Diablo Jon's Geriatric Orcs and Goblins - now with 1980s vintage Orc archers

[Diablo Jon]

I never thought I would say this of Orcs but … they look gorgeous!  I really love their desaturated skin colors.

Dan

Thanks. That will be the oil paint washes I've been experimenting with.

[Diablo Jon]

Here is another small batch of 1980s orcs. I’ve pretty much painted up enough miniatures for two twenty orc units one with hand weapons and shields and one with Double handed weapons. I’ve sourced the last five orcs I needed to complete those two units on eBay in the last few days so once they get here they’ll jump straight to the front of the painting queue.

All these miniatures are pre-slotta three are old Fantasy tribes orcs two from the armoured range and one from the unarmoured. The big guy with the axe on his hip clearly used the same base miniature as Harboth from the Black Mountain Boys and has the description “Chieftain” under him in the Citadel Journal 2. He will be the leader/champion of one of my orc regiments. You can see all three of these minis in their original catalogue entries here

http://www.solegends.com/citc/c015orcs/index.htm

The other three are all from the Harboth’s black Mountain boys Regiment of Renown. I was lucky enough to score two great deals on two different batches of these miniatures on eBay that gave me the whole regiment with the original command but these three boys were surplus to requirements rather than waste them I painted them up and they are going to fill out the ranks of my other orc units.

[Cubs]

Great work and fantastic choice of models.

[Diablo Jon]

Great work and fantastic choice of models.

Thanks.

I'd like to take credit for the choice of models but really it was what can I find the cheapest on eBay 

Tbf I do love the fantasy tribes/ early C series solid base Orcs they have so much character. I like a lot of the early slotta bases C series miniatures to but they seem harder to find at reasonable prices at the moment.

[fred]

Very nicely done on some classic figures - I have several of these in my collection too, or more likely variants of them, as there seemed to be all sorts of head and weapon variations produced of the base figures.

[Diablo Jon]

Very nicely done on some classic figures - I have several of these in my collection too, or more likely variants of them, as there seemed to be all sorts of head and weapon variations produced of the base figures.

Thanks.

Yes those early Fantasy Tribes Orcs seem to have had a lot of variants for each pose. I'm convinced the early citadel catalogue line drawings never captured half of them. If I'm honest I think it's a pretty good way of doing things you get a load on miniatures in the same pose that rank up well in units yet have enough variants it doesn't look like a regiment of clones.

[Daeothar]

Wonderfully ancient character, with splendid paintjobs too. Your shield designs are great! 

[Elk101]

This is a proper nostalgic thread. I love those old orc miniatures and I like the style you've painted them in, it suits the figures. I've just picked up a few more of the C15 pre slotta too to complete units and you're right, some of the early slotta prices are getting silly.

[Diablo Jon]

Wonderfully ancient character, with splendid paintjobs too. Your shield designs are great! 

This is a proper nostalgic thread. I love those old orc miniatures and I like the style you've painted them in, it suits the figures. I've just picked up a few more of the C15 pre slotta too to complete units and you're right, some of the early slotta prices are getting silly.

Thanks chaps

[Diablo Jon]

The Orc horde grows ever larger. Lots more to do just need to keep powering on through the pile of under coated Orcs on my painting desk.

[fred]

Very nice, some more classics!

[Hobgoblin]

Superb!

Great to see some of that first slottabase range (Maygar Ironfist/Maniac, Axe Killer, etc.). You've done them proud!

[Diablo Jon]

Very nice, some more classics!

Thanks

[Diablo Jon]

Superb!

Great to see some of that first slottabase range (Maygar Ironfist/Maniac, Axe Killer, etc.). You've done them proud!

Yeah the early slotta mix well with the older solid base in style ( no surprise given several of them are old Fantasy Tribes Orcs re- sculpted). Even taking into account the extra height of a solid base Maygar Ironfist is a short arse. I'm assuming he so angry becuase the others orcs call him stunty...

[Hobgoblin]

Yeah the early slotta mix well with the older solid base in style ( no surprise given several of them are old Fantasy Tribes Orcs re- sculpted). Even taking into account the extra height of a solid base Maygar Ironfist is a short arse. I'm assuming he so angry becuase the others orcs call him stunty...

Very possibly!

I have a pet theory that the new sculpts in that first slottabase range were prototypes for the Citadel Lord of the Rings range in the 80s. A lot of the new ones are much more Tolkien-esque than the preceding armoured orcs; they're bow-legged, long-armed, squat and fit in well with the Orcs of the Red Eye, etc., that came after.

The one called Shock Troop or Gashcog is the best example - he's a perfect fit with the Orcs of the Red Eye. But the long arms and shorter stature of many of the others, along with the number with bows, make me think that the Perrys were more influenced by Tolkien here than they had been previously.

The earlier Fantasy Tribe orcs were very clearly influenced by D&D's Monster Manual, and these seem to be more influenced by Tolkien, which puts the solid-based C15 and C16 ranges somewhere in between.