Personal Thoughts On Fantasy Army Composition

 I've been planning and dreaming of late, with regards to fantasy battles which roll on and on, or at least seem to.

I recall that amongst the things which inspired me as a youth, were the pictures of games by Joe Dever, and several years later the images in the 3rd editon of Warhammer. These were large games as you would expect,but what struck me was the variety of not just manufacturers represented, but the types of units. These were not games with one race per side, but rather truly 'Good vs Evil' themed games. 

There were different nationalities and tribes amongst each race, and it really struck a chord with me which still resonates today.

So, as well as the masses of Orcs, I'll be collecting odd units as I see fit. For example I really like the idea of a regiment made up from assorted adventurers and fighters, fighting for the loot as well as a belief in the cause they side with. The Orcs will be based around the 'Sword Hills Tribe' but will be supported by other radically different-looking Orcs, Goblins and the rest. Perhaps a sinister death cult from the Eastern human empires, Oriental moonks, Western chivalric orders. 

Maybe a brigade of undead horrors commanded by a mercenary necromancer, the list goes on.

And then there's the table... It must, to get that 80s vibe have lots of buildings, a river with a lovely bridge or two and walls and woods to impeded movement and hide Elven archers in, raining death upon all who oppose them.

I love the idea of fighting close quarter battles where units have to struggle with not just the enemy, but the terrain. I love seeing regiments fighting down streets and over barricades. I don't know why, it's just one of those things I recall seeing in grainy black and white photos or in the early White Dwarf magazines.

So that's what I'll be doing for the second half of 2023; massing individual units and packing them off to my painter. I want the troops I field to have 'background' and not just be cookie cutter armies.

That said, I have just begun to base the first 500 Nick Lund Orcs. I'm using standard WHFB basing frontages with a 20% increase in depth. I'll be using 6 figure elements but with 5 figures per base to give a less organised look to the units. After all, we are talking fantasy here, not 18th century British.


As you can see, I still need to purchase the musicians and standards, but you get the idea. The bit of extra space allows more in the way of shrubbery, rocks and plants.

Well, if you will excuse me, I'd better crack on with the day's work (more 6mm Napoleonics if you're interested) as I want to get finished early and open the envelopes full of flags which arrived this morning.

My daughter is having an operation on Friday, so no doubt I'll be on grandparent duty this weekend, and may not get much time to paint or base toys.


TTFN


Comments

  1. The Responsible One16 March 2023 at 15:41

    One of my strongest memories of my early days of wargaming is flicking through the allies and mercenaries section of the 3rd Edition Warhammer Armies book. While the book itself was way too prescriptive for my current tastes, the aesthetic of an assortment of diplomatically won allies and mercenaries paid in gold making up a miniatures collection is a strong one that's stayed with me to this day.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Leave your praise and vitriolic commentary here...

Popular posts from this blog

How, Over 40 Years Ago, A Guy Called Andy Changed My Life With 5 Words, And Other Reminiscences...

Image
 Of late I have been having long and vivid dreams wherein, I am often walking or travelling with people I have known, some living, some passed, talking over things we had done or said. I confess that it's been eerie but also very liberating. These coversations have been so real that I have awoken in the morning (more usually, half way through the night) and been confused at my surroundings.  Last night I was speaking with Dave Hoyles  - very much alive and kicking - of Q.T Models/Museum Miniatures. The only thing I have noticed is that is often been snowing heavily in these dreams. One of my latest dreams was of the late Ian Smith, another the comic book artist Paul Green - who, thankfully is still with us. This pattern began a few years ago when I had a similar experience with the recently deceased Pete 'Greblord' Armstrong. It was a very cathartic experience for me, as I had much which needed to be said. I may have written of this before, but this particular dream was d...
Read more

A Serious Post And Another Obituary But With Some More Positive Stuff At The End

Image
 I am at an age where I would expect the odd death of someone I know, but I am starting to realise that it's the younger end of the line which is getting culled.  This week I found out through a good friend that another friend in the hobby from the old days had taken his own life, bringing the total friends lost to 5 and drom that number the number lost to suicide in the last few years to 2. Now, I've been close to that I think, three times, but I've been lucky enough to be able to turn my illogical brain around and decide that the world and my enemies will not be happy if I thrive and stay alive. So, that has been my stated mission, to live long and be hated that much longer. The first time I was taken with thoughts of suicide, was when I was banned from Games Workshop Sheffield in the 80s (see my book or earlier posts) and my so-called friends allowed themselves to be bought off, trading silence as to what a set-up it was in return for part time jobs at the store. That wa...
Read more

The Passing Of A British Wargaming Legend

Image
It is with genuine sadness and heavy heart that I must record the passing of Sheffield Wargames Society founder member and long time Chairman, Steve Roberts.    I was 13 when I first met Steve (some 43 years ago, now). It was a chance meeting. I'd been playing Dungeons & Dragons for about a year and had taken some Citadel FTZ Zombies back to my Junior school to show my headteacher there, who'd always encouraged the creative arts in pupils.    He was impressed (as you'd expect) and told me that a wargames club met at the school now, on Monday nights run by a chap called Steve Roberts.    Well, of course I was interested, and together with my friend Alan Staniforth, I attended the club, to find there was no D&D...   What there was however were historical games, played by local kids with 'Big Steve' the only adult. But he ran that club like a champion, providing all the models and simple rules, which was just what you needed to hook kids in. ...
Read more