fan of Orcs. A necessary evil, at most.

So between trading pages, Ebay and my old original stock I did managed to assemble a vast collection, one that I'm especially proud of. But the collection's been ready for over a year now and I procrastinate and procrastinate. Why? Well I'm a bit afraid of the sheer numbers of figures I'll need to paint.

So when I was challenged by my good friend Chris to create the OWAC, I knew the time had come, and that I could hide no more! The goblins were calling me, waiting to be unleashed upon the world, to swarm their enemies (Greg, Chris, I"m looking at you), to conquer...ok, ok...they are still goblins so conquer is a tad exaggerated. Annoy might be more exact.

Anyways, I talk too much. Let's have a look at my complete Orcs & goblins collection, and my plans for the next 6 months!

When the Challenge started, I decided to make a complete inventory of my collection. Here it is : 

As you can see the majority of the collection is made-up of forest goblins and goblins, with some Orcs and night goblins. The vast majority is also from 4th ed, although I do have some Marauder orcs and goblins, and some really Old School Ogres. 

From that I just had to come up with one 1000pts worth of Orcs & Goblins. Since I had enough of the little fuckers, I decided to go with an all forest goblins force (well, almost). More figures to paint, sure, but oh so more rewarding! Not to mention fulfilling the dream of my 13 year old self! Obviously, in this case I used the 4th edition Orcs & Goblins army book. Too many troops were not present in the 3rd edition (forest goblins, Doom Divers, etc.) Although ironically I do not play 4th, so I intend on building a custom list eventually for 3rd! 

So here's my list! I'm around 70 pts short, which I will use for either more goblins, wolf riders, stone lobbers or orcs, depending on my mood.

• 19 Forest Goblins archers, including standard & musician : 63 pts
• 19 Forest Goblins archers, including standard & musician : 63 pts
• 30 Forest Goblins w 2 handed weapons, including standard & musician : 108.5 pts
• 9 spider riders, including standard & musician : 121 pts
• 2 Doom Divers : 200 pts
• 3 Ogres w light armour and 2 handed weapons : 132 pts
• Forest Goblin Shaman Champion on Giant Spider : 87 pts
• Forest Goblin Warlord : 50 pts
• Forest Goblin Big Boss : 33 pts
• Forest Goblin Big Boss : 33 pts
• Forest Goblin Big Boss on Giant Spider : 37 pts

Total : 927.5 pts

Of course I reserve the right to make changes as I go! But I do enjoy making lists, it's great for planning. The Challenge states that we must paint 200pts per month, and I believe I have a good mix of units, war machines and characters which should allow me to reach that goal while still having fun.

Let the green madness begin!!

Visit the Old World Army Challenge blog to read the projects of each of the other 36 members!

If you're a kid from the 80s...

I'm currently working on a small 80s Pulp (aka GI JOE) project. If you're a nostalgia addict or if you played with them as a kid, have a look at Par la bouche de mes canons, my other blog, where the action is happening. 

I figure a least a few of my readers are from the 80s, and yes this post is a shameless plug to my other blog.

The Old World Army Challenge

In the last year or so I've been pretty quiet on the Oldhammer front, as I've been involved in Epic and some Sci-Fi skirmish forces. While not exactly finished, my Chaos army is looking pretty good these days and I've managed to play quite a few Oldhammer games with it. Officially it's only missing a unit of Chaos Knights, which I really hope to finish sooner than later.

So this Summer, while playing a game with Chris, my fellow Northeast Oldhammer brother from Vermont, we discussed the idea of creating some kind of challenge to help us embark on a new project. 

The idea lay dormant for a few months until Chris sent me a PM a few weeks ago, inquiring if I was still game. Of course I was. So we set-up some rules and ideas, and we advertised the idea on the Facebook "Oldhammer in the new World" group. I told Chris that, if we managed to get 12 participants, we should call ourselves "The Dirty Dozen", and Chris answered "If we manage to find 12 guys you mean..."

hahaha good times. We actually managed to find 35 guys! Yeah, crazy I know. So I'm now the founder and one of the three Admin of the Old World Army Challenge. Everything you want to know is in the blog, including the rules. It's an entirely different beast from the Analogue Hobby Challenge, in the objective and the rules, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that I borrowed some ideas from Curt, especially about the blogging logistics of things.

What do I get out of it? A Goblin army. I've been thinking about doing this army for a long time, but at the same time the numbers involved were terrifying. But I work very well on peer pressure, so that should be the push I need. 

You can read about my project on the blog. Obviously I will also share pics and posts here.

Wish me luck.

Guramm's Last Stand (an Oldhammer 3e battle report)

Guramm swiped the sweat from his forehead; all night he had marched with the remnants of his army towards the holy ruins of Ekrun, deep in the forest surrounding his family's stronghold. Yesterday's battle had been a massacre, and most of his army still lay, rotting, on the field of battle. Soon, he would get to join his fallen comrades and meet Grimnir. But not before one last battle. one last stand..."Chaos has no idea what it is getting into", he chuckled, smiling for the last time of his life.

A few weeks ago Chris (from Blue's Marauding Miniatures) came down from Vermont to help me give Kawe, from Westfalia Miniatures, an Oldhammer style welcome. Kawe moved this past summer from the UK and will spend the next few years in Canada, if we can survive our winters! We settled on a game of Warhammer 3e, and as the host I volunteered to Game Master the game. I wanted to do a game with a scenario (and a surprise!).

The game was between parts of my Chaos force, under the leadership of Kawe, and Chris' stout Dwarf army. We played using 3rd edition rules, and our armies both came from Warhammer armies. We agreed to not have magic, as the game was already complicated enough for Kawe, who hadn't played 3e since the early 90s(!)

The horde of Savalas The Savage

Savalas The Savage, Chaos champion, with heavy armour, shield, parasitic blade: 139 pts

Lobar Phorumine, Chaos warrior, with shield, heavy armour, barding, war horse : 94 pts

5 Marauder horse, with barding : 245 pts

11 Marauders: 427 pts

20 beastmen,with shield and light armour : 260 pts

5 Chaos centaurs, + Kadax The Fast, lv 5 hero : 242 pts

18 Chaos Dwarfs, with shields + Eneon Benorus, lv 10 hero : 328 pts

4 Trolls : 260 pts

Total : 1995 pts

The arriere-garde of Karak Drazh first army

Guramm Stonemore of Karak Drazh, General lv 15

Belgak Oakthane, army standard 

12 dwarf crossbows with Torerbor Magmagut, lv 5 hero

10 Troll Slayers

15 clansmen with Kizmas Bristlebringer, lv 5 hero

12 handgunners

10 hammerers

Total points: 1080

The scenario was as follow :

Just a few days ago, Guramm Stonemore’s army was a glorious sight to behold; proud ranks of Dwarfs after proud ranks of Dwarfs, in fine spirit, the army was assembled as Karak Drazh first line of defense against an invading horde of Chaos. Alas, the sheer numbers from the Chaos horde were too much, and the vast majority of the army died on the battlefield. Left with his “arriere garde” intact, Guramm retreats and, hoping to leave as much time as possible for his stronghold to prepare for the incoming siege, the Dwarf general attracts the Chaos army and makes his way for the Ekrun ruins, deep in the forest surrounding his people’s stronghold. He hopes the sacred ruins will boost the morale of his soldiers, and that they will inflict as many casualties as possible before meeting Grimnir in the afterlife.

Overview

In this battle a vastly outnumbered Dwarf army must sell the lives of his troops as dearly as possible.

Armies

The Dwarfs can spend 1000 pts from their army list in Warhammer armies.

Chaos gets to spend 2000 pts, also from the army list in Warhammer armies.

Special rules : 

- The dwarfs set-up their army first, in a 18 inch square in the middle of the table, around the ruins of Ekrun

- Chaos then deploy his army; units may set-up anywhere at least 24 inches from a Dwarf unit

- The dwarfs go first

- The game lasts until the Dwarfs are wiped out

- Special rules : The dwarfs expect to die and therefore are immune to panic

- Victory conditions : Calculate victory points for destroyed Chaos units and Chaos units reduced to below half points. If the result is more than the starting point value of the dwarves, the dwarves win, even if wiped out. If it less than half then Chaos win. Anything else is a draw.

- At the start of  the Chaos player’s 3rd turn, the GM must roll a D6, on a roll of 4+ a surprise happens. If nothing happens, the next turn the GM rolls again but this time with a +1 for each roll after the first (so 3+, then 2+, etc.)

There is TONS of pictures, so enjoy!

The Dwarfs position

The Slayers, superbly painted by Chris

Clansmen

Musketeers

Hammerers

Crossbowmen

The vast horde of Chaos; from left to right, centaurs, trolls,
chaos dwarfs, Beastmen, marauders horse, marauders

Should've removed those trees for better pictures!

Dwarfs moving to better face the Chaos onslaught

The Trolls start moving (good job!)

The Slayers set their sights on the Trolls...

The Chaos horde moves forward

The Hammerers, ready to defend the holy ruins

SURPRISE! On the first available turn, a level 7 Earth Elemental
rises up from the ground. Nature's answer to the corruption of Chaos.

The Dwarfs get in position

The Chaos Dwarfs are shot at by the Musketeers

In the middle of the battle, Chaos marches on

A good view of the Chaos and Dwarfs lines

Bracing for impact...

On the western flank, the Elemental passes through rocks,
determined to reach the Chaos Knights

The Chaos army lines itself for one massive charge

CHARGE!! True to Khorne style of strategy, the
Chaos general sends all his unit into battle

Brothers vs Brothers, the Hammerers
face their evil & twisted chaos brothers

Catastrophe!! The Hammerers rout the
Chaos dwarfs on the first turn of combat, as Kawe rolls an 11 (!)

The Centaurs move through the ruins 

Close combat rages on all sides

The Clansmen do their best against the combined might of
both foot and horse 

The Elemental charges into the Chaos Knights

The Chaos Dwarfs,
now decimated by their rout and the subsequent free hack

As nature intended; the Troll Slayers charge the Trolls!
Fantastic sight

The Clansmen numbers dwindle, while
the Crossbowmen give the Beastmen a run for their money

The Troll Slayers roar as a Troll bites the dust! 

The Clansmen barely hang on...

...and then flee, ran over by the bloodthirsty Khorne warriors

The Centaurs move through the ruins and charge
Belgak Oakthane, army standard

Kadax the Fast issues a challenge to Guramm of Karak Drazh.

Poor Belgak Oakthane is unceremoniously ran over by the Centaurs

The Slayers have killed two trolls, but the end draws near

Kizmas Bristlebringer rallies, and
stands his ground against the degenerates of Khorne

The battle has decimated both sides. On top, the Earth Elemental
keeps grinding at the Knights, one by one

A most glorious death!

The poor crossbowmen, now attacked from the flanks and the rear

The Elemental on a murderous rampage

The Trolls now charge the Musketeers

The crossbowmen have done more than can be expected,
but now the odds are starting to show

Decimated, the last few crossbowmen stand their ground

Fear nature's wrath, for it has the eternal strength
of stone and the endurance of mountains

Last combats rages on

The Crossbowmen fall...

For four turns, the duel raged on. And on four different occasion,
Guramm blows are deflected by Kadax armour.
But in the end, Guramm falls to the Chaos Centaur. His Last Stand is no more....

The last Musketeer on the table runs from the Trolls.
On the Dwarf side only the Hammerers remain.
The battle is truly over...but Chaos is licking it's wounds

Post mortem

• As per the victory conditions, Chaos barely won. But we all felt it was a draw. The Dwarfs fought a magnificent fight against all odds. 
• For once, lady Luck was on Chris side. His dwarfs held their own turn after turn, while Kawe had horrible luck. The Beastmen did not inflict a single casualties on the crossbowmen in 4 turns of combat! 
• I was surprised by Kawe's set-up; he could set-up all around the Dwarfs but chose to go with a classic pitch battle style of set-up. 
• The one thing that let Chris down was his general; he was plagued by horrible dice and lost to a lv 5 champion, how embarassing! It needs to be mentionned that Kawe rolled (and needed) FOUR 6 in a row for his saving throw. It was an Epic duel, the best I've witnessed.
• The Elemental got there the first turn it was allowed to arrive, and then Chris rolled a good number to make it a Level 7. It was our first time seeing an Elemental in action. And while we removed the "can only be wounded by a magic item" rule, it did not change much; a LV 7 Elemental is an indestructible engine of destruction. Wow.
• The Hammerers were outstanding against the Chaos Dwarfs, and had they been a little faster might've very well tipped the battle completely by charging the Beastmen from the rear. 
• Having a GM is such a nice luxury in a wargame; the game runs much smoothly. It's also so much easier to take nice pictures without delaying the gameplay.
• I really hope some of you actually read this and enjoy it! I've said it before and I'll say it again : writing a battle report takes forever!
• Am I masochist? Quite possibly, as I played another great game last week and I intend on writing a battle report for it in the coming weeks!