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(https://i.imgur.com/Jkllg0E.png)
Welcome to Ne Cede Malis!
It's been a little while since I've been properly active on LAF, but really happy to be back! I closed down my old threads on the Black Order and the Dark back in late 2022, and since then have been working on a (completely spurious) desire of mine - a website dedicated to the miniature wargaming hobby:
https://necedemalis.org/
The concept for this website first arose after years of miniature wargaming and hobbying that eventually (inevitably?) led to the idea to create a unique, bespoke setting all my own. This soon snowballed - as ideas do - into multiple modelling and hobby projects reflecting the various individuals, factions and entities inhabiting the world of Ne Cede Malis.
The inspiration behind Ne Cede Malis is multifaceted. Primarily, I'm a huge fan of Native American, Norse and early Slavic mythology and history, and there are strong 'what-if' parallels between the world of Ne Cede Malis and our own, circa the 10th-13th centuries CE. For example, the Black Order - the primary protagonists of the Ne Cede Malis setting - is pretty clearly closely inspired by the real-world Teutonic Order, although it has been realised in a fundamentally different way. We'll get to that in a future post.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/test-1024x793.png)
Other inspirations included a healthy respect for the Lovecraftian genre, as well as the Arthurian corpus. It's probably fair to say that the concept of the Dark - the cyclical, existential threat inhabiting the world of Ne Cede Malis - arose somewhere between the utterly inhuman malignity of Lovecraftian horror and the very human, fallible characters of the Arthurian legends. Again, we'll get to that in a future post.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Z9aUrIx-768x660.jpg)
I've always felt that verisimilitude is one of the great strengths of 'low' fantasy - whilst there's no reason why fantasy shouldn't be full of wondrous magic and impossibly virtuous heroes, I've always enjoyed universes where the mundane baseline of everyday life is not that different to our own, with magic a rare (but impactful) interloper. It'll come as no surprise that early inspirations were early-1990s video games like Bungie's Myth: The Fallen Lords and Myth II: Soulblighter, which in themselves dealt with similar concepts of cyclicity, eschatology and human survival in a world dominated by far greater, unknowable powers beyond our own.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/tfl-win-20.jpg)
All this might seem a bit grand for what is essentially a website about the miniature wargaming hobby. Primarily, the hobby for me is about storytelling, whether through the process of building and painting a miniature (visual storytelling) or through written stories based on the events of a tabletop game, in the finest traditions of games like Dungeons and Dragons. This website is just another means to that end.
My aim with this website is to have fun - to share blog posts, tutorials, battle reports and stories from a multitude of gaming systems, all set in the world of Ne Cede Malis. Hopefully, this might provide some food for thought to others in this hobby for the same reasons as myself, and along the way if it inspires anyone to pick up a paintbrush or put words to a page then I'll take that as a solid success.
So, thanks for reading the waffle - will share website updates in this thread, hopefully it's a fun ride! Thanks for all the inspiration along the way. :)
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Good to see you on the LAF once more. I have duly bookmarked your website and will remain a keen follower of your work!
All this might seem a bit grand for what is essentially a website about the miniature wargaming hobby.
It makes total sense to me. I have a somewhat romantic approach to the hobby as well - perhaps because my inspirations are all the same as yours!
It'll come as no surprise that early inspirations were early-1990s video games like Bungie's Myth: The Fallen Lords and Myth II: Soulblighter, which in themselves dealt with similar concepts of cyclicity, eschatology and human survival in a world dominated by far greater, unknowable powers beyond our own.
The Myth games were pretty much one of the cornerstones of my interest in fantasy as a genre. The atmosphere of those games is exactly what I seek in any given setting.
I've always felt that verisimilitude is one of the great strengths of 'low' fantasy - whilst there's no reason why fantasy shouldn't be full of wondrous magic and impossibly virtuous heroes, I've always enjoyed universes where the mundane baseline of everyday life is not that different to our own, with magic a rare (but impactful) interloper.
Couldn't have put it better myself. Very well said, and I agree heartily!
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You are an amazing world builder and storyteller mate. Great to see you making a dedicated website for your vision. Your work is inspirational.
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This is a great project and it's good to see you back at it 8)
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Awesome project, though I hope you keep posting here. The simple fact is I'm unlikely to go check out a personalized website on a daily/weekly basis, etc. I come to forums because I get to see all the content (often with associated links) in one place. I do think it's a great idea to have a website though as it catalogues everything nicely.
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Very much agreed on the low fantasy and versimilitude. I love the smaller stories in believable settings.
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Very much agreed on the low fantasy and versimilitude. I love the smaller stories in believable settings.
QFT! 8)
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Welcome back and luck.
I always felt the Black order had a feel of the North or Baltic regions. Harsh, cold, rough
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Good to see you on the LAF once more. I have duly bookmarked your website and will remain a keen follower of your work!
It makes total sense to me. I have a somewhat romantic approach to the hobby as well - perhaps because my inspirations are all the same as yours!
The Myth games were pretty much one of the cornerstones of my interest in fantasy as a genre. The atmosphere of those games is exactly what I seek in any given setting.
Thanks, mate - honoured you're still interested :) It's a labour of love for sure, I have no expectations but am just enjoying the ride.
You are an amazing world builder and storyteller mate. Great to see you making a dedicated website for your vision. Your work is inspirational.
Cheers mate, really appreciate the kind words :)
This is a great project and it's good to see you back at it 8)
Thank you sir! Much appreciated.
Awesome project, though I hope you keep posting here. The simple fact is I'm unlikely to go check out a personalized website on a daily/weekly basis, etc. I come to forums because I get to see all the content (often with associated links) in one place. I do think it's a great idea to have a website though as it catalogues everything nicely.
Cheers fella - I know exactly what you mean. I'll definitely be posting the major updates here. I have no big expectations about the website - I'm enjoying doing something I always wanted to do, in creating a website dedicated to my own little corner of the hobby, and that's enough for me.
Very much agreed on the low fantasy and versimilitude. I love the smaller stories in believable settings.
Thanks bud - on the same page.
Welcome back and luck.
I always felt the Black order had a feel of the North or Baltic regions. Harsh, cold, rough
That's great, as it's pretty much analogous to where they are situated in the world of Ne Cede Malis. I need to draft up a proper map soon!
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It's nice to see your posts on LAF again. I've said it before and I'll say it again, your focus on storytelling through the medium of paint scheme across a model range and kitbashing elevated my own hobby past "buy and paint the box" and I've never looked back. Can't wait to see where the Black Order goes next!
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It's nice to see your posts on LAF again. I've said it before and I'll say it again, your focus on storytelling through the medium of paint scheme across a model range and kitbashing elevated my own hobby past "buy and paint the box" and I've never looked back. Can't wait to see where the Black Order goes next!
Thanks mate - can't wait to see your guys back at the top of the forum. The terrain you were making was really special and you captured the For Honor vibe really well.
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Right - let's get this rolling.
Plenty of content on the website, but let's kick things off with respective introductions to the two principal actors of the world of Ne Cede Malis - the Black Order and the Dark.
Let's kick things off with the bad guys...
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https://necedemalis.org/the-howling-dark/
…when Tarsulis slew Maedrach a thousand years ago, and was in turn slain by Taranis his son, the line of the Merovar kings was restored; and yet Taranis would be the last of this mighty bloodline, for he would be known as Taranis the Deceived, Last King of Modrach, and under his rule the kingdom of Modrach fell willingly to the Howling Dark, that force of malice and spite which is unending and absolute in its hatred for all things living…
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Barrowguardfinal-1024x666.png)
None can say from whence the Dark arose; some say it is a cyclical entity, that comes with every passing age, to level the world and raze it to its foundations, so that life may arise anew from the ashes; others say it is a phenomenon wholly alien to our world, and that it is inimical to the existence of life itself, that it is a cancer upon the very fabric of the skein of reality.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/barrowguard-1024x938.png)
But none of this concerns the denizens of the Continent. For them, the Dark is simply a fact of life: it is the genesis of the curse of undeath, and it is the enemy of all who live. It is the reason why the dead rise from barrow and tomb, why crops fail to grow in the blasted lands of the West, why witches, malcontents and seers are hunted down and slain by the terrified, superstitious masses, why children wake screaming in the night, driven insane by the laughter of inhuman, alien entities others cannot see or hear.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/barrowguardwide-edited-1024x576.png)
And after one thousand years, it has returned.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/thrallfinal-1024x683.png)
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https://necedemalis.org/the-black-order/
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(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1-150x150.png)
Since the Dark first emerged to blight the world more than two centuries ago, the manifold nations and kingdoms of the Continent have been wracked by internecine conflict and constant war.
In the face of the supernatural, the old systems of faith, governance and power no longer hold the sway they once did. The True Faith, once the single most powerful religious and political entity on the Continent, has lost its influence upon a world in which the dead no longer rest. Although the heart of the Faith still beats strong behind the walls of the Golden City, the pious no longer flock to its mighty gates as they once did, bereft of hope that a better world awaits in the next life. The Faith's legions are no longer the dominant force on the Continent, and grow fewer in number every year as the Dark's undead hordes crash against the walls of the City.
The erosion of the True Faith has spawned over a dozen major wars, and the destruction of several empires. In the chaos, many a petty princedom has grown bloated and swollen on the corpse of a once-great kingdom brought low by strife and ruin; many a robber-baron has fattened himself upon the innumerable towns and villages left unprotected by the destruction of a great empire. It is an age for men to become as wolves.
Not least of these are the ironclad warlords of the north-eastern provinces, the survivors of the last crusading armies to bring the True Faith to the North. Most are robber-barons writ large, warrior-kings of their own making who dwell within massive fortresses of rock and stone, dominating the lands for dozens of miles in each direction. Some, however, have grander ambitions than carving out minor enclaves and baronies...
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ValievandGuardfinal.png)
The mightiest of them belong to a confederation their enemies call the Black Order. The Order's name for itself is likely more humble, but its pretensions to military dominion certainly are not. The Order, ruled by a council of lords and robber-barons drawn from half a dozen lesser military Orders and princedoms, is fast becoming the dominant power of the north-east. Its knights, or 'druzhyna' in the native tongue of the Shieldlands, are descended from the old crusading armies that once campaigned against the pagans of these lands, now long since settled and intermingled with the multitude of tribes and peoples populating the north-east. The Order's armies draw upon the men of the fjords, the forests, the steppes and the mountains, all marching beneath the same black banner. 'A dozen tongues and twice as many gods march with us', goes the saying; and it is no lie.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/TyrandKnightsedited.png)
In less than fifty years, the Black Order has subsumed three lesser military Orders and annihilated half a dozen armies sent by the Golden City to re-establish the Faith's hold over the north east. In that time, it has managed to provide a barrier - a haven, even - against the endless tides of the Dark. The refugees who have flocked to its cities and fortresses are driven more by the prospect of survival than any other motivation, and the Order will soon find that it faces foes within as well as without - foes who will challenge the Order's right to rule a small empire at the very edge of the world, in between the Great Ocean to the west and the endless steppes of the Traverse to the east.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BlackOrdersnowfall.png)
But for now, while the Order endures, the Dark is held back. The Order's barrier is built with stone and blood - the stones of a dozen mighty fortresses, from Ostvangr in the east to the fortress-city of Cimbris in the west, and the blood of a dozen peoples, all united by the desire to survive in a world gone mad.
That barrier will not last forever. But in these times of the world's ending...what does?
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/4-150x150.png)
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Good stuff
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Love it all.
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Great to see you back at it 8)
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To echo the rest, happy to see you back at LAF. I check in on the site on a regular enough basis, but always fun to have another place to see it. And the interactive aspect of the forum tends to lend itself something different if you ask me. The Black Order is, as always, a delight to see and your photography puts them on another level. What tricks in particular do you use to vanish the bases in the more artistic photos?
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Thanks guys :)
To echo the rest, happy to see you back at LAF. I check in on the site on a regular enough basis, but always fun to have another place to see it. And the interactive aspect of the forum tends to lend itself something different if you ask me. The Black Order is, as always, a delight to see and your photography puts them on another level. What tricks in particular do you use to vanish the bases in the more artistic photos?
Cheers mate - agree, it's also a bit of a nicer place to interact with people than Facebook/Instagram etc. For the bases - just clone brush! I use GIMP, which has a slight learning curve but provides most of Photoshop's functionality whilst being free, which is nice. If you set up your models on 3D terrain, it's quite easy to use a bit of subtle clone brush to 'blur' over the bases.
Next big thing (still sharing direct from the website, but will be on entirely new content soon - our group got really into Frostgrave, and we've been having a blast with Thaw of the Lich Lord. I've done something unusual and house ruled the Heritor rules from Ghost Archipelago into regular FG...and so far it's working surprisingly well. More below.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/The-Black-Order-The-Hunt-for-Seven-Mountain.png)
Concept:
For the inaugural Spotlight article, we're looking at the Black Order's first steps into the world of Frostgrave! Or more accurately, into the city of Rîmagrad. Ancient beyond measure, Rîmagrad is a city long ago conquered by the Dark and transformed into a necropolis. Functionally, it's a perfect proxy for Felstad.
The 'hook' for the Order's Frostgrave warband came when I played a couple games with some friends, and liked the system enough to try a campaign: Thaw of the Lich Lord. This suits the Order perfectly thematically as it's about preventing an ancient lich from rising and reconquering the lands of the living - ideal for the Ne Cede Malis setting.
In the first game we played, the Thaumaturge I created (Seven Mountain Wounded Elk, as he's known to his mates) was taken out of action and the entire warband slaughtered by undead. Rather than take this as a sign that the Order's stars were ill-fated, I decided this would be an excellent hook for the Order to redouble its efforts - and send one of its captains into the city with a band of veterans to discover just what became of Seven Mountain.
For the longest time I've had the urge to do an 'out-of-combat' diorama for my warband, showing the various warband members resting, recovering, training, and generally preparing for the next encounter.
Something like a 'party screen' in a video RPG, or, if you're old enough to remember it, the actual camp area in a game like Dragon Age: Origins.
Using my SAGA display board and some old scenery pieces, I've started to mess around a bit with an out-of-game area for my warband, as seen below:
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/The-Camp-outside-Rimagrad-1024x724.png)
Models:
This is a pretty mixed bunch:
-Vaclav, Mikulas and Reiftyr: Fireforge Spanish Heavy Infantry bodies with a Fireforge Templar head and another from the Fireforge Russian kit, Fireforge Forgotten World Northmen arms and Fireforge Templar shields - plus obligatory green stuffed fur pelts.
-Knight-Initiate Casimir: Pretty involved! A Fireforge Living Dead body greenstuffed to cover up wounds and holes, with Frostgrave Soldier arms, a heater shield of unknown provenance, and a helm from a third party STL for the Conquest game by Para Bellum downsized slightly.
-Leif and Torrek: Wolves from Iron Gate Scenery.
-Knight-Captain Tyr: Body from Guillaume le Pélerin by Mierce Miniatures, arms from the Perry Miniatures Foot Knights set, sword from Gripping Beast Viking Hirdmen, and a helm from the Vile and Valiant STLs.
-One Jackal Laughing Slaughter: Body from the Tibetan sherpa set by Crusader Miniatures, spade from the Fireforge Living Dead Peasants sprue, bird from one of the Frostgrave Wizard kits.
-Bjaering: Body from Perry Agincourt English archers, head from Gripping Beast Dark Age infantry, cloak from Fireforge Templars, fur sculpted.
-Tolmir: Body from Otherworld Miniatures, head from Gripping Beast Dark Age infantry.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/343675943_738090864684588_9161541915777107864_n-e1682527361685.jpg)
On the tabletop:
So far (we're on scenario 4 at the time of writing) it's been a blast. I'm using the Heritor rules from Ghost Archipelago to represent Knight-Captain Tyr, and as you'll see above, I've chosen Heritor abilities which suggest martial prowess or great resolve, rather than magical ability, befitting a mortal human.
For the rest of the warband, I've gone with a pretty straightforward set of melee fighters to support Tyr (as befits the Order's way of fighting) with a single Ranger to scout ahead, as well as a pair of war hounds to give Tyr those critical outnumbering bonuses in combat! Meanwhile, One Jackal - the sole spellcaster in the group - uses a healing spell and a lightning bolt spell to provide a bit of ranged support and keep the enemy's shooters from putting too much pressure on the Order's knights.
Now back to the corpse-city of Rîmagrad - on to scenario 4!
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/343294719_608653444523832_7494073388330994326_n-e1682527448279.jpg)
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That’s a great introduction to the campaign- the characters and background add a lot of interest! That’s a cool way to work a total-party-kill into the narrative, too. I must keep that in mind for the next time something similar happens to one of my bands of adventurers…
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I've got the time, so updating with the first campaign report (admittedly halfway through the campaign, but give me a break... lol )
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ivvyayN-2048x1191.jpg)
The Black Order enters Felstad - or more accurately, Rîmagrad, in the Order's tongue - in search of an old ally. We're playing Frostgrave: Thaw of the Lich Lord and we're up to Scenario 4: The Storm of Undeath.
In the last few games of the Lich Lord campaign, the Order has done reasonably well for itself against three other warbands: two Summoners and a Necromancer. Under Knight-Commander Tyr, the Order has recovered enough artifacts and riches among the ruins to justify deploying some more elite units, including a couple of Rangers, more Men-at-Arms, a Knight-Initiate and even a mighty warhorse (using the Spellcaster magazine rules).
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PXL_20230427_185011329-01-2048x1542.jpeg)
This time, the Order's attempting to delve further into Rîmagrad to find the source of the undead menace in the city. As the aerial view above shows, we replaced the central plaza in Storm of Undeath with a large multi-storeyed ruin of sorts - perhaps an old forum long since fallen into disrepair. Plenty of treasures in the centre (and corpses).
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PXL_20230427_184159386-01-2048x1542.jpeg)
Under cover of a snowstorm, the Order advances - knight-initiate Casimir spurs his charger forward, flanked by Tyr's hounds Leif and Torrek, with the knight-commander not far behind.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PXL_20230427_184510535-01-2048x1542.jpeg)
Trouble isn't far away; the barbarian servants of a Summoner enter the forum from the north-east. The big brute in the vanguard is well known to the Order; that giant axe has claimed several victims in previous skirmishes.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PXL_20230427_184519820-01-2048x1542.jpeg)
As if on cue, the servants of a Necromancer enter the forum from the north-west. Stealthier than the Summoner's forces, these soldiers are supported by unliving thralls recently raised by the Necromancer himself.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PXL_20230427_192224165-01-2048x1542.jpeg)
It's not just the Necromancer who has the support of unworldly creatures; the Summoner brings several inhuman horrors with him, one of which attacks the wizard's forces, temporarily breaking free of the spell of binding forced upon it.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PXL_20230427_193213647-01-2048x1542.jpeg)
Tyr and Casimir seize the initiative. Storming into the central forum, the two knights slam into the Necromancer's forces, killing one and pushing back another. Torrek, however, is sent back limping, dealt a mighty blow by a brute of a man bearing the Necromancer's colours.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PXL_20230427_203755473-01-2048x1542.jpeg)
Before long, the forum descends into chaos. The Necromancer's forces have seized a pair of ancient relics from the centre, as have the Summoner's servants. The Order's infantry under Reiftyr, captain of the Guard, manage to hold the centre long enough to pluck another relic from the earth. However, as if on cue, lightning strikes the forum, badly wounding one of the Order's apothecaries - and the earth begins to shudder and shake as the living dead claw their way from the earth!
An unspoken truce of sorts emerges as the Order's warriors find themselves beset on all sides by the undead, and the Summoner and Necromancer turn to their own warbands, ordering them to retreat in good order with the treasures they have seized.
Before they turn to leave, the Summoner looks back across the forum to the Order's embattled infantry. With a cruel half-smile, the Summoner speaks a word of power and the air in the centre of the forum seems to split and tear, and from somewhere else something coalesces into reality...
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PXL_20230427_205525439-01-2048x1542.jpeg)
...the spirit of a skinwalker, a wendigo in the tongues of the Far West, materialises in the centre. Lurching forward on limbs held together by skinless sinew and bloody tendons, the skinwalker-demon slams into Vaclav, an Order guardsman, dealing him a near-mortal blow. But before Vaclav loses consciousness, he thrusts his arming sword deep into the beast's gut, spilling entrails and viscera across the earth. The beast bellows, and a second later howls again as Tyr slams into the demon from the left, hewing through the beast's neck with his runic blade. The beast shudders, and in a split second the forces binding it to the material plane dissipate; with a skeletal grin, the beast's animus vanishes, and a sack of rotting offal and gore collapses to the earth in its place.
Hefting Vaclav onto his shoulder, Tyr looks around him; seeing the numbers of living dead beginning to swell, and noting the Necromancer and Summoner falling back in good order, the Order commander grimly calls the retreat.
Post-Game
A pretty brutal game all told. Storm of Undeath requires all the warbands involved to make straight for the centre of the board and grab treasures, trying not to be hit by lightning, cut down by undead clawing their way out of the earth, and avoiding rival warbands. The potential for this to be a total bloodbath was definitely high.
However, in practice, this wasn't too bad a game for the Order or the other warbands. No-one actually died; Torrek was Badly Wounded by one of the Necromancer's servants, and both the Necromancer and Summoner's men absconded with a decent amount of treasure, earning a lot of XP in the process. Tyr and his warriors cut down most of the undead in the central square (fittingly, considering the Order's chief enemies are the living dead).
The real heart-stopping moment was when the Summoner managed to unleash a Major Demon on the table. Things could have gone VERY badly for the Order, especially with most of the melee fighters having suffered more than 50% HP damage by that point! It all came down to Vaclav - pictured above - absolutely fighting out of his skin to deal a mighty 10(!) points of damage to the Major Demon in its first melee. That granted Tyr and Casimir time to arrive and banish the demon for good.
Another event - not pictured above - was that the Ghoul King and his servants actually turned up on the very last turn, behind the retreating Necromancer and his forces. This could have really swung things terribly for the Necromancer, as the Ghoul King is an absolute nightmare to face in melee. However, some judicious use of Fog and Leap saw the Necromancer play pretty deftly to mislead and misdirect the Ghouls in time for the sorcerer to escape safely with the treasure.
All in all, a really good game, and the next scenario - Run of the Rangifer - should be very interesting. Wraith Knights look like a nightmarish enemy to face, and even Tyr - who's pretty beefed up by this point in the campaign, having discovered a Ring of Life and Crystal Rose in this scenario - might find it tricky to take them on.
Whatever the future holds, it's been a blast so far - on to scenario 5!
Here's where the Order stands after this game:
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Screenshot-2023-05-01-at-11-46-23-Wizard-sheet-final.png)
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Screenshot-2023-05-01-at-11-47-18-Wizard-sheet-final.png)
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Screenshot-2023-05-01-at-11-46-55-Wizard-sheet-final.png)
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https://necedemalis.org/unit-spotlight-citadel-guard-pt-1/
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Citadel-Guard.png)
Concept:
This time it's the quintessential soldiery of the Black Order - the Citadel Guard. This unit is meant to represent the core of the Order's professional fighting force. Whilst they're not full knights, the Guard serve as the Order's backbone in every battle and from their ranks the very best are chosen to become knight-initiates.
I wanted the Guard to mirror the real-life professional soldiery of many Military Orders in the Baltics and the Levant; the Teutonic Order called these warriors halbbruder, and to be honest, they were actually a bit more than common soldiers; they weren't quite rich enough to be full-fledged knights but they were definitely a cut above the "average" soldier. I figured that the depredations of the Dark would probably mean that the Order relies on client/subjugated peoples for the majority of their manpower, and therefore the Guard would already be something of an elite.
With this in mind, in a future entry I'll cover the other roles the Guard play on the battlefield. Today I'm looking at the front-rankers in the Guard whose duty it is to be the living shield that holds the line against the endless tides of the undead - or die trying.
Oh yes - I'd be remiss without mentioning one (obvious) source of inspiration for the Guard: the humble Warriors of Myth: The Fallen Lords and Myth II: Soulblighter. Just one look at these guys should be enough to tell you where I got the idea for the shields from...
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/sb-pregame-07-01.jpg)
Models:
These guys are very simple - they're Victrix Norman Infantry with sculpted furs and shields from the Fireforge Templars and Teutonics sets. I wanted a bit more room on the shields for the chevrons, and Victrix shields have a boss in the very centre, so the Fireforge shields seemed a better fit.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Citadel-Guard-reverse.png)
I've also used Fireforge's Spanish Infantry as a basis for the Citadel Guard, as you'll see below; these are a bit more involved, as the resin Fireforge uses is not great quality and needs a lot of work to be usable. I've swapped out a lot of the heads (which were unusable, covered in mold lines or soft on detail) for Fireforge Russian Infantry helms, and again, sculpted on furs and used Fireforge shields.
The bannerman is a Fireforge Spanish Infantry body with a Templar Infantry helm, and a sword from Fireforge's Living Dead Warriors. I also nicked the banner from that kit, flipped it 90 degrees and attached it to a spear! Works pretty well.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Citadel-Guard-Ostvangr-Garrison.png)
On the tabletop:
The Guard sees an awful lot of action in basically every game type. In SAGA they're most commonly Warriors in whichever faction I'm playing. A blob of 12 is usually a great investment; you can't ignore a 12-strong blob of warriors, no matter which faction they're part of, as it's just too many attacks and scoring bodies to disregard. In Frostgrave and Rangers of Shadow Deep they're similarly the core of my warband; steadfast, reliable Men-at-Arms who can take a punch, dish one out, and still be standing when it's time to claim objectives.
Elsewhere, they've been used as Northern Alliance and Varangur Clansmen in Kings of War, and as Huamn Warriors in Oathmark. I'm tempted to try them as Asklanders in The Ninth Age, and, I'm pretty sure theywill see further use in some form or another when Warhammer: The Old World releases.
Next time I'll look at the Guard's ranged reserves, as well as the champions among the Guard who wield massive two-handed weapons, fighting in tandem with their shield-bearing brethren.
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https://necedemalis.org/unit-spotlight-children-of-sianwon/
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(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/The-Children-of-Sianwon.png)
Concept:
Fans of Myth: The Fallen Lords and Myth II: Soulblighter, I beg your forgiveness! (Sorta...)
It'll be no surprise at all to the above that this unit spotlight is an homage to the Myth games in all their dark and wonderful glory. The Children of Si'anwon are of course a direct nod to the Thrall of the Myth universe. Thrall are the Dark's foot soldiers in that universe, and the most common (and deceptively dangerous) unit types in those games - one is an annoyance; a horde is a real danger, and it's no different for their incarnation in the Ne Cede Malis setting.
I've wanted to do a Thrall homage for ages, and when North Star released their Revenant box set for Oathmark, I figured the time had come. The Children of Si'anwon aren't a perfect 1:1 recreation of the Thrall, but hopefully they are close enough that the inspiration is clear. Just have a look at their Myth counterparts below:
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Screenshot-2023-06-22-at-19-14-13-myth-the-fallen-lords-Google-Search.png)
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Screenshot-2023-06-22-at-19-24-15-myth-the-fallen-lords-Google-Search-e1687458337837.png)
Models:
Starting with the Oathmark Revenant kit, I used the arms and torsos from this set. The Oathmark kit comes with two-handed axes, but really they weren't big enough for the fearsome ax of the Thrall. I needed a cleaver that looked like it could inflict some real damage. So I went through my bits box and ripped out every single comically oversized axehead I could find; from Frostgrave Barbarians and Gnolls to Fireforge Templars and other more esoteric sets.
For the heads, pretty simple; Thrall aren't perfectly preserved and are pretty much zombies with axes in varying states of degradation, so I took heads from the Fireforge Living Dead sets, Mantic Zombies and Ghouls and the GW Skulls sets.
Finally, one of the most distinctive features of the Thrall - apart from the giant cleavers - are the shoulderpads. I couldn't find anything that worked for ages. Until, one day, I happened upon the Anvil Industry website and noticed that their bits range - which is extensive at the best of times - included medieval-style shoulder pads! Problem solved. I ordered a bunch in varying styles and set to work.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/thrall.png)
I tried to keep the paint job pretty simple on these guys. Rusted armour and corpses in various states of decay, unified by dark green garb and splashes of gore to visually tie them to Myth's Thrall.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/thrall2.png)
On the tabletop:
Gamewise, these guys will do for virtually anything that's undead. In Oathmark, I'll run them as Revenant Linebreakers as that profile reflects their giant axes. Elsewhere, they'll do for Warriors or Mindless in Saga: Age of Magic. In Frostgrave, they'll do for virtually any Undead profile, although I'm increasingly tempted to make a homebrew Undead bestiary...
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/thrall3.png)
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I quite like the amount of terrain you have on your Frostgrave board. It is often the unsung hero of games, you see it more than you do the miniatures after all. And I am still jealous of the cards, yet to figure out a way to get mine printed/made.
You paint the Thralls to actually make them look disgusting and terrifying, befitting more of a horror theme which I do enjoy.
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Brilliant as always mate.
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This project truly is a sight to behold. The chosen miniatures and the paintjobs are top notch, but the fluff lifts them up even further.
Can't wait for the continuation of the Frostgrave campaign! 8)
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Thanks, guys :)
Couple things I've been working on lately, in no particular order...
(https://i.imgur.com/9gdaYgM.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/As83Lny.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vWtEcdB.jpg)
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Oh yes, I should probably mention this happened.
(https://i.imgur.com/xGOMKJN.jpg)
While it's really exciting (and I have big plans for this), it's also an absolute nightmare to work with. The plastic is pretty thick and you've got to carve out each window/doorway individually. Can tell it's an older kit.
(https://i.imgur.com/RBn7K3e.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/MnNJhag.jpg)
Starting to look OK though.
The plan is to use the Zvezda castle walls for the outer curtain, and the large building for the Great Hall in the inner ward. The Renedra gatehouse and walls will provide a higher inner curtain.
(https://i.imgur.com/UFnTVby.jpg)
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Cracking updates 8)
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glad to see you back!
where is that siege tower from? it looks familiar, but I can't place it...
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Cracking updates 8)
Cheers!
glad to see you back!
where is that siege tower from? it looks familiar, but I can't place it...
Thanks! It's from Printable Scenery. A lot of stringing, but will come off with a bit of steel wool application I think.
Something completely different that's been distracting me lately...
(https://i.imgur.com/RvjHvex.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/yRv8djn.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ROAGxDY.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/VwTEzXV.jpg)
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Lots of fun projects! How did those Saga siege rules come on?
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It's happening! Everybody stay calm! Stay CAAAAAAALM!
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Lots of fun projects! How did those Saga siege rules come on?
Still in the works. I want to release it on people soon. I do have another scenario with "siege-adjacent" rules fully drafted which I'll share here in a bit.
I rewrote my old shield weathering tutorial and put it up on the website - hopefully it's of use to people wanting to dip their toes into weathering:
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https://necedemalis.org/tutorial-shield-weathering/
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Citadel-Guard-regiment.png)
I. What does weathering accomplish?
In this tutorial I'm going to briefly cover how to use basic weathering techniques to give a battle-damaged, muddied look to shields, specifically sponge weathering and powders. In doing so, I've tried to illustrate some really basic weathering techniques I think everyone can benefit from, whether you normally go for the 'grimdark' look or not - the more techniques you know, the more fun you can have painting your minis. This is just a simple, entry-level tutorial on how to do basic tabletop standard weathering that looks good and gets the job done.
First things first - although it may seem excessive for a painting tutorial, I think it's worth considering the 'story' a model tells. What do you want your model to convey? What kind of story do you want it to suggest to the beholder? Where is the model? Who (what) are they fighting? Simple questions, but they help to give a bit of direction to your painting, and can create a lot of consistency across a force. If you're like me, the parade-ground 'clean' look is a bit jarring when most battlefields tend to be full of mud, blood and filth, so it's good to have an idea why you want your minis to be weathered and what story the weathering is trying to tell.
In the case of my infantry above, these guys are a professional body of infantry named the Citadel Guard, responsible for protecting the chapter keeps and cities held by the Black Order. When putting this unit together, I'd been inspired by a blurb for a past character I wrote, and thought to myself 'hey, let's make a unit for the guys mentioned here':
"The chapter keep at Ostvangr held the Dark at bay for eight weeks... On the dawn of the ninth, when the barbican collapsed under the weight of the dead, the citadel guard held the breach for twelve hours without pause, fighting until their shields were shattered and blades broken. Only the keep's seneschal and his honour guard survived."
So the Citadel Guard are fighting at the bitter end of a siege, and should have an appropriately hard-bitten, war-torn look as if they're in the last moments of a climactic battle. The barbican's collapsed, the Dark is surging into the breach, and the only way out is to fight or die. Their shields would be covered in scratches, mud and dust from collapsing masonry, the claws of their foes, and the dirt of a months-long siege. Let's try to reflect that on the miniatures!
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1-1.png)
II. What you need
Materials:
-Sponge foam (I recommend leftovers from 'pluck foam' carry cases - I used offcuts from Battlefoam here as it's very sturdy foam, but softer stuff will do, like the foam you find in single-mini blisters, or KR Multicase's foam. I'd recommend cutting the pieces you use into 2" long chunks (roughly as seen here) for ease of use.
-Weathering powders - I use Tamiya, but any manufacturer would do.
-Paints (base colour, highlight, extreme highlight, mud/damage colour)
The paints I've chosen above represent: 1) the base colour for the shields on my Chapterhouse Guard; 2) a highlight colour; 3) an extreme highlight; and 4) a colour to represent mud and damage. Since we're keeping it simple, Citadel Dryad Bark (a very dark brown) for both mud and damage works fine since the shields are wooden. A dark grey would work as well for damage. We're going to be weathering these shields pretty heavily, so the highlight colpurs need some extra intensity to stand out. I've gone with Army Painter Banshee Brown as base, then Vallejo GC Bonewhite and finally Scale 75 Mojave White.
III. Getting Started
OK, on to the models. I've gone with the Fireforge Spanish Heavy Infantry set with green-stuffed fur pelts using a Green Stuff World texture plate, some helms from the Fireforge Spanish, Russian and Templar sets and shields from the Fireforge Templar Infantry set. That matches the 'western with eastern influences' look I generally try to achieve across the Order.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2.png)
I'm keeping the shields separate for this tutorial, but depending on the models I usually glue them on to the minis for painting (unless they're holding them really close to the body). I undercoated the shields with Vallejo Grey Primer and then basecoated with Army Painter Banshee Brown. This is a pretty thin paint, so it'll take 3-4 coats to get full coverage.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/3.png)
Now for the chevrons. Using Army Painter Matt Black, I brushed on a rough line about 1.5x-2x the thickness of the desired final stripe. No need to be super accurate here, we're going to tidy this up really soon...
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/4-1.png)
Using Tamiya Precision Model Masking Tape (3mm), I now cover the area I want to keep black (i.e. the chevron itself), making sure the tape is COMPLETELY adherent to the shield.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/5.png)
Ensuring the tape is fully flush, I went back over the excess black areas with AP Banshee Brown (my base colour). I'll probably do 2-3 coats to get full coverage. Keep your paints thin here.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/6.png)
Once I'm satisfied the excess black has been tidied up, and the shields are a nice uniform bone colour again, I slowly peeled off the tape. You want to be quite delicate in peeling off the tape or you'll take some of the paint off with it. You'll probably get some black paint chip off at this stage anyway - just carefully fill it back in with a detail brush.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/7.png)
Once that's dry and any mistakes have been tidied up, I coated the whole shield with a slightly thinned coat of Citadel Agrax Earthshade. This is going to create the basis for the shield's weathered look and is crucial for creating a bit of depth.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/8.png)
Now to start adding highlights. I splotch on Vallejo Game Colour Bonewhite in fairly uneven patches above and below the chevron, leaving large areas of base colour still visible around the edges of the shield.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/9.png)
Once that's dry, then I go straight to the final highlight, this time with Scale 75 Mojave White (the brightest colour I'm going to use). This should be in smaller uneven patches in the centre of the shield, leaving patches of base colour and the first highlight colour visible. Done right, the shield should already start to take on a blotched, weathered look as if it's been a while since it's had a fresh coat of paint, with a lot of dirt and damage around the edges.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/10.png)
Now for the actual weathering! I've used a piece of pluck foam from an old Battlefoam case, but any foam will do. Harder foam is easier to control than soft foam. Dab the end of your foam into the 'mud/damage' colour (GW Dryad Bark here) and wipe off AT LEAST 95% of it until it's barely visible. 'Do a lot with a little' is the adage here.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/11.png)
Here's the fun bit. Hold the foam at 90 degrees to the shield (side on to the shield) and start to gently pepper around the shield's edges with a soft tapping motion. Done right, you should get a mix of fine streaks and spots. I do this 2-3 times for each shield. You'll know very quickly if you left too much paint on the foam!
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/12.png)
This is after 2-3 rounds of gently peppering each shield, from all angles, with the muddy sponge. For some extra variation, I've also very lightly peppered each shield directly face on, as if from the direction of an enemy's blade or arrow.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/13.png)
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/14.png)
Almost the final step. Now I've opened up a (well used...) weathering powder box, also from Tamiya, and started mixing together Rust and Soot powders (the brown and black powders in the pic). I want the weathering stick to be really caked with powder, because...
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/15.png)
... I'm going to really go to town on the bottom of each shield with the weathering stick. This is to give the illusion of mud and dust everywhere, as formations clash and retreat and the ground is churned to mud.
Once this has dried, I glue the shields on to the minis and give them a light blast with Colour Forge Matt Varnish. You can expect 40-50% of the weathering powder to be lost to the spray varnish, hence why I recommend caking it on fairly heavily in the first step.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/16.png)
IV. Results!
And there we have it! Once the shields have been glued on to their bearers and varnished, they're ready for gaming. Hope this was useful - feel free to give me a shout if anything wasn't clear or if I can help with better pics/advice.
(https://necedemalis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/17.png)
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A few more rebasing/retouching "completions", this time for Age of Magic! Gymir and his brother Magnir. They'll also pull double duty in Frostgrave and whatever else.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZXsDTRP.png)
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Good to see those again. I've always loved their names, too.
Very Myth in atmosphere, as ever :D
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Very cool indeed. The names give excellent mood and vibes to the setting lore.
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my, only just seen this thread, as I tend to avoid this part of the forum now, finding the stereotypes etc which proliferate just too much.
But thankful to have seen this thread - brilliant, outstanding, on all levels.
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Great stuff, my Knight-Captain. Glad to see the blog, hope it gets filled out and draws the recognition that your vision deserves.
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Glad to see you're still working on this project in some form! Love the huge Myth influence, I remember watching my friend play Myth at his house as a kid, definitely fired my imagination up (and made me jealous of his windows PC). :)
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Long, long time no post...
After a truly hectic few months, I'm going to try and get back in the saddle as far as running a website and a blog goes.
I've managed to keep hobbying over the last month or two, but haven't been very good at posting updates. I'll share stuff (in no particular order).
Firstly, in about a month's time I'll host the London SAGA Doubles, or Battle Brothers as they're known. The event has grown really nicely - from 10 people in its first iteration, to 12 in its second, and now a big jump to 24. We've found a good home to host the event (at a gaming store called Darksphere in West London) and found a niche as one of the few competitions in the UK to do the doubles format and use entirely 3D terrain.
We also seem to be the largest event in the UK post-COVID (so far) which is a lovely surprise.
I've finished off 4 of the 6 tables that we'll play on for this event - each has a vague theme of its own. The final 2 will be community-provided.
(https://i.imgur.com/uMTSkU2.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/RRAjSXl.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/EtS0SHH.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/tV1E0tt.png)
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Fantastic looking pieces!
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Splendid work, as always! Did you do the stonework on the Age of Crusades tables?
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Those all look great! They will give good atmosphere to your games.
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Brilliant work, as always mate. 👍
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Thanks, guys. Touched you're still interested!
Splendid work, as always! Did you do the stonework on the Age of Crusades tables?
Of a sort - I painted them and did some texture with grit and gravel, but they're Renedra plastic ruins so a lot of it was already done for me. I'd like to do more - I've got a castle planned soon, which will be a pretty big challenge in this regard!
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Castles are high stakes but also sort of the apex project of all wargaming. Biggest effort, biggest reward.
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I am still alive, honest.
Full update to come soon but thought I'd share a few pics of what's been going on lately. Spot the new game.
(https://i.imgur.com/ezZEsCx.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/PZix0Qp.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rVylGn7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/AOc9BFz.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/f9zsuh5.jpg)
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Great to hear mate… and great work! 👍
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as usual: outstanding stuff. I love the google-eyed statue! :D
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A foam-sheet sail! What a fascinating idea!
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Now that foam sheet is a spiffy innovation. Very, very cool.
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I am still alive, honest.
Full update to come soon but thought I'd share a few pics of what's been going on lately. Spot the new game.
I really enjoy all your work, and I'm glad to see more.
Relicblade looks like a fun game, but I haven't had a chance to actually play it yet.
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Cheers guys, you're all gents!
A couple more random pics - a display board/gameboard for skirmish games, a completed watchtower (kitbashed from the GW Rohan set), and some other random WIPs...
(https://i.imgur.com/86gyMwP.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/GlkrGiq.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/dV3Xr7Y.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/eMAASui.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/AHfmWur.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/bCUNZiF.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/XgNp8Cw.jpg)
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I'm getting ahead of myself, as there's a lot in the last month or two to share, but this is my most recent project start. Largest thing I've ever worked on and very likely the most difficult.
A Black Order border fort, high in the mountains, taking as its inspiration Golubac Fortress in Serbia.
The gatehouse is still to be built, gaps to be filled, doors and windows to be assembled, and the whole thing needs to be put on a baseplate with a cliff wall at the back - but it's an early indicator of the direction I hope this will take.
(https://i.imgur.com/NVzViKH.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/lpWX6yP.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cAP7UzY.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/xtA9pOF.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/H4yYCW3.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ugzJD3y.jpg)
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Looks gorgeous! Best of luck with the next steps ;)
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Very cool. Best of luck
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Everything you have made for this project has been epic. It is aways a joy to see you latest work.
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Looks promising 8)
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Madness... Utterly cool, mind-boggling miniature madness.
A perfect example of what makes this hobby so fantastic.
Thanks for posting. I'm inspired/humbled.
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Are you going to do the lake round the front as well? lol
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He might. Certainly has the skills, judging by previous work.
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Great project, I really like the darkish, snowy atmosphere!
Where is that big monster thing model from?
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Absolutely stellar project, can't wait to see it take shape and colour
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great additions, as expected! :D Looking forward to the castle build, ambitious project..
can you enlighten me on the parts used for the well.. undead beastmen thingies? I don't seem to place any of them, except for the "heads"... thanks!
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Wow, that's a great start to the fort! Can't wait to see how it progresses. :)
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Is that a 3D printed castle, or maybe a 1/72 scale kit?