Frost grave, from start to first game...

[grubman]

A few weeks back I decided I wasn’t getting any younger (literally...celebrated my 50th in October), and I had to get back into gaming before I shriveled up and died.

I’ve tried to start various wargame projects in the mass fantasy and historical area, but let’s be realistic, unless you already have a group of grognards, or just happen to find an existing club, those types of games just aren’t “popular” anymore.

So while skirmish games aren’t my favorite, I started exploring what was interesting, fun, quick, newish, AND low time (and money) investment enough that I could actually recruit people to play.  After a lot of looking I came across the gem that is Frostgrave.

I have a few candidates to play...but before that, I really want to get everything ready.  For a “normal” person that would be a little improvising, proxy figures, and availiable terrain.

I don’t operate like that.

I wanted to present a very complete and compelling  game to “impress” any potential players with the awsome potential of the game.  So with that in mind, I need wandering monsters, a warband, and an impressive spread of snow covered terrain.

So part 1 is done.  I’ve completed the wandering monsters.  I wanted to keep this project on a tight budget, and I’m proud to say I managed to compile the entire bestiary from crap I had lying about.  Lots of these are just things I’ve never had a reason to paint before, some are fun things I always wanted to use but didn’t have any reason.

So, without further ado...my Frostgrave Bestiary...



Undead:  Skeleton, armored skeletons, and wraith from Metal Magic. Zombies are Irregular miniature zombie pirates.  The Vampire and one of the ghouls are Heroclix repaints and the second “ghoul” is a plastic D&D converted repaint.




Animals:  The Bear is a Reaper Bones, the Boar is actually a converted D&D plastic wereboar, the rest are all just slightly converted D&D plastic repaints (dire rats for giant rats).  The snow leopard was actually a lioness, so I’m particularly happy with that one.



Constructs:  A couple Heroscape repaints with a head swap, and a Reaper (Iron Golem, I think), for small, medium, and large respectively.



Demons:  the Imp is a D&D plastic (I didn’t even bother repainting it, looked good already).  The minor demon is a repainted Heroclix (Man-bat, I think), and the Major demon is a D&D “young miniataur” repaint. 



Miscellaneous:  the Giant Worm and Werewolf are both plastic D&D repaints (purple worm), the Snow Trolls are 1:72 Dark Alliance plastic trolls (set 3 I believe), and the Frost Giant is from my 1st edition Descent (I have about 10 giant miniatures I could have used, but I just liked this one, really like the way it came out...and doubt if anyone else chose the same mini for a frost giant ).

Next will be either my warband or a tabletop full of newly constructed terrain...whichever gets finished first.

[CPalmer]

Wow, you did a great job there!   Beautiful work, and great use of repurposed figures.

[grubman]

Wow, you did a great job there!   Beautiful work, and great use of repurposed figures.

Thanks, it was fun bringing a big pile of throw off stuff into a cohesive looking group of miniatures.  Some of them, I felt were a stretch, like the Heroclix guy I used for a vampire...but I Became rather fond of some of the odd pieces as I painted them.  I mean that “vampire” looks pretty creepy, imposing, and more memorable than a blog standard vampire might have.

[Bloggard]

yeah - a lovely, consistent, look - very envious. Great work.

[Sunjester]

Some fantastic painting there.

[grubman]

Some fantastic painting there.

Thank you .  Some of them came out surprisingly well...like the ice toads, those miniatures were pretty ugly, but painted up pretty descent.

[Ashokmarine1]

Well done. I turn 50 this year so I get it. I trying to get motivated to get some stuff done and play some games.

Cheers

[grubman]

Well done. I turn 50 this year so I get it. I trying to get motivated to get some stuff done and play some games.

Cheers

I used to be very active in the gaming community.  About 5 years ago I moved and haven’t really been able to find any likeminded grognards.  The older I get, the harder it is to find peers to game with.  I don’t have anything against younger gamers...we just don’t have much else in common, and they don’t really like the same games I do most of the time.

[zorikweke]

Wow, great job! I need to do the same, I have some monsters from other games but I need a little bit more than that. What you already have looks pretty nice to play.

[grubman]

Wow, great job! I need to do the same, I have some monsters from other games but I need a little bit more than that. What you already have looks pretty nice to play.

Thanks .  That’s all the monsters from the core game.  Since I have yet to play, I’m guessing it’s rare enough to roll the same monster more than once...but if I do, I don’t think anyone will complain about a re-roll.  I’ll probably print up some of the fan made monster cards and use those to randomly draw instead.

I keep thinking that a few of these will undoubtedly NEVER be rolled (or drawn)...and just sit there glaring at me for an eternity from the table edge.

[zorikweke]

Thanks .  That’s all the monsters from the core game.  Since I have yet to play, I’m guessing it’s rare enough to roll the same monster more than once...but if I do, I don’t think anyone will complain about a re-roll.  I’ll probably print up some of the fan made monster cards and use those to randomly draw instead.

I like that idea, I'll use it also I think, thanks!

I keep thinking that a few of these will undoubtedly NEVER be rolled (or drawn)...and just sit there glaring at me for an eternity from the table edge.

Hahaha you can always use some of them as team members! Maybe not the giant... XD

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Nice work.

[grubman]

Nice work.

Thank you.  I’m working on ruined buildings now...and I feel all these homeless little eyes glaring at my back.

[sundayhero]

Great work, what will you use for the warbands ?

[grubman]

Great work, what will you use for the warbands ?

Thanks .  I actually put more debate into that than is healthy and went back and forth on various ideas.  In the end I decided I’m going to go “old school”.  I have several old metal magic miniatures that fit all the archetypes well.  Not as “dramatic” as the newer 28/32mm figures...but lots of character.  I have a couple odds and ends for a few figures I’ve wanted to use, like a couple Reaper figures, and I’m filling out all the standard soldier/thug/ man at arms types with 100 years war historicals.  I’m saving all that painting for last...since it’ll be a little more detailed and fun.