All right. After the doomed crusade of Pieter the Pious
in 2020, I needed some winners in 2021. Yeah, you named them:
Dwarves! And to be more specific: the Marauder Miniatures.
|
Illustration by Paul Bonner
|
This
is not the first time I'm trying to paint a force of Marauder dwarfs.
The first attempt was almost 30 years ago, when I bought my first
models, blister by blister, trying to gather the very same models used
by Paul Robins to win his Golden Demon Slayer Sword in 1992. Lucky me, I
have kept them all, and finally succeeded in striping the thick layers
of enamel paints.
The
second attempt lasted about 5 years, between 2005 and 2010, when I
tried to use some regiment entries to the Golden Demon competitions to
build a dwarf army, with the help from my pal Haekel for some entries.
But progress was slow, and the colors and bases chosen for the different
units lacked consistency.
|
Thunderers |
|
Iron Breakers
|
|
Hammerers
|
The
third attempt ended in 2015 with a 2000-point
force of Citadel and Marauder miniatures. But nothing close to a
Landsknecht here!
That
brings us today: I have more or less completed a collection started in
the early nineties, but I still have no clear idea how I can paint my
short-legged Landsknechts... To prepare this OWAC, I have carefuly read
Stuart Mulligan's wise advice on the Painting Landsknechts blog and of course, studied Nico's splendid Dwarf army,
as his conversions solved the other issue I have with the Marauder
Miniatures: the range is unfortunately incomplete (missing some standard
bearers and musicians), and sometimes tends towards Middle-Age rather
than Renaissance in terms of clothing. I'll see what I can do...
The
army is mainly composed of young dwarfs leaving the Grey Mountains and
their impoverished clans to seek fortune in the Empire. They band
together in free companies, elect their captain, and offer themselves
for hire. Some still carry the colors of their native hold or clan: the
black boar of the Frostpeak hold, the crosier of the IronBones clan or
the double-key of the SureFoots. The current employer of the army is
the honourable Guild of Goldsmiths and Jewellers in Altdorf: its dwarf
masters are more comfortable contracting mercenaries of their kind,
either to escort convoys, protect trading posts, or claim distant lands
with high mineral potential. As trust does not exclude control, it is
not rare seeing the mercenary captain Borin Steelfist receiving direct
orders from representatives of the Guild. In these occasions, the
latters are flanked by hardened veterans, handsomely paid to protect the
guildmasters with their lives.
|
Illustration by Dave Andrews (Warhammer Armies)
|
So, here is the OWAC IV plan:- 1 Lvl 20 hero (the mercenary captain): 168 points
- 1 Lvl 5 wizard: 78 points
- 10 hammerers (the guildmaster's bodyguards) with musician: 176 points
- 10 halberdiers with musician and standard bearer: 144 points
- 10 crossbowmen with musician and standard bearer: 156 points
- 10 thunderers with musician and standard bearer: 156 points
- 10 pikemen with musician and standard bearer: 132 points
I
may replace standard bearers by additional soldiers, simpler to paint
in limited time. I may also change my mind on the composition of the
army, add characters, or some warmachines. We'll see...
A few
pictures of the preparation phase (still waiting for a few models, and
some conversions not totally finalized... and last but not least... about 50
bases to prepare 😣)
|
Characters |
|
Halberdiers |
|
Hammerers |
|
Pikemen |
|
Quarellers |
|
Thunderers |
And to conclude, my tribute to appease the Overlord: Throbin Dead Eye.
See you in January!
Gah...LOVE that offering! Such a cool piece and so well painted!
ReplyDeleteThis should be a great army, love the Landsknechts dwarfs!
Thanks! Let's see if i can find a colour scheme by January...
DeleteBeautiful models, and I am soooo thankful your general is wearing clothes!
ReplyDeleteI can still change my mind, and use a naked giant slayer instead 😋
DeleteFlipping SWEET!
ReplyDeleteAwesome models and concept for the army. That conversion of the "bishop" mage is amazing
ReplyDeleteThanks! Glad you noticed him!
DeleteYour army last year was such a treat for the eyes, looking forward to seeing what you do with this year's army!
ReplyDeleteSweet - loving the dwarfs.
ReplyDeleteAh, Marauder dwarfs, my first love :-). Stunning paint job on the offering. Looking forward to seeing your progress!
ReplyDelete