Monday 19 July 2021

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.










Wednesday 7 July 2021

Nighthaunt Fortress


 Bubbling with spirit magic welling up out of the ground, the Nighthaunt fortress stands as a secure base for assembling processions.



Don't be fooled by the open gate. Your soul will be ripped from your body should you be foolish enough to enter.

Mwah, Ha, Ha, Ha.......gurgle.


Saturday 12 June 2021

Saqqara Ur-Damak Thresh Word Bearers Kill Team





The Kill Team
 

Saqqara Ur-Damak Thresh is a Diabolist (Master of Possessions) of the Seventh Choir of the Word Bearers Legion.

He is charged by the Dark Council of Sicarus (leaders of the Word bearers) with the assassination of Fabius Bile, Chief Apothecary of the Emperor's Children legion after a falling out.

Saqqara assembles a team of Pahas-Bel (Lord of Discord), Buvala (Exalted Champion), the Irib Squad of chaos marines, two Blessed (Obliterators), and two Gal Vorbak (Greater Possessed): <50 power points.


Saturday 29 May 2021

Gal Vorbak, Word Bearers Daemonhosts


 The most deadly close combat troops in the Word Bearers are those acting as a daemonhost, the possessed.



On the table, this model uses the Greater Possessed data sheet from the Chaos Space Marine Codex.



Thursday 20 May 2021

Making Your Own Contrast Paints In Slaanesh Colours


I wanted to paint this Slaaneshi daemon steed in bright pastel colours, turquoise and pink. I wanted to use contrast paints for a quick, decent looking job on a model surface well suited with scales, hair and ribs. Unfortunately, contrast paints don't exist in these colours but fear not because one can make one's own.



You need just three ingredients:

The first is a matt acrylic medium. I used Liquitex but the brand is not important. Acrylic medium looks and rather behaves like PVA 'white' glue. As an aside, it is very good for sticking printed material to models as it tends not to cause the print to 'run'.

Matt acrylic medium is goopy so after putting some in your mixing palette you need to dilute it down - and this is where an acrylic Flow Improver comes in. Add flow improver and stir until the mixture is properly runny to Contrast paint levels. Again, any brand will do.

Step three is to add pigment, in this case from Vallejo acrylic paints. Do not add too much. Put a bit in and stir well and repeat until there is a nice runny contrast paint.

And that's it.

The model above was painted using just these methods. The flow improver causes the paint to dry slowly so one can mix enough to paint a whole unit in one go.





Friday 14 May 2021

Word Bearers Lord Discordant


 Lord Discordant mounted on A Helstalker Daemon Engine

This is fundamentally the same paint scheme as the Word Bearer Lord 'I made earlier'.



The base is painted with Green Stuff World Colorshift paint. This is an iridescent paint depending on fine structure to bounce varying wavelengths of light in different directions - in this case red-green.

The effect is of a warp energy field with different shades of colour depending on light source direction and angle of observation. It doesn't really come over in static photos.



Note the difference in colour from paint in shadow and direct light.

Monday 3 May 2021

Word Bearers Champion

Bad Attitude

This is one of those excess leader models from boxed sets that are all over EBay for modest sums.

I picked this one up and decided to try out a Word Bearer paint scheme.


Rear View

I wanted to give him a dirty, kicked 'round the galaxy a bit, look. I see the Word Bearers as not very style conscious - not committed to any God of the warp and such.

I used Red Goblin Colorshift paint from Green Stuff World on the base as it gives the impression of dark warp energy swirling around the Word Bearers feet.


A Dose Of Plasma Solves Most Issues

I quite like the colour scheme and may paint a few more....just for the fun of it.


And It's Goodbye From Him


 

Friday 23 April 2021

Creatures of Bile: Noise Marines


 

Fabulous Bill created Noise Marines and has always enjoyed a harmonious (sic) relationship with them.


I there fore decided to use the two official Noise Marine upgrade kits from GW to make two squads of five.



I wanted them to look different from the rest of my army so I tried out a couple of Green Stuff World colorshift paints. The armour is PinkyBlue and the weapons are Goblin Red (dark red-dark green).

You have to be careful to apply sparingly otherwise you get white crystals.


Still photos don't convey the coloured flicker effect as the light hits different panels at different angles especially as the model is rotated.




Two views under different light.




The same model rotated.



Wednesday 17 February 2021

9th Ed. Necron Army: 1. Warlord

 

Overlord & Royal Warden

I have just about finished a new Necron Army for 9th Ed. with mostly new models.

My warlord is an Overlord, a senior battle-hardened aristocrat. Backing him up is a Royal Warden who is that rare thing in Necron society - a loyal subordinate who can still think for himself.

I have stuck with traditional Sautekh Dynasty colours, silver grey and translucent green but have been a little adventurous with base decorations. The bases are supposed to represent a waking, damaged tomb complex so we have metallic purple floors and translucent red representing living metal flowing around repairs.



I will be putting up new units every day or so so stay tuned for more undead, tomb-king, 40K androids.


Sunday 24 January 2021

Ultrasmurf Army


 Ultrasmurfs

This army isn't new but I had just given it a very basic paint job to get it on the table for 8th edition. As I now have time on my hands, sigh, I decided to tart them up a bit.

I wanted to give my Ultramarines a completely different feel to the Blood Angels as they are based on the 'safe' side of the Great Rift. Their armour and vehicles are clean, well maintained, waxed and polished....and in general they are better equipped. This is a mechanised detachment rather than an infantry raiding force.

1. HQ characters, Captain (5 points), three Lieutenants, one a Reiver (at 4 points each), and a Librarian converted from spare Primaris model (5 points).

2. Battleline Repulsor IFV (16 points) and two five-man Intercessor Squads (at 5 points each).

7. Battleline Tactical Squad of Old-Style Marines (10 points).

3. Heavy Fire Support Hell Blaster Squad (5 points).

4. Fast Attack Inceptor Squad (6 points).

5. Elite Reiver Squad (5 points) and Primaris Ancient (4 points).

6. Elite Scout Sniper Squad (4 points).

8. Contemptor Dreadnought (8 points).

9. CAS Stormtalon Gunship (9 points).

10. CAP Stormhawk Interceptor (10 points).

If I fielded the lot, the army comes to 112 points.



Monday 18 January 2021

Indomitus Blood Angels Elite Close Combat Army


 HQ Units

I chose to paint my Indomitus Primaris marines as Blood Angels to represent the armies of the Imperium Nihilis. The models in the box let me assemble an elite, close combat, strike army - for which Blood Angels are perfect.

There are three HQ units: a Captain (centre), Lieutenant (right), and a chaplain (left). For a small army this is a heavy HQ loading.


Elites

In keeping with its elite status we have two elite characters: a Judiciar (left, a sort of champion with time-slow device), Bladeguard 'Ancient' carrying a Chapter Standard, and a Bladeguard Veteran Squad led by a sergeant (black shield).

These are all close quarter troops with bolt pistols, power swords and storm shields.



Power Sword

As an aside, I tried out a new painting method for the power shields using metallic paints and artist stippling brushes. I'm quite pleased with the look of energy  'sparkles' erupting on the sword's surface.

The armour is undercoated with a polyurethane black and then the colour built up in layers from dark to bright.




 Assault Troops

Two small units of assault troops equipped with chain swords and pistols, and led by a sergeant provide the 'grunt'. The Blood Angels are up against on the wrong side of the Great Chasm so their units are well below strength.


Fire Support

A fire support team with melta-rifles provide some armour piercing back up. Melta rifles are heavy assault guns so are perfect for a close combat assault army.





Outriders

Finally, a small unit of motorbike outriders is attached to the army for reccy, and outflanking tactics.