'Mercenary' from Millsy: Sgt Kepplers Mercenary Ogre Band

This is one of those submissions where I started out with the intent to do a particular thing (in this case paint just the ONE ogre) and things rapidly spiralled out of control. That's pretty often my modus operandi to be fair so I'm not sure why I find myself surprised when it happens once again. To make things even more fun my idea of a "break" from hand-painted heraldry is renaissance military costume. Okay, so mistakes were made...

Mercenary ogres are amongst the Warhammer Fantasy Old World's most undesirable characters. If there is anything less disreputable, self-interested or happily-go-unlucky violent than an ogre fighting for pay then I've no idea what it is.

Sgt. Keppler worked this out too and turned it to his advantage, collecting himself a small cadre of ugly brutes and farming them out to the highest bidder. They'll do whatever unpleasant duties other troops can't, or more often won't, perform.

They are Sgt. Kepplers Mercenary Ogre Band.

Let's have a look at them in detail!

Maul (on the left) comes from the Marauder Miniatures MM41 Ogres set and is my second favourite of the six miniatures included. He's a hunchbacked monster who remarkably still has all his own teeth! Gorge (on the right) is the Marauder Miniatures MS4 Ogre Hero who was released alongside the MM41 set. He's quite possibly the coolest ogre miniature ever sculpted and although missing an eye never misses a trick.

Maul and Gorge

Krom and Thingo also come from the MM41 Ogres set (I have the rest to paint too). Krom (on the left) is my favourite of the scuplts, wearing wonderfully ornate armour and carrying an impractically oversized sword. Thingo (on the right) did strange things to my mind when painting him - before I added hair he looked disturbingly like Patrick Stewart. Add hair and he's instantly transformed into Vinnie Jones. Weird to say the least...

Krom and Thingo

Sgt. Keppler is an Citadel Miniatures sculpt from the 8561 Empire Heroes and Command set. I've added a plume for extra cool but he's otherwise as sold. He's a difficult miniature to fit into a unit thanks to his pointing sword arm so he's a good choice to lead the ogres.

I've had these in my lead pile for a loooong time and have always struggled to feel it was the right time to paint them. In the back of my head I was worried I wouldn't do them justice. Hopefully I have done now they're painted. Thanks for looking!

PS. At some point I'll paint the remaining ogres from the set, hopefully before the Challenge ends.

Cheers,
Millsy