Oldhammer In Moria: Return to Tharbad

[Mars Miniatures]

@ Pattus Magnus,  Thanks buddy!

Oh, I guess I forgot the last part of the post. Fixed. But Ill put it here too... Anyway welcome to my blog's modus operandi... confusion! ;p  But yes Nyarlathotep was on the last battle report.

Edit: Totally forgot to circle back to the reference to Lovecraft in the post's title. Prepare to be underwhelmed!
Aboriginal Australians go on Walkabouts aka Vision Quests aka the "Dreaming". I dont know too much about it, but my guess its some kind of spiritual nature/soul quest while living off the land in a migratory fashion? Im thinking a road trip movie but with walking and camping.

Tcho Tcho (Lovecraft's sinister tribal asians) are like Woses but have succumbed to the Mythos dreams (think Burmese Gollum, or try not to!).

Strange Horizons did an article about the connection in Aboriginal Lovecraft here: http://strangehorizons.com/non-fiction/articles/aboriginal-lovecraft/

[Mars Miniatures]

From full post here: https://mars-miniatures.blogspot.com/2022/09/teal-skinned-orcs.html

 Teal Skinned Orcs

 Ive had many Greenskins before. Orcs of many hues and colors from days long past remembering.

But have I had Tealskins? Now Im not so certain, but I do think these are my favorite Orcs Ive painted. Behold! From Mordor comes the Pimps of Gore! They have come to bring a new dawn of savage conquest in the name of Chaotic Evil or Lawful Evil or the less inspiring Neutral Evil!

For those not privy to the D&D alignment reference - Orcs were once Chaotic Evil in Holmes Basic D&D, then changed by Gygax to Lawful Evil. But LE feels more like Hobgoblins who seem more regimented and disciplined. Arent Tolkien Orcs always squabbling amongst themselves? They cleared the path for the Hobbits to escape Cirith Ungol, didnt they? Which I suppose inspired GW to give Warhammer its Animosity Chart/Table.

Though I do suppose Neutral Evil is a better fit for Orcs. But whichever flavor of Evil the Orcs decide to adopt on any given day, there will be a good bashing involved!

Onwards to the pics!



These guys are from Dragonbait Miniatures who got them from Dark Fable. Sculpted by the great Orc himself - Kev Adams.



 The Animosity roll and its infamous roll of a "1".

 Get 'em! Them other greenskins is asking for trouble! Pulling faces, shouting rude insults and hurling dung. They deserve a good bashing!



Taken from 2nd edition WHFB:

ORCS

Orcs are powerful warriors, far tougher than any other goblinoid race. They are repulsive monsters who love to inflict pain, cruelty and death on other living creatures. Orcs are always fighting, if they cannot find enemies to fight they will fight each other. All of Orc technology and culture is geared towards conflict. They are dangerous individual foes, but lack the organisation or motivation to present any real long term threat to humanity. Orcs speak the common Goblin tongue, usually about four octaves lower than any Goblin.

Physique.

Orcs are the largest of the goblinoid races, and can often reach almost 7'. They are powerfully built, with crooked legs and a shambling, ape-like gait. Their arms are long, so that their huge hands almost reach to the ground. An Orc's head is far from appealing; their faces are brutal with huge teeth and jaws, their small piggy eyes peer from underneath ugly, overhanging bony ridges. Skin is often greenish, or a dark ali ve brown and is covered in warts, scars, dirt and snot.

World Distribution.

Orcs are most common in the barren Dark Lands, where goblinoids are the dominant species. They live in communities with other goblinoid types, often as leaders or chieftains. A few wandering tribes inhabit the Northern Steppes, whilst there are countless Orcish underground strongholds in the Worlds Edge Mountains and the Mountains of Mourn. Orcs are not common in the lands of Cathay or in the Southlands, where Hobgoblins are more prolific.

Alignment. Evil.

Base Size. 25 x 25mm.

Special Rules. Subject to animosity against other goblinoids. Orcs can act as leaders of other goblinoid regiments.



An address to the golden door
I was strumming on a stone again
Pulling teeth from the pimps of gore
When hatched a tragic opera in my mind
And it told of a new design in which every soul is duty bound
To uphold all the statutes of boredom
Therein lies the fatal flaw of the red age



So we burned all our uniforms
And let nature take its course again
And the big ones just eat all the little ones
That sends us back to the drawing board



We've got rules and maps and guns in our backs
But we still can't just behave ourselves
Even if to save our own lives
So says I
We are a brutal kind, whoa

~~~

Ok, The Shins make it to the blog and its for an Orc post of all things! What has this world come to? Still I defend it. The song is about the cyclical nature of rule. And the brutal nature of man....? Pardon me while I guffaw! Humies got nuffin' on us Orcs!

Nuff said!

Cheers,
Mar

Next post: Quit Monkeying Around!

[Bloggard]

crikey, been missing some entertaining posts here. Love the mash-up overall.

I likes Teal Orcs. and the history lesson. And the bugbears, bits an' all.

Not going to get into your Rings of Power spiel. Doubt I'll watch it, but if it gets up the noses of folks that put Tolkien and 'canon' in the same sentence that's fine by me. Gotta be doing something right 

But above all, among your song lyrics you manage to include Men at Work ... priceless. Had just inadvertently listened to that the other day, courtesy of other half's 'now that's what I call music' 80s collection!

oh, and I guess stating the obvious all things considered, but 'Orcs aint got nothing on us humies' would indeed seem reasonable.

** belated edit: I did watch it (just finished the other night). The Rings of Power that is.
On its own terms: absolutely superb.
Couldn't fault the visuals (outstanding), story or acting / pacing.
Ironically, despite all the colour-blind casting, I suspect that ultimately the production isn't going to be able to transcend Tolkien's dodgey world-view. I mean, how could they really. It runs too deep.

[Gallahad]

 This thread is a gem I just found.

I love the Mythos stuff and crass bugbears in particular.

[Mars Miniatures]

@ Gallahad, Thanks buddy! If my thread is a gem, I hope its an Arkenstone!

@ Bloggard, Might have to agree with ya that "canonical purists getting their panties in a bunch" just might be the only positive. If only Rings was actually entertaining... I cant even "hate watch" it. My only feeling is indifference.   Also, Im proud to say I stand by my 80's song lyrics and might have to up the ante and start using my worst guilty pleasure...   70s yacht rock! :p

[Mars Miniatures]

Taken from post here:  https://mars-miniatures.blogspot.com/2022/09/army-of-12-monkeys.html

Army of the 12 Monkeys

 
James Cole : I'm here about some monkeys.

Jeffrey Goines : Monkeys?

James Cole : Monkeys. Yes. Twelve of them.

Got this dance that's more than real
Drink Brass Monkey, here's how you feel
You put your left leg down
Your right leg up
Tilt your head back, let's finish the cup
MCA with the bottle, D rocks the can
Ad-Rock gets nice with Charlie Chan
We're offered Moët
We don't mind Chivas
Wherever we go, we bring Monkey with us

 

The Army of the 12 Monkeys have brachiated their way into this post. Well some of them at least. Have we have had monkeys and apes on this blog before..? Oh yeah, an army of monkeys made their first appearance with the very first episode of the "Tales from the Beer Cart" campaign from way back when. (http://mars-miniatures.blogspot.com/2016/08/tales-from-beer-cart-part-1-lost-in.html) Well, here they are again!

Here we come, walkin' down the street
We get the funniest looks from every one we meet
Hey, hey, we're the Monkees and people say we monkey around
But we're too busy singing to put anybody down

What are their objectives? Or do they even have any? (Perhaps they want revenge against Kyra the Banshee for their defeat in Ost-In-Edhil) They have marked their graffiti symbols over mass transit stations from Gondor to Arnor. Nowhere is sacred to these hooligans. The White Tower of Gondor has sent a proclamation "Stop your Monkeying around! Anyone caught vandalizing public property will be sentenced to hard labor in the Gulags of the Ered Lithui or be Suicide Squad-ed into the Moria Reclamation Project!"



These figures are sculpted by Gary Hunt and available through Zombiesmith.  The number 12 in the Army of the 12 Monkeys is the number of factions in the army. This first part is called the Mandrill Guard. Guess I have to find 11 other types of primates in 28mm... What have I got myself into?



Here is Captain Mongo, the leader of the Mandrill Guard.  He rides a pretty cool beastie of some sort. It gallops on all fours, and has some horn tusks.

Captain Mongo: Mongo only pawn in game of life...



The beastie does have muscular arm/legs. So, I guess its a primate. Whatever it is, I will say that like the rest of the 12 Monkeys it will probably have a trait that disregards movements penalties in wooded terrain.

 Pathfinder, Trait: This model can move through difficult terrain with no penalties.



They are beautiful sculpts in my opinion. Very dynamic poses and very artfully done.



The Mandrills might be gentle and shy in times of peace but when the warhorns sound... Its on like Donkey Kong!



The Mandrills have made it to their destination.

Captain Mongo bows before Azrogorgon.  Mongo looks up at Azro like a Space Marine would look up to a Primarch. With deference and possibly some bromance.

Captain Mongo: Lord Azrogorgon, the Mandrill Guard have arrived and are at your command!

Lord Azrogorgon: My first command is to....



Lord Azrogorgon:  ...get down with the boogie!

Mandrill Guard: Jungle Boogie!

Lord Azrogorgon: Get down, get down...

Mandrill Guard: Jungle Boogie!

Lord Azrogorgon: Get up with the get down!

 ~~~

So what primates will show up next? Gorilla Grodd or Mojo Jojo? Mighty Joe Young or Kong? Im voting for Clyde!

Right turn , Clyde.

Real Next Post: Uncommon Valor!

[LouieN]

Very unique figures.  cool

[LordOdo]

Great to see the monkeys making a comeback in Middle Earth!
Reading your (several) remarks on how orks do fight among themselves, I can only prepare for an ork civil war, I'm thinking.. That must end up truly bloody, I figure..

Oh, and I'm very familiar with all references you manage to tie into your epos, But still I never expected The gods must be crazy in this patchwork history.. call me surprised! 

[Mars Miniatures]

@Lordodo,
Orc civil war, eh?  Sure why not!
When it ends,  there will be at a summit at the Appomattorcs Court House.
As for my references, I have to hold back and not make them too odd. I try not to use any Herman Hesse novel references. Otherwise Siddharta would have been one of the delegates of the House of Red Dragons. And Goldmund and Narcissus as Priests of Sigmar.   Movies... personally I think some "Merchant Ivory" film references would be hilarious, but would anyone else? (Wait Anais the Elf, is Anais Nin, which made me laugh when my buddy thought of Henry and June, Henry was played by Fred Ward. And Anais was played by Bruce Willis' girl in Pulp Fiction thats not a motorcycle, babe, thats a chopper.)

Though I might use a Wuthering Heights scenario. :p 
Here is Kyra the Banshee's secret origin story. Lol. Its so silly.
Imagine if you will...

Wuthering Hill, south east of Bree

Sir Heathcliff was once a stable boy who was teased for being a dirty street urchin. So, he went to the the New World and found enough Lustrian treasures to become one of the snobby elite that he once despised.

Katerina the Banshee: A cold wind went across my heart. A feeling of doom. Ive come home, Im so cold. Let me in your window!

Sir Heathcliff: The moors and I will never change. Haunt me, then! Take any form and drive me mad, only do not leave me in the dark where I cannot find you.

Out on the wily, windy moors
We'd roll and fall in green
You had a temper like my jealousy
Too hot, too greedy
How could you leave me
When I needed to possess you?
I hated you, I loved you, too

Bad dreams in the night
They told me I was going to lose the fight
Leave behind my wuthering, wuthering
Wuthering Heights

Heathcliff, it's me, I'm Cathy
I've come home, I'm so cold
Let me in your window
Heathcliff, it's me, I'm Cathy
I've come home, I'm so cold
Let me in your window

Kate Bush is famous again because of Stranger Things. So maybe Wuthering Heights is too?

[LordOdo]

I can totally get behind Kate Bush = Kyra the Banshee, even if it's just because she recorded several songs at De Efteling (a theme park overhere in the Netherlands) around the Haunted house, see video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRgiOclY-H4

[Mars Miniatures]

@LordOdo,
I had seen those versions of the videos for Moving and Wuthering Heights before. I thought they were for her concerts in the UK, didnt know they were a theme park. I watched some other videos of the Efteling park. Im a big fan of Brian Froud and 80s fantasy movies. That place looks like walking into that world. Thanks for that. 

[Bloggard]

@ Bloggard, Might have to agree with ya that "canonical purists getting their panties in a bunch" just might be the only positive. If only Rings was actually entertaining... I cant even "hate watch" it. My only feeling is indifference.   Also, Im proud to say I stand by my 80's song lyrics and might have to up the ante and start using my worst guilty pleasure...   70s yacht rock! :p

hey Mars - fair enough. I've just edited my original post - having watched it, I found it thoroughly enjoyable and compelling.

[Mars Miniatures]

From full post here: https://mars-miniatures.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-battle-of-knackerton-prison-camp.html

The Battle of Knackerton Prison Camp, Part 1

Welcome to the Battle of Knackerton Prison Camp AAR!

First post of the new year. And its long overdue. The actual game took place sometime before Christmas and is only now seeing the blog.































All 3 parts of the AAR are up on the blog.

Cheers,
Mar

[Pattus Magnus]

That’s a very cool assortment of figures! Very diverse, yet it all looks very ‘right’.

[Mars Miniatures]

@Pattus Magnus,
Well you know what they say about our greatest strength...  "diversity of miniatures manufacturers".
And as for it looking right, I try to keep all humans at the 28mm "realistic" proportions, so Dark Sword / Perry / Westfalia, etc...
But as for monsters, anything goes that interests me.

@Bloggard,
Glad you enjoyed it, someone should. I'd hate to think they spent all that money for no one to enjoy it.

Cheers,
Mar