De Bellis Fantasiae/Hordes of the Things 28mm project (new chaos horde element)

[Hobgoblin]

This... sounds like a very fun system! Thanks for the explanation

My pleasure! Hordes of the Things is an out-and-out classic: the proof of that is that it's still widely played 34 years after publication, during which time it's had only the tiniest tweaks to the rules (two troop types swapped movement rates, basically).

Here are some very quickly painted Mantic orcs, which I did almost entirely with acrylic brush markers - barring the eyes, teeth and tongues, a glaze of Athonian Camoshade over the skin and a brown wash over the armour. These will act as Blade elements in HOTT and DBF.

[Sunjester]

They look great! I want to experiment with acrylic brush pens, what make would your recommend?

[DivisMal]

I second that question. I am actually very intrigued by the idea to use markers for quick results.

[Hobgoblin]

Thanks!

So ... the markers I used for the most part were these very cheap ones from Amazon (100 of them for £30).

I also bought some more expensive AK Interactive ones from eBay. I'd say there's no real difference in quality between them that I've noticed so far. The cheap ones also have the advantage of being double-ended; the fine tips (rather than the brush ends) come in handy sometimes.

One thing I was disappointed with in the AK ones was that the colours are much lighter than indicated on the pens themselves and in the advertising material. For example, the olive drab is miles lighter than the equivalent Vallejo paint. There are a few good dark colours in the Funnasting set, but in general, you can get the best results from starting from a fairly light colour and working up where there are lots of options to keep going lighter (as with the lion parts of the manticore above).

[DivisMal]

Thanks!

[Hobgoblin]

I should also add that the markers are great for very quickly edging bases (in black, in my case). I just used the pen end of one of the cheap markers to run along the sides of the bases.

With the metallics, coverage is really good and consistent. I used the AK gunmetal for the orcs; it's a very nice colour. With hindsight, I'd probably have used that, then washed it in brown and then drybrushed silver for the highlights. But the marker silver highlights will look OK on the tabletop (from a few feet away!), I think.

[blacksmith]

Hobgoblin, I loved what you did to the Reaper Manticore with markers! That's something I should try some day as everybody is talking about those AK markers.

I'm also getting into DBF. I got my book last week and already painted some mythic elements to turn my DBA historical Romano British army into an Arthurian one for DBF. I even wrote army list, special rules and ritual spells for it!
Hope you don't mind if I upload a pic or two of them here.


Full army (175 points):


Cheers!

[Hobgoblin]

Thanks, blacksmith!

No problem at all with the pics - great to see them, and that's a glorious army!

Here's the first of my finished Horde elements for my Moorcockian chaos army. They don't really fit the DBF chaos list, but they could work as minions for the Dark Lord Rising or not-Saruman army. I'll probably use the HOTT chaos list to put together a DBF one.

[DivisMal]

Good gracious, Justin ,


THAT is a promising start!!! I always loved Moorcock and HotT/DBF is one of the few systems where a true Moorockian host of chaos seems to be possible.


@Javier: those elements look splendid!

[Hobgoblin]

Thanks, Florian! And yes: the HOTT chaos army list channels Moorcock perfectly.

Here's the next Horde element. One thing I love about the DBx series of games is that you can throw in as many banners as you like (they don't have any in-game significance, so you could have one on every base). I'm hoping to have a fair few banners throughout the chaos army, which I think will help to add to the mass effect:

[blacksoilbill]

I'm loving what you're putting together on these elements. They are going to be such characterful armies.

[Pattus Magnus]

That is shaping up to be a spectacular army! I thoroughly enjoy looking at each base - such an eclectic and unique set of kit bashed figures on each one!

[blacksmith]

Awesome painting of those fantastic creatures, especially the dog faced one.

[mikedemana]

These are great! And I agree, the more banners, the merrier...!!

Mike Demana

[JollyBob]

Oh yes. Superbly done.

Not enough Moorcock inspired Chaos around if you ask me.