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Forum > Fantasy Adventures
Ideas for 15mm Olog-hai?
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Hobgoblin:
For my 15mm Pelennor project, I'm going to include some Olog-hai trolls (on the assumption that the 'mountain trolls' wielding Grond also stayed around to fight).
There are three key descriptions of the Olog-hai in The Lord of the Rings:
--- Quote ---[At] the end of the Third Age a troll-race not before seen appeared in southern Mirkwood and in the mountain borders of Mordor. Olog-hai they were called in the Black Speech. That Sauron bred them none doubted, though from what stock was not known. Some held that they were not Trolls but giant Orcs; but the Olog-hai were in fashion of body and mind quite unlike even the largest of Orc-kind, whom they far surpassed in size and power. Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race, strong, agile, fierce and cunning, but harder than stone. Unlike the older race of the Twilight they could endure the Sun, so long as the will of Sauron held sway over them.
--- End quote ---
--- Quote ---Trolls were abroad, no longer dull-witted, but cunning and armed with dreadful weapons.
--- End quote ---
--- Quote ---[There] came striding up, roaring like beasts, a great company of hill-trolls out of Gorgoroth. Taller and broader than Men they were, and they were clad only in close-fitting mesh of horny scales, or maybe that was their hideous hide; but they bore round bucklers huge and black and wielded heavy hammers in their knotted hands. Reckless they sprang into the pools and waded across, bellowing as they came. Like a storm they broke upon the line of the men of Gondor, and beat upon helm and head, and arm and shield as smiths hewing the hot bending iron.... Beregond... fell; and the great troll-chief that smote him down bent over him, reaching out a clutching claw; for these fell creatures would bite the throats of those that they threw down.
Then Pippin stabbed upwards, and the written blade of Westernesse pierced through the hide and went deep into the vitals of the troll, and his black blood came gushing out.
--- End quote ---
And then there's this description of Ents:
--- Quote ---[There] came forward out of the trees three strange shapes. As tall as trolls they were, twelve feet or more in height....
--- End quote ---
So ... the Olog-hai should be roughly 12 feet tall, essentially naked, scaly and armed with hammers and round shields. The cave-troll in Moria is also scaly and has the further details of being dark and greenish and having a flat, toeless foot (a pair, presumably, though only one foot gets into the Chamber of Mazarbul).
In 15mm, a normal-sized 28mm humanoid should do the job. The best I've been able to find so far are these North Star Fomorians (originally from Grendel, I think):
I'd have to paint on the scales, but these are largely unclad and armed more or less appropriately (axe and mace heads can be swapped; round shields can be used instead). They certainly look nasty and agile enough, and they're around the right size. I reckon I could get two on a HOTT 40 x 40 behemoth base.
Then there's the old Minifigs hill troll:
It's clearly based on the book description (though it needs a buckler), and would probably work quite well in 15mm. There is, however, only the one pose.
A third idea would be to kitbash Frostgrave Snakemen with orc heads (or similar); the Iron Mitten blog has some great Fomorians done this way. The Snakemen are a bit heavy on body ornaments and clothing, but they'd be easy to convert with dwarf hammers and round shields. Again, they'd work two to a behemoth base in 15mm.
Alternative Armies do 15mm trolls with hammers; they're quite nice, but more like D&D or Warhammer trolls:
The Vendel/Sgt Major trolls are perfect (and small enough to work as 12' tall in 15mm), but they're hard or impossible to get on this side of the Atlantic:
But is there anything else out there that I'm missing? Stocky lizardmen with easily removable tails? Underdressed orcs who could be made scalier with paint? Burly, skyclad goblins that might be roughened and re-armed?
I'm probably going to go with the Fomorians, but I thought it was worth consulting the LAF hive mind first! Any pointers much appreciated!
Gibby:
Hobgoblin,
Are you aware of Battle Valor Miniatures? They are an ever increasing range of 15mm (though they are more on the 18mm end of the scale) fantasy miniatures, and they have a UK stockist called Dragon Frog Games.
Whilst I am not sure if they do anything to resemble Olog-Hai specifically, I did spot these whilst grabbing the link:
https://www.dragonfroggames.co.uk/product/frigian-ice-trolls-10-figures-
It might be that among that range you might find useful stuff for other Middle Earth denizens.
Though be warned, they group their orcs and goblins separately! ;)
Hobgoblin:
Thanks, Gibby!
I do have quite a few of the orcs and wolfriders, which I'm planning to use as Isengarders in 1/72 (at that scale, their short and stocky stature is perfect). I'll certainly peruse the range again; the trolls and ogres are both attractive for this purpose in some ways. Given Battle Valor's exasperating naming conventions, there may be other treasures lurking undetected!
WitchQueenofAngmar:
--- Quote from: Hobgoblin on June 23, 2022, 12:55:26 PM ---
But is there anything else out there that I'm missing? Stocky lizardmen with easily removable tails? Underdressed orcs who could be made scalier with paint? Burly, skyclad goblins that might be roughened and re-armed?
--- End quote ---
Reaper has some troglodytes that might work; some back spines, but they're pretty scaly and don't have tails.
Splintered Light Miniatures also has some Rock Trolls in 15mm that may be an option.
Hobgoblin:
Those rock trolls are a very good option - and they're now available in the UK. Thanks!
Funnily enough, I thought about the troglodytes yesterday and rejected them as too big and too froggy. But having dug them out, I think you're right - they're about twice human height in 15mm (and these two are the biggest - I'm not sure where the smaller guy is). And because they're Bones, they'll be incredibly easy to convert with superglue, plastic dwarf hammers and orc/goblin heads. Many thanks - I reckon I could get a couple of these onto a 40mm base too!
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