Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Fantasy Adventures => Topic started by: Mick_in_Switzerland on December 22, 2014, 10:13:14 AM
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I really enjoyed the Hobbit - Battle of the Five Armies
I plan to do some scenarios based on the film but the new GW figures are resin (not for gaming) and expensive.
GW don't appear to be doing new plastic sets which surprises me.
I already have hundreds of LOTR figures and also the GW Hobbit plastic Eagles, Mirkwood Elves and Goblin Town set.
I am looking to expand these forces with additions that match the forces in the Battle of Five Armies film.
They can be GW LOTR plastics, GW Hobbit plastics, Perry historicals or any other figures with similar styling to the films.
They can be plastic or metal as long as the prices are reasonable.
Can you help me?
Laketown forces
I have Perry peasants from the Agincourt range for the townsfolk and will probably buy some of the plastic GW Warriors of Dale to represent the soldiers.
Mirkwood Elves
I will probably use GW Galadhrim Warriors, which I already have in plastic and some in metal.
Gundabad Orcs
I may convert some plastic GW Uruk Hai Warriors as they are the nearest that I have seen.
I need affordable figures for Azog and Bolg.
I think that Azog could be made by converting a large barbarian.
There is a Reaper Bones figure that looks a bit like Bolg.
Trolls
I already have 3 cave trolls and 3 mordor trolls so that will suffice.
Although, I may convert some to get the special purpose trolls (you will have to see the film to understand).
Dwarves
I already have the characters from the Hobbit - Escape from Goblin Town set.
There is a set of GW plastic dwarves called Grim Hammers which look similar.
I thought the Dwarves of Dain in the film looked very much like warhammer in styling.
Does anybody have suggestions?
Smaug
I am looking for a toy or Reaper Bones or action figure or similar.
I had expected official action figures but I have not seen anything yet.
I have some dragons coming from Reaper Bones Kickstarter 2 but they will not be shipped until February or March based on the latest info.
Regards
Mick
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You could always get a Smaug from mithril miniatures
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I may try a quck conversion of Hasslefree's Wolf to get an Azog proxie
I just need to make more pointy ears, add cuts and cut off one hand.
(http://www.hfminis.co.uk/img_cms/product_images/HFH046large%20copy.jpg)
http://www.hfminis.co.uk/shop?product=wolf~hfh046&category=miniatures~fantasy-humans
Akos is a nice figure but only available in resin.
http://www.hfminis.co.uk/shop?product=%C3%81kos%2C-the-scorned-%28resin%29~hfh072b&category=miniatures~fantasy-humans
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For Smaug, it might be worth looking at either the Playmobil or Megablocs range of toy dragons.
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The McFarlane Dragons are VERY COOL (for dragons that is) & can be repainted to a fairly high standard...I've done a couple for a friend.
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For affordable dragons, Papo or Schleich do some good ones - pre-painted and larger than most stuff from GW.
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Thank-you for your suggestions. I have just found this which will do the job very nicely.
Smaug
Schleich Dragon Fighter 70509 approx.21x9cm is brand new and at 19 Euros will make a very good movie Smaug substitute :-)
(http://www.schleich-s.com/fileadmin/media/images/item_detail/70509.jpg)
http://www.schleich-s.com/en/US/toys/dragon_fighter/
http://www.spielzeug-guenstig.de/Schleich-Dragon-Fighter-70509-approx21x9cm.html
Bolg
Here is the Reaper Bones Ogre Chieftain
(http://www.reapermini.com/graphics/gallery/4/IG_3394_1.jpg)
http://www.reapermini.com/OnlineStore/Bones/sku-down/77005#detail/IG_3394_1
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You may want to take a look on the Ral Partha fantasy range too !
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You could try this one from Pegasus
http://www.amazon.com/Pegasus-Hobbies-Dragonslayer-Vermithrax-Dragon/dp/B007J3B6D6
I think it is 1/35th scale so it should be big enough.
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Just bought a Vermithrax myself and it'll do the job nicely.
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If inexpensive is what you're after take a look at the dwarves and orcs from Viking Forge (formerly Asguard). Nice figures, but not really like the movies. On the other hand they're about $1.25 usd each and being older figures might scale well with the GW Lotr figures.
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Just bought a Vermithrax myself and it'll do the job nicely.
One of the best screen dragons, but just sometimes the name sounds like a worryingly personal torture device.
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For a great range of dragons look at the Spawn.com website. Fantastic detail, big and pre-painted.
http://spawn.com/toys/categorytype.aspx?categoryid=6
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Thank-you for all of the dragon suggestions.
I like the Vermithrax model and the Schliech one.
Does anybody have good ideas for Bolg and Azog?
I am happy to do some work to convert a standard figure.
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Does anybody have good ideas for Bolg and Azog?
I am happy to do some work to convert a standard figure.
I was looking at the GW Bolg & Azog figures for myself but the price was so steep. In the end I decide to just use Orc captains I have from the GW lotr figures and just call them Bolg or Azog for the game. They are cheaper to find 2nd hand. Your miniatures don't have to be the exact representations from the movie. Just my thoughts on it.
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For Bolg & Azog, why not try a conversion of something relatively cheap, perhaps a plastic Uruk Hai Beserker?
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Not Smaug, but I was given a Schleich "Hunter" dragon for Christmas.
Very impressive for 28mm - 23cm nose to tail, roughly 7cm tall at front/shoulder, 8cm tall at hip - absolutely huge for 15mm
I think the "Warrior" might make a good Smaug stand-in.
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There are a couple of Tre Manor sculpted orcs in the reaper line which are pretty obviously based on Angus McBride illustrations done for ICE/MERP.
Example:
(http://www.reapermini.com/graphics/gallery/4/77105_w_1.jpg) (http://www.reapermini.com/graphics/gallery/4/03405_w_1.jpg)
versus
(http://ftp.sunet.se/pub/pictures/fantasy/Tolkien/angus003.gif)
Just search up Tre Manor (and black orcs) in the reaper catalogue.
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This Reaper ogre is almost spot on for the Angus McBride illustration
https://www.reapermini.com/OnlineStore/ogre/latest/02325
there is a Smaug Action figure but it's hideous, and also U.S.
Only at the WB Shop
http://www.wbshop.com/product/mobile/the+hobbit-+the+battle+of+the+five+armies&trade-+smaug&trade-+large+scale+poseable+action+figure+hobbrfig20.do
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Angus McBride illustrations done for ICE/MERP.
http://ftp.sunet.se/pub/pictures/fantasy/Tolkien/angus003.gif
Blimey. I would've taken that for a M-E troll. :o
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I went into Zürich yesterday and bought the Schleich Dragon Fighter figure at Franz Carl Weber.
It cost CHF 30. In Germany it is Euro 19.90 and £15 in the UK.
The figure is a good size for gaming although clearly more "Smaug the Practical" rather than Jackson's gigantic "Smaug the Magnificent".
Here is a comparison with the Thorin's company and a Balrog.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7520/16066502040_404653d820_o.jpg)
I will give him a repaint to match with my LOTR collection.
Mick
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Blimey. I would've taken that for a M-E troll. :o
It's possible you're right. Of course Angus depicted his orcs in various sizes. Some small and gobnlin-y, others closer to man size. Perhaps in Angus' head, goblins, orcs, and trolls are all on some sort of continuum.
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Here is Smaug the Practical - not bad for about £20.
This is the Schleich Dragon Fighter repainted as a Red Dragon.
I painted the whole thing in GW Scab Red, then GW Blood Red but it looked quite dull.
I damp brushed the highlights over the whole thing with Vallejo Sunshine Yellow and then repainted the highlights with dilute Blood Red.
To finish, I mixed some GW Rhinox Hide (Dark Brown) with a little of each red and diluted it to use as a final wash.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7561/16079080039_e8996588d7_o.jpg)
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The figure is a good size for gaming although clearly more "Smaug the Practical" rather than Jackson's gigantic "Smaug the Magnificent".
I dunno. It looks good to me. I'd call PJ's version more 'Smaug the Unwieldy'.
It's possible you're right. Of course Angus depicted his orcs in various sizes. Some small and gobnlin-y, others closer to man size. Perhaps in Angus' head, goblins, orcs, and trolls are all on some sort of continuum.
Fair point.
I enjoy Angus' historical illustration in Ospreys etc., but I haven't seen any of his LotR stuff besides this piece and the orc army - bandied about whenever Wargames Factory orcs are brought up. Any site or (easily available) book where I can have a good look at the rest?
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That dragon looks great. Fits the part just fine. I love toy bashing and will be using this idea. Thanks!
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I dunno. It looks good to me. I'd call PJ's version more 'Smaug the Unwieldy'.
Fair point.
I enjoy Angus' historical illustration in Ospreys etc., but I haven't seen any of his LotR stuff besides this piece and the orc army - bandied about whenever Wargames Factory orcs are brought up. Any site or (easily available) book where I can have a good look at the rest?
I'm not sure of a single site. There are a couple of books of his Middle Earth art, but they're by no means comprehensive. His LotR art was all done for the Iron Crown Enterprises RPGs, (MERP - Middle Earth Role Play), both cover art and some internal stuff. This art was later reused (he may have also done some additional original pieces - not sure) for ICE's Middle Earth: The Wizard CCG. That was an interesting game... a classic example of flavour over mechanics, so it was relentlessly complex and could take days to play. One of the most beautiful CCGs I've ever seen though, and I collected it mainly for that reason.
If I had to guess, I'd say he probably did a number in the low-to-middle hundreds?
At worst you can google image search "Angus McBride Middle-Earth" or similar things, but here's a small sample gallery I tripped over: http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Category:Images_by_Angus_McBride
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I have been playing Lion Rampant recently and really like the rules.
I think that they will be ideal for Battle of the Five Armies and The Battle of Pellennor fields.
I think it is easy to fit some troop types to Lion Rampant
e.g.
Dwarves as Expert Foot Sergeants
Elves as Expert Archers or Expert Foot Sergeants
Uruks Berserkers as Fierce Foot
Other Uruks as Foot Sergeants or Archers or Crossbowmen
Mordor Orcs as Foot Yeoman or Archers
Moria Goblins can be Serfs or Archers
Riders of Rohan as Mounted Sergeants
Men of Dale or Men of Minas Tirith as Foot Sergeants
I have no idea how to represent Gandalf, Ringwraiths, Trolls, Mamak, Fell Beasts etc
Does anybody have any ideas?
I know that I could wait for Dragon Rampant to come out at Christmas but I am impatient :D
Thanks Mick
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Hey Mick check out my post
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=80447.0
This would make a nice Smaug too.
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That is a very cool dragon. :-*
It was suggested at the very beginning of the thread and I think that a few people use it for Smaug.
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Here is Smaug the Practical - not bad for about £20.
This is the Schleich Dragon Fighter repainted as a Red Dragon.
I've seen them in the UK for just £13 - although that was about 6 months ago.
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I have been playing Lion Rampant recently and really like the rules.
I think that they will be ideal for Battle of the Five Armies and The Battle of Pellennor fields.
I think it is easy to fit some troop types to Lion Rampant
e.g.
Dwarves as Expert Foot Sergeants
Elves as Expert Archers or Expert Foot Sergeants
Uruks Berserkers as Fierce Foot
Other Uruks as Foot Sergeants or Archers or Crossbowmen
Mordor Orcs as Foot Yeoman or Archers
Moria Goblins can be Serfs or Archers
Riders of Rohan as Mounted Sergeants
Men of Dale or Men of Minas Tirith as Foot Sergeants
I have no idea how to represent Gandalf, Ringwraiths, Trolls, Mamak, Fell Beasts etc
Does anybody have any ideas?
I know that I could wait for Dragon Rampant to come out at Christmas but I am impatient :D
Thanks Mick
Books rather than films, but I had a discussion with Dan Mersey on his boards about how to represent the Isengard Uruk-hai here:
http://duxrampant.yuku.com/topic/350/The-Urukhai-of-Isengard-in-LionDragon-Rampant#.VaI8gc6przI (http://duxrampant.yuku.com/topic/350/The-Urukhai-of-Isengard-in-LionDragon-Rampant#.VaI8gc6przI)
I think Dan's ideas for the Uruk-hai make a lot of sense.
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I enjoy Angus' historical illustration in Ospreys etc., but I haven't seen any of his LotR stuff besides this piece and the orc army - bandied about whenever Wargames Factory orcs are brought up. Any site or (easily available) book where I can have a good look at the rest?
Joe (Frostgrave author) actually wrote some stuff for MERP, and is my go-to source for all kinds of Tolkeiny information. I'll give him a prod and ask him to swing by this thread.
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You could always splash out on this to set up the gates of erebor/minas tirith.
http://www.toysandlearning.co.uk/schleich-big-knights-castle-42102.htm
It's huge even for the big toys it's built for, but if you rebuilt the gates/doors,it'd be an amazing terrain piece !