04 September 2016

The HeroQuest Hero Quest: The Dwarf




Few names resonate harmoniously through geeks of a certain age like HeroQuest does.

Even geeks that did not embrace the hobby for life - known as “dropouts” or "fly-by-nights" at Scale Creep Mountain - have fondness for the game, due to it being one of the few GW properties that truly became mainstream.


The enthusiasm that this game generated in kids also means that there are likely more naively painted HeroQuest models in existence than likely any other miniatures.  They usually look balls.

So we have decided to redress this balance a little.

THE CHALLENGE:




  • Paint one of the models from Heroquest.  
  • Dont muck around with it too much, a reinterpretation isnt what is desired, just a new paint job on an old model.  
  • Rebasing is allowed. 




HQHQ #1: The Dwarf

White Dwarf magazine was relaunched this weekend.  I enjoyed the first issue a lot.  

One of the features in the magazine was about using Grombrindal - the legendary character in the Old World/Mortal Realms - in games of Silver Tower.  I like Silver Tower.  I decided that I wanted a Grombrindal to use in that game, so I painted it this weekend.


WD #90 from the late 1980s features a pretty definitive "White Dwarf" on the cover.  The John Sibbick illustration was reused for the character card in HeroQuest and the design was used for the HeroQuest dwarf miniature, so I decided to paint a version of that.


As might be expected from a plastic model design from almost thirty years ago, the sculpt is a bit iffy in places. All the same, it was undeniably fun to paint something n the to-do list since 1989, even if a few bits are pretty fudged.

I kept the colours largely based on the White Dwarf magazine cover image above, but with a few tweaks here and there to add a little more variety as the colour reproduction in the cover image is a bit dodgy I expect, everything is brownish-grey.  I kept the palette close to the classic Tolkien dwarf definition as i remember it though, earthy.


I think that the final result worked out pretty well.

Either Just John or TheOttoVonBismark will post up the next HeroQuest fig.  Or maybe Captain Crooks.  There is some jostling currently.

24 comments:

  1. I have that figure sitting unpainted in my bits box. For a figure with some rather soft and dodgy detail, that's a great paintjob.

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    1. Thanks Odie!

      It's certainly a model design of yore, with all of the attendant issues that you mention.

      It has some charm though. Despite its failings it is an enjoyably classic dwarf visual.

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  2. Awesome work there Cheetor! I'm really looking forward to this challenge. HQ is my first love! ;)

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    1. HeroQuest in the US was different mechanically compared to the European version, being a tougher challenge for the heroes and a little more perilous.
      As a big HQ fan I'm guessing that you know that already though airbornegrove26.

      I think that I would have enjoyed playing that version more back then.

      The miniatures, although certainly a bit shonky, have a lot if appeal. The dwarf is in fact one of the weaker designs.

      I would rate the Sorcerer, the Chaos Warrior and the zombie highly. The Gargoyle too, but as a multi-part he is bound to stand out.

      I'm glad that you like the projects. I'm certain that the rest of the crew will have some quality submissions, so stick around :)

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    2. I do indeed. It was fun though growing up, we had heroes die all the time. As for sculpts I would have to agree. I'm a big fan of them all though, as nostalgia clouds my vision s bit. As for trying out the US version. Maybe we can try and do a video game with Facebook so you can try it out. ;)

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    3. That is not the worst idea that I have heard...
      Crooks would have to be part of a venture like that.

      Are you guys going to BOYL next year?
      Maybe we could get Zardon (or whatever he was called) to show Morcar how it's done at that?

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    4. That is the plan. We could totally do that!

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    5. I'll have my people contact your people with a proposal :)

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    6. Count me in. I could do some models + deadlines make me paint!

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  3. Replies
    1. Thanks Stephen.

      From what I have seen in the works from the other guys I'm sure that there will be lots more HQ fun stuff to come.

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  4. He's a classic Mini, done beautifully, well done!

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    1. Thanks Darren, it is a classic isn't it?

      There was a metal model made to match that illustration at some point too.

      While technically it is likely a better model, the chunky, goofy plastic dwarf is the classic for sure.

      Thanks for the feedback.

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  5. Sibbick is a hero with this illo and many others. You really translated that the best and most readable way on this very flawed yet enjoyable monopose monstrosity.

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    1. Thanks A-man, it was a mostly pleasurable experience painting it, despite a bit of frustration around the middle of the process.

      Im looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

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  6. Well done indeed, you managed to wrestle this cantankerous old mini into fine shape, that's a great paint job. This old guy may have all the fine detail of a jelly mould, but he's still an iconic mini.

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    1. Heh, exactly. You summed it up Mr S.

      I was particularly pleased that I managed to make him look craggy and grumpy. Many of the examples that I have seen painted online paint the bags under the sculpts eyes as his actual peepers, leading to a naive, full of wonder look that is wholly inappropriate for the model I reckon.

      I reckon that this will be one of the more enjoyable group projects here, for several reasons.

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  7. What a great paintjob and idea. I love the miniatures of HQ. I definitely daubed some enamels on the monsters but I can't for the life of me remember if I ever painted the heroes!

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    1. Thanks Simon.

      HeroQuest is a nostalgia hotspot for sure, lots of love for it.

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  8. Great work, buddy. I would say he's the best version I've seen.

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    1. Thanks Anti-P!

      I think that I will be able to slot him into Silver Tower games without him looking too out of place, which is great.

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