Norse Terrain.P1

With my first order of Gripping Beast figures on the way I have decided to start on some terrain to get myself in the mood. For my first two pieces i have settled on a Norse monumental stones and a well. The well will be the start of a village set and i will also be able to use it in my Bloodbath at Orc's drift collection.

My ideas for the monument was a couple of studying stones with half worn carvings the could act as a feature piece but also act as cover. 

I had a small collection of Bark pieces that could be reused as Standing stones and are soft enough to carve into with some ease. The larger has a stylised Raven on one side and on the other  is a half worn image of Yggdrasil. The other has some knot work. The two pieces have been mounted on card and a CD disc as with my previous terrain pieces.

The well was created from a section of Tin Foil card roll and the base edged with some larger stones made from lollypop stick wood.

So far they surface has been covered with NoMOreNails and topped with sand and gravel with a PVA cover.

From the North!!

I have been a little quiet of late, but only online so have a bit to catch up regarding numerous projects and a couple of new ones

Between the various GW forces I have also made a break into the world of Gripping Beast and their Dark Age system.

I recently started watching the History channel series Viking which has rekindled my interested in 'Dark Age' history.

Gripping Beast produces a skirmish system for a range of 8-9th century races from the Vikings to Normans and Saxons. They also produce their own figures, both metal and plastic at a very reasonable cost, £33 can get you a full starter warband of 25 figures while the plastic unit boxes which go for around £20 will give you enough for 44 figures!

I had toyed with the idea of going for 15mm figures but sticking with 28mm I will be able to use my existing terrain and also reuse any I make for these figures, I already have an idea for some pieces and a village...

For my first purchase I have gone for the Gripping Beast Hirdmen box, watch this space for more when it arrives

 

Gripping Beast

History.com

Dwarf's dig in!

I had not intended to start a dwarf army, not out of any particular issue with the little guys but I just have other races higher up the list! However that list has become undone somewhat by my Bloodbath at Orc's Drift project which once I have all the figures will give me a Dwarf, Orc and Elf force as well as more humans. As part of the Dwarf force I managed to pick up a Dwarf cannon and crew for a couple pounds on Ebay, thinking that if i do want to field them at some point they will want a bit of clout! A bit of a weak justification for adding to my already looming Lead/plastic mountain, but I have used worse!
Being the professionals that they are, I thought the crew would want to defend their artillery and started work on an entrenchment between repainting them.

The two hill sections were made of polystyrene and then whole piece was covered with NoMoreNails to seal them and add texture. While the adhesive was dating i also added the wooden walls and platform which were made from slices of lollypop sticks. 

Finally sandbags were added. The sandbags are made by Pegasus Hobbies.

Once the NoMore had dried, I usually leave it overnight, I added sand and Gravel using PVA glue and  sealed it all with another layer of PVA/Water.

The entrenchment was then painted using GW paints and greenery added. I had thought about leaving it all muddy but i like the contrast between the two sides and I can add the flowers which are a little signature on the bases of 'Good' figures. 

The Cannon is all finished and just the crew to add..

Note: I have made a point of not adding too much detail, graffiti, abandoned shields etc so i can use it for other forces or my 40K game.

Snot!

Sorting through my old Bitz box I came across a couple of Snotling's hiding in corners.
I never owned an Orc/Goblin force but did have a Pump Waggon and a little Snotling mob just for the   painting, though i did have a plan for a whole stoning army, full of pump waggon's and giggling hordes!
Painting these up has also been a nice test for green skin in preparation for starting my Orc's Drift figures and give them a bit of support/ silliness if I field them independent of the scenario.
The Snotlings will support the Severed hand tribe and plan on a couple more stands and a Pump Waggon which will replace the one I owned years ago and act as a nice centre piece.

Introducing Piks Severed Finger Snotlings!

The Return of Guthrum Mane. Part 2

The hill moved.

Pebbles at first and then as cracks in the earth and stone appeared the tree tilted, its top bending and then breaking off to leave the stumps and increasingly exposed roots.

The hill moved again and stood up.

The stump rose up and clung on to the earth beneath it as if in defiance. Thick roots which had pushed and fought their way into the bedrock now held them close to form a strange crown and cloak of grey and green.

Guthrum opened his eyes and looked around, he had been asleep for so long and the world was not the one he remembered. The stones had sheltered him when he had pulled himself away from the ruin of Orc’s Drift to sleep and heal.The taste of dwarf and elf and human washed away in the haze of battle. The Vile Rune Orcs who had paid him to fight broken and their Chieftain Fangor Gripe cut by burning elf blade. 

The sound of roaring dwarfs as the F’yar Guard turned and their king was torn from the sky and plummeted with his Wyvern into the uncaring earth.

He remembered to the roar of the dwarf lord Borinn as the crossbow bolts buried themselves deep into his flesh and the heavy bite of his axe. 

The wounds had been deep and his sleep had been deeper as the seasons turned and he became as stone.

The world had ended and the stones had protected him and carried him through the cataclysm to a new world.

'Old world, new world, matters not. Still stone, still food’ he muttered to the stones and went off in search of food.

The Return of Guthrum Mane.Part 1

In the sort out of old figures and which to add to the repaint pile I came across a long forgotten giant Hill Troll (1985 designed by Kev Adams) who had featured in Bloodbath at Orc's Drift as Guthrum Mane.

Once he had been cleaned of his old paintwork i decided to try and restore him to his rightful glory and pride of place in my Bloodbath collection ( and also the first piece!)

Back in the day he was a big piece but the times have changed at at only 4.5cm tall he wouldn't be looming over much these days. As well as boosting him up on a base i wanted to tap into his Hill troll roots and have him either emerging or carrying bits of hill. Several pieces of Cork, wire and a twig later he had gained another 4.5cm!

Rather than restore his original bladed weapon with plasticard I decided to add more stone to tie in with the stone theme. Green stuff was used to thicken the tree stump and roots which keep all the stones attached to his back (I like to have some logic and reality to my pieces)
Catch Part 2 for the finished figure...

Bretonnian Heavy Support plans

The planned expansion of my Bretonnian force will include two Trebuchets, I am not sure yet if I am going to build my own and modify some of the Men-at-arms to crew them or go with the GW issue.

I have always liked the idea of sieges and all the extras you can bring to a game because of it so plan to add some siege towers and catering rams as well. These will cost probably be scratch built and have found a nice tutorial which i can base mine off...

Battleground hobbies Siege Tower