Old World Army Challenge Wrap-up; a 1000pts army of Forest Goblins!

Well here it is, the end of the Old World Army Challenge. When we decided to do the challenge, I really wanted to start a Goblin army, something that was a dream of mine in my youth, but the task was a daunting one, and made me hesitate. In the end though, the pull was too big, and I plunged! And I'm really happy I did! Now, let's get that Warhammer army pose picture out of the way, shall we ;-)

The look of content after a 6 month marathon

The Plan

My Orcs and Goblins unpainted collection was a hefty one, and here is a reminder of what it looked like 6 months ago (obviously, only a small part of that was painted!).

My original plan was the following :

• 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 : 37pts

A tall task! For while I am a very organized person, especially when it comes to this hobby, I am also an incredibly slow painter, and also a perfectionist! 

The Result

Well, I'm happy to say I almost followed my plans, but for one unit, replacing one archer unit with fanatics. I can live with that! 

Noraz Stickblast regiment (19 Forest Goblins archers, including standard, musician and Big Boss Noraz Stickblast) : 99 pts

Ukag's Mercenaries (3 Ogres w light armour and 2 handed weapons): 132 pts

Kleznot's Forest Goblin Mob (29 Forest Goblins w 2 handed weapons, including standard & musician and Big Boss Kleznot : 141.5 pts)

3 Fanatics : 90pts

Stag's Spida Rida (9 spider riders, including musician and standard, equipped with lances, shields and bows and Stag, Big Boss on giant spider, equipped with shield) : 170pts

2 Doom Divers (200pts) 

Zrazoig, the almighty Shaman, and his trusted sacred spider, Fang the hairy (Forest Goblin Shaman on Gigantic Spider) : 128pts

Graaz the Savage (Forest Goblin Warlord) : 50 pts

Total : 1010.5pts

I like Forest Goblins, I like them a lot!

It's a great feeling to come up from this Challenge with a complete 1000pts force. It's based, I even did all the customized movement tray, so I can say this 1000pts is *completely* finished. Yeah! I'll admit there was a moment in the challenge when I told myself (and Laurie) that I had made a mistake by going with goblins! But in the end my pride, mostly, pushed me to finish!And now that it's over, it's probably one of the favourite wargame army I've painted; the 4th edition gobbos are such fantastic little figures.

Now I'm taking a well deserved break, and I hope to organize part II of the Challenge in 6 to 8 months!

Stag's Spida Rida (April entry in the OWAC)

Spiders so large they appear to be wearing the pelts of small mammals.

Excuse my language, but FUCK YEAH! Here's my last unit of Gobbos for the first edition of the OWAC, 10 Spider Riders!

I really worked overtime to get these guys done in time, and I really mean that! Due to work commitment, I couldn't start on these until two weeks ago to the day, which means that I painted 20 figures in 14 days. That's probably my record. They are not as nice as my last few units, they lack some details and highlights, and I had to cut some corners, but I was expecting worse! Now looking at the pictures I'm satisfied with them.

As usual for anyone who knows me, I went with bright colours for the spiders (I can't help myself), but used cold colours of pinks and purples to contrast them to the rest of my "hot trio" of Red/Orange/Yellow of my army colour scheme (as you can see on the clothes, feathers, etc.) I like the contrast it makes, and these guys really pop! The shields are the plastic shields from the 4th edition plastic spearmen gobbos, nice shields really, it gives a bit more style to the unit.

Now I did a mistake in the painting process; I painted the riders separately from the spiders. Big mistake. These guys are really difficult to pose and glue, so I had to go back and fix some of the spiders to erase some of "white" glue traces (because I had time to do that!). Also, I really should've pinned them. They hold fine, but I don't think these guys would survive a trip across border lines, for example.

Nevertheless, they are going to fight many a battles in my gaming room, for sure! 

In the last two months of the Challenge, I've submitted 43 gobbos and 10 spiders! That's 53 figures in a 61 days period! Last week I couldn''t feel my right arm (growing old sucks).

Oh yeah, points tally :

- 9 spider riders, including musician and standard, equipped with lances, shields and bows : 132pts

- Stag, Big Boss on giant spider, equipped with shield : 38pts

Total : 170pts

As a final comment,  I'm now the proud owner of a completely painted and based 1010pts army of Forest Goblins, and that's what the OWAC was all about! Have a look all May at the OWAC blog for a recap by each challengers of their army. There's some really good stuff in there. Mine will follow towards mid-month...

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Kleznot's Forest Goblin Mob (and fanatics) (March entry in the OWAC)

Quantity has a quality all it's own

Here is the first part of my rather large March entry in the OWAC, at least in figure count, a mob of 30 Forest Goblins infantry! 

The unit is made-up entirely of classic early 90s Citadel forest goblins, sculpted by gobbo master Kev Adams. The unit, equipped with two handed weapons, is worth a whopping 141.5 points (and that's including the Big Boss)! 

But who cares, they look so good and cute! I used my orange-yellow-red colour scheme trio, and, while they were a lot of work, I'm super happy with them. Big units look good, always!

I did swore a lot while painting these, as the amount of details on these guys is absolutely bonkers, especially for troops that you need so many of. I also painted the 30 bastards in one go! I'm going to have nightmares about feathers, that's for sure. And I now have a love/hate relationship with Kev Adams!

The depth picture, to prove all the little bastards have been properly painted!

And then we have 3 fanatics! Yes, I can hear you say "fanatics? In a Forest goblin army?" Well, why the fuck not?! It occurred to me while perusing army lists to prepare for an upcoming game with challenger Chris and a few others in May that my army has no fanatics, which while correct by 4th edition rules, doesn't work in 3rd edition, the edition I actually play (the 3rd edition doesn't differentiate between Forest, Night or regular goblins)! And, I always thought the idea that only Night goblins to have fanatics kinda stupid, and sad. Every goblin army should have fanatics! So I decided to paint some, but in the bright colours of my army instead of black.

As I was painting these, I realized I don't recall ever seeing these guys painted in another colour than black. Yes, I know black is the fluff, but it's still amazing how we fantasy gamers sometime stick with what's "appropriate" or "historically accurate".

Anyways, I think they look great, I intend on painting more for this army if possible next month, and I hope they will cause terrible pain to Chris' Elves and Dwarfs! 

So, the points :

30 Forest Goblins w 2 handed weapons, including standard & musician & Big Boss : 141.5 pts
3 Fanatics : 90pts

Total : 231.5pts

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