Gripping Beast/4Ground Heorot Hall

[CptJake]

When I saw the Salute preview pictures of Gripping Beast's/4Grounds new Heorot Hall I decided that though expensive, I really liked it and was going to splurge.  I contacted Gripping Beast since as a guy who lives on the wrong side of the Atlantic going to Salute was not an option.   And there was GREAT to deal with, very helpful and willing to answer questions a dumb guy like me may have.   He let me pre-order the building (and a set of the new plastic Dark Age Warriors and the new Saga supplement). 

He sent it via UPS so I got a tracking number which when looked up, seemed to indicate an 11 kilogram package was enroute.  11 kg?   Surely a typo...   

A day or two after the shipping notification, the UPS truck pulls up to my house and the driver brings a Big Box to my door.  I did not weigh it, but suspect it was no typo.   

This kit is HUGE.   I have not started it yet but did take a quick look and some pictures.   Andy also included the metal accessories (tables/benches/serving women) and as you would expect, these are really nice too.

Anyway, here are some pics of the kit.   I'll try to add to this topic when I finally find the nerve and time to tackle this kit...  (Time wise I know that is at least a couple weeks off).

plastic sprue of Dark Age Warriors to show scale of box (this box was shipped inside a bigger box that also had the metal bits and the other stuff I ordered in it, this pictured box is JUST the building kit): 



Box literally overflowing with stuff!

 

All laid out, note that each of those bags has at least 7 boards worth of parts.



Also not that pile of fur.   Not sure if I will use it for the roof or instead make a full length fur coat out of it!   

The kit even came with a bunch of rubber bands and clothes pins to use as clamps during assembly:



I am impressed.   I know many/most of you will think me crazy for spending this much on a building, but I am very happy with the purchase.   The instructions seem decent, the kit itself is massive, and I have the Eureka Beowulf figs and a bunch of other dark ages figs.  Heck, I am pretty sure my LOTRs orcs will be raiding this hall at some point, and the Goblin King from my Hobbit set may well take up residence at some point too.   

Jake

[commissarmoody]

Let the building begin.

[rokurota]

11kg by UPS! Please, can you tell me the shipping cost?

[Engel]

Ohhh... 

[LeadAsbestos]

Soooo jealous! Please show us the details! LadyAsbestos has informed me that this is the closest I will ever come to owning this beast...

[hjorhrafn]

I plan on giving myself this as a birthday gift, or a Christmas present, or a "Well, THAT was a crappy week!" pick-me-up not too long after it goes on general sale, so please, post pics as you build it if you get a chance.  I'd love to see what sort of trouble I'm in for.   

[Barry S]

Thanks for sharing the photos. As most of my gaming is done 15mm, I doubt I'll ever purchase one.

 I know many/most of you will think me crazy for spending this much on a building, but I am very happy with the purchase. Jake

I don't think you're crazy. Some people have told me, and condescendingly so, that I am silly for buying or wasting my money on toy soldiers, but they're happy to spend money on golf, sports tickets, drunken/drug induced benders, horses racing/gambling, etc.

Cheers,

Barry

[Little Odo]

Thanks for sharing the photos. As most of my gaming is done 15mm, I doubt I'll ever purchase one.

I don't think you're crazy. Some people have told me, and condescendingly so, that I am silly for buying or wasting my money on toy soldiers, but they're happy to spend money on golf, sports tickets, drunken/drug induced benders, horses racing/gambling, etc.

Cheers,

Barry

I agree Barry - my wife actually prefers it that I game (well, procrastinate in front of a huge pile of minis actually) in my spare time. She totally agrees with your comment above - in my mis-spent youth I could easily do £200 a weekend on drink, meals and concert tickets with nothing left to show for it on Monday morning except some blurred memories and a head ache. Spending that on a great hall that will still be around and used in ten years time is better use for your money in the long run.

[CptJake]

11kg by UPS! Please, can you tell me the shipping cost?

I'll have to see if I can.   Gripping Beast sent a PayPal invoice and I paid it, but I don't remember it braking down the total by item and shipping.   I have to admit, once I committed to buying this the part of my brain that worries about things like shipping was told to STFU by the part of my brain that was jumping up and down yelling New Toys!   

I will take pictures as I build it, but that is not going to start for at least a couple weeks.   My wife is coming home for Mother's Day weekend next week (my daughter and I have not seen her since February) and will be staying for about 4 days.  So this week I got some house cleaning to do!    

[Timotl]

Looking forward to seeing what you do with it. Love the fact that your dog photobombed your pic too!

[CptJake]

Looking forward to seeing what you do with it. Love the fact that your dog photobombed your pic too!

Yeah,  she has to stick her big ol' nose into everything.