Frostknave Part 2

As Whiskey Priest introduced the other week, nearly the full set of WiPsters are heading to Ireland in the near future for fun, games, manhugs and beer. Peer pressure being what it is, we have all committed to a Frostgrave extravaganza.

In this post, myself (axiom) and cheetor will reveal all behind our respective Frostgrave warbands.

Sorcerers of Pan Tang by axiom

I'm very fond of the old Pan Tang models produced by Citadel under licence in the late 1980s, in fact I've got a whole case of them for some potential future project. If you're not familiar with Pan Tang, then you need to check out the Elric novels by Michael Moorcock, and read up on a self-obsessed, chaos-worshipping, upstart human race!

Frostgrave seemed like a good opportunity to delve into the collection, and make a start on some of the models. I've tried to mix Pan Tang models, with aesthetically similar models from Warhammer ranges, all with a vague nod to Persian/middle-eastern stylings. My wizard (hat and pointy shoulder pads) and apprentice (arm-waver) are both classic Citadel models. The apprentice is Theleb K'aarna, the Pan Tangian sorcerer straight out of the Eternal Champions 'Personalities' range. The wizard himself is a carefully selected C-Series Warhammer wizard who seemed to fit the bill.

The whole motley crew is sourced from a variety of ranges. The tiger is from the Pan Tang range, and will be representing a Snow Leopard animal companion. The tiger will be accompanied by his bare-footed handler (representing a thief). The figure is actually an unreleased Pan Tangian tiger handler.





After reading about the mechanics of the game, I knew I needed a couple of ranged fighters. My pair of archers are both Citadel figures - the one with the headscarf is a Chaos thug, while the chap with the furry hat is a slightly modified Citadel AD&D hobgoblin.

Finally, I've included a quartet of close-quarter fighters. The fine looking chap resting his hand on his massive sword is a Pan Tang officer (again by Citadel), masquerading as a treasure hunter with that important faster move. The lad atop the broken pillar (above) in a Gimli-style pose is my infantryman, using an ancient Citadel pre-slotta Chaos warrior.

My last two models (shield and scimitar / axe and sword) are a pair of thugs, both Pan Tangians from Citadel's surprisingly large Pan Tang infantry range. I know thugs shouldn't have shields...but I'm sure we can cope in game!

The Summoning wasn't going that well...

And now it's over to cheetor!

Shonen Knives by cheetor

The "local" Creeps that I game with are fantasy enthusiasts.  Generally Im more turned on by sci-fi, but in a heartwarming display of magnanimity, I decided to throw them a Frostgrave shaped bone.  Im loveable like that.

Frostgrave looked like a good way for me to start a fantasy project and see where it took me.  It also allowed the lads to get their teeth into some fantasy miniatures and games after a prior year or so of sci-fi.

I remembered that I had some old Citadel ninja models in a “TMNT Project" box.  Ninja straddle genres even better than zombies, fitting into fantasy, sci-fi, modern, superhero and even (sort of) historical games.  That made ninja an easy choice for the project, as I could use them in games even if my fantasy phase didnt last.

Early on I added a couple of obviously Orientally themed Chaos Warriors to represent Templars (and a less Orientally themed figure to feature as a Knight).  

Around this point I became certain that there were very many feudal/mythological Japanese themed miniatures that I wanted to include in the project.  That also meant that the project would outgrow my Frostgrave requirements quickly.  Watching the Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, 47 Ronin, Samurai Jack, Five Elements Ninja etc, etc over a short period will do that to a guy.

With some time available before I needed to be able to field a force in a game, I just decided to paint miniatures that I liked the look of for now.  It allowed me to play around with the palette that I had set, knowing that eventually all of the models would be of future use in games anyway.

That process helped me to decide how the colour scheme would work across different sorts of models and textures.

Then a discussion with the Creeps led to the idea of painting dragons, so I decided to paint a Celestial Dragon in the same scheme.  The donation of a Clan Wars “Bride of Fu Leng” model by Captain Crooks ended up a fun way to incorporate the idea of a shape changing magic user into the game.

SHAZAM!

To reference the 47 Ronin (2013) movie I painted her to look like she may be morphing into the dragon that I had previously painted.  Even better, the Illusionist school of magic that had been suggested to me as being a good way to represent tricky ninja types also features a pair of spells that affect the caster: “Beauty” and “Monstrous Form”.  A model of a character half attractive woman, half monster was satisfyingly appropriate.

Another donated model - this time a Hasslefree figure from Antipixi - slotted in perfectly as an apprentice.  Possibly the sort of Apprentice that stabs her master in the back in the third act - the "Starscream" of the piece, if you will.

At this stage I have more than enough models painted for a few games of Frostgrave.  Im hoping to get a couple more painted before the upcoming big meet up, so what is shown in the fist photo may not quite be the precise line up that I use, but it will be close.

Our Bizaza Frog People Kickstarter is Live!

This is my first posting on SC, I have been pretty busy making some frog people for the Kickstarter which I am currently running.  They are a collaborative effort with my missus, who made the weapons and many of the details.


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1033967745/bizaza-guard-ancient-frog-people-from-the-future-i



These models are oldschool in trope but made with a modern eye.  They represent the warrior caste and are accordingly powerfully built.

This axeman has a cute little monkey detail on his belt that Doti made - she also made that bad-ass looking axe.  I only wish I could wire wrap so well!

What is this??? A FEMALE??? Have I lost my mind, surely I should uphold the patriarchal traditions of making every model for wargaming a dude!

START SCULPTING 50% REGULAR LOOKING WOMEN IN FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION MINIATURES YOU MORONS, YOU DON'T HATE WOMEN.........DO YOU?

But seriously do, it's embarrassing lads.

The finished gang so far...

The one I should be working on while writing this article. ;)

Now, if you will excuse me, I have some WIP to complete.

Judgement Day - Continued

The Judgement Day project that Cheetor and I were working on has moved into the background over the last couple of months as other projects have drawn our attention. It is not dead, however, as both of us are Judge Dredd nuts and we'll invariably come back to add models to our collections. There are several new Sov sculpts I have an eye on, for example. So far we've painted 34 models between us, you can see some here after the jump.

Kickstarter - Pantheon of Chaos

Over the last year I've been working with some very talented artists and sculptors on the Pantheon of Chaos range, and we finally launched our kickstarter last night. The models are strongly oldhammer flavoured and decidedly evil, with champions, warriors, raiders, thugs, monsters, hobgoblins and behemoths, over forty sculpts in all, with many more unlock-able as the project continues.Since we launched last night we funded in under two hours, which paves the way for stretch goal goodness for such delights as the huge ettin and the mutant ogre.

So if you like a dash of unfathomable evil in your miniatures (and I know you do, you monster), take a look! Here are a few of the models from the range.

BATTLE REPORT: CHAOS DWARVES vs ORCS & GOBLINS

SCALE CREEP PRESENTS:

THE BATTLE FOR SCRAMBLED EGG RIDGE

A Warhammer Fantasy Battles 8th edition report with Chaos Dwarves vs Orcs and Goblins

by Captain Crook and Cheetor

Recently I visited Ireland to see Cheetor. We had planned this for a long time and had an epic battle planned. This is Scrambled Egg ridge. We didnt have the terrain to make a ridge but we assumed the couch was the edge!

 The objective of the game was to take and hold the building in the middle. Cheetor was playing his beloved army of orcs and goblins. He just loves paiting hoard armies, I can't beleive anyone would want to paint 50 goblins!!

This is Cheetors main units, he had a large unit of goblins with his general and magician. Cheetor says it's better to take goblin heroes because they are cheap, even if its not fluffy to have goblins in charge of ORCS.

Cheetor sunk a heap of points into his unit of 12 river trolls. This unit will be hard to beat.

Orc stone throwers are greatly feared across the lands. Cheetor brought three to the fight and set them as a battery on the hill.

This is a unit of high elfs we are using as a proxy for goblin wolf riders. Wolf riders are great fast cav options and can be a real thorn int he side.

On my side we have some blunderbuss warriors! And the fearsome K'daii monsters. These creatures are made of magic and fire and metal which actually burn themselves every turn and do themselves damage! They can even die!! But i forgot to roll for that in this game.

Chaos dwarves warriors, and some Black orcs. Im not sure why Chaos dwarves can use orcs but why not huh??

I took alot of hobgoblins for this game. They are cheap and can really hold up enemy forces for a while if they dont run away haha

FIRST TURN! Cheetor advances his forces but the troll unit fails it's stupidity test!! Cheetor forgot to put his general closer to let them use his LD.

The orcs and goblins advance towards the objective building/

One of the stone throwers misfired and exploded! Cheetor was really upset at this point, it wasnt his turn.

A stone misses the chaos Dwarves units by not much, it was a close call!

Turn TWO. I moved my CDs up towards the main force of orcs and goblins. CD dwarfs dont have very good movement but the hobgob units are pretty good at moving. The kdaii advance right for the worlf riders intent to smash! I fired the blunderbusses but they are far out of range. Cheetor told me that before but it;s best to check.

The trolls fail their test again! Their LD of 4 is not high.

The orcs capture the objective! Nooo! It will be a hard fight to get them out of that box.

Cheetor pushed the wold riders up in a CHARGE! The k'daii accept the charge.

ANOTHER stone thrower explodes! Cheetor almost cried whrn his battery lost another unit. I had to laugh

And that was the end of the battle! Cheetor conceeded that the game was finsihed and he had captured the objective. He was really angry about his troll s and threw the tape measure at them.

Stay tuned for the next battle treport!