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Monday, July 19, 2021

Bill's Greenskins: The Wrap-Up (1248 pts)

My first Old World Army Challenge marks the single biggest and most successful miniatures-painting project I've ever undertaken. I painted my first miniatures almost 20 years ago, I've done some small projects in the interim, but this is my first ARMY. I'm phenomenally proud of myself for having accomplished so much in six months - during this period, I also wrote, playtested and edited a 10,000-word scenario for the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game, which will be seeing print towards the end of this year. 

Sorry Iannick, but the humidity was at 87%. A tie was out of the question.

Let's review this Challenge's successes:

Harboth's Archers (May) and Hobgoblins (February)

Orc Boyz (February), Goblins & Trolls (March)

Yorzolg's Chariot (June), Battle Standard Bearer (April), Chuckwagon (May)

Orcs (January), Stone Thrower (April)

And, because I painted some Hobgoblins, Goblin Archers and Black Orcs prior to the start of the OWAC, I decided to put them down on the table as well and see how the Waaagh Kev'Adums looked in its entirety:


Hobgoblins and Black Goblins by Knightmare Games

Barnorsk Great Orcs by Harlequin/Black Tree Designs

Archers by Knightmare and Harlequin/Black Tree, Orcs by Warmonger

What's Coming for OWC V? (Presuming Iannick will have me back)

Yorzolg ducked as another volley of arrows arced over the crumbling stone ruins his army had taken shelter in three weeks earlier. The siege had been a hard one; they'd run out of food, snotlings, and were running low on goblins to eat. The walls were starting to give way under repeated assault by the war-machines of the Empire. 

Slumping against the wall, Yorzolg looked over at the huddled mass of Dem Boyz Ova Dere. Most of them had bandaged wounds and Arzenut was face down, getting an arrow pulled out of his left buttock. 

"Dis might be it, boyz," Yorzolg said glumly. "Dem humies might 'ave us blasted dis time."

In the distance, a horn sounded. Yorzolg's pointed ears pricked up. He knew an orcish trumpet when he heard one.

A gangly orc chanced a look up over the ramparts.

"Oi, Boss!" He crowed. "We'z not ded yet! They'z 'ere ta save our bacon!"

"Who?" Yorzolg crept up, looking over the wall.

Cresting a row of hills, a line of black, bristling war boars, as big as oxen and ten times as ornery. On their backs clung armored orc warriors, swords drawn and voices raised in fury. The boar boyz came charging down, slamming into the back ranks of the Imperial army. Yorzolg could see a boar continuing to trample men even as it choked a handgunner down its gullet, chomping and slobbering as it went. 

The orcs around Yorzolg began to cheer on their relief. The orc next to him pointed and shouted,

"DA PIG 'USSARS ARRIVED!"


These are some Boar Riders from Knightmare, and I've got some Citadel Boar Boyz just waiting for some new boars to ride. I've also got some goblin wolf riders, a unit of Big'uns that I'd initially planned to paint as part of this OWAC, and a bunch of 80s-era Orcs from Kev Adams and the Perry Twins. I was hoping to have some Savage Orc Archers from Black Tree, but the order was placed two months ago (by my mother, for my birthday) and no sign of it yet. Fingers crossed I'll see them. 

And yes, there's an urge to slap some Polish Winged Hussar wings on these boyz.

21 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your first OWAC, a great army, joining the ranks of the veterans, AND joining the ranks of Pro Writers!

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    1. Thank you! This won't be my first published scenario, I've put out a few since 2018, but never with the added time pressure of balancing writing against painting; normally I do one or the other for a while, but I had a deadline from a publisher.

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  2. Well done sir, A completed army is quite an achievement.

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  3. A painted army is a glorious thing, you've every right to feel like the mutt nuts - they look fab! 💪💪 congratulations!

    And great news about your scenario also - like an absolute sir, sir!

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  4. Great job, I really like all the very orkish banners, it all brings it together so well.

    and congrats on the scenario! I hope to read it one day

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    1. Thank you! I'll send a copy of the PDF when it's available.

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  5. It's good to get an army started and even better to keep adding to it! Congrats on completing your first OWAC!

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  6. Congrats for the army and the scenario. Change your plans for next year, and paint some cultists with tindalosi 😱

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    1. Thank you! I came very close to switching gears and painting a Chaos force for next year, but I have too many unpainted orcs here to do that.

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  7. So brave from you to start the OWAC with O&G !! Great work, I love the chariots !

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  8. You army is a triumphant return to painting, well done!

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  9. Excellent army of greenskinz! I think I’ll probably be on the same team next year, though I’ve been having a tough time finding the boar boyz I need for my Waaagh! Congrats!

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    1. Knightmare games has a set of five sculpts, and I'll be doing some conversions to get a nice regiment of 10 with standard bearer and musician. I also lucked into a bunch of unpainted 5th edition Boar Boyz minus their boars on eBay; sourcing replacement boars has been tricky for sure! I wish you luck and look forward to seeing your army!

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  10. You'll have to give us a shout when that Call of Cthulhu scenario is off the press, you hear?

    Looking forward to the next wave. Also, you should know that Mrs. E made me stop scrolling so she could inspect the "Eat Yer Beanz" banner properly and give it the attention it deserved. Apparently it's very relevant.

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    1. Thank you, and I will! I love how popular the "Eat Yer Beanz" banner has turned out to be.

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  11. Huge congratulations on your first army and OWAC! Definitely a Greenskin horde after my own heart - loved all your narrative bits and humorous banners and names! Look forward to reading the scenario - love a bit of Cthulhu and I wonder if it might provide some good gaming material To adapt for the tabletop that my cult could get their teeth in to...

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  12. Lovely selection of models you made for your OWAC and congrats on finishing them. Liked the banner a lot, very orcish indeed!

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  13. Well done! Congrats on completing the challenge and the fine Orc force you produced! Lots of character and plenty of menace! Great stuff!

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  14. Fantastic and great looking force! A whole army of Goblinmaster's greenskins is a sight to behold. Love your characterful orcish banners and shields! Congratulations! Looking forward to your future work - da pig hussars! Brilliant idea! Do it! Everything looks better with hussar wings! XD

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  15. I've really enjoyed watching this army grow each month - especially as you painted a lot of minis that don't often see the light of day.

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