Some miniatures for Song of Blades and Heroes (Frostgrave undead and construct)

[beefcake]

That works super well in 15mm.
I really like those minis (but yes, not tolkienesque at all)

[Hobgoblin]

Thanks!

Yes, it's funny how some 28mm miniatures work perfectly in 15mm while others just won't do. In many cases, I reckon, it has to do with weapon size: 28mm figures with oversized weapons look "off" in 15mm, whereas those with smaller clubs or axes or whatever look good. There are other factors too, of course.

Here's the first of several 15mm gnolls who started life as 28mm kobolds. The rest await their spots.

[Hobgoblin]

Here are some scavengers of the underworld - cave lizards from CP Models.

[DivisMal]

I really love what you did to the Kobold, Gnogblars and LotR Goblin!

I'm a big 15mm fan and sometimes it's hard to find specific monsters and I'm amazed how many things out there work actually better in 15mm than what they were intended for!

I'll certainly try to get some Kobolds for a nice Gnoll Warband. do you remember which manufacturer they are from?

[von Lucky]

You are inspirationally prolific with your painting - keep it up.

[Hobgoblin]

Thanks, both!

I'm a big 15mm fan and sometimes it's hard to find specific monsters and I'm amazed how many things out there work actually better in 15mm than what they were intended for!

Yes: it's hard to tie down why some miniatures jump scale nicely and others don't. Obviously, there are certain "tells" - skull trophies are a particular problem - but other factors are more subtle. With the kobolds/gnolls, I think the key thing is that they're very muscular and powerful-looking (see Schrumpkopf's outstanding kobolds for a real contrast), so they actually work better as big, fearsome humanoids. A lot of Nick Lund's stuff works well too, because even his smallest creatures, like his kobolds and original black orcs, are terrifically fierce-looking.

I'll certainly try to get some Kobolds for a nice Gnoll Warband. do you remember which manufacturer they are from?

These are Reaper. I think they're available in both metal and Bones plastic, but these are the Bones ones. So you lose a bit of detail and crispness, but it's much more a problem for photos than for the naked eye. Also, the chieftain and wizard are much bigger than the grunts and work really well as daunting 15mm foes.

I've also got some Chronicle kobolds underway. They're a bit different - cruder and scalier, without digitigrade legs - but I'm doing them in the same colours (without spots) and think they'll mix in fine. Or form a second tribe ...

Here's the quickest miniature I've ever painted - a CP Models plant person (from the 15mm sci-fi range):

[Hobgoblin]

And here is one of those Chronicle kobold/gnolls: not a hyena-like creature, but a decent-sized two-hit-dice bruiser:

[Hobgoblin]

Here's one of the excellent bugbears from CP Models. I should note that the company's service is outstanding - not only did the package arrive very swiftly, but it included the two bugbears that I hadn't ordered (because I didn't want duplicates). I'll certainly be ordering more from CP in the future.

The Bob Olley bugbears are great miniatures. They're sold as 20mm, but they look spot on for 15mm to me, given that a D&D bugbear is supposed to be 7' tall and has 3 hit dice. These guys look spot on for that next to Demonworld and Ral Partha Battlesystem 15s.

[Hobgoblin]

And a scale pic with a Demonworld barbarian. I think these bugbears are actually too short for 20mm (if you were being fussy about D&D sizes - no reason why you should be), as they're about 20mm tall. But they're bang on for 15mm (and would work fine as 28mm goblins too):

[Hobgoblin]

And in somewhat better light, to show his cowhide shield. I may touch up that ugly mouldline on the shoulder to make it look like a wound or scar.

[DeafNala]

I do have more than enough 28's in The Vault to keep me busy for the rest of my life...such as it is. HOWEVER, your 15's are the way to go next time around...I am nothing if not an optimist. Your have a real flair for the Little Guys. VERY INSPIRATIONAL & WELL DONE!

[JollyBob]

That bugbear is lovely, and I agree about the service from CP Models - I ordered a handful of their Alien Legion type figures a few weeks ago and go a couple of freebies along with them which was very much appreciated.

[Severian]

Fantastic work on the bugbear - you've really played to the strengths of the sculpt.

All this 15mm goodness is making me wonder what I have hidden in the lead pile. We're just emerging from the chaos of a house move (which leaves me with comparatively abridged hobby space) so 15mm may be one of the ways forward - now I just need to discover which box my 15s are in....

[Hobgoblin]

Thanks, all!

All this 15mm goodness is making me wonder what I have hidden in the lead pile. We're just emerging from the chaos of a house move (which leaves me with comparatively abridged hobby space) so 15mm may be one of the ways forward - now I just need to discover which box my 15s are in....

Yes, space is a big consideration with 15s. My thoughts regarding scales now are along these lines:

28mm: for skirmishes (SOBH, Battlesworn, Crom, etc.) and HotT (also Sword and Spear Fantasy); also for Tales of Blades and Heroes skirmish/RPG hybrids (one-shot RPGs with a heavy combat element, essentially).

10mm (if I enjoy painting the samples I've ordered): mass battle other than HotT: Mayhem, Sword and Spear Fantasy, maybe Warmaster.

And between the two:

15mm: for RPGs and also Dragon Rampant. We've always played the latter in 28mm - most recently last weekend - but the extra space afforded by switching to 15s and to cm will be considerable. And as the RPG project grows, DR units are coming together quite nicely. So, the six cave lizards above make a perfect unit of lesser warbeasts. I also have Four A Models' "little lizards", which, with the addition of a handler, will also make a regulation six-strong unit. Last night, I based up the rest of the bugbears. There are 13 in total, so they could make two units of elite foot plus a wizard, or one unit of bellicose foot with the armour upgrade, or whatever. And I've got loads of lizardmen of various sizes that will provide unit after unit of foot and cavalry, as well as plenty of RPG encounters.

To that end, I'm planning to rebase my abortive 15mm Mayhem project. Remounted on 2p pieces, the wolfriders will give me both an RPG encounter group and a unit of lesser war beasts or light riders for DR.



I think the small lizardmen with the axes here might end up as huge lizardmen for 10mm. They're very small "true" 15s and look a bit undersized next to my other 15mm lizardmen, so they might just work as ogre-sized 10mm reptiles. I'll see how they scale next to 10mm troops when mine arrive, but I think they might be to genuine 10mm troops what the Caesar 20mm lizardmen are to 15mm infantry.



And these guys are perfect for elite riders in DR:

[Hobgoblin]

Here's a lizardman. I started work this evening on the "little lizards" from Four A Models, but ended up finishing this chap instead. He'll act as their handler in Dragon Rampant (bringing the unit up to six in strength) and possibly in the Whitehack campaign I'm planning at the moment.