True Middle-Earth Orcs in Metal

[armchairgeneral]

I am really enjoying the orc conversion threads going on at the moment with perhaps the intention to create orcs more true to Tolkien’s Middle-Earth. Is the consensus view that you can’t get something equivalent in metal?

My vision of true Middle-Earth Uruk-Hai, are fairly regular/uniform looking in chain mail and helmets. Is anything available in metal? I am aware of Scotia-Grendel and the Ral Partha Kevin Adams orcs.

[Blackwolf]

Look at the Viking Forge,they still do the old Asgard Orcs ,in my humble opinion ,still the best
PS and they're very cheap.

[Hobgoblin]

What Blackwolf said - and, for the Uruk-hai of Isengard, the "soldier orcs" in particular. They've got the straight, short swords and even the helmet badges of the book's descriptions. I think it's fairly clear that they were meant to be Isengarders:





The same sculptor (Jez Goodwin) did Throgg's Despoiling Hobgoblins of the Dark Land for Citadel. They crop up second-hand fairly often and are pretty good - though the troopers are identical. The swords might need a tiny bit of work to make them straight-edged, but they're almost there as they are:

[armchairgeneral]

Thanks for the replies chaps. Interesting options. I quite like these Hasslefree figures but they seem to be permanently out of stock.

[Hobgoblin]

Some of the old Rieder Design stuff (available from Alternative Armies) is very Tolkienesque. Alas, they don't produce the 'Orcs' set at the moment (though they're announcing new fantasy lines tomorrow, I see, and I think they have the moulds), but they do do the hobgoblins and 'Cro's Goblin Raiders/Spears', which I think were originally Rieder orcs. They're quite Tolkein-esque - short, squat, broad and long-armed, with big heads - and relatively uniform in their gear:





The fellow second from the left here is one of the Rieder Orcs (open mouth, scimitar on ground, shield at shoulder height). He's a very nice sculpt and has the Eye on his shield:

[armchairgeneral]

Thanks for directing me to those. I will check them out.

I recognise the chap on the far right of those painted figures. I used to have loads of them. I really nice regular orc archer figure.

[Hobgoblin]

These are the Rieder orcs (the ones not yet back 'in print'). The price there is pretty reasonable.

[Blackwolf]

I have some of the Hasslefree orcs,different to those ones pictured though. You can if them if you like. Send me a PM.

[Sir Barnaby Hammond-Rye]

I believe the old 25mm Der Kriegspieler's "Fantastiques" are still available via Classic Miniatures. The Isenguard Uruk Hai are depicted with crude halberds, longbows, and possibly shortswords. I only had the pack with longbow and halberd/polearm. They are really nice!

[LouieN]

you can also throw in the occasional Mithril miniatures orc.

[armchairgeneral]

Thanks for all the comments all, and the offer Blackwolf, but I believe something is on the way that will suit my requirements “:they are coming” 

[ZeroTwentythree]

Scotia Grendel have the old Black Tree (Harlequin?) Middle Earth range. Ivey been curious about them and recently picked up a couple of command packs on clearance so I could see how they looked & scaled up against other figures in person.

They're a bit stylized, influenced by some of the Ian Miller illustrations I feel.

[armchairgeneral]

Thanks. I was aware of the Scotia Grendel orcs. They in the right direction but some of the poses seem odd, although I accept orcs are described as misshapen. I am really after something like the hobgoblin trooper pictured above though these are out of production now and second hand ones seem expensive.

As I said, I believe there are some forthcoming releases which may suit what I am after, albeit them being plastic.

[Belgian]

Cool, which plastic releases are we talking about?

[area23]

I love the old Harlequin/scotia grendel orcs.
stylized certainly, like the old warhammer skaven.
At the time they were quite big compared to other ranges but they taday the size fits with many recent releases.