Dean’s Saga AoM odyssey (Completed)

[Dean]

While the preparations continue, let’s talk about that first land.  I am counting Aslan himself as a Monster, Behemoth type.  The first unit of Hearthguards has been completed.  I had to search quite hard to first find Minotaurs that looked right (upright beasts, rather than part human, and were human sized rather than huge) and then having decided on Dark Alliance, tracking a set down.  It turns out I am not a huge fan of soft plastic and will avoid that in future, it seems my journey will be as ‘interesting’ as Baldr’s!

[Spinal Tap]

Those Minotaurs look great, sometimes you have to settle for soft plastic to get the look you want.

[Dean]

It’s back to hard plastic for Centaurs, in this case RGD Gaming.  So first set done, the body armour and two-handed weapons let me count them as mounted Hearthguards, butI am not entirely happy with the bronze armour against the other colours, the second unit will have gun metal!  Oh and the two helmeted heads are from the left over Vikings.

[Dean]

The Fauns are from the same source and I had a lot of fun making up three different units of Warriors from them, here’s the first. The heads were all large horns as a few of these here, but I changed some to be smaller as per the films.

[Dean]

I now have a second unit of Centaurs and the gunmetal does work better than the bronze I think.  Also, three creatures, though the Rhino is a nod to the film rather than the books.

[Dean]

The highlight of the weekend though has been getting to grips with the delightful figures from Splintered Light.  This first Levy unit is of Hares, Weasels, Hedgehogs, Badgers and Beavers.  I based them as pairs because putting them 1-on-1 against the Vikings seems somewhat out matched!  I am also laughing gently at myself as I picked 28mm on purpose but am now painting basically 15mm hahahaha.

I also have Peter and Susan Pevensie as the Warlord and the Ranger from the Lords of the Wild faction.  Edmund and Lucy are in progress.

[Dean]

Progress continues 

[Dean]

And more

[Dean]

Meanwhile

Lots of room to add in more fantasy bits as you find them, too. A jotun, maybe, or sea serpent would fit the Norse vibe.

Here you go Pattus

[Pattus Magnus]

Cool! I don’t recognize that sea serpent model, where’s it from?

[Dean]

It’s a resin 3D print crafted by Mia Kay and bought from a printer on Etsy.  I’ve found this to be a great source of small batch and single figures to use for the remaining factions, especially looking for stuff I can repurpose for Fleshharrower’s army from the Thomas Covenant novels, which is up next, but also the inspiration for the final two - a Dragon and Dragonborn army for the Otherworld, and a Reptile (lizard/snake/gator) based Great Empire. 

[Dean]

The last Narnian unit is Hare, Weasel, Fox, and Squirrel archers.  For Lords of the Wild these should be javelins and I’ll use the stats as if they were, which will halve their range and seems right for these little guys.  Again based two per but played as singles, the minis were just so nice I wanted them all on display hahahaha.

Next up is terrain so I can get these guys up against the Vikings over Christmas.

[Dean]

Been having a play today.  Of all the armies I have planned, the idea of doing Fleshharrower’s army from Stephen Donaldson’s books The Illearth War, turned out to be the biggest challenge as no figures seem to exist for Ur-viles or Cave Wights.  I now have some Highland Orcs I think I can make work for the latter, but for today I give you my take on Ur-viles from modified ghouls:

"They have black-flesh that no light could gleam or glisten off."

"Its bald skull had no eyes. Above the ragged slit of its mouth, in the center of its face, were two wide, wet nostrils."

[Dean]

Ur-viles fight in a wedge formation, channeling power into the Loremaster (Sorcerer) at the front with a metal stave.

[Dean]

My next challenge was the creatures that were lurking in the tornado of despair - "They were birds as large as kresh. They had clenched satanic faces like bats, wide eagle wings, and massive barbed claws.”  - I’m sure you know that flying bat faced beasts tend to have bat wings not eagle wings.

Thanks to two separate small businesses doing 3D printing though, I matched up some Clay Beast Creations minis with a set of four lovely poses of Eagle wings.  Happy days.