'Characters/Scene from' AledC: Boromir

Here we have Boromir from the Lord of the Rings, modelled on the performance by Sean Bean in the Peter Jackson trilogy, from Games Workshop.

These were really lovely models to paint and are the last part of what I have currently for my Dragon Rampant force.

The model on the right, Horn of Gondor in hand, is from the early parts of the Fellowship before they receive their Elven Cloaks. The left of the two is obviously from the scene where Boromir is shot and killed, by Lurtz, as he defends merry and Pippin from the Uruk-Hai.

This marks my return to painting after the move, not much longer to go let's see how I do :D

Cheers,
Aled.

'Home' from AledC: Home on the Move

Hey everyone here goes with my terrain entry.

Having seen others do it I have taken my photography outside!

I'll admit I wasn't originally going to submit an entry for this bonus round, not really having anything to do and wanting to focus on the figures, but Paul O'G convinced me of the values of getting one done and inspired me to do it. He even went as far as getting for me this lovely tent whilst he was at CanCon because I couldn't attend at the last moment. (Thanks again mate!)

Whilst the lighting is better my skills are not :/

The tent itself is from Baueda wargames and, no surprises was really easy and quick to paint. I was not overly fond of the trim part along the bottom, unsure if it was intended to be ground or a fancy lining, I thought of trying to get rid of it but decided against it because it wasn't that much of a deal. The model was well cast with no faults, the 'door-hole'(?) was made quite thin so you would have the option of removing it with ease if you so wished.

"Oh no Ibn! Something is blotting out the sun! AAHHHH!"

I have based the tent with a bit more static grass than I would normally use, especially for my Arabs for whom it is to match, because I think that camp would probably be made somewhere closer to an oasis if possible so it should have more green.

Home done, now on to more figures and a look into the west!
Cheers,
Aled

'East' from AledC: Lord of the Rings Hasharin

For my east round submission I umm'd and ahh'd for a good long while as to what to paint. I have a WW2 Japanese force, for use in Bolt Action or Chain of Command, that needs painting but I am still undecided has to how I want to go about painting them. I have some confederate infantry for the American Civil War that I thought may fit the theme if I stretched it. But I just wasn't comfortable with either of these. Sure I could have just done up some more of my Arabs, "they're from the middle east, too easy right?". I thought that wasn't in the spirit of a 'bonus round' so went back to thinking.

Again sorry for bad photos :/

Then I remembered that I had one of the assassin models from the Games Workshop Lord of the Rings range, the one that was meant to be from Harad. Brilliant! Yes I know the Haradrim are also called Southrons and an Easterling would be more appropriate but this model will be more useful and can be used, as of recent year, as a typical 'Eastern Assassin'. (Perhaps one with a creed or too?)

The Hasharin (pl. Hasharii) were a Harad Order founded in Sauron's name. The despotic lords who ruled Harad exercised their will through them. To question or contradict the will of a Hasharin led to death, whether by public execution or through the quiet application of their murderous skills. On the battlefield, the Hasharii acted as assassins, seeking out enemy leaders and slaying them with poisoned blades.
A Hasharin wore many layers of clothing, concealing all of his body and most of his head - only his eyes could be seen. Many weapons were tied to his waist with a fabric belt.

- Games Workshop, The Lord of the Rings: Strategy Battle Game.

I plan to use him in all manner of ways. He'll serve well as a target in some skirmish scenarios or as a scout model for others. Or maybe just to place near my opponent's general to make them feel nervous. No matter what I use him for I am happy to have him painted after having him in a box for oh so very long.

Not much of a submission, but I'm pleased.

Cheers,

Aled.

'Armour' from AledC: Minas Tirith Archers

Here goes with my submission for the Armour bonus round. I have decided to use this opportunity to focus on my upcoming force for use in Dragon Rampant, an oh so lovely game. I'll be theming my force around the soldiers of Gondor from the last parts of the Third Age in Lord of the Rings.

These models are the fantastic plastic sculpts by the Perry Brothers from Games Workshop and they had been collecting dust in a box for many years before I thought of using them in recent games and of painting them up in this Challenge. They painted up nice and quick too which is always good. So quick in fact that I dreamed of having another batch done in time for the armour round to submit alongside them.... but, alas, they sit about 90% done whilst work calls me away from my paints and I shall not get them done before the deadline.

What I realise I didn't do in my first post, which I will go over in my next, is a small rundown on the method of painting for my Arab Spearmen. However, today I will do so my these little fellas. I am a big fan of using washes and drybrushing to paint models with a speed that is comfortable for me (I'm not the fastest brush in West no sir) whilst still having models that I am proud to call mine.

I started these models with an undercoat of the Army Painter 'Plate Metal Primer' which I am still unsure was the best move. Not because it had an undesired effect on the models, but because the was so much black to paint on too that I though perhaps that would have been better. Next, as you may guess was the matt black of the cloth and gloves and the leather brown for the belts and boots. A 'beastie brown' for the wood on the bow and then detail in gold, white for the arrows, and flesh on the face, the excellent skin tone 'cadmium skin'. With all the colours in I gave figure a liberal coating of the 'Nuln Oil' wash by GW before on to basing with sand. The ground was painted with the Army Painter 'Fur brown', washed with GW's 'Agrax Earthshade', and then drybrushed with a mix of 'Leather Brown' (the same as the belts/boots) and Vallejo's 'Yellow Ochre' in a rough 3 to 1 ratio. Final touch was a bit of flock (not sure which brand I've had it so long in an unmarked container)

Twelve figures in 28mm for a base of 60 points, with the bonus, should be a nice 110.

There we have it, another submission made, more points on the board, and most importantly more figures ready for the table!!

Cheers, Aled.