Recruits for the JTC - Small and Large

Had to head out of town for a most of the week on short notice. Had a miserable time in Texas. Got home and had a busy weekend. But I did rush a few minis through...

In the center is the canine mascot for the Boar Cleavers (first two figures from last week are flanking him/her -- I think I need to come up with a name!)

On the ends are a couple of test figures for an upcoming unit (or two) of human halberdiers.

There will be even more humans to come, for the Jackrabbit Trading Company! Including archers. I've got this notion that the humans stuck with archery, while the hobbits, recognizing the limits of their pull strength and stature, switched to crossbows. (In case you're wondering about the odd reversal of fantasy stereotypes.)

When hobbits settled in the Little Country, there were already humans living there. The newcomers formed their own communities, as well as joining existing communities of the "tall folk." For the most part, the humans of the region found that they had more in common with the "little folk" than they had with their nominal governors bustling Marienburg, nor their neighbors in Bretonnia & the Empire, and the region has benefited.

When Nob Scrobbleton formed his Jackrabbit Trading Company, he recruited across the region. The Company is comprised of almost as many humans as hobbits (and even a handful of dwarfs!)

I believe the figure to the left is from a a Grenadier "Fighting Men" pack (now sold by Mirliton), and the gent on the right is from Front Rank. As previously mentioned, the hobbits are from Westfalia, and the dog has been confirmed as a (former) Mega Mini figure, now sold by Turnkey Miniatures.

Whoops! I just realized I forgot to go back and highlight the human's halberd heads! Guess I will go do that momentarily...

Boar Cleavers - First Two

Trial painting on first two minis for the Boar Cleavers unit.

Boar Cleavers - WIP

Hit another snag with the hobbit goat knights. I was going to order some slotted bases, but noticed that since they have a single tab, they would end up being shifted to one side or the other of a standard two-slot base. I need to find bases with a single slot down the center -- or find some other way to base them.

So while I sort that out, I prepped some other hobbits... The Boar Cleavers. Taking their name for from their brave stand against mounted orc raiders on the Jackrabbit Trading Company's first caravan mission, the Boar Cleavers are the most elite regiment in the company -- nearly as effective as the average human unit!

More Westfalia miniatures, plus a regimental mascot (from a pack of dogs from Mega Miniatures?) to round the numbers out to 15 for the moment. (I'd like to fill this unit out to 20 strong, if I can get my hands on more hobbit halberdiers.)

Hope to paint them soon!

Mounted Wight Lord

Finished the old wight lord to go with the skeletons I painted a little while ago.

New Fomorians + XXL

Finished the first round of the new Bones conversions, plus the XXL Fomorian. I took Shadespyre's advice and drilled a hole down the latter's club and slipped a brass rod in, to keep it straight. Capped with some CA glue. Worked perfectly.

I also rebased some more of the painted dire wolves I got a while ago. The only painting I did was a little touch-up drybrushing. I needed a few on single bases to work out for playing KoW. They are to stand in for moor hounds until I find more suitable models.

Still working on a couple of single figures, these should be the next two to be finished...

Fomorian XXL - WIP

The XXL sized Fomorian is just about ready for paint.

I'm having problems with the bendy Bones club. I softened it with hot water, straightened it out and held it under cold water. It stayed straight for a few days, but then went back to being bent. This is consistent with my previous attempted at straightening the Bones material on other figures. I think the material just doesn't work the same way many resins do.

He's shown here next to the four regular sized converted Bones Fomorians for comparison.

Things You May Find in the Marsh

Dead giant mini-terrain piece. Finally finished the base on the giant snail (shown with and without rider.)

Fomorians & KoW

((For what it's worth, I've started adding a gallery of Fomorians and JTC minis to the site -- links are listed above. Still need to organize more!))


I've decided to put a little more work into the Fomorians, and get enough painted for a decent selection for Kings of War, using the ogre list. This also means a larger pool of minis to use for WFB3, should the opportunity present itself as well.

As for the merging of concepts, my thoughts as far as KoW units to use:

Warriors = Reaper conversions & old Citadel Fianna/Nobles
Berserker Braves = Savage Orc Conversions
Hunters = Also Savage Orc Conversions, but with frog spears, nets, etc.
Red Goblin Scouts = Moor Hounds
Giant = Large Beasts, Demons, etc.
+ Characters

A few thoughts on expanding this:

Red Goblins: I've got vague ideas, but just haven't found the best minis for some small, cowardly bowmen (or bow-creatures.)

Mammoth: Most "big things" will fall into the Giant category, but I wouldn't mind a beast carrying more small, cowardly minions to go with the previous entry. Still sorting out ideas for this.

Chariots: I like the idea of having just a few chariots the problem is finding suitable chariot models (probably better to scratch build my own?) but more importantly, I need some suitable beasts pulling them! I like the idea of wolves/supernatural-hounds or maybe some sort of shaggy horse-like beast. But not sure what miniatures to use. If I keep this sub-project small, I don't mind doing some heavy conversions.

I'm currently working on more warriors, and another hero. The former are now primed and ready to paint. The latter is still being converted and still has some modeling & sculpting work before it's ready.

My goal for the next few months -- definitely end of year -- is to have at least the following available for KoW:

2 x Hordes (6) of Warriors (400 pts.)
1 x Horde (6) of Berserkers (230 pts.)
1 x Regiment (3) Hunters (145 pts.)
2 x Regiments (10) of Moor Hounds (310 pts.)
2 x "Giants" (230 pts.)
1 x Warlord (185 pts.)
1 x Warlock (100 pts.)
1 x Caprain (135 pts.)

= 1,735 pts.

If I want to push up to 2,000 pts. my plan is to either use allies for the moment, or (if I can) paint up more Warriors, Berserkers, etc. I've already been  considering the half-orc option as being a good "co-outcast" ally for the Fomorians. I would most likely use one of the human options in the case of allies (probably  KoM.)

My eventual goal will be to have at least 3k available.


The miniatures/modeling options I'm still seeking, then are:

Chariots: Mostly this is a matter of exactly what sort of beast is pulling them. The chariots themselves are easy to convert of scratch build. Crew would be Fomorians -- probably Reaper based. Beasts: Wolves? Not-quite-horses? Something else?

Mammoth: What sort of a large critter, and who to put on it?

Fomorian WIP

While I wait for cavalry bases for the hobbit goat knights, I figured I would start on some more Fomorians/Fimir.

They're roughed out, but still need to sculpt feet, tails, and do a bit of filling/detail work.

Wight Riders, Goat Knights

Finished a rushed paint job on this unit of old Citadel wight/skeleton cavalry. They were a rare eBay win, and they were (are) in somewhat rough shape -- but the price was unexpectedly reasonable.

One of the next items up on my desk are the Wesfalia hobbit goat knights. They're cleaned and half assembled, but I discovered I am out of slotted cavalry bases! First time I've ever been out of any sort of slotted base in... ever? So I'm not even sure where to buy them!

Any advice? I'd like a US source. Cheap. NO laser cut wood or MDF. Magnetic bottoms would be a bonus, but not essential as I've got a big roll of sheet magnet that I use for making my own.

SPEAKING (typing?) of Westfalia hobbits... I just got the Second Breakfast KS reward! My very modest haul included small units of the Merry Halfmen (scout archers), Merry Goats (archer goat cavalry), some villagers, and a few characters.

What I could really use is a second chance at getting some of the first KS hobbits.