Bjorn Grendel's Dwarven Holds - April: rank and file. The Golden Month

 April, Ranks and Files. The Golden Month

Always by the skin of my teeth...

It's 10:48 PM on April 30th as I'm about to write this month's report. I've said many times that for me, photographing, editing, and writing the blog are the hardest parts. I don't like spending time on my phone; it takes me hours each time. I'm one of those people who can paint dozens of details on miniatures, but I get impatient after just a few minutes of technology. I feel like an old boomer.

I'll try to keep this short because it's late and I'm tired.

This month is the golden month. Every model I've made has a powerful metallic and gold component. Why? Because I felt like it.

COMMISSION: Dwarf mercenaries

A few models. 8 old-metal ironbreakers. Few, but good, I'd say. They are some original Marauder sculptures, Imperial dwarves. The client was undecided whether to include them in his Reiksguard unit or as the front of his Tilean pikes. Ultimately, he chose the second option. Gold, flat red, and triangular shields with a simple freehand, to match the style of his army painted many years ago. A work neither infamous nor praiseworthy.

RANKS AND FILES

More ironbreakers, this time from our collection.

I managed to find ten metal models, with a complete command group. I spent a small fortune sniping on eBay, and I limited myself to the bare minimum, mostly to have them in the collection. They're gorgeous. Gold, steel, and blue livery. Simple and elegant.

Did you expect that? More ironbreakers! 18, more than enough for a decent unit, this time... A few years ago, I won two boxes in a painting contest: I've never really been interested in them; I've built some for conversions or experiments, but without interest. Every now and then, I've received some loose models from mixed batches, which is why the unusual number. Along with them, I also built four Irondrakes, which I hate, but as mentioned, no dwarf will be left behind, so I painted everything. The flamethrowers will remain as a side element, just because they're there.

Slayers. 3. Let's slowly move forward to complete the unit. I promised you more lore, and they'll come, don't worry. But not today.

Oh! Rangers! I finally got my hands on the command group! I loved them, I had so much fun. I even added a couple of extra rangers and a warrior that fit perfectly, so I managed to bring the regiment to 15 rangers (16 including Bugman)—quite an achievement!

Note on the banners: finally, after four months of waiting, I've found a solution I like. Beautiful printed paper banners with different designs but a similar style, perfect for homogenizing such a large and varied army. A friend of mine made them, and I jumped at the chance. I didn't feel like drawing them all by hand, because, damn, I have a life, too, and I didn't want simple totems. I needed color, so here's the perfect solution. Okay, maybe I'm getting lazy, but the number of models is so huge, I'll have to get by somewhere...

DWARVES TREASURE HUNTERS (evil)

A few more models from my personal collection. These are some chaos dwarves operating war machines or cannons. I had them. I'd painted them poorly. I rediscovered them and freshened them up a bit, perhaps waiting to build or find a demonic machine to give them. In the meantime, here they are. No dwarf will be left behind (and who knows, maybe they'll have a chance to redeem themselves one day). In this group of bastards, I also included an old Marauder dwarf warrior, who I didn't know where to put and who still had a malevolent appearance (closed helmet and armor with nipples), and a Reaper Bones dwarf, decidedly huge compared to the others, but the "no dwarf will be left behind" rule must always be respected, so here he is in this section.

DWARVEN AUTOMATA

Another new entry. Dwarven automatons. Obviously, these, especially the centurion, are inspired by the Dwemer from the Elder Scrolls. Especially Morrowind! But also a little Skyrim. The two smaller ones and the most bizarre one were created many years ago with Space Marine bodies and Chaos warrior arms for a DeD campaign (the smaller ones) and an old Kinder Surprise (the funny one), while the larger one is a more recent composition, starting from a toy found on the street by chance. In all cases, they were painted crudely and unsuitable for the current project, so here's the opportunity to improve them, changing a few details and refreshing the color scheme. And now they're ready to defend the inner halls of the mountain again!

As of today, the army is composed as follows (updated the number of finished models and updated the point cost for banners and command groups where applicable).

And now I'll leave you, as it's 11:32 PM and I still have to upload the photos to the blog. Sorry, I don't have the time or energy to edit them properly; this time you'll get them straight from your phone.

I'm tired. But I'll keep painting and staying Old School.

Pokrzyw's Empire Army - Month 4 - Calm and madness - Rank and File 3 (290pts) - OWAC IX

"Tileans are the best crossbowmans in the Old World, of course the price of hiring a regiment is also impresive. 

"Flaggelants are travelers across the Empire, joining armies as they march to battle. Their madness gives them superhuman strength and resilence. They fight with fury and determination beliving in doom of the world."

Plans for April:

I lost March month and try go get back to business. Flaggelants looks to be easy win, tileans are a bonus from previous week. Both units has a place in my heart as both units were present in my best and only one playing this army in 5th edition.

Realization:

I don't remember how hard was yellow colour in the pre-contrast times ;) I'm not very proud of effects, but still not bad from the distance. As I predict flaggelants painting was really fast, tileans take more attention. I'm far away from my workshop and I forget to take the banner for tileans. It would be added in next days.

Gallery:

Flaggelants rear part ;)

Saint book could be effective weapon

The same vibe as dwarven slayers

Hold the line

Aim

Green feathers break a little bit yellows and reds

Points:

• 15 flaggelants  - 150pts
• 12 crossbowmans (light armour, banner, musician) - 140pts

Plans for May:

halflings..halflings..

Adrian April's Rank and File month - Brommedir's Bows (306 points)

Rank and File month #3

Brommedir is the elf leader of the small garrison stationed at Orc's Drift. Their elves are in charge of guarding the supplies of the Grand League army as well as the gold chest for the payment of the soldiers.

Normally it would have been a dull and boring task, far from the real fight against the goblin armies. Patrolling the river while the dwarves fix the bridges. Escort the wounded until they can be sent back to Palesandre. Everything changed when news of a second army of orcs approaching from the mountains.

The return of King F'yar from the mountain pass was a surprise, but the elves will barricade and fight in the crossroad. Every step towards Palesandre will cost them blood.

Time for the elf garrison that will make the last stand against the orc hordes at Orc's Drift. I changed a little bit my starting plan and got a proper old school Brommedir proxy for the garrison. Recently an original Brommedir popped up in Europe, if you're the buyer that brought it from Sweden reading this, lucky you!

Lahaven Ramjewe, the champion of the classic Regiments of Renown Lothern City Guard will do the job.

Brommedir is not armed with a magic sword but I wanted to make it pop a little bit over the normal metals.

He is commanding 14 armoured archers with shields. I coverted them to have a different kind of helmet that align more with me (yet unpainted) elf kindred warriors or militia. Also, they will have a different appearance from the other armored archers with the typical pinty helmet.

I used the medieval japanese style for the clothes and bows following my previous OWAC high elf army. This time mixing a white and dark blue with the magenta. I plan to freehand some shields with the griffon design as well as feathers.

I could have posted this image and said that it is only an example of the shields. But, unfortunately, the shields are my Achille's heel on every OWAC and I couldn't finnish all the freehand. At least this time I did not lose a bag of shields, or worse, a box of shields already painted like in previous editions. One of the dwarf shields exploded nonetheless. Literally. Next time I will not clone bits with purely white milliput, it breaks easily if the part is pretty thin.

Did I say dwarves? Ah, yes, I painted some additional miniatures too.

The miners of Ashak Rise guard the baggage just before travelling back to Palesandre.

I finnished my Ashak Rise dwarves. I used several dwarves that were left unpainted from my Dragon Company. This was the perfect opportunity to complete the unit at 20 dwarves.

And lets not forget about the baggage train used in the campaign. They will be also useful for ttrpg or baggage trains for any of my armies. I think that they come from Foundry Miniatures but I am not entirely sure. The Orc's Drift campaign was again the excuse to paint them, as they were sitting in my desk for years!

That makes:

Brommedir + 14 elf archers with shield = 246 points

4 dwarf sappers = 60 points

For the next entry, the Kwae Karr orcs and let's hope for some surprise I got in the mail.

Until then,
Adrian’s out

Filippo's Bretonnia: Rank and file 3 - 145 Points

"Chaaaaaaarge!"

“Did you have the right pictures this month??”

“Yeah.. sort of”

Last month I wrote an article about the Men‑at‑Arms unit… and I ended up taking the pictures of the archers. Great job, truly a great job.

So this month! Here’s a unit of ten “Archers” :D

The background looks more “realistic” because I managed to ruin the sheet of paper right before taking the photo, and the printer decided that it was fine like that.

Michael Perry’s halberdiers are full of character, and they can hold their own against many more recent models.

It was harder to find the plastic shield..

A great plus of these models is that are really useful with Mordheim! Halberds FTW!

The color scheme is the same as the archers; I’m keeping the same livery for all the main units, but starting next month I’ll begin introducing some variations.

This month I didn’t add anything new to the army, but I did get the chance to paint another band of Restless Dead, sculpted by the incredible Alessio Cisbani.

"Braaaaaaaiiinnnssss"

The first version was done in Mousillon colors; this time I decided to use the same palette I’m using for the rest of the army.

The warband is the result of a failed crusade, sometimes even the blessing of the Lady is not enough to win the day.

The time has come for the Leader's month! 

See you in May

JohnR's Month 4 - Rank and File (71 Points)

 Another month long on traveling and short on painting but I do have the Grenadier civilians done!

 IIRC these were sculpted by the legendary Mark Copplestone in the before times, long ago. Mark is one of my favourite sculptors and I have miniatures by him from Grenadier, foundry and GW as well as his own recent ranges. No doubt this doesn't come close to doing his extensive career justice and I'd be interested to hear who else he has sculpted for if anyone knows?

 

The civvies join the pirate army. They're a poorly equipped bunch with no clear 'leader' model and the points reflect that. I like the idea that they're simple citizens of the Imperium caught on the wrong side of a factional power struggle or bureaucratic SNAFU and forced to fight for their lives in a situation they don't understand. (Think Jonathan Pryce's character Sam Lowry from Brazil, one of my all time favourite films.)

 April Points:

12 Basic Humans: no armour, 6 stubguns, 5 autopistols and 2 autoguns to share between them: 71 points 

 

Finally, while continuing our European road-trip, we happened across the hot springs at Saturnia and I was struck by what a chaos tainted landscape it seemed to be. The photo's don't capture the stench of sulfur, but you can see the steam rising from the water which gushes out of the ground at 40 degrees. 

 

We also found a Bretonnian Castle, just up the road from fellow OWACer JamesP's house :) 

 

So, that's it for this month, hope everyone else's challenge is progressing well !