Review: Oathmark Goblin Wolf Riders

 The Goblin Wolf Riders are the first Oathmark models I have bought and I purchased them specifically to add hobgoblin light cavalry to my Chaos Dwarf army.

The box art made them look very hobgoblimy, rather like the latest models from GW so at £25 for 15, I thought it was worth a punt.

Inside, are five identical sprues of three wolf models that are fixed assembly: you will have the same wolf five times. This is okay but one of them has that Lord-of-The-Rings look of landing on one front paw. I guess its supposed to look dynamic but five lined up looks like a wolf formation dancing team. Fortunately, with a bit of filing one can reposition the wolf backwards into the horizontal with a rear paw on the ground.

The Goblins come five to a sprue, hence the rather unusual number of models in the box - factorials and all that. There is an excellent range of build choices. One can choose five armed with slittas, spears, bows and shields or one can be holding a standard. Similarly, there's a generous mix of heads.

The wolf sculpts, in particular, are crude - about the same standard as the old plastic GW wolf riders. The goblins are a bit better but you will need filler, especially on the indentation line where the wolf halves join together.

This image shows how the simple 7 piece models fit together. You will notice that the goblin has a wide seat suitable for a cavalry saddle but the wolf has a sharp 'V' back without anywhere to sit the rider. Worse, the rear tunic on the goblin catches the raised buttocks of the wolf suspending the rider and tipping him forwards so he contemplates the ground.

This is fixable by filing down the wolf's buttocks and carving a notch in the rear of the goblin tunic. But it does make me wonder if the wolves and goblins were not originally intended to be sold together when they were sculpted, also explaining the odd five riders per sprue but three rides.

Be careful to tilt the goblins' heads as far back as possible so they look forwards rather than down.

The first photo at the top of the page shows a small scout/skirmish detachment of five shootahs. I intend to make the next ten into light battle cavalry with stickahs and shields.

The Oathmark models come with square bases so I bought a load of 36 lasercut oval bases for the princely sum of a fiver including postage off EBay.

This photo gives an idea of scale. On the left are a GW dwarf and one of the new hobgoblins. On the right, a Russian Alternative Chaos Dwarf.

Here we have two recent GW goblin plastic models and I think Oathmark's offering does make an excellent hobgoblin. The Spider Riders are also not great models and sell for £20 for ten so fifteen wold riders for £25 is very competitive.

Finally, the Oathmark model against an old GW plastic wolf rider. The former really does look hobgobliny. As an aside, why why GW wolf riders left handed?

I have to say I vastly prefer the Oathmark range to the old GW one.

I showed these finished models to a friend who thought that they were perfectly fine and that I was being picky, but I do feel one shouldn't have to file down models to make them fit together.

So to sum up

Production - unimpressive but okay with a bit of effort.

Flexibility - excellent

Value for money - unbeatable

Suitability as Hobgoblin Cavalry in Chaos Dwarf Armies - high

You can get better resin models from sources like the Russian Alternative but at a price.

If you want inexpensive, plastic, Hobgoblin Cavalry to put on the table alongside GW's new infantry models then these are the go-to choice.