Orcs of the Cracked Rock - More Vendel Orcs

[Old Hob]

Wow the orcs in this thread are stellar! What beauties 

That's really very kind. Thank you. It's slow going (young family etc.) but the army is definitely starting to come together.

[Constable Bertrand]

That's really very kind. Thank you. It's slow going (young family etc.) but the army is definitely starting to come together.

Oh my yes I feel you on that front. I basically left the hobby for a period there's just not enough hours in a day hey! If that's the case the figures are even better!!! 

Cheers
Matt

[Old Hob]

As is becoming something of a tradition, I completed the last orc unit of the year whilst fighting off Covid. I don't recommend it. I'm definitely feeling more chipper now that these are done.



For the standard bearer I found an old Grenadier orc banner in my bits box. I think it works quite well. If you were wondering how such a chunky banner can be hefted one handed: a) the standard bearer is well hard, and b) magic.



Despite not being the quickest painter round these parts, 2 years in I now have the makings of a decent sized tribe. So far, then, there's 7x spear units, 2x bows, 2x skirmishers, a couple of wolf rider units (I ended up using the Nick Lund wolf riders in every game so far, so they're definitely staying), some random Oldhammer bits and bobs and a troll. There's lots more to come, just as soon as I've scored some 2p pieces for the bases. Posting on LAF has been a major driver in getting this far along, so thank you to everyone who's said nice things. As always, it's been very much appreciated. Cheers.

[Pattus Magnus]

Wow, those are great! I like the standard bearer. I don’t think I have seen that sculpt, it’s fitting that he’s a big lad!

That army shot looks glorious!

[nickdives]

A proper looking horde of evil!

[Hobgoblin]

Superb - and the fat chap with the flag looks great! The fact that he's holding the banner braced against his body stops it looking incongruous, I reckon.

[LouieN]

The force looks great.  Wonderful minis and great execution.  Keep going.

Please get better. 

[Little Odo]

Fantastic looking warband so far - great figures and lovely painting

[OSHIROmodels]

Excellent force 

[Daeothar]

Wow; they look awesome all lined up like that.

A singular wall of spite, that battle line...

[Old Hob]

Thanks folks. I'm rather pleased with how the army has started to come together. I want to restage the 'horde' photo at some point, but on a proper gaming table with a backdrop and with a load more spears, standards and banners. Just as well I have more orc infantry stashed in the pile of opportunities...

Please get better. 

At painting?  Thanks Louie. I'm feeling much better now.   

[nickdives]

Thanks folks. I'm rather pleased with how the army has started to come together. I want to restage the 'horde' photo at some point, but on a proper gaming table with a backdrop and with a load more spears, standards and banners. Just as well I have more orc infantry stashed in the pile of opportunities...

At painting?  Thanks Louie. I'm feeling much better now.

Easy done, buy more and more!!!!

[Constable Bertrand]

Ooh that hoard looks amazing, so unified 
I do like the nick lund wolf riders too.

[Old Hob]

Easy done, buy more and more!!!!

That's the plan. My fun budget is about to get rinsed!

Ooh that hoard looks amazing, so unified 

Thank you. I did write a fluff justification for the incongruous uniformity, but it was a bit longwinded. So, instead, long story as short as possible: back when I was procrastinating about the sort of orc army I wanted to build, I came across this footnote by Christopher Tolkien in Morgoth's Ring

Boldog… is a name that occurs many times in the tales of the War. But it is possible that Boldog was not a personal name, and either a title, or else the name of a kind of creature: the Orc-formed Maiar, only less formidable than the Balrogs.

I decided to use Boldog as an honorific for the tribal chieftain/warlord, but, in a nod to the Maiar idea, the current Boldog has been possessed by an ancient and powerful entity with imperial ambitions. With the Big Man now under new management, the Cracked Rock orcs and the surrounding goblin tribes have been transformed from ragtag raiders and brigands into an army of conquest. And Dark Lords do love an orc in uniform, after all.

[Old Hob]

Hi folks. Hope you're all well. It's been a little while I know. I've been distracted with tiny Anglo-Saxons and a wee bit of Oldhammering, but am starting to gear up for painting some more orcses over the coming months.

Another thing I have been up to is trying to improve my photography. I'm still using a smartphone, daylight and mostly on the same old bookshelf, but I've been trying out a bit of set dressing. I think it's an improvement.



I've taken new photographs of the majority of minis on this thread. Rather than drop them all here (again), I've posted them on a blog along with a bit more waffle. If that sounds like your sort of thing then please go have a look. Any feedback would be very much appreciated.
https://theevillead.blogspot.com/2024/04/cracked-rock-orcs.html



Coming soon, possibly some Ragnarok goblin archers... I think they may be in the post!