Quantcast
Channel: Realm of Chaos 80s
Viewing all 710 articles
Browse latest View live
↧

A Warhammer Bestiary: Norse

May 13, 2014, 9:53 am
$
0
0

Next up on my project to paint a single model for every entry in the Warhammer Third Edition rule book sees us stopping among the Norse. One thing that may strike the unwary about this race is that back in the day the Norse where just another human society and pretty much neutral in the case of alignment. They could be good and they could be evil, just like any other human. Chaos was a less tangible thing and was largely unheard of by the general populace of the Warhammer World. This ignorance of ultimate and inevitable doom is what made the mythos of the '80s so powerful, something that the impossibly insane modern interpretation seems to lack. 

Now in many cases the Norse were a missing army from Warhammer Armies. Their armylist saw the light of day in WD 107 and can been viewed by following this link. A quick scan through the units will reveal a very different view of the race when compared to the modern chaos infested tribes. Here we have tribes of coastal raiders just as likely to battle with groups of goblins as they are clashing with the mortal powers of chaos. Invasions of the Old World would be just as likely as desperate pacts with fellow humans to defeat the hideous foe. 

The stereotypical Norse is everything the historically inaccurate viking would be. Bearded, axe in hand with an impractically horned helm perched aggressively on the top of their blonde haired head. Well, I chose something different. This wonderful shield maiden/valkyrie miniature. She has the whiff of Wagner about her, don't you think? Something suitably operatic that fits wonderfully with the old interpretation of the Warhammer World. 

She was a pretty straightforward paint too. Skin, hair and armour where all completed with tried and tested techniques that I have used previously on models in this project. The only slight difference was the use of a blue glaze to subtly changed the colour of the silver armour she wears over that ample bosom. It was to be the clothing that I would put the time in. Sweeping folds of material are another one of those challenging jobs for me. This is most likely due to my previous method of basecoating and washing to create the depth. The wash always let the the fabric looking too deep if such a thing sounds reasonable?


Having a quick think about things, I opted to use a similar method of blending as I have used for larger creatures, such as the fimir. Starting with a light blue basecoat (using the same ink as I used on the armour) it was a simple case of layering up the shades to purest (ish) white. I was satisfied with the result but would like to play around with the technique with a darker colour in future. The shield finished off the model and was completed using my usual method. However, I used a metallic rim rather than a black one so the boss of the shield would fit in with the rest of the model. 

In conclusion, a really enjoyable paint up this one. The model is a testament to the old school sense of humour that used to prevail against the ever encompassing tide of 'skullz 'n' grimdark'. 

Orlygg. 
↧
Search

Old School Citadel Blister Packaging

May 14, 2014, 11:29 am
$
0
0

A short and sweet celebration post today, inspired by Andreas Massonne over on the Oldhammer Community Facebook Page and I subject that I have not really spoken about before here. Packaging. Or more precisely, the mid '80s early '90s packaging that I remember dangling en mass from the walls of gaming shops in the heyday of my youth. 

One thing that I loved about all of the backings to the blisters I would gaze at with longing every other week were the pices of colourful artwork that adorned the cards. A small selection of my collection of blisters can be seen above this text and the variety of colours and designs is most obvious, even to the laymen. All were different and yet some how appropriate to the type of miniatures that they advertised. My favourites were the anti-social green of the goblinoids range and the sinister red, white and green of the Realm of Chaos range. 

Obviously. 


Yet the packaging was not always as exciting. Originally, many Citadel models were sold loose in draws and you just asked for what you required. The freindly chap (or chapess) behind the counter would dutifully slide the draw open and unearth the 'skeleton warrior with severed head' that you were after/ Then came the tickets with a vague symbol and a hand written code telling you was contained within the plastic bag that dangled below. Miniatures had been packaged like for years and were a common sight in the 1970s. By the mid '80s the more familiar card packs appeared, as illustrated above, in navy blue and yellow. But it was the later '80s that saw an explosion in bright and exciting packaging. 

Have a gander at these!






By late 1991 I had moved on from regular miniatures buying. My parents had bought me a Commodore Amiga and my interests moved elsewhere. The years ticked by and by 1995 I had returned to the hobby and started collecting Bloodbowl miniatures again with a friend. Sadly, the glorious blister packs that I had fond memories of were long gone, replaced by much, much inferior products. 

See what I mean.



And they have been bland ever since.

Orlygg
↧
↧

The Daemon-Prince and the Woodcutter: A Warhammer Fantasy Battle Third Edition Scenario

May 18, 2014, 4:42 am
$
0
0
"Hail to thee,

News of our victory at Darkspume will have no doubt reached you by now. The time to move the coven grows near and we must rejoice in that fact. However, there is a danger of complacency if we fail to act accordingly. We are now free to move westwards through the depths of the forest as our enemies are now scattered, but time is short. They will rally in the days to come, no doubt gaining strength as quickly as we bled it from them. So M has ordered that the perfect sacrifice should be moved by the end of this moon.  

Your task is to clear the path through the forest to the east of us. You will be familiar with the Old Forest Road from our earliest times together. The place is much changed now and is bitterly contested. Followers of the Bloody One and the Father of Flies have fought each other for many years for possessions of the crags, glades and clearings. Our journey will be the swifter if these rivals are distracted. 

You are to find the shrine of Gloth'as'skar, an ancient statue dedicated to our lord. The shrine consists of a craven image, gouged from stone, and is lost somewhere along the Road. Supplied with this letter is a preserved heart. This and this alone will re-activate the shrine and cast our Lord's power and influence across the land. This power, if properly directed, will further disrupt our enemies and allow our safe passage. 

I have little aid to give thee apart from the knowledge that a simple woodcutter dwells near the shrine. According to our spies, he knows the lay of the land like no other and will be a good place to start in your search. It is likely that the shrine is protected by enchantment, most likely illusion, though the heart will allow what cannot be seen to be seen once again. 

Additionally, I have supplied a ring for one of your followers. It contains a petty illusion spell. I am not privy to the blessings of your followers but I expect that few can past unnoticed amongst the non-believers. This ring will remedy that. Slip the band on to a finger, and all the uninitiated will see is a common peasant man. Use this tool wisely. 

Find the shrine and re-activate it. Be on your guard for our enemies and the creatures of the forest. 

Do not fail our master. 

Do not fail me. 

H"

This is the first scenario that I have published on Realm of Chaos 80s. I am a huge fan and staunch believer of the narrative game, probably due to my strong links with role-playing, and feel that WFB3 is the ideal ruleset to explore games that are really just interactive stories. The overview published below sets the background to the story of this little scenario and provides an oversight to all of the factions involved. If you intend to run this game (or hope to play your part in it) I would stop reading now, as the details of the game are published below. The GM running the game just need provide the appropriate set of stats to each of his players and ensure that they have copies of the background materials.

The scenario has been designed to be played between 2-4 players with a very small number of models. No prior knowledge of WFB3 is required to play if the GM has a good understanding of them. I have added the concept of an intelligence test to the game. This allows players to have the chance to notice little details that provide at little atmosphere and further information to the game.

I have provided notes under many characters based on the rules from WFB3. If you are unfamiliar with these, it will be worth your while in checking what these mean exactly. Otherwise, feel free to change, adapt or ignore anything you wish too. The purpose of this scenario is to have a narrative game full of suspense, action and betrayal.

A full write up of me GMing this game can be read here - part 1, part 2 and part 3. You may wish to read the report first before continuing with this article, that way the spoilers will not raise their heads until you need them too!

GM's Overview

This scenario involves a small warband of Slaanesh moving eastwards through the Drakwald Forest. The group is lead by Blandidir, a dark elf, who has lived for many years as a house servant in the affluent town of Drakberz. Though hiding in plain sight as a servant, Blandidir is in fact the head of a local coven of  Slaaneshi worshippers. The human who she pretends to serve is in fact a lower ranking member of the group called Ernest Schutz. Most of the coven is mutated and hides beneath the brick built buildings of the town. As the coven has grown in size it is becoming difficult to exist comfortably in Drakberz. The coven's distant and mysterious leader and benefactor, known only as H, has uncovered a ruined tower east of the town which is ideal for the group's plans. They have raised the daughter of a local silk merchant to the rank of priestess and she is now committed to sacrificing herself to the dark whims of the pleasure god. However, before such ceremonies can be properly prepared, the coven needs to be moved through disputed forest territory. Blandidir and the warriors of the coven have been ordered to activate a largely forgotten shrine in order to disrupt their enemies and ensure safe passage to their new home. She has been given instructions that describe a contact deep in the forest along the Old Forest Road. Her target is a small cottage, owned by a local woodcutter, and spies have confirmed that he knows the area better than anyone else. 

Close to the cottage stands a singular hole in the ground known locally as Goblin's Lure. It is the home of an ancient and particularly intelligent spider called Grubshat. Many of the locals know of the spider and go out of their way to avoid its territory but few feel threatened by her because she feeds solely on the goblins who lurk in the dark, damp places of the forest. Due to this, local humans are rather protective of her and fear that outsiders will no doubt decided to hunt down the spider and kill her. Locals worry that this will cause the goblins to multiple considerably and cause severe problems for those who live in the forest.

Ripnose Snotz is a common goblin with delusions of grandeur. His small band of gobbos has sworn to slay old Grubshat once and for all. Snotz and his wolf riders plan to travel towards the spider, draw the beast out and kill her. This is unusually brave behaviour to a goblin, but Snotz has a cunning ploy at hand. A magic potion that bestows upon its drinker a period of fearlessness. Just perfect for taking on a spider of hideous size. His small force is lurking among the bushes around the time Blandidir arrives in the woodcutter's clearing. Will Snotz be able to drum up the courage to lead his small force out towards the spider and kill the beast?

Voight Dripsore is a champion of Nurgle. He has been ordered to destroy the rival Slaaneshi faction and loot their equipment as their group is in urgent need of resupply. He needs to plan an ambush that will ensure a quick, concise victory over the Purple Palm coven at minimal risk to his own forces. There is one catch! One of the Slaaneshi coven members is an unwitting informant for Nurgle and needs to be kept alive if possible!

Jon Branch is a were. An honest were. Afraid of the harm he could do to other humans in his monthly transformations into a giant wolf he has secreted himself away in the depths of the forest to live the life of a woodcutter. Years of roaming the area has caused him to become a local oracle of knowledge and he is often consulted by the local hunting fraternity. Even dwarfs have been known to question him about the qualities of local rocks!

Gloth'as'skar is an imprisoned daemon prince. Disgraced by trickery, he has been condemned to be bound within a statue until a blood sacrifice is washed upon the shrine's stones. However, the shrine is magically hidden and it is highly unlikely that anyone will ever seek him out. Frustrated by the aeons, this entity waits for someone foolish enough to re-activate his prison and let him loose on the mortal plane once more!

Slaaneshi Player Overview

This player to to be handed the letter from the benefactor, published at the beginning of this article. They should also be introduced to their forces but need not immediately decide where to place them on the board. They will need to decide who will carry the illusion ring and who will carry the preserved heart. These items can be given to a single character if desired. Once the GM has had the opportunity to discuss each player's plans, the Slaaneshi player will need to decide on their first move.

Blandidir Chaos Champion of Slaanesh lvl 15 hero
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
4 1/2
6
5
4
4
3
8
3
10+2
9
10+1
9+1

Hand Weapon (magical sword) Hellhoned Blade (no saving throw for non-magical armours)
Shield
Light Armour SV 5+

Brugal Vassel Acolyte of Purple Palm Coven lvl 10 wizard
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
4
4
3
4
3
2
4
1
8+1
9+2
8+1
9+2

Light Armour SV 6+
Hand Weapon (magical dagger) Baneblade (double wounds for first wounded race for rest of the game)
Magic Level 1 Power Level 10  Magic Points 10
Spells:
Cure Light Injury (touch) MP 1 Restores 1 W to any character. Fail spell removes 1 W from character.
Fireball (24") MP 1 per fireball (d3 S3 hits) No SV allowed apart from mounted characters SV 6+
Bind Daemon MP 3 (24") daemon receives MSV 6+ if failed cannot move or attack next turn

Lenz Flailskin Chaos Warrior of Slaanesh lvl 5 hero
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
4
4
4
4
3
1
4
2
7
7
7
7

Chaos Armour SV 4+ (+1 to MSV)
Flail +1 S hit  -1 I when pushed back  charge M rate only

Max Chaos Thug 
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
4
3
3
3
3
1
3
1
7
7
7
7

Hand Weapon (club) 

Felix Chaos Thug
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
4
3
3
3
3
1
3
1
7
7
7
7

Light Armour SV 6+
Double Handed Mace

Dram Chaos Thug
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
4
3
3
3
3
1
3
2
7
7
7
7

Light Armour SV 6+
Hand Weapon (Sword)
Additional Weapon (Dagger) -1 to hot right handed attack -2 to hit with handed attack if using both weapons

Buttockfiend Slaangor
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
3 1/2
4
3
3
4
2
3
1
7
6
7
7

Light Armour SV 5+
Shield
Hand Weapon (mace) 

Hornsmount Slaangor
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
3 1/2
4
3
3
4
2
3
1
7
6
7
7

Light Armour SV 5+
Shield
Hand Weapon (sword) 

Goblin Player Overview

"Snotz haz had enuff! Nah more gobboz is ganna be gobbley upzie by dat 'airy bugga, Grabshat! Wiv diz brayavree poeshon us gobboz will scwish dat kreepie krawlie wiv ar wulf boys. Yoo fwree gobbos wiv aaht wulfies wiv 'ave ta waotch ar baks an' keyp Old Jon 'oled up in 'is paddick!" 

Ripnose Snotz is a goblin with purpose. For many years, the giant spider, Grabshat, has hunted the goblins of his tribe and generally prevented the 'Bad Eggz Boyz' from spreading their influence westwards. With the recent addition to Snotz swag bag of an expensive 'Potion of Courage' the time has come to eliminate the pesky arachnid and make an name for Snotz and his boyz. Glory awaits the goblin who can rid the forest of the old spider. Jon Branch, a half-were human and protector of the spider, lives locally and may need distracting or eliminating before Grubshat can be killed. The truth about Jon is not generally known, and is only knowledge to the goblins due to their skulking in the forest and endless snooping. Perhaps its a secret that can be used to their advantage?

The goblin player should be handed their stats and the information published for their faction. They enter to the south of the Slaaneshi forces, on the left hand corner of the board d12 turns after the Slaaneshi players first turn.. Their target, Grubshat, will be lurking inside Goblin's Lure (a small hole in the ground) on the right hand corner of the board.

Ripnose Snotz Goblin Champion
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
-
8
3
4
4
0
4
3
3
3
2
-
3
3
1
1
6
-
5
-
6
-
5
-

Spear +1 I
Shield
Light Armour SV 4+

Goblin Wolf Riders x 4
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
-
8 1/2
2
4
3
0
3
3
3
3
1
-
2
3
1
1
5
-
5
-
5
-
5
-

Light Armour 5+
Hand Weapon (assorted) 

Grublub Goblin Hero
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
3 1/2
3
4
4
3
1
3
2
5
5
5
5

Hand Weapon (sword)
Light Armour SV 5+
Shield

Throtglug Goblin Warrior 
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
4
2
3
3
3
1
2
1
5
5
5
5

Bow 16" S3
12 Arrows
Light Armour
Hand Weapon (sword) 

Huggagob Goblin Warrior
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
4
2
3
3
3
1
2
1
5
5
5
5

Hand Weapon (sword)

NOTE: Each goblin has been issue with the Potion of Courage. This may be drunk at the beginning of any goblin player's turn. This will provide a 10 + d10 turn bonus to Ld at +3. When the potion wears off, the goblins will return to their original Ld stat. Use this tool wisely.

Nurgle Player Overview

"Voight, 

We have been informed that a group of rival cultists have emerged from the fields around Drakberz and are making their way along the Old Forest Road. Our informant has reported this group to be followers of the Purple Palm, a Slaaneshi group active in the town.  I understand that they are well equipped with magical items that will be useful to our cause. 

Your instructions are clear. Locate this group, ambush them along the road and kill them. Their equipment must be looted and returned to me here, as the Deathfist will soon begin to push at our boarders once more. Spare the life of the wizard Brugal Vassel though, he doesn't yet know it, but he is the informant feeding us with the knowledge we so desperately need. Father Nurgle has blessed him with a most fortunate illness and as the pustules burst, so the pus speaks to His servants of the perverse plans of the Purple Palm. 

Leave no other witnesses. 

Molke"

Voight is an enforcer. The Old Forest Road has long represented a territorial line between rival chaos groups. Since his defeat in the Badlands of the South, the major force in the area, the Khornate Champion, Deathfist, has been in decline. His forces are now stretched thin and Slaaneshi and Nurgle Warbands are vying to wrest control of the forests from him. It is Voight's role to harass enemy forces within these disputed areas of the forest and to interrupt their movements if he can. An accomplished kidnapper and killer before his discovery of the Plague Lord, Voight is the right man for this brutal occupation.

As the Nurgle forces are ambushing their rivals, Voight's warband can enter the game from any direction. In fact, they may split up and enter from all four sides of the board if they so wish. They can reveal themselves at any point in the preceedings.

Voight Dripsore Champion of Nurgle lvl 15 
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
4
5
4
4
4
3
5
3
9+2
7
8+1
8+1

Chaos Armour SV 4+
Shield
Hand Weapon (magical sword) Parrying Blade (blocks first attack automatically) 

Bilestaff Sorcerer of Nurgle lvl 10
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
4
4
3
4
3
2
4
1
8+1
9+2
8+1
9+2

Light Armour
Double Handed Weapon (scythe)
Magic Level 1 Power Level 10  Magic Points 10
Spells:
Camouflage Illusion MP 2 (personal) -1 to hit rolls.
Steal Mind MP 2 (12") MSV test if failed d6 turns worth of inactivity. All attacks free hacks.
Bind Daemon MP 3 (24") daemon receives MSV 6+ if failed cannot move or attack next turn

Brattlebone the Flayed Beastman of Nurgle
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
3 1/2
4
3
3
4
2
3
1
7
6
7
7

Heavy Armour SV 5+
Flail +1 S hit  -1 I when pushed back  charge M rate only

Octo Chaos Thug
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
4
3
3
3
3
1
3
1
7
7
7
7

Light Armour SV 6+
Hand Weapon (axe)

Dolf Chaos Thug
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
3 1/2
3
3
3
3
1
3
1
7
7
7
7

Light Armour SV 5+
Shield
Hand Weapon (sword)

Golo Chaos Thug
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
4
3
3
3
3
1
3
1
7
7
7
7

Light Armour SV 5+
Shield
Hand Weapon (sword) 

GM's Role 

Your role is to control and the battle and run the NPC characters of Jon Branch and Grubshat. Later on, you will need to play the role of the bloodletters should they make an appearance in the battle. Encourage the players to communicate their ideas with you via written questions to ensure that the other players are not informed of their intentions or whereabouts.

Jon Branch Human Were lvl 15
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
4
4
5
6
4
4
4
5
4
5
3
3
5
6
3
3
9+2
10+2
7
6
8+1
9+1
8+1
9+1

SV 6+
See page 224 of WFB for special rules.
Jon cannot transform into a giant wolf during the day, he requires the moonlight.

Grubshat Giant Spider
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
5
3
0
5
4
4
1
2
8
3
6
2

Cause fear 6" in all creatures under 10 feet tall.
Immune to psychology. Panic test if attached by fire or moved within 4" of burning object.
Poisonous bite attack +1 strength when attacking.
-1 against saving throws due to penetrating fangs.
SV 4+

Gloth'as'skar Bloodletter 
M
WS
BS
S
T
W
I
A
Ld
Int
Cl
WP
4
5
5
4
3
1
6
2
10
10
10
10

Subject to frenzy and hatred of Slaaneshi followers.
Hellblade =1 to hit causes d3 wounds drains 2d6 points of magical power to Slaaneshi followers
1 bite and 1 claw attack
DSV d6 points to create SVs
Causes fear

Roll d6 before he breaks free. On a roll of 4+ Gloth'as'skar will split into two daemonic entities, exact copies of each other. Though they share the same daemonical 'soul' the two daemons can act independently of each other. 

The Battlefield



The design of the the gaming board is largely up to the whims of the GM. It will need a suitable building to act as Jon Branch's cottage and this should include a small fenced off (or walled off) area to act as his garden. Slaaneshi forces enters play from the North, as seen in the image above, while the goblin player enters on the bottom left hand corner. The location of the shrine and the Goblin's Lure is up to the GM. It is probably best to keep the two locations suitably apart, though there is nothing stopping you putting them in the same place if you so wish. Remember that the location of the shrine is totally secret and can only be activated by the preserved heart being in base-to-base contact with the position of the shrine. The Nurgle player can on any of the four gaming corners. 

Notes on Play 

The game begins when the Slaaneshi player first moves on to the table. 

The Nurgle forces remain hidden until their player wishes to enter the board. 

Grubshat will reveal herself when the goblins are within 12" of here hide away. She will not attack any other factions unless attacked herself of if any characters move within 6" of her. She will not attack Jon under any circumstances. She long ago became used to his presence and does not consider him a threat. 

Jon will transform into a werewolf instantly if any aggressive entity enters his garden. He will attack anyone in order to protect his home. If he is in line of sight of anyone attacking Grubshat he will transform into a wolf and move at double rate towards the attacking enemy. Upon base to base contact, Jon has the usual +1 bonus as if he had charged normally. 

Successful Int tests (to be carried out by the GM in secret) will result in the following.

1. Noises and pungent animal smells will be noticed by any character moving with 12" of the goblin player's corner before their arrival. The GM should indicate vaguely that the small is like that of cattle but with a more savage tang. There is no need to state that the small is that of goblins. Just give the impression that something is lurking within the bushes. 

2. A sense of being watched will creep up over any character moving within 18" of the Goblin's Lair. Inform the player involved that there is an ancient, inhuman intelligence that is regarding them with cold interest. Hint that it may not be through eyes that the observations are being made. 

3. Jon can be recruited to aid any non-chaos looking character. He will defend them using his human profile but would only turn into a wolf man in the direst need. he will want to keep this a secret. He will not help any obvious follower of a chaos god however. Nor will he help the goblins. 

4. Any chaos player coming within 2" of the shrine's location will report a feeling of being near a magical object. 

Feel free to use secret intelligence tests to add any other options that you feel add to the drama of the game. 

Victory Points

Slaanesh

Blandidir survives the battle = 5VPs
Brugal Vassell survives the battle = 5 VPs
Each additional Slaaneshi character that survives the game = 5VPs each
Killing goblins = 2VPs each
Persuading Jon Branch to join the disguised coven member = 10 VPs
Using Jon Branch to help in the search of the shrine = 10VPs
Killing Jon Branch = 20 VPs
Killing Jon Branch as a were = 30VPs
Killing Voight = 15VPs
Killing Bilestaff = 10VPs
Killing additional Nurgle characters = 5 VPs each
Finding the Shrine = 20VPs
Good roleplaying = 10VPs

Killing a daemon = 1 reward roll on the RoC Follwers Table
For every 40VPs = 1 reward roll on the RoC Follwers Table

Goblins

Ripnose Snotz survives the battle = 20VPs
Each additional goblin character that survives the game = 5VPs each
Killing Grubshat = 20VPs each
Killing Jon Branch = 20 VPs
Killing Jon Branch as a were = 30VPs
Killing Voight = 15VPs
Killing Bilestaff = 10VPs
Killing additional Nurgle characters = 5 VPs each
Killing Blandidir = 15VPs
Killing Brugal Vassel = 10VPs
Killing additional Slaaneshi characters = 5 VPs each
Good roleplaying = 10VPs

Nurgle

Voight survives the battle = 5VPs
Bilestaff survives the battle = 5 VPs
Each additional Nurgle character that survives the game = 5VPs each
Killing goblins = 2VPs each
Killing Jon Branch = 20 VPs
Killing Jon Branch as a were = 30VPs
Killing Blandidir = 15VPs
Killing Brugal Vassel = 10VPs
Killing additional Slaaneshi characters = 5 VPs each
Wiping out the Slaaneshi force = 20VPs
Each looted piece of equipment = 1/2VP each
Good roleplaying = 10VPs

Killing a daemon = 1 reward of RoC followers table
For every 40VPs = 1 reward roll on the RoC Follwers Table

The GM can also add additional Victory points for nay other appropriate act. 

↧

The Daemon Prince and the Woodcutter Scenario Report: Part 1

May 18, 2014, 4:42 am
$
0
0
Welcome to the first of my Oldhammer Scenarios that I hope to share with you in the coming months. If you are coming to this report fresh, you may want to have a quick scan through the background to the scenario here, though doing so is not necessary. In fact, you may well want to stay on this page to avoid the spoilers that that article will inevitably bestow upon you. 

To begin then...

A clearing in the forest, about half a day's travel from the Imperial town of Drakberz. A shadowy group of figures secret themselves alongside a thick patch of brambles and observe the serene landscape before them. A single cottage, with a crumbling stone wall to the rear, stands among hundreds of tree stumps. Thick areas of bramble growth spot the land here and there, competing for light with the odd tree. A dusty track, the Old Forest Road, runs past the building and branches off to the south. 

A female elf, obviously the leader of this expedition withdraws a crumbled letter from her belt. Cracking open the starched pages she re-reads her instructions...

"Hail to thee,

News of our victory at Darkspume will have no doubt reached you by now. The time to move the coven grows near and we must rejoice in that fact. However, there is a danger of complacency if we fail to act accordingly. We are now free to move westwards through the depths of the forest as our enemies are now scattered, but time is short. They will rally in the days to come, no doubt gaining strength as quickly as we bled it from them. So M has ordered that the perfect sacrifice should be moved by the end of this moon.  

Your task is to clear the path through the forest to the east of us. You will be familiar with the Old Forest Road from our earliest times together. The place is much changed now and is bitterly contested. Followers of the Bloody One and the Father of Flies have fought each other for many years for possessions of the crags, glades and clearings. Our journey will be the swifter if these rivals are distracted. 

You are to find the shrine of Gloth'as'skar, an ancient statue dedicated to our lord. The shrine consists of a craven image, gouged from stone, and is lost somewhere along the Road. Supplied with this letter is a preserved heart. This and this alone will re-activate the shrine and cast our Lord's power and influence across the land. This power, if properly directed, will further disrupt our enemies and allow our safe passage. 

I have little aid to give thee apart from the knowledge that a simple woodcutter dwells near the shrine. According to our spies, he knows the lay of the land like no other and will be a good place to start in your search. It is likely that the shrine is protected by enchantment, most likely illusion, though the heart will allow what cannot be seen to be seen once again. 

Additionally, I have supplied a ring for one of your followers. It contains a petty illusion spell. I am not privy to the blessings of your followers but I expect that few can past unnoticed amongst the non-believers. This ring will remedy that. Slip the band on to a finger, and all the uninitiated will see is a common peasant man. Use this tool wisely. 

Find the shrine and re-activate it. Be on your guard for our enemies and the creatures of the forest. 

Do not fail our master. 


Do not fail me. 

H"


Slowly, a single figure strolls from the forest's shadows and plants their booted feet upon the dusty soil of the road. Small clouds of flies circle his head in the lazy way of insects. He stops to observe the cottage, though no immediate signs of life are spotted. Stepping off of the road, the figure makes his way around the side of the building leaving the flies to endless circuit. 


Carefully, the figure considers the cottage. There is something odd about him, though a thief he is not, for only the most foolish of their ilk would dare to be seen some openly. He pauses to sniff the air, as if trying to sense for something,while his idle fingers toy harmlessly with a unadorned silver band on a finger. The sound of someone chopping wood behind the building can now be heard. 


The figure advances with interest. Within moments, he has turned the corner of the building and spotting a single woodcutting chopping wood for a unseen fire. Observing the woodsman brings little information beyond his age and bearing. The woodsman is middle aged, with greying brown hair and a bristling beard. he looks up, his yellowish eyes narrowing as he notices the stranger by his garden wall. 


"Good afternoon," the figure states, as if in way of introduction, "you aren't aware of any shrines in the area are you?"

"Shrines?" The woodsman considers, resting a burly arm upon his axe haft. "Why yes. To the south there lies a shrine to Morr, people with us forest folk when we have needs of it. Further south sees a shrine to Shallya too. Can I ask why you ask?"

Ignoring the woodsman's pleasantries, the strange goes on. "How far would the journey be to these shrines?" 

Blinking his displeasure at the rudeness of this fellow, the woodsman answers nonetheless. "Why, three or four hours for Morr and several days for Shallya!"

The stranger considers this for a moment. "Very well," he states, touching his hat in a gesture of thanks, "have a good afternoon."


Strolling with a purpose now, the stranger sets foot once more upon the road and heads north back into the shadows of the forest. Minutes later, he re-emerges and resumes his journey along the road. If the woodman had been watching from his cottage window, he would have wondered perhaps and the change in gait with the strangers movements. Before he had moved like a scholar, with slumped shoulders and interested eyes, but now he seemed to move as a warrior, straight backed and alert.

Odd indeed. 


In a few strong steps, the stranger is past the cottage's frontage and begins to turn a corner past an old rotting fence. Now and again, he stops, as if looking for something amongst the bushes and trees. Confusion seems to dog his steps, almost as if he is unsure about the object he so obviously seeks. 


Reaching the fork in the road, the stranger opts to take the smaller path. His feet have only trudged a few steps when the strange freezes. His limbs stiffen and he becomes motionless. A sinister feeling nags at his stomach, as if he were being watched... Studied even. And not by something human! His steps faulter under this instinct, and the stranger casts his head about wildly looking for the source of this feeling.

Then, he senses a new danger. The bushes behind him seem to writhe with life. A rugged, animal stench wafts from the treeline beyond the bramble growth. The sound of leather creaking and harnesses tinkling can be heard faintly. As can the snapping snarls of what sound like... wolves! 


Wolfriders burst forth from the shadows of the forest. Five wicked goblinoids mounted on vicious, snarling animals. They appear armed with all the random weapons of these cruel greenskins. Emerging from the bushes nearby, sneak three goblins on foot. Their faces are just as twisted and nasty as their kin on the back of the wolfs. 

The stranger sees steam rising from the mouths of the wolves. Though, rather oddly, the goblins don't seem to have noticed him yet. Making a sprint for the hedgerow, the figure starts to make himself scarce. 

"Snotz haz had enuff!" The leader of the wolfriders mutters to his followers. "Nah more gobboz is ganna be gobbley upzie by dat 'airy bugga, Grabshat! Wiv diz brayavree poeshon us gobboz will scwish dat kreepie krawlie wiv ar wulf boys. Yoo fwree gobbos wiv aaht wulfies wiv 'ave ta waotch ar baks an' keyp Old Jon 'oled up in 'is paddick!" 

As if on cue, each goblin produces a grimy, glass vial from somewhere beneath their clothing and knock the contents back. Their eyes seem to bulge and their jaws constrict with the taste but a new determination begins to glow in their eyes. A determination that seems out of place on the faces of these cowardly creatures. 


Shadows spread across the road to the north as a warband emerges from the undergrowth. pinks, pastel greens and purples clothe their bodies and two, twisted beastmen guard their flanks. These are obviously followers of a forbidden god! Sadly, the forests are full of them. If an observer had keen eyes, he may very well have made out several other figures in similar hues sneaking among the trees. Obviously, there is more to this warband that are currently stepping forth upon the dust of the Old Forest Road. 

Meanwhile, the stranger struggles to cross the hedgerow and get out of the line of sight of the goblins. Despite the goblinoids being some close by, something stops the figure from his panicked scrambles. Something that encourages his to slowly turn and look behind him!


A giant spider! Dumbfounded, the stranger cannot help but watch the enormous creature crawl from its hole and begin to flex its mandibles in the afternoon's sunlight. Is the thing hungry? Terrified, the stranger continues his made scramblings to clear the hedgerow.


Spotting the arachnid, the goblin leader let's loose a warcry! "Snotz! Snotz! Snotz! Before launching his animal forwards, promptly followed by his companions. With an insane glee smirked across their faces, the wolfriders begin their charge towards the repulsive creature. Their remaining kin sneak forwards towards the crumbling stone walls of the woodcutter's garden. 

Evil flickers on their eyes.

To the north, the chaos warband stop dead in their tracks. This is not what they expected. With practiced grace, their draw their weapons and drawl themselves together into a closer formation....

END OF PART ONE. PART TWO CAN BE FOUND HERE.
↧

The Daemon Prince and the Woodcutter Scenario Report: Part 2

May 18, 2014, 4:43 am
$
0
0

As the sun begins its slow decline into west, the chaos warband spreads itself out across the road. Their bright and garish colouring catches the light while the metallic amulets that adorn many of the folds and creases reflect the sun's rays around them in wild, dancing shades. The leader of the group, now exposed as a female dark elf, emerges from the canopy cover flanked by a hulking chaos warrior. 

"Brandidir!" A voice howls from east. "Brandidir! Beware the gigantic spider that lurks to the south east! Its crawled from its hole and is just sitting there!"


The dark elf glances across the clearing at the sound of her name. She spots a peasant man fleeing in earnest towards her. As his feet eat up the furlong between them, she watches as he prizes a simple silver band from his finger. Instantly, his simple clothing vanishes and in its stead appears the hulking form of an armoured warrior!

Illusion then! But why?

"The shrine? Have you found it?" Blandidir calls out eagerly, her eyes flashing with impatience. 

"Not yet, just that damn spider! Its enormous!"


As the hurried exchange is made across the clearing, the goblins gather their strength and charge across the open ground, levelling their weapons and collide with the spider and a crack of impacting bodies. The wolves snarl and snap viciously as the goblins mill around thumping the arachnid's bodies with their weapons. Grubshat recoils and then counter attacks, her slicing mandibles striking out for goblin skin and wolf throat. 

The remaining goblins spread out and block the road between the bricks of the woodcutter's garden and the old fence of the hedgerow. Their wicked eyes glean nastily towards the cottage and its occupant and wearily towards the advancing chaos worshipers. 


The warriors of the chaos group advance at a pace and form a rough line across their side of the road. The woodcutter, his eyes blazing, grips his axe haft with his rough fingers and watches, poised for action. 

"What are you goblins doing here?" Are the words of the pink haired clubman. 

"Wee iz 'ere ta doo in dat bugga, Grubshat! An' yoo pinky sodz iz not crossin' dat dere fresh'old or wez will fillz ya full of arras. Itz da boss' scrap an' nuffin ta doo wiv yoo!" Comes the gutteral response. 


Meanwhile, the newly revealed warrior in armour completes his mad dash across the clearing towards his leader. Only seconds from his group, he stops stock still alongside the tree that grows close to the hedgerow. What was that he could feel? A tickling, pulling sensation. A fine feeling and one he has experienced before when standing close to the magical items that his coven maintain in Drakberz. 

"Brandidir! Here! I think I have found the shrine!"

The dark elf passes a sign to the cowled follower in purple and the acolyte produces a preserved heart from a secret place within his robe. Advancing with the organ held high above his head, he slices open the ventricles and allows the cold blood to splatter across the bark of the tree. 


For the second time in minutes, an illusion flickers out and vanishes. In its place stands an ancient statue of a chaos warrior. Its stone grey green with age and cracked with the passing of the centuries. A strange tremor can be felt beneath the ground and the tickling and pulling sensation spreads out across the clearing and beyond. Almost like some kind of magical force was spreading out across the land itself. 


Despite the breaking of the illusion, the stand off by the road remains tense. To the east, the wolfriders continue to battle with the spider. Now wounded, the creature fights on as brown ichor oozes from its severed leg. Sensing victory, the wolves and their riders surge forwards once more. In the melee, their leader, Ripnose Snotz, goes down beneath a savage strike from the spider's hairy leg. Undaunted by the loss of their leader, the remaining goblinoids continue to hack into the meat of the arachnid. 

Unnoticed by any of the fighters in the clearing, the canopy to the north is again vibrant with movement. Only, instead of the bright colours of the chaos warband the hues on show are darker, mud splattered a filthy. The cloud of flies returns, thicker this time, intrigued no doubt by the commotion. They buzz and dance in excitement in ever darkening clouds. 


A new leader steps forth onto the soil of the clearing. Chaos armour hangs from his powerfully formed body in rusted plates. Bodily fluids run in glistening rivers from between the cracks of the armour and like the dark elf before him, he has the words of a letter in his mind.

"Voight, 

We have been informed that a group of rival cultists have emerged from the fields around Drakberz and are making their way along the Old Forest Road. Our informant has reported this group to be followers of the Purple Palm, a Slaaneshi group active in the town.  I understand that they are well equipped with magical items that will be useful to our cause. 

Your instructions are clear. Locate this group, ambush them along the road and kill them. Their equipment must be looted and returned to me here, as the Deathfist will soon begin to push at our boarders once more. Spare the life of the acolyte Brugal Vassel though, he doesn't yet know it, but he is the informant feeding us with the knowledge we so desperately need. Father Nurgle has blessed him with a most fortunate illness and as the pustules burst, so the pus speaks to His servants of the perverse plans of the Purple Palm. 

Leave no other witnesses. 

Molke"


The buzz of flies does not go unnoticed for long. Blandidir spins on her heel and notices the threat almost as soon at it appears in the clearing. Snapping a command, most of her warband forms a line of battle alongside the shrine. A beastman and thug remain between the group and the three goblins. 

They have been ambushed! 


To the south east, Grubshat finally falls to the goblin's attacks. Her body recoils for the last time and curls up into a broken ball. Howling their delight, the surviving wolfriders begin to ride around in a circle singing foul goblin songs. 


"I challenge thee, Slaaneshi fool!" The rusted champion calls out, pointing his sword towards the enraged figure of Blandidir. "Single combat in the eyes of the gods!"

Unable to refuse such a request, Blandidir strides forwards with her blade in her hand. Encouraging voices and foul jeers are uttered by their followers as they make their first moves towards each other. Soon, the fight is in earnest, but due to battle prowess and magical aid the two champions seem locked in a bitter stalemate. 

The acolyte, Brugal Vassel, starts a whisper amongst his fellows. The stalemate is obvious and only a change in circumstance will assure victory. A few moments more and they charge the enemy in support of their leader. 


As the dark elf's latest blow is deflected by Voight's blade, the Nurgle warband, perhaps guessing their foes plans, take the initiative and surge forwards. The faster moving troops run and clash together in a fury of blades, while the two slower flail wielding warriors stalk towards each other. A fire ball spell lauches itself from Brugal's hand, wounding the Nurgle sorcerer before he is able to act...

As the first drops of blood fall to the soil and its sour tang fills the air the cracks on the shrine begin to deepen. Small grains of stone begin to fall away...

The woodcutter, watching the struggle, hefts his axe once again as his eyes slowly turn yellow.

END OF PART TWO. PART THREE CAN BE FOUND HERE.
↧
↧

The Daemon Prince and the Woodcutter Scenario Report: Part 3

May 18, 2014, 4:43 am
$
0
0

The melee continues in front of the cottage's weather beaten beams. Having stopped the Nurgle charge, the Slaaneshi forces begin to fight back, felling a pale skinned thug and pushing his companions back. Behind them, the struggle between the two champions remains a deadlock. 


As the flail wielding warriors meet and clash the surviving goblins begin to move across the clearing to regroup by the road. Their wolves can smell the fresh blood that has been split to north and snapped eagerly at their bits. Their new leader, Grombottle, is puzzled to see a strange statue in the place of what he was sure was a tree before their charge. Only, the statue seems to be crumbling... And from within, a devilish red light can be seen...


With a bone crunching crack, the statue implodes to reveal the twisted form of a Bloodletter! The daemon of Khorne springs forth inspiring terror in all who witnesses its daemonic birth. Spotting followers of the hated Slaanesh, the daemon becomes frenzied and attacks the closest fighter.


Fear is a powerful force. Despite their familiarity with the creatures of chaos, followers from both sides flee in terror of the daemon. Their panic spreads to the goblins, who save for a single soul rooted to the spot, run for the safety of the woods. Voight's nerve fails him and he too retreats back into the woodland. The few chaos followers who master their fears turn to face the daemon, eager to fell the creature and attract the attention of their dark patrons. Nurgle or Slaanesh, they fight together.


Meanwhile, a panicked beastman of Slaanesh scrambles over the woodcutter's wall. A terrifying change overcomes the human. Hair sprouts through his skin, his face twists into that of the beast! Jon is none other than a werewolf. Enraged by the invasion of his garden, the were lashes out at the beastman but fails to connect with him as he flees. The beastman scales the second wall and is away.


With the panic over, the motral fighters of both sides engage with the daemon. The bloodletter lashes out with his teeth and hellblade but fails to even land a blow on the mortal with the green helmet. The thug, Felix, parries frantically with his weapons and defends himself with almost inhuman bravery. Slowly, his fellow mortals begin to surround the daemon but Felix has been noticed by his god.


Feeling the eye of Slaanesh focus on an underling, leaving her actions unacknowledged, Blandidir strikes out with her magical blade. It finds its mark! The daemon's daemonical protection cannot withstand the blow and the entity retracts back into the warp as quickly as it came. 


Leaving in its place the cursed statue. Brugal Vassel realises that the daemon is bound within the statue once more.

"This is no shrine to Our Prince," he declares, "but an abhorrent entrapment of Khorne! This is a place of worship of our enemy not our Lord! 


Rage boils inside Brugal at the trickery. Somewhere there is a traitor to their coven. Someone keen to see them unwittingly do the Blood God's work. His anger boils up into a flaming fireball spell. Brugal unleashes it at the Bilestaff, the Nurgle sorcerer and strikes the cancerous magician down. 


As the powerful mage collapses, the remaining Nurgle forces loose heart and flee. One is cut down while the other narrowly escapes a second fireball attack form Brugal.


At the end of the skirmish, Blandidir controls the clearing with most of her warband. There is little left to do but contemplate their betrayal and to seek answers elsewhere. Slaanesh, pleased with what he has seen this day rewards the coven well. Felix, for his bravery fighting against the daemon and not suffering a scratch despite its frenzied attacks, discovers a set of giant fangs begin to protrude from his jaws. Perhaps in recognition, or indeed mockery, of his engagement with the daemon. Blandidir feels her god's attentions flow through her body with delightful spasms and pains. Her strength is much increased, despite her outward appearance. This gift will not doubt be enough to ensure no stalemate next time she meets the Nurgle champion, Voight in open conflict. 
↧

A Warhammer Bestiary: Were

May 19, 2014, 12:39 am
$
0
0


Here's my latest painted figure. A Night Horrors werewolf. Now, I am sure that many of you are familiar with the Night Horrors range as it is really rather collectible, not to mention home to one or two rather pricey models. I have heard it said from others that this particular range is rather difficult to complete but I couldn't say for sure if this were true as I have never had any real problems getting hold of any of the models in the collection. 

Werewolves are rather rare in the Citadel Miniatures world. I cannot actually think of many suitable models for representing them. In fact, I more modern times they have been removed altogether from the background, of at least it was so when I was still reading the fluff. With the speed and reversals of background change in the last ten years they may well have an entire army book out by now! 

Unusually for a living creature, the werewolf has become linked to undead armies. I have always found this rather strange as, despite the bestial urges, weres are ultimately alive. During the 1980s, the alignment of weres in Warhammer was rather ambiguous. The Bestiary remarks that they are neutral beings, and just as likely to be kind as they are callous. The choice of their behavior is up to the GM or players, though of course the more beast the were becomes the more likely he is to devolve into a giant wolf, with all the animalistic urges such a creature must act upon. 

I like the way the rules suggest you use the were. Transformations to wolf man need to be forced by the characters will and a 6 needs to be rolled in order for the change to take place. Being in close proximity to violence may well change this to a 5+, while hand to hand combat will allow a player to use a 4+ to ensure change into a wolf man. The rules are really rather interesting and I really do recommend having a read of them if you have a copy of WFB3 to hand. 

Of course, then there is the threat of transforming into the unpredictable giant wolf. A creature likely to attack friend and foe!

All in all, the weres are a rather complex unit which have a strong bond with the Norse, though are not found exclusively there. The background suggests that many woodcutters and forest men are secretly weres, living peacefully in the forests of the Empire and ensuring that their changes harm nothing but the wild animals of the woods. 

This was a fairly simple paint job really. Ink washes and drybrushing were the orders of the day when it came to completing the wolf fur. I found this took quite a bit of work to get the right tone but achieved it by switching from adding white for the highlight to adding Bleached Bone. The trousers were done using my normal method, as were the torn apart shoes. The eyes were dotted yellow and the lips were painted. I have found that when doing mouths that mixing in the skin tone with red or purple produces a better result that just using paint straight from the pot. 

Try it.

Onwards to more humans now. A trilogy infact! Chaos cultist, warrior and sorcerer. I better get painting!

Orlygg
↧

A Warhammer Bestiary: Chaos Cultist

May 26, 2014, 3:36 am
$
0
0

The holidays are upon me once more. Lots of family time, including a trip to the beach, has been spent I have left this blog alone for a while. I often find that this is a good thing, as endless updates of every tiny Oldhammer related thing I do would be tedious, would it not? 

So to kick things off once more, let's revisit Brugal Vassel in a little more detail shall we? Those of you who have read the battle report concerning the Daemon-Prince and Woodcutter will no doubt be familiar with this miniature, as he played a leading role in that scenario. 

As many of you will know, I am working on painting fabric at the moment. I enjoy setting myself little targets and working on them through the models I select for this series. In years past, I must admit to often choosing miniatures that were well within my comfort zone (plastic Space Marines) but I grew dissatisfied that the models I was producing were not of the standard I was after. I felt that they lacked 'a style'. Now, I am forced to select models based on the Bestiary and in many cases come across things that I would have never previously thought about painting. 

For the Chaos Cultists mention in the Bestiary I chose the first model that does not have its origins in the Warhammer range. This miniature was part of the Cthulhu collection put out by Citadel in the mid '80s. Later, it was included as part of the Shadows Over Bogenhafen range as an example of one of the cultists. In that regard, I chose to paint it up as it would cover both bases - a suitable cultist model and an opportunity to paint fabric. 


As I have written before, I have always found fabric a difficult subject to get looking right on a model. So, I had a quite glance through my WD archive and read a bit of what has been published online. Piecing together all this information, I managed to concoct my own method which seems to produce good results. What struck me was how simple the technique was in the end. Basecoat over white, in this case Imperial Purple, and shade with the base coat mixed with black, probably 40:60 black/purple. I watered this mix down and carefully applied it where I though the folds were at their deepest before tidying things up with the basecoat once more. Once dry, it was very simple to add a little Bleached Bone to the basecolour and highlight the edges of the folds. I kept the paint here very fluid, almost like milk, as I find it so much easier to apply in this state. I added a little white to this highlight mix and added an extra hint here and there too. Everything else was finished off using my usual method. 

The job was done in about one hour.

What do you think?

Orlygg
↧
Search

Charge! A Warhammer Fantasy Battle Third Edition Era Skirmish Game?

May 26, 2014, 6:36 am
$
0
0

One question that I get asked a lot is 'does WFB3 have any skirmish rules?' And the answer is always the same, 'no'. I would usually go on to say that the game was written in the age of the DIY gamer, who just changed the rules to suit their particular situation as and when. Sadly, this attitude is no longer present in many people who approach miniature wargaming in all its forms. Too often do I read the words of individuals who complain about rules not being balanced or fair, yet they remain hopelessly obsessed with keeping up with the Jones'.

"Oh, this version of 40K totally nerfs my list!" 

Play the other version then!

"Oh, but my gaming group only uses the latest version of the ruleset. And we only use the latest versions of the models, too!"

Find some new mates then! 

Over here in the Oldhammer Community we have no such problems. The rulesets we use are old, old and old. Still, I do sometimes yearn for a simple version of the game that could be used to play tiny narrative scenario using only a few figures. Then, flicking through issue 115 of White Dwarf I made a discovery. One of those 'hiding in plain sight' jobs. 

I am referring to the game 'Charge!', written by the bods in the Design Studio circa 1988 for use with the Combat Cards range. Reading through the rules, you can see that Warhammer and WFRP are clear influences. As are the streamlined rules used in the Fighting Fantasy books. Now I know my readership, you will not want a longwinded analysis of this ruleset, but would much rather just read the article in your own time. 

So here it is. 



As you will now now if you have a flick through Charge!, the system is very simple. Yet character creation, magic, victory points, scenery creation and special rules and what not are also covered. All in 5 pages or so. It was rather satisfying to finally find out what all of the funny symbols that appeared on the front of the combat cards were actually for. 

Long time readers may well remember my article on 'Attack!', an even easier set of rules for using the Combat Cards with, though dependent on a chessboard for a playing surface. However, this article also had a series of special rules that may well be appropriate to using Charge! as a skirmish game. 
having read through these rules are a fairly confident that they could be used with little adaption to run a good sized skirmish game. With some clever photoshopping it would also be possible to photograph my miniatures and create my own 'Combat Cards' with their own stats. This would provide a really easy entry point for all of those people interested in Old School gaming but put off by perceived issues not being familiar enough with the rules. 

What do you lot think? Is there scope for a skirmish game in the spirit of old school Warhammer here?

Please share your opinion. 

Orlygg. 

↧
↧

Acceptable in the '80s: Marauder Orcs and Dwarfs

May 27, 2014, 1:07 am
$
0
0

White Dwarf 116 had little Warhammer Fantasy content. As I have said in previous posts, the game was finished with and a new success was looming on the horizon, Warhammer 40,000. For the next couple of years, articles that expanded on the skirmish system published in Rogue Trader in 1987 were expanded and developed to turn the game into a fully fledged battle system. Additionally, we are now in the era of the BIG BOX GAME, and so a great many pages of White Dwarf were spent detailing these releases, most notably the first edition of Space Marine. 

Still, there are gems hidden here and there. Such as the subject of today's post, the Marauder Orcs. I have shared by opinions on the Goblinoids before, and you will be aware that only Kev Adams can truly bring these creatures to life in miniature form. But I must admit, the Morrisons did a really good job with theirs!

The sculpts ooze the cruel malice of the orc race very well but still retain the comic touches of earlier releases. I am particularly fond of the different interpretation of the armour. The Morrisons give us a rather Mongol themed look that is distinctly different from the Citadel range. On the downside, these models are large. This was the beginning of the increase in size of models that the later '80s saw and the the design change from realistic clothing and weaponry to oversized 'comic book' equipment that still presides to this day. Still, this is still a characterful range with plenty going for it. Does it have any fans out there?


Also released in WD116 were some Marauder dwarfs. Sadly, there are no painted examples here and the range is shown purely through old fashioned line drawings. I don't really know a great deal about the MM10 dwarfs, as my knowledge is primarily of the renaissance style dwarfs that came a few months later. Any readers out there care to review these? If you have a large number of these models it would be interesting to hear you opinions on them or even see some photographs.

Cheers, 

Orlygg.
↧

The Citadel Painting Range circa 1989

May 27, 2014, 10:05 am
$
0
0

With the recent release of some repackaged paint sets from GW, with a rather familiar demon on the cover, and a series of postings on the Oldhammer Community Facebook page I thought I'd share these as Old School paint is rather en vogue at the moment. What we have here is one of those '80s adverts that White Dwarf ran that covered all of the major ranges that GW put out. Warhammer got one, so did Warhammer 40,000 as did WFRP and Bloodbowl. 

Over two pages you can see the five major sets and the associated paints in each. Additionally, the information box above gives quite a lot of detail about what each colour was recommended to do. This is really rather useful for those of you trying to capture the 'Old School Look' of the Citadel painters in the late '80s. 

Gotta love that photograph of Mick McVey too! 


Orlygg
↧

'Eavy Metal Special: White Dwarf 116

May 29, 2014, 4:55 am
$
0
0
My last couple of articles have been based on research from White Dwarf 116, published in August 1989, and in my opinion, the heart of the golden age of GW. Many games are mentioned within its pages; Blood Bowl, 40k, Warhammer, Space Hulk, Space Marine and so on. Never again would so many great games be created, expanded and discussed. 

There are a series of pages dedicated to miniature painting, as you would expect, and I have a selection of them here for discussion. If you are anything like me, these older paintjobs are more of an inspiration than the more modern displays of NMM and so on. I paint old school miniatures in an old school style, and to get that style right needs careful study of the period. 

First up, the Staff Studio pages. 


Check out those mug shots! You'll notice Oldhammerers amongst them, Tim Prow and Andy Craig at the bottom of the six, while recent interviewee, Phil Lewis lurks next to a young Mike McVey. The article kicks off with a stage by stage of Citadel's Blue Dragon by McVey. Now this is a model I don't really have any experience with, as regular readers will know, dragons always intimidated me due to their size but since completing work on the Great Spined Dragon, I may one day paint a smaller beast. The paintjob is obviously for the purpose of this stage by stage, as it doesn't really match up to McVey's masterful blending that you see elsewhere. However, the Citadel Knights are magnificent are they not?

There are more of them on the next page. 


Starting with the knights, the first thing that strikes me is the quality of the painting on the horses. Beautiful colours and realistic representations of the different breeds of horse available. Its clear that the 'Eavy Metal boys spent some time refining their horse painting skills and consulted real life horses in the process. there was a lovely article published alongside the Imperial Guard Rough Riders that really went to town on the different colour schemes.

The chaos swarf Blood Bowl players are excellent models and have been painted with an interesting pink and grey colour scheme. Not something I had considered doing before, but works really well for these stunties. Discoveries like this a really useful for developing your painting skills as half the battle is coming up with a decent colour scheme. The three Star Players are the work of Tim Prow and Andy Craig, as are the Blood Bowl dwarfs and are probably familiar to many of you. A solitary plastic skeleton twangs his bow at the bottom right, and thirty years later these are still be best plastic skeletons ever produced, especially with the added armour components. A very simple colour scheme shows him off to perfection.

Paint one of those skeletons before you die. 

They make a second appearance (the skeletons, that is) as part of Kevin House's diorama "Death From Above", which was used to showcase the second fantasy miniatures book, as is worthy of a mention here. The two 40k vehicles are also excellent and I love the use of real cobbles for the rocks on the top picture.

Finally, two pages of Fraser Gray magic. There is no need to describe what is on show here, the Greatest Miniature Painter Of All Time's work needs no introduction. The fact that he achieved his distinctive look with enamel paint just heightens his genius. 

How did he do it?



Orlygg.
↧

Fifty Shades of Enamel: Fraser Gray's writings to Andy Craig

May 29, 2014, 8:13 am
$
0
0
Last September I started work on tracking down Fraser Gray, the unique and mysterious miniature painter who dominated the scene in the mid to late '80s, even winning the first GW painting competition, then called The Master Painter! I spoke to a several people who knew him back in the 1980s, and others who have met him in more recent times. What I learnt through my investigations is that Fraser is a deeply private man who is still producing models of great skill in the genre of military vehicles. If you want to read more about my search then look here with Fifty Shades Of Enamel. 

One things was certain. He preferred to remain anonymous. 

Just when I thought the hunt was over and nothing more could be learned about the man who I (and many others consider to be) the Greatest Miniature Painter Of All Time I received some correspondence from ex-'Eavy Metal painter, Andy Craig. Now Andy is very well known to members of the Oldhammer Community on Facebook, and contributed a memorable (and highly popular, if page views are anything to go by) interview to this very blog. If you missed out first time around or fancy a refresher, his interview can be found here. 


A few weeks ago, Andy dropped me a line to explain that he had been sorting through his home when he had discovered the letter he referred to in his interview. Not surprisingly, considering twenty-five years have passed, the letter was rather fragmentary and fragile but Andy was anxious to share what he had found with the Oldhammer Community. The reason for this would soon become apparent. 

Andy filled be in with a bit of background about how he a Fraser became friends. "That letter was sent to my home address," Andy told me. "Fraser often visited the Studio, but he was a bit of a shy guy. He really took an interest in my work and asked me many questions regarding how I painted certain colours. We became good friends."




Here we have the covering letter that Fraser sent to Andy. He remarks about how much he enjoyed his visit to the Design Studio. The letter goes on to discuss the miniatures that the two had shared, and I really must ask Andy if he still has the orc! However (and this is when things become very exciting for the Citadel Historian and Old School enthusiast) attached to the letter was a three page document that described in detail Fraser Gray's approach to modelling and painting. It really is a remarkable document that details how Fraser used to work and produce those incredible painted models. 

And here it is, unedited and presented to you via Andy's scanner today. I have taken the liberty of commenting on each page underneath with added information that may (or may not) be relevant to the enthusiast. 


Fraser refers to the once familiar sight of painted miniatures in fantasy shop windows. You think GW stores are the only such place you'd see such things? You'd be quite wrong. From the mid '70s, through to the later '80s there were many, many independent fantasy/roleplay shops all over the country. They nearly always resided in the rougher quarters of the towns they inhabited and seemed to groan with stock, not surprising really as they were often tiny cramped spaces. Oh, but the blister wall was a thing to see! Quite often, you would see a handful of painted models in the window were often for sale. In fact, I remember visiting the GW store in Southampton in 1989 and being amazed that they offered cash for well painted models! 

He goes on to explain his collecting ethos. Chaos and evil creatures due to the possibilities that they represented. One of the funny ironies of 21st century gaming is that these so called forces of chaos have been the most generic form of fantasy.

The recent innovation of the slottabase is also referred to here. Unpopular at the time (and never copyrighted by GW) the humble slottabase was only a few years old when this letter was written. It is interesting to read that Fraser removed these to provide greater flexibility in the basing position. Personally, I have always been loathed to removed the tab as I feel it is somehow damaging the model. I tend to alter the bases themselves now, after all, plastic is easier to cut that metal. 

It is interesting to hear Fraser comment about conversions. He was clearly an advocate of the weapon swap! 


Some excellent advice there about painting with gold and silver and certainly something I shall be trying in the future. I had never thought about using a yellow basecoat for gold, its really rather intriguing. 

Reading through these words, it strikes me about how patient Fraser was. After all, his preferred method of painting models took hours to finish and up to a week to dry! Serious commitment like this must be a sure sign of genius like types!

Additionally, Fraser goes on to discuss how he had just started scratch building howdahs, and the elephant he discusses can be seen at the top of the second image at the start of this article. I love the idea of building armour plates from hole punch leftovers. Again, that is an idea to be stolen and used! 



The method described to make saliva is a new one on me and again something that I am itching to try. I wonder if modern plastics will react in the same way as those of a quarter of a century ago? 

His last sentence is an interesting one. Fraser talks about using perspex bases for display pieces, and if you scroll back up to the second image (the one with the elephant) you can see a couple of examples of this style of basing. What's curious is that Fraser states that Citadel bases were used for his 'wargames' figures. Does this mean he actually played Warhammer Fantasy Battle with thses gorgeous models? What a battle report that would have made, eh?

Orlygg






↧
↧

A Warhammer Besitary: Chaotic (and Evil) Warriors and Sorcerers... ohh and a couple of new beastmen of Slaanesh!

May 30, 2014, 12:32 am
$
0
0
Regular readers will know that my output is often sporadic, but has seen a slight increase in recent days. Well, this is due to it being half-term this week, and me being a teacher, I can spare an extra few moments to write up articles for fellow old school Citadel enthusiasts. 

With an increase in spare time, painting will swiftly follow, surely? Well not so for me, not in the first part of this week anyway. I had hit one of those ruts that all painters find themselves stuck in from time to time. I just couldn't find the motivation to pick up the paints and get the chaos warrior that has sat on my desk for two weeks completed. 

Thankfully, I got over my painter's block on Tuesday and have managed to get quite a few miniatures finished off for my Warhammer Bestiary project. If you are coming to this post fresh and wonder what I mean by this, its simple! I am attempting to paint a single model for every entry in the WFB3 Bestiary using old school Citadel lead only. 


The first miniatures to share, in order of the Bestiary, are the Chaotic humans. Here we have a couple of mid '80s Realm of Chaos models. I am not sure who sculpted the warrior, but the sorcerer is one of Jes Goodwin's classic Chaos Sorcerer range.

Starting with the warrior, I chose to paint him up in traditional (for RoC, anyway) Slaaneshi colours as my embryonic Pleasure God old school army needs all the help it can get. As you may know, pastel shades are the order of the day here and the best way to produce those is by adding pure white to any base colour. I didn't really want to go all out on the pink front, so restrained the colour to the breastplate and went for a blue colour scheme for the rest of the armour. I added horn and gold here and there to act as spot colours and used black to suggest a dark leather boot on on of the model's feet. The weapon was just a Bleached Bone job with rust effects created on the blade using old Citadel inks. This model was really a paint by numbers exercise as I have painted quite a few chaos warriors in my time and this one took no real effort.

The sorcerer was a different matter. Here I didn't want to go down the road of any particular god but was inspired instead by the crazy multicoloured chaos schemes of the mid 1980s, with particular reference to the original Chaos Sorcerer advert which can be seen here. I noticed that the sorcerer's head was covered by some kind of facemask and a jester's hood. The colour red immediately sprung to mind here and I decided to offset this tone with white, using grey to create the depth. For the rest of the model, I just painted a bit here one colour and another with another. I played around with the colours until I was happy with the way they had been spaced out. I used red to line the edge of the robes to build some continuity with the jester's hood. I feel that the result works really well, don't you?


On reflection, I found that the purple of the sleeves was too starkly highlighted and felt that they needed bringing down a little. Instead of just repainting them I opted to experiment with a heavy glaze of the base colour (Imperial Purple) first. After this glaze had dried the purple had a far more subtle and warm look so I left the model as it was and concentrated on the base. This type of technique is certainly something I would like to experiment with in the future and something I recommend you try out when you are highlighting cloth. 

The shield on the chaos warrior was another one of my by the book jobs, though I chose green to match with the shoulder pad. I have written several articles on how to paint faces like this and instruction can be found here. The only thing I did differently was to paint the eyes red and dot them with yellow while the paint was still wet. Once dry, I added a line to act as a pupil and used a tiny white spot to create the look of reflecting light. I was not entirely satisfied with the result so I will have another go with it on a future shield. 


As regular readers will know, I have been working on my textile painting technique as it had been a shortcoming of mine throughout this project. I was pleased to discover that the Warhammer Third Edition Bestiary includes a section on EVIL warriors and sorcerers, so I would have a chance to paint a more conservative robe here. Yes, that is EVIL. Demonologists, necromancers and so forth, though I didn't want to walk the brightly coloured route of the model above, nor did I want to tread the street of the 'uber-black' necromancer type either. As a compromise, I opted to paint the model as a hedgewizard and suggested that he was evil by using purple paint and ink washes on his skin. This was a method I used on the evil warrior too. 

The evil sorcerer is my personal favourite painted model in this series so far. I feel like I got the face, hair and clothing right here and it really is rather surprising to compare the quality of the result with miniatures I produced last year. A project as varied as this certainly helps improve your skill and I heartily recommend such an endeavour to anyone. 

For the evil warrior, I choose a old Paladin model that I had lying around in a draw. I wanted something unconnect to chaos, for this model would represent an evil man, rather than one who had sold his soul to the Ruinous Powers. I quite liked the idea that he was a fallen knight too. I went quite John Blanche on the hat and boots, using natural tones based on cheetah fur before using white and black dots to give the impression of markings. I struggled with the silver plate armour though, and the gold is rather lack lustre too. So I have found myself a new target for future work, painting gold and silver across large flat spaces on a model. Thankfully, I am now armed with advice from the Greatest, Fraser Gray, and I plan to base with yellow when I paint gold in the future. 


I chose purple as a spot colour for the gloves and scarf on the warrior. Purple is a royal colour but it tends to have a whiff of deceit about it too, well for me anyway. The shield was a touch up on an old Paper Tiger design from back in the late '70s and you can find a tutorial about how to achieve such a shield here. I added a gold shield rim to help tie the shield in with the rest of the model and washed over the entire design with a chestnut ink glaze. This aged the 'look' of the shield and gave the model and aura of experience I think.


In addition to the four models shown above, I also painted up a couple of new beastmen for the very slowly developing Slaaneshi army I am building. The blue fleshed model was painted first in about thirty minutes and employed very few colours. The flesh (and fur) was just a light blue basecoat worked up through highlights in stages of additional white. The horn was Bleached Bone drybrushed with white. The belt was a simple leather brown with a Bleached Bone highlight. For the chainmail, it was silver mixed with black base with a silver highlight while the club was created with a little red being added to the belt basecolour, and again highlighted up by adding Bleached Bone. Upon reflection, I am quite pleased with the result considering how little time I actually spent on it. It is easily the quickest paintjob I have produced since by 'base and wash' days, circa 1988. 

The second beastman took me longer, about two hours. The fur was drybrushed up using the same mix as I used for the first beastman's belt, only I added the final highlights with brush before using pink and brown ink to build up an impression of the boar like mouth and nose. Pure white was used to highlight the teeth. Drybrushing with a final highlight via brush was used to complete the weapon too. With the edges of the axe blade having a pure silver line added to it. I feel these kind of touches make a blade look suitably sharp. 


The gold scale mail was completed using my usual method. Using Imperial Purple (again!) I quickly highlighted up the leather bands that hang from the beastman's girdle and used gold dots to pick out the studs on the end. I used exactly the same pink mix (red with white paint, 50:50) to work up the girdle itself, adding a touch of white each time to draw out the detail. Another nice result here with this beastman, with some nice rich colours and took little effort to complete. 


And so here I will leave you. Half-term draws to a close and I feel like I have got over my slump. Next, I need to turn my attentions to the tropical forests of Lustria as I tackle '80s Lizardmen. Right, I better get basecoating!

Orlygg.
↧

Chico's Chaos Challenge: Chaos Dwarf Bazooka Team

May 30, 2014, 6:21 am
$
0
0

Here is my entry in the latest Chico's Challenge. A Realm of Chaos era Chaos dwarf Bazooka team. Now, if you are not aware of who (or, indeed, what Chico is) then I heartily recommend that you pop over to his website here. Oldhammer on a Budget says exactly what it says on the tin. It documents one man's quest to collect as much old school themed miniature goodness for next to nothing - or preferably, bugger all. 


I have had this team sitting on my desk for almost a year. They were originally to be part of the warband I took to BOYL 2013, and then later part of the Deathfist's army at Blog-Con. Sadly, they never got finished and they gathered dust. Hence the value of little competitions and challenges like Chico's, the encourage you to focus your painting and get stuff done. 


The colour scheme is based on the chaos warrior who resided on the cover of the Realm of Chaos packaging on the blister walls of yesteryear. The base colour for the crimson is Go Faster Red, a rather rare colour from the Ork and Eldar paintset. I added a bright yellow to the base and simply worked up the edges and bends in the armour. The green's base is Woodland Green, highlighted with the addition of white to the mix. The gold was a mix of Shining Gold, yellow and chestnut ink, highlighted witha little silver. 


All and all, a quick colour scheme and one that saw these miniatures completed in about two and half hours. Not bad for two little dwarfs. Chico can tell you a story a bout two little dwarfs, but it takes quite a strong stomach to listen to it. 

Enjoy, oh and you still have a couple of days to get something finished or photographed for his competition. there is talk of a prize to boot, but whether that involves the two dwarfs is anyone's guess. 

Orlygg.
↧
Search

Oldhammer Weekend 2014 Official Launch!

June 7, 2014, 12:47 am
$
0
0

BRING OUT YOUR LEAD! 2014

The Oldhammer community are pleased to officially announce Oldhammer - Bring Out Your Lead! (2014). Of course, you've heard about it already. But this is the official announcement, so now you can officially start panicking about how long it will take to grow a mullet.

We are also extremely pleased with and grateful to our hosts - Foundry Miniatures in Nottingham. The event is taking place over the weekend of the 08/08/2014 (Friday afternoon onwards) - 10/08/2014 (Sunday).

So, first things first: This is a gaming event. The entire idea and surely the primary purpose for attending is to play games.

BUT - it is NOT a tournament. Nothing can be won. Your victory over your opponent is purely moral and for retelling in a pub later. There are no ladders, no leagues, no recognition of your amazing army building talents and keen interpretation of the rules. THIS IS NOT A TOURNAMENT!

Which makes things a little harder to organise. In a traditional tournament, the organisers would set a points limit, army restrictions and painting guidelines in order to ensure that everyone has a fair chance. There is no need to worry about who matches who, as once the first game is completed, better players will be faced off against better players and the whole thing is supposedly fair.

Because it's NOT A TOURNAMENT, we can't do any of that.

This means we need your help. In order to understand the numbers attending, we have a booking form. BUT, because it's NOT A TOURNAMENT, the organisers will not allocate you an opponent on the day. Read this as the organisers do not guarantee you a game.

You, aspiring gamer, CAN ensure a game, however, by following up your booking with an entry on theOldhammer Forum BOYL 2014 Thread. In this forum, you will be able to tell others what you're planning to bring, how many points/figures you plan to field and what sort of game you want to play.

You are still welcome to simply turn up at Foundry with your army and no booking, but if there is more demand than supply, preference will be given to those who are registered.

HOW MUCH IS THIS GONNA COST ME?


Entry to the event is free. Our generous hosts, Foundry Miniatures, are not charging us for the venue, and as it's NOT A TOURNAMENT, we're not offering any prizes.

Of course, you still have other costs to consider - if you're travelling a long way, you might need a place to stay overnight. You will need to get there. And, of course, you'll probably want to get an army ready. Start saving now!

WHERE AND WHEN IS THIS ALL HAPPENING?


The even takes place over the weekend of the  09/08/2014 - 10/08/2014 at The Wargames Foundry (in their new premises):


Friday (08/08/2014) from 13:00 until 20:00.
Saturday (09/08/2014) from 10:00 until 20:00.
Sunday (10/08/2014) from 10:00 until 17:00.

Foundry's Address:

Foundry Miniatures Ltd
Church Lane
Newark
NG23 5QF
United Kingdom.
+44 (0)115 8413000

Please feel free to call Foundry if you have any questions on how to get there or where to park, etc.

We do ask that you arrive on time, as you will need to factor in finding your game, meeting your opponent, unpacking and packing of figures and copious amounts of pointing at things and going "Wow! Is that (delete as appropriate) [your amazing paint job / that ultra rare figure I've never seen in real life before / really your sister*]?

*Okay, probably not that last one. 

FOUNDRY? THEY'RE IN NEWARK-UPON-TRENT! THAT'S MILES AWAY!


Yes, it is. As mentioned above - they have offered their facility free of charge. They have the space, the tables and the interest in the hobby and so stand head and shoulders above any other option we've considered to date.

To be clear, we have no official relationship with Foundry - they've offered because they have an interest in what we're trying to achieve and they've offered us the facility as a result.

THAT'S AWFUL NICE OF THEM!


Yes, it is. So lets talk about Foundry. Perhaps you've heard of Bryan Ansell? No? Once upon a time, he ran Games Workshop. Take a look at your Warhammer 3rd Edition books - that's right, he co-authored some of them. Marcus (Bryan's son, following in the family footsteps) runs Wargames Foundry. They have a clear 'spiritual' connection to the Oldhammer movement.

We mention this because we ask that the Oldhammer community respect the facility and the effort that Foundry (and the Ansell family) have gone through to host this. When you're on site, please don't litter, or break things, or steal, or do anything that would bring the Oldhammer community into disrepute. We would dearly love to be invited back to the Foundry. Keep this in mind when you attend.

BUT THERE'S FOOD, RIGHT?


Yes.

The Ansell family also conduct business in catering. As a result of this remarkable good fortune, Foundry are able to offer hot food and are licensed to sell alcohol. Of course, you'll have to pay for this (expect typical pub rates), but you won't need to go foraging around the fields of Neward-upon-Trent for food.

A note of warning: if you are unable to handle your alcohol, you will be ejected from the event immediately! The idea here is to fulfil every gamers fantasy of playing cool games whilst having a pint -  not to lose your temper and get involved in a fist fight.

AND PARTICIPATION EVENTS?


Fear not, citizen! Participation events there will be. This is the place to determine which ones you're interested in.

WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW?



  • In case you missed it: this is NOT A TOURNAMENT!
  • The only unpainted figures we're expecting to see are those being traded. If you are playing a game, you must play with painted figures! Painted figures are a sign of respect to your opponent and to the community. 
  • Chances are, you're not as familiar with the old rules as you think you are. Take some time to read the rules before you arrive, but please allow for the fact many of the 'classic' rulesets are badly organised, badly written and sometimes just plain missing. You should expect that your game will involve lots of reading and discussion as you try to work out how to resolve whatever is happening. Don't panic - this is normal!
  • You may bring figures from any manufacturer and from any era. Although the Oldhammer movement is rooted in the 80's, we are interested in the spirit of Oldhammer, not the manufacture. You are as welcome bringing a heroic scale 28mm modern plastic army as you are bringing your soft lead pre-slotta army. 
  • There is a question on the form about scenery. Foundry have offered to supply some scenery, but if you are able to bring something, please do - every little bit helps. Where possible, we'll do our level best to ensure that scenery remains table specific - both to satisfy the aesthetic 'it all looks the same' perspective and to help ensure that your scenery is all in one place (for easy identification and care).
    • Ultimately, you are accountable for the fun you have. This event is a framework for you to create the ultimate oldhammer experience that you never had in your youth. We're trying to make it as flexible as possible, but we can't do that without your participation and effort. Let's be clear: you will have to do something for yourself before you arrive at Foundry this summer!
    • Neither the organisers nor Foundry Miniatures accept any responsibility or liability for you. 

    OKAY, I'M IN. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO AGAIN?


    • Fill out the booking form!
    • Register on the Oldhammer Forum!
    • Create an entry on the BOYL 2014 thread to organise your games!
    • Pitch up on the weekend!
    • Try not to explode from all your misdirected excitement until then!

    Oh - did we mention that this is NOT A TOURNAMENT? Good.

    ↧

    Oldhammer @ Slayer Gaming Mansfield

    June 15, 2014, 12:33 am
    $
    0
    0

    Getting together for a game of Third Edition (or indeed first or second) is getting easier and easier. As the Oldhammer Community expands, more and more enthusiasts are becoming involved. For the majority its simply a case of enjoying the output published continually on our many blogs, the Facebook groups and the forum. It is often the venue for a game that causes a little more difficulty.

    Well, yesterday Nik Dixon, Steve Casey, Warlord Paul, Thantsants and myself converged on Slayer Gaming in Mansfield, near Nottingham for a narrative heavy game of Old School Warhammer. The battle reports, from differing points of view, will no doubt begin arriving on a blogsphere near you soon and the purpose of this post is not to discuss the game in any detail, but instead to comment on the venue itself. 

    Grimgrunt, the Deathfist's Disciple, advances up the Old Forest Road.

    As some of you will know, the Wargames Foundry are relocating to Newark and were unable to accommodate us. Slayer Gaming was recommended to Paul when he was scouting around for a different venue. They were highly recommended by other gamers and it is easy to see why after spending the day there. Situated on an industrial estate, Slayer Gaming are very easy to find and the parking is free and plentiful. Nor is it a difficult location to get to. I was travelling from Essex and it was simplicity itself to cruise up the M11 and A1. In truth, it was easier to get to Slayer than the old Wargames Foundry site. 

    A skeleton chariot clashes with Khornegor during the height of the battle. 

    The premises are clean and quite spacious. The lighting is also bright and the venue doesn't have the dank and smelly vibe that many similar gaming stores can have. As you would expect, the store front carries a range of products that will be familiar to all. Citadel plastic sets and paints, Army Painter resources and a range of other manufacturer's stuff. In addition to this, there is a small little painting area if you fancied blobbing some paints on your models away from the distractions that may plague you at home. 

    The Carnivale's wagons observe the clash of forces as the battlelines prepare to engage.

    A second room contains the gaming tables proper. These are all well made and sturdy surfaces that are raised to a good height, with a range of different styles on offer. Sci-fi themed tables predominate, as you would expect with 40k being the dominant game being played in clubs around the country, but there were large fantasy, modern and World War inspired tables too. The scenery was obviously well looked after and of good qaulity, mostly being laser-cut building products and Citadel plastics. 

    World War 2 inspired gaming table.

    The staff and other patrons were friendly, and rather curious, about what was going on during our game. Talking to a younger gamer (who was bemused to find that the models we were using were older than her) just showed how unfamiliar many players are with the style of play we advocate. Several grognards commented that the sight of WFB3 and Slaves to Darkness brought back many fond memories.

    As I have said, Slayer Gaming provides plenty of space and tables to support your requirements.

    Slayer Gaming have a small drinks machine and a selection of snacks on offer if you are feeling peckish in game, and recommended a little sandwich shop in quick walking distance, so all your eating needs are also covered. The shop serves hot and cold f


    To conclude, Slayer are an excellent venue for anyone who wants to find a location for a game. From what  I saw they would easily be able to cater for all 28mm systems and offer a friendly and non-judgemental atmosphere. 

    Do yourself a favour and follow this link to their Facebook page and give them a like. We hope to bring you larger Oldhammer events from here in the future, so what this space! 

    ↧
    ↧

    Acceptable in the '80s: Marauder Miniatures' Chaos Dwarfs and Dwarf Regiment

    June 16, 2014, 2:21 am
    $
    0
    0

    White Dwarf 117 contains little that would interest the hardcore Warhammer Fantasy battler. Rogue Trader and the big box games dominate the proceedings entirely. Then two pages of brightly coloured miniatures draw the eye and reveal two ranges of miniatures that would become some of the most collectible from any period before or since. 

    The Marauder chaos dwarfs and the dwarf regiment!

    Now what makes the chaos dwarfs even more remarkable is the fact that they are little tributes to the earlier chaos warrior range from about 1985, the one with the Slambo miniature in. Can you spot the model that apes his design in the photograph above? These models are great fun and fit in very closely with the scale and themes of previous Citadel stunties. Beware if you want to set about collecting these as I have seen one or two of them reach quite high prices for chaos dwarfs, though they are all pretty readily available on online auction sites. It is also worthy of noting the colour schemes given here as I feel the tones chosen are top notch and there is a great deal of inspiration here for any enthusiast attempting to paint up any heavily armed chaos warriors, thugs or dwarfs. 

    I have yet to begin collecting Marauder in any great amount but a set of these lovely models will be at the top of my list when I begin doing so. 


    Oh, how I remember this regiment! I can recall loving these for the moment I flicked through the pages of this WD and planned how I could possibly afford them on £5 a month pocket money. I can recall searching under the beds and behind the sofa to amass enough to get my hands on these. The pitiful collection of copper pennies I unearthed wouldn't even have paid the postage and to this day I still haven't managed to get hold of any of these. Probably because everyone else is after them too!

    I am happy to go out on a limb and say that this collection is probably the best range of dwarfs ever produced, with the command models worthy of particular praise. So full of character and little detail, these models seem to breathe life to the paint that is adhered upon them. They are just excellent, excellent, excellent! The two ranges at the bottom of the page, in the glory days of ordering whatever you could, allowed you to create whole regiments of greatswords, halbardiers and musketeers. A very well thought out range this. Which just goes to show why they are still so popular twenty-five years later. 

    I am envious of anyone of you fellow enthusiasts who owns a collection of these! Do these wonderful models have any more fans out there? If so, please share you thoughts on them in the usual way! 

    Orlygg
    ↧

    'Eavy Metal Special: White Dwarf 117

    June 17, 2014, 9:59 am
    $
    0
    0

    Mick Beard is a name that will be familiar to old school 'Eavy Metal enthusiasts like me everywhere and long term readers of '80s white Dwarf will be well aware of his work. White Dwarf 117 kicks off its miniature painting articles with a lovely spread of his models that encompass Warhammer and Rogue Trader. The eye immediately jumps to the dwarf juggernaut that is presented as a diorama above, only here beard has heavily converted the original model to suit his purposes. Somewhat criminally, this model is rather squashed to the bottom of the page, with a few close up photographs hinting at the detailing upon the model, including clever use of the dwarf flame cannon. 

    Of particular note here is the Life Elemental. In the earlier days of the Oldhammer I remember reading a post either on a blog or a forum about some keen eyed enthusiast who managed to spot this on eBay and snapped the model up for their own collection. Any well travelled folk who may recall who this was (or indeed if the lucky bidder is reading this) please make them known to me as I would love to inquire after some modern photographs of this model.  


    Moving on, we have some work from Richard Kernick, who was completing some work experience in the Design Studio and produced these models during the time he was there. His rugged, earthy style brings out the best in those Rogue Trader and fantasy models though the standout model is the Howling Griffons battle standard at the top of the page. 

    Strangely, I was only talking about Daniel Cliff's brilliant epic models last weekend to Warlord Paul and the boys over a game of Third Edition in Mansfield. His approach seems to have been to paint these tiny metal models as if they were full sized 28mm, including little conversions like the rocket launching space marine above. Though provoking and inspiring stuff indeed, especially when you note how he has actually written on the bases of those tiny marines!



    Some fantastic painting on this page with some more unfamiliar Rogue Trader miniatures, like the early space marine scouts and inquisitors. rather randomly a dwarf mountaineer has been chucked in with the 40k stuff! 


    Gorgeous painted titans with the orange and green backgrounds. From recently reading several blogs about attempts to paint these models I have learnt that carrying off a scheme like we can see above is no easy task. Still, there are some useful colour schemes and banner ideas here for those of you who feel up to the challenge of getting a force of titans ready for the battlefields of the far future. 


    This page starts off with Andy Craig's stage by stage of the Blood Bowl star player, Lewdgrip Whiparm, that many of you will have seen before on this blog. The Rogue Trader vehicles are all conversions based on the original Rhino kit from back in the day when you were expected to build variants like this from scratch. For reasons unknown, much like the dwarf mountainner before it, the Dragon Ogre is squashed down the botto of the page and if memory serves, this was painted by Ivan Bartlett. Oh, and can you spot the ugly mugs of the 'Eavy Metal boys on this page?


    A great page of painted models here, including the Great Avatar Harlequin, a fantastic model and an even better paintjob. Twenty-five years on and you'd be hard pressed to find another Eldar model with the same presence as this one, such is Jes Goodwin's genius with the space elves. Also worthy of note on this page is Leman Russ, when he was but a mere space marine commander, complete with two wolf models. 


    Pete Taylor was a legend in his own time for producing a shed load of chaos models at an incredibly high speed, many of which were conversions. A warped range of his creations can be seen here and really show what can be achieved with a big saw, a load of Realm of Chaos daemons and a lot of Milliput!


    How better to end this stroll back in time with some work by the greatest of them all, Fraser Grey. Unlike all the other painter's whose work we can see here today, his photograph has a eerie crop of real skulls behind him. I remember wondering how such a photograph could be taken as a 'yoof' and have secretly wanted to copy it if I could ever find that many skulls on a shelf!

    His incredible work speaks for itself. Enjoy!

    Orlygg.
    ↧

    Acceptable in the '80s: The First Warhammer Novels

    June 18, 2014, 1:18 pm
    $
    0
    0


    Many readers maybe surprised that GW's ambitions towards literature did not begin with the Black Library. Its a topic that I have covered before in the very early days of this blog and if you are after a swift overview of GW Books as they were in the 1980s have a quick browse through my article here. 

    Issue 117 of White Dwarf saw the first major preview of the forthcoming Warhammer Novels range. And in the pre-internet age, it was the first time that any of us fans knew that there was to be written stories about our beloved Warhammer World. I knew instantly that I would be tracking down these books and devouring them. Even better, though. The preview came with a short story to get you into the swing of things, No Gold in the Grey Mountains, which is I guess the first published 'Warhammer' story. 

    Before we delve further into the historical evidence, its is worth considering what actually inspired the lead designers of Warhammer, and later Rogue Trader, to produce the background that they did. Interestingly enough, Rick Priestley and Tony Ackland contributed to a fascinating conversation about this topic on the Oldhammer Facebook group over the last few days. I have edited that conversation and included it here for prosperity. 

    Rick Priestley: Michael Moorcock - of which there was a great deal about in the 70s! Robert E Howard - well specifically the Conan stories which were extended and added to by L Sprague de Camp. Tolkien - The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. Those are the most influential ones really - though there was a lot of fantasy about. Dune and 2000AD - well that's 40K really - to which you have to add Dr Who, Blakes 7, Star Trek, Star Wars and such like - Heavy Metal magazine had some good stuff in it in the day. James Branch Cabell - well that's very Bryan - if we're going down that route I'd put Lord Dunsany ahead of JBC - both very enjoyable but not really very Warhammer (though Dunsany Time and the Gods has some very Warhammerish/sub-Moorcock elements to it). I suspect Bored of the Rings was a bigger influence than any of the more cerebral fiction - nailed Halfings I think!

    Tony Ackland: Moorcock was a big influence on Bryan's ideas for developing Warhammer. Realm of Chaos and elements of 40K have their origins in both the Elric and Hawkmoon stories. Lone Sloane from Druillet provided the origin of the Red Redemption. Heinlein's Starship Troopers were the starting point for the Space Marines before morphing into something very different. Nemesis the Warlock from 2000AD was a big influence on 40K. That reminds me of the early days when I used to call in the newsagent's to pick up 3 copies of 2000AD. One for Bryan, one for Tom Meier, and one for myself. I recall Bryan lending me several Jame Branch Cabell books. Interesting reading but more philosophical than straight fantasy. We both had read a lot of Jack Vance, and Robert Sheckley, but although both of us were fans of their work they never really played much or any part in the Development of Warhammer. There was a time when Howard Chaykiin's Cody Starbuck would have infuenced Rogue Trader 40K. But that was soon left behind. Although a certain game of Target's owes those tales a big debt.

    Tony Ackland:Origins? Of course all fantasy games of the period used a strange amalgam of Howard and Tolkien as a foundation. When it comes to Dune it's definitely more the movie than the book that had an influence. Of course there probably aren't that many people who are aware of an independent black and white, science fiction and fantasy anthology comic called Star Reach which both Bryan and I used to read when we could get hold of it. I think a few ideas from it were considered but possibly not used. But like Heavy Metal and the short lived Epic it would have contributed to the overall ethos.

    Rick Priestley:With the original 40K book - it was for sure the book Dune - and it's many sequels - that were a big influence on me - that trick of the little quote from an imaginary retrospective history that was at the start of every chapter - I used that idea for a lot of 40K quotes and snippets in the old days. The film might have influenced the figure designers - I don't know - but I always thought it was a bit of a let down after the book - can't think of anything specific to the film that's an influence - the god-like Emperor of 40K owes a lot to Leto in Children of.. and God Emperor of... although there are other influences too... not least real religious predecessors! Though that is also true of Dune of course. Space Marines - well I hadn't read Starship Troopers when I wrote 40K (though I've read it since) so I'm not sure it was much of an influence on me - the figure design - I guess there was a tradition of SF models in that style (Laserburn/StarGuard etc) but the thing that inspired me was the Souther Trooper design in Rogue Trooper (2000AD) + the idea of making them 'Chaos Warriors'. If you look at the back of the helmet shape of the original SMs you'll see it looks a lot like the Souther helmet - whilst the pointy beaky front echos the Souther gasmask. We reworked the design a lot (Bob Naismith came up with the final image) but it started with a pencil sketch I did inspired by the 2000AD Southers. The various proto-marines all got released into a generic 'adventurer' code or some such IIRC.

    Tony Ackland:  I remember the Souther influence on the original "Womble" marines. Interesting that with the numerous changes of artist that Rogue Trooper had that, that look disappeared from the comic. Bryan was the one keen on Starship Troopers, Heinlein was definitely another influence on him. He lent me quite a few that I had missed. Loved the original Dune but I must admit I never really got into the later Dune books. I know that John Blanche was influenced by Baron Harkonnen from the movie. And he referred it to some of the freelance artists working on 40K. I had read most of REH but was more a fan of Solomon Kane than Conan. One day somebody might make a movie on one of his characters that doesn't change the character or feature a stupid origin segment which is totally at odds with the original material. Of course I can't leave out Howard Phillips Lovecraft , Clark Ashton Smith, and Fritz Leiber as influences. And before I forget there is Poul Anderson who certainly had an infuence on both Bryan and myself. Guess which Warhammer creature is based on Anderson character?

    Rick Priestley: Harry Harrison too for 40K.. almost forgot... especially Stainless Steel Rat and Deathworld series. Richard Halliwell was especially into Philip Hose Farmer - Riverworld series I remember. I read a lot of classic SF and fantasy too: Asimov, Arthur C Clarke, EE Doc Smith (yes I know! Harrison's 'Star Smashers of the Galaxy Rangers' was a classic send up of the genre), the John Norman Gor books (the ones with the raunchy covers you remember), Edgar Rice Burroughs obviously, Ray Bradbury, Philip K Dick, Anne McCaffrey... I'm not sure what of this is influential in terms of Warhammer and 40K and what isn't... I don't think we thought about it much at the time! Funny about John Blanche being influenced by the Dune movie ratrher than the book because John never did read anything! It was always a struggle getting him to draw from a written description, and in the end you just had to let him do what he wanted and change the text to fit! I think John's whole relationship to Warhammer was visual - I don't think he really had much interest in the ideas or narrative behind the image - let alone the game - bless!

    Tony Ackland: Although he did like book of Clockwork Orange. But generally he wasn't into written SF and Fantasy. Is it possible to read EE "Doc" Smith after Star Smashers? The Gor books! Dom-sub fetishism loosely disguised as fantasy. Classic Norm Eastman art would not have been out of place on those covers! Lots of authors who helped shape the mindset I suppose. Had you read any E R Eddison?

    Rick Priestley: Hi Tony - you know I never have, though I think we have a copy of The Worm Ouroboros somewhere - must be contemporary with James Branch Cabell and Dunsany - sounds like an interesting character. Apparently, he considered Tolkien's fantasy a bit 'soft' - mind you Moorcock was/is no fan either as he gives Tolkien a right slagging in Wizardry and Wild Romance - which is a must read for anyone who is at all into the history of the Genre - he rates Poul Anderson's The Broken Sword as hugely influential though - I know it was one of Jes Goodwin's faves.

    Tony Ackland: Long time since I've read the Broken Sword. I remember people accusing him of stealing his dwarves names from Tolkien. He pointed out that Tolkien took his names from the same source-The Book of Dwarves. Though It is an unusual book for Anderson. The Polesotechnic League and Terran Empire stories are a must for any SF fan. 





    As you can see from this page, the first two novels were Zaragoz and Drachenfels along with two anthologies; Ignorant Armies and Wolf Riders. If you glance back up at the top page, you will see that this article also mentioned other planned books, namely the first book in the Konrad sequence, the two Dark Future novels and Ystareth, which was obviously the original name for Plague Daemon. What strikes me looking back on these is the quality that oozes from the pictures and book covers as anyone who owns one of these first editions will know. I have heard from my sources that these books were formatted a larger size than normally, which caused problems with book sellers stocking the new books on their shelves. Another matter worth considering, is that all the novels and many of the short stories were penned by 'proper' sci/fi and fantasy authors rather than 'part timers' that spew out many of the more modern BL books. Just reading the prose of No Gold in the Grey Mountains is enough to show you that these stories are of a very different callibre than the majority of the Black Library ones. 

    Oddly, there were no Rogue Trader 40k books originally planned. I wonder why?




    I will be reviewing each book in the sequence as the time comes (and I actually read them) but with the summer 
    holiday fast approaching I shall have plenty of time to read them! Until then, here is a scan of No Gold In the Grey Mountains. Have a read a see what you think compared to the more modern fiction? Better? The same? Worse? 

    What are your thoughts?







    ↧
    Viewing all 710 articles
    Browse latest View live
    Search