Adrian's dwarves - Wrap Up of the unnoficial sequel of Snow White's tale

Army wrap-up post.

The army finally return home with the seven dwarf engineers and Snow White.

"Doc": Hey, it was not that difficult to escape with at least part of the treasure.

Ulther: Ahem.

"Doc": Well, it took some help.

King Kazador: Hey, you were seven at the start of this mess, didn't you? where is your other friend?

"Doc": That's right, what will be Dopey doing again? where is he?

"Sneezy": I *achooo* I have seen him walking up the northern path fighting the orcs.

"Doc": At this point I think he must have reached the chaos wastes.

Another month, another OWAC finished!

Some of the last six months were a bit intense, the typical treacherous miscalculation of the available time here and there. Several working trips. But in the end, planning ahead saved the day again. That and the lack of painting fatigue as my motivation was pretty high.

Again like my eldars, this is my main fantasy army after all. Many of the models were sitting in my desk for ages waiting to be finished. I wanted to give 'em a coat of paint finally.

The OWAC has turned in a mix of opportunity to work on lots of unfinished projects...but the temptation to start new ones or add new units.

The objective was clear, adding several oldhammer units to my multi-edition dwarf army. However, the main army colour is mainly greens and that was slightly wrong if I wanted to add Kazador, so I changed my mind with the main army no #1 rule about colour variation. That was the reason to alter the blueish to teal of the armours, shields and banners that sits perfectly with my main host as it represents single units.

I would lie if I said that it was just as planned... I simply started painting and it was like the perfect colour.

With each unit as it own "clan" inside my dwarf hold, I think I can mix them well and will probably guide toward that direction with some of my other unfinished units of the pile of shame. 

Don't worry, you'll probably see the next batch, there are like several hundreds of unpainted dwarves where these lads come from. Unfortunately nothing so awesome like the Dragon Company. For now?

One of the rarest units in my collection. I started way back in the last days of 5th edition and early days of 6th. Too young to see these on the shelves of a citadel store. I was a curious dwarf collector, so I had a glimpse into the oldhammer catalogues...

I first asked Mariano about some bugman rangers that I missed in my collection... he came with an opportunity to add the Dragon Company to my ranks... and here I am, even I have now a bunch of preslotta dwarves here and there and finishing in my third edition of the Challenge. It needed to be treated some additional care.

Lovely unit to paint. As I said in June, I'll come back to the banner and some small unfinished details but I think that so much effort expent in that unit is pretty rewarding, because not only it pops-out, it is also a satisfying unit to paint despite the small amount of different sculpts.

So, lets summarize

The Host of King Kazador

King Kazador of Karak Azul - 494 points

Runesmith - 78 points

14x Dwarf warriors with full command - 244 points

10x Hammerers with standard bearer - 202 points

10x Troll Slayers with musician - 141 points 

Prince Ulther (Hero) + 14x Dragon Company Iron Breakers and full command -  430 points

Organ Gun - 65 points

Flame Cannon - 119 points

Baggage train - 100 points

Snow White

A mine

Total: 57 dwarfs, 1 human, 1 pony, 1 unanimated pile of rocks, 1873 points

Now, time to prepare the next OWAC. I have an idea in my mind, as I wanted to jump into the Horus Heresy and it seems that beakies are the new black.

Until then, Adrian’s out!

Adrian's dwarves - March rank and file month means it is Hammer Time (217 points)

Rank and File Month #2

Another month bite the dust. 

Today it is the turn of the heartguard of King Kazador. His hammerer unit, the Hraesvelgr Guard. Or what it is left after the disastrous siege of Karak Azul. Reformed after the massacre of the Throne Room during the brief occupation of the hold, they want to seek vengeance for their King, the king's kidnapped heir and their relatives killed in the assault. 

When Kazador seeked to launch his vanguard in a mission ahead of his army in the valley, they were the first to respond and to arrive next to the clansmen of Hammergrim.

The orcs launched a fierce attack, with several big ‘uns sperheading the assault. They thought that the seven dwarves have spent their last ammunitions and would be, at last, an easy prey. 

They did not expect such a strong defence and counter attack with the king’s guard leading the carnage. Wave after wave crashed again and again against the dwarf defences, unable to reach the mine shaft. The orc commanders wondering what have gone wrong with the initial plan. Yet again.  

March was a bit more treacherous than February as I suddenly had less spare time to get to the brushes. It was a productive month nonetheless. 

9x Dwarf Hammerers -  217 points

The selection of old models I chose for the hammerer unit was pretty easy to paint, even more than usual dwarves. They are pretty much covered in mail armour with decorated plates, usually in gold or bronze. 

 

I added some tone variation using blue and red washes instead of the black/smoke tint. But that’s it, pretty doable in the few time I had. 

Too easy to finish here. It was necessary to add some spice to this month. 

Here comes the shields, random motifs and the banner. I came first with the winged hammer design before searching for a proper name to the unit. For the moment there is no champion, so it is not “someone’s regiment of renown” apart from Kazador’s guard. 

 

 

The name comes from the viking myth of the giant eagle that makes the wind when it takes off. It also fits the norse look of the hammerers, especially with those Marauder norse dwarves in the mix. 

Aaaand, I decided to paint something else. Both in the “spice up the month until I’m in trouble to finish it on time” mindset and to have at least 10 models. I didn’t want to cheat with the 9 man (dwarf) unit lacking Kazador, so what other model would I paint? 

Of course, the largest one. 

Here comes

The baggage train - is this thing worth any points??

 

Spoilers, Gorfang will not get this juicy cart of gold, gems and other dwarf goods. 

And that’s it. Next month King Kazador will show, routing the wave of orcs that tried to push when the engineer's artillery went silent. Probably finish the clansmen banner too, I did not forgot that, now that I am eager to paint more motifs after these shields and banner. 

Until then, Adrian’s out.

Stonewall Street's Stuttering Flying Start - Rank and file #1 (323 pts)

And so into 2022. The sheer optimism of living in the modern world and living in a country that isn't run by a crime syndicate washes over me.

Ahem.

But I'm already one twelfth of the way through. And hey. It's World Cup year. That always brings joy and peace to jolly old England.

People have been telling me not to overdo things. Just ten minis a month. Slow and steady. But I happened to have the chance to get off to a good start, and I'm not the kind of person to roll over ten minis I painted this month onto future months as a safety net.

After much faffing about around whether I would just paint a few units off the workbench, I thought I would concentrate on a division of my dwarf army that had both visual cohesion and also looked like they might be hardened and experienced mercenaries.

I dug out a bunch of "puff and slash" dwarfs that had sat around for some time, some of them since the 90s in case of the Marauders and some more recent from the White Knight and Runecast Ranges, as well as a few from the old Harlequin range now available (if you're prepared to wait) from Black Tree design.

A few years ago I saw an article in one of the Wargames magazines about a mercenary unit called the "Black Band" that (I think) were from Saxony but fought for the French. I liked the combination of dark armour, red and black cloth. I made up my mind to make a unit of two- handed  swordsmen for my dwarf detachment, ignoring the fact that - as far as I am aware - the real Black Band were largely pikemen.

So I've painted the first eleven. Eleven may sound like a weird number but the unit will be 21 strong and fight in three ranks of seven. Odd numbers keep Blue happy. As do the black base rims.

So on to a sad story. About five years ago I painted half a unit of puff and slash crossbows. The plan at the time, due to the fact that I had acquired a few multipart White Knight models was to boost the unit to twenty (my preferred number). 

At a gaming tournament of a game that I will not mention, I not only tipped the "troop" of ten off a movement tray onto the floor, but then later dropped the same unit down a stone staircase.

As a result I "put off" the second ten, simply because I knew that there was no point until I repaired, partially stripped and repainted the first ten.

I'm fairly proud to say that I have done both.

Due to the fact that the first ten this month were "repair jobs" (even though that was actually far, far more work than actually buying the models again and starting from scratch) - I won't be counting them in the OWAC or the points cost. I just thought that a precious few of you - and both readers of my BLOG - might like to see the whole unit with the newly painted chaps and the repaired and part-stripped and repainted stuff included.

To make it truly Oldhammer, I had in my mind a design for a banner I wanted the crossbow unit to have. An Orc or a Half-Orc tied to a stake being peppered with quarrels. Somewhere in the back of my mind I seemed to remember Aly Morrison using a similar image on a shield for the "Arcane Armorials" decal set.

Wanting to make all my detachment banners free-handed tapestry style renaissance pieces I stumbled across the fairy tale of San Sebastian, from which I assumed Aly took inspiration for his shield design.

I'd go into more detail if I had more time - but I don't, so I won't.

Next month I'll be finishing the "Black Band".

Month 1 Rank and File:

x11 "Hammerers" (Minus shields) including musician = 180 points (probably)

x10 Crossbows including standard = 143 points.

Total = 323 points.

21 dwarfs done.

Adrian's tale of angry dwarfs (or are they dwarves?) - Intro post

Adrian’s here prepared for another OWAC. My third owac in a row, this time with a fantasy army again. With a fantasy army that it is also part of my main collection and not another distraction on my quest for completing the pile of shame! (until more orcs get into my hands)

In the World Edge Mountains slopes there was a mine run by a company of seven dwarves. They were industrious and they have amassed plenty of rare ores and gems. But they wouldn’t have become well know merely by these mundane achievements alone, by the standards of a successful dwarf miner. No, these dwarves have become known by they remarkable deeds. First, by saving an empire princess from a conspiracy from her reckless step-mother. Then, by digging up to the treasure chambers of an ancient karak abandoned during the turmoil of the goblin wars. The later spreaded over the mountains like a wildfire.

But in the World Edge Mountains, fame attracts also unwanted attention. Gorfang Rotgut have heard of the treasures of these bunch of brave dwarves and was an opportunity to plunder and improve the morale in his clan, after a long retirement after the attack on Karak Azul. 

When the explorers reached the fortress with the notice of the march of a large orc army and a vanguard leaded by Gorfang himself, King Kazador jumped from his throne in a mix of anger and excitement. This was an opportunity to set his grudge with the orc. Set it with a swing of his hammer. He gathered his armies and send messengers to spread the news and calling for allies. 

But the rally of the clans would take time, and unwilling to lose the opportunity to battle the mighty orc warboss, he run to the dwarf mine with a group of dwarf adventurers. The vanguard of both armies will battle in the mine while the armies come to the valley. 

So here it is, the theme of this year. Let’s see what’s in the workbench ready for this year. I will be using Dwarf army book from 4th Ed. for the shake of simplicity (King Kazador profile, etc.). But I have prepared a bunch of dwarves that may reach 1000 points in whatever edition without stretching too far my goals. I learnt my limits from that please-no-more-goblins month! 

14x Dwarf warriors leaded by Hammergrind, a dwarf champion. Complete command – 257 points

 

9x Hammereres accompanying King Kazador himself, with a standard – (217 + 494) points 

 9x Slayers, one is a musician, and Snorri the Giant Slayer – 193 points

 And to their aid they came Prince Ulther’s (dwarf hero) and 14x of his mighty dwarves of the Dragon Company, full command. 

Count as Ironbrakers – 430 points 

 A baggage train with the treasures recovered from the ancient treasure chambers.

And of course, the seven dwarf engineers, which count as an Organ Gun (65 points) and a Flame Cannon (119 points) 

 

For a total of 56 dwarves and 1775 points. 

Wait, did I say seven dwarves? … 

Ah, yes, the silent Dopey. 

He got a bit “special” after an accident which also cost the destruction of an entire shaft trying to chase a bunch of goblinoids. He has become a slayer-engineer. He is also my overlord offering.

Dopey trying to get rid of a group of rats sneaking into the storage cabin to get onto the crew’s cheese supplies. 

 Hope I can get everything on time and that you enjoy the story as much as I enjoy painting every bunch of angery dwarves. 

Bad news everyone, there are no gemstones this year. 

 See you in the next post. 

Adrian’s out.

Jaeckel's Dwarfs - Rank & File III - The bodyguards (213 points)

No paymaster without bodyguards! As I was unable to complete them last month, April is a "catch-up" month: let me introduce you ten hardened warriors, whose mission is to protect the army's pay chest. 

Dwarfs being dwarfs, each clan provides a champion that will: 

1. defend the paymaster and his precious cart, and 
2. ensure that the other clans don't get too close to the gold!
   

So, instead of having a unified theme for the whole regiment, each bodyguard will bear the colours of his own clan. 

Keeping in mind the parallel between the Dwarf Clans of the Grey Mountains and the Old Swiss Confederacy, I have used the coats of arms of the eight first cantons composing the federation. Below, from left to right: Glarus, Zug, Unterwalden, Schwyz, Uri, Zürich, Lucerne, (Unterwalden again) and Berne.

 

You've already met the halberdiers of the FrostPeak hold, and the pikemen of the BlackHorns clan. Here are the hammerers defending the interests of these two families:

Next are the representatives of the three clans wearing white and blue colors:

The shields of the last three bodyguards are inspired from the coats of arms of the canton of Schwyz (the white cross on a red field), the forest-canton of Unterwalden (a silver key replacing the white-and-red key on a red-and-white field) and the canton of Glarus (a dwarf ancestor replaces Saint Fridolin on a red field). 

You've probably recognized the eight Marauder Miniatures MM16 hammerers. To meet the 10 miniatures minimum, I have completed the regiment with a MM10 warrior converted into a musician, and a MM11 leader.

And that's it for April!

 The paymaster and his bodyguards:

In terms of points, we have 9 hammerers with musician, led by a Lvl 5 champion with heavy armour and double-handed weapon, for a total of 213 points.