All the Hunter Orc Heroes (Tournament Army)

During the evenings this week, I continued the painting of the Hunter Orc Heroes. And with Yazneg and Bolg done, I finished all heroes of the army!

Pict 195: Hunter Orc Heroes

This first picutre shows all the Hunter Orc heroes I painted over the last weeks. I had to get the finished because I played them in a tournament on this sunday. They made for quite a funny all hero army with lots of might to throw around. Since we were going to play four scenarios that heavily depended on strong heroes, I was fancying my chances.
Sadly, I didn't even get to play the army. Since I never got to pick and choose whether I wanted to use my evil or my good army. I'll be looking forward to getting them on the table in the future!

Pict 196: Yazneg mounted

Pict 197: Yazneg mounted

Pict 198: Yazneg

Pict 199: Yazneg

The first miniature I painted this week was Yazneg of whom I showed a WIP last week. I really like the scuplt of the orc and the warg, but this particular one had quite a few air bubbles, esspecially on the underside of his bone-carapace. Those were not to big of a problem however - other than the bubbles that had formed on the paws Yazneg is using as gloves. Some of the claws on there were missing all together. I tried and fixed this with a little green stuff and the paint job and I'm pleased with the way the mini came together.

Pict 200: Bolg mounted

Pict 201: Bolg mounted

Pict 202: Bolg

Pict 203: Bolg

The only hero I was missing for the tournament was Bolg on his warg. The models are not my favourites (the warg is to long and its snout is to big), but the profile is really quite good in the game. Nevertheless I'd like to see an alternate sculpt by Forge World, but there is only slim hope for that. Also: looking at the pictures now, I'm not that satisfied with his blind eye. I might just make it a little smaller and put in some more shadow around it to differentiate it some more from the sorrounding skin.

Next up will be more Hunter Orcs - I'm planning to use them in the German Championship at the end of July. Other than that there's still the Keeper of the Dungeons who will fit with my Dol Guldur theme.
But I  will be distracted because this week also saw the arrival of the Dark Imperium box...

Azog the Defiler and Lackey

This week I finished up Azog on foot and Azog mounted on the White Warg, that I started last week. Other than that I started painting Yazneg, Azog's Lieutenant in the first of the Hobbit filmes.

Pict 187: Azog foot and mounted

Pict 188: Azog mounted

Pict 189: Azog mounted

Pict 190: Azog mounted

First up I present to you Azog mounted on the White Warg. Emphasis on white! Man I had to struggle to achive a whiteish tone that I was happy with for the warg. With other wargs and other colourations you can easily drybrush the thing and call it a day, but with white you have to be a little mor selective. The furcoat as it stands is not my best work and given enough time, I might produce something more realistic, but im all right with the way it stand now - he's ready to hit the tabletop, and that's what I want him for.

Pict 191: Azog on foot

Pict 192: Azog on foot

Pict 193: Azog on foot

Next up is the Defiler on foot giving me a chance to talk a little about painting the skin. I wanted the scars to stand out and thus washed with Reikland Fleshshade over a Rakarth Flesh base. After that I layered some more Rakath Flesh, Pallid Wych Flesh and Ulthuan Grey on the highest elevations such as the brow and the nose. I'm pleased with how the miniature looks from an arm's lengh but up close you tend to pick up the wierder, darker tones the Shade has left in some places. But nonetheless I'm pleased with the different whites I achived on the warg and Azog himself, resulting in a nice contrast.

Pict 194: Yazneg (WIP)

And lastly here's the work in progess for this week: Yazneg. Nothing to fancy yet - only the basecoats and washes. Befor I can continue on him I'll have to refresh my browntones since as of today my Rhinox Hide, Rakarth Flesh and Tallar Sand are all empty.

Thorin and Azog - Mortal Enemies

This week I continued the work on the Hunter Orc heroes but I got a little bit distracted with a certain young Dwarf prince.

Pict 182: Azog (WIP), Young Thorin

Pict 183: Young Thorin Oakenshield

Pict 184: Young Thorin Oakenshield

First up is said Dwarf Prince, the young Thorin Oakenshield. I don't think the sculpt is as great as the young Balin and young Dwalin, but it's still great. Since I took a bit of  a pause from painting at the beginning of the week I had some difficulties with his face - I'm still not quite satisfied with the eyes but I wont do them a fourth time. The comanding pose is a litte awkward, because usually you'd expect the miniature facing the enemy, but this Thorin doesn't even have to. The profile is vey similar to the other Thorins - obviously he can't take Orcrist but the ability to raise the strength of nearby Dwarves may change a combat phase. Especially when paired with Iron Hills Dwarves who will all go to strengh 5.

Pict 185: Azog (WIP)

Pict 186: Azog (WIP)

Once I finished Thorin, I had to get started on his foil - Azog the Defiler. I really like the miniature and think even tough it's made from finecast it still holds it's own against the ForgeWorld characters. Nevertheless I can't wait, what they have in store for us with the armoured version and the signal tower. Right now Azog is still quite WIP - the basecolours and the washes are on; next is the highlighting. I really want to do right by the sculpt - all those little details like the lines on the skin just wait to be picked out.

Next week I'll try to work on some more of the Hunter Orc herose to get them out of the way and start batchpainting the troops. But since I pre-ordered the new edition of 40k I might veer of the path...

Hunter Orc Heroes for the Hobbit SBG

This week I started work on my Hunter Orc Army for the Hobbit SBG. Since I finished the Iron Hills Dwarves I figured I could allow me to get started on this new project.

Pict 174: Hunter Orc Heroes

Pict 175: Narzug

Pict 176: Narzug

I started with Narzug, because I wanted to see how the whiteish war paint would look on him. I feared it would look to much like a Isengard Uruk-Hai, but with the stripes down his torso, I think it look all right. The bases are themed after Dol Guldur, because I really love scene in wich the White Council attacks Sauron and the Ringwraiths and I once I get them I want them to be able to mix and match with Azog's Hunters and Azog's Legion.

Pict 177: Fimbul

Pict 178: Fimbul

Pict 179: Fimbul on Fell Warg

Pict 180: Fimbul on Fell Warg

Pict 181: Fimbul on Fell Warg

The other Orc I painted this week is Fimbul. I really enjoyed painting the bone-like harness and his blade. The skin is lighter to the one I painted on Narzug - I mixed Steel Legion Drab into the Doombull Brown I used on Narzug. I really like painting the Heroes of a force because I can take my time mixing different tones. Depending on the time I have for normal Hunter Orcs, I might do so with them too, but usually the army has to be done for a specific date like a tournament...

Next will be the remaining Hunter Orc heroes Yazneg, Bolg and of course Azog. But we'll see what distracts me during the coming week.