I
have been busy with work and life, which is why it's been quiet here
for a few weeks. Still, I don't think there'd been much hobby done in
here anyway. In case someone missed it: I can't really finish any
more projects because I have ran out of space in my tiny habitat.
Another reason is I have a few other hobbies that have been left on
the backburner so I've enjoyed those with renewed vigour (and cost!).
Work
has been super-weird these last few weeks. I asked for a transfer, again, and it seems it has has been declined, once again. Other
stuff's happened also, but probably of no interest to you, I suspect, dear
readers. One of the stories might be of interest, I think I will come
back to that one in a future update.
This
update is part two of the catchy titled New Creatures and Units in
Middle-Earth. The original title didn't make grammatical sense so
this is the new title and below follows part two of it. I also hope
this title suffice grammatically:
New
Creatures and Units in Middle-Earth
This
is more of a list rather than a semi-arguing article. I did one even
farther back in time and the only thing I would like to reiterate is:
Some of the creatures and contraptions mentioned then, I actually
sculpted or converted up, which is satisfying in a light-dessert-on-a-sunny-Sunday-afternoon-kind-of-way. Here follows a list
of rather high-fantasy ideas for new units and creatures to use in
our battles of War of the Ring (WotR) or in Lord of the Rings:
Strategy Battle Game (LotR: SBG).
As
always, focus is on the goodguys. This is because of the many weird
and imposing and impressive beasts that the dark sides of
Middle-Earth have access to – trolls, dragons, beasts of all kinds
– and so I'd like to counter-weigh that ever so slightly.
Mountain
Giant. But not in the Hobbit
way, but more in line of Thomarillion's nice stone giant. The
incredibly large Mountain Giants from The Hobbit are too large to be
interesting gamewise. These beasts should be considered neutral
rather than evil.
Forest
Critters. On a 40mm base,
inspired by different swarms
from WHFB or WH40K.
Pecking birds and porcupines and some larger animals. The biggest con
with a unit like this is it will remind a lot, perhaps too much, of
Narnia. Narnia is a nice little world, but it is not Middle-Earth.
Still, if having The
Hobbit in mind, this
one's obvious.
Forest
Animals. Not sure which side
would use these. Beornings, yes, but whoelse? Wood Elves? Not if you
look at the Tolkien-version of Wood Elves. There are some other races
out there which I think could use small formations of angry animals
as chaff units. I should mention that this idea is here only because
it would be a joy to make a pair of companies with forest animals:
Stags, lynxes, porcupines (again), beavers and Bofurs etc.
Pelargir
Beast. Which was mentioned
earlier as well. Then I had no idea what it would be. Now I have got
a (bad) idea: A fastitocalon,
of course! A huge turtle with a bunch of pelargir crew on a howdah.
Only problem is when the turtle submerge, but then again, how often
do you play your games on an ocean-themed tabletop? As with most of
the ideas here, this one is purely a hobby-project and much like the
entry below, nothing I'd ever play a game with. Pelargir Beast for
Gondor.
Swan
Chariot. Mentioned many times
here. See below for a WIP-pic. Swan Chariot for High Elves of
Rivendell or the other place on the west coast of Middle-Earth,
whatever it was called... ?
[imageSwan1.]
Wilwarin.
This one can actually be expanded a little bit more than obvious. But
first we need to clearify what a ”wilwarin” is, in this world of
ours. A Wilwarin is explained, in the Bestiary, as some sort of large
butterflies, if I recall correct. So, the obvious would be another
swarm: A butterfly swarm that would work similarily like the
Bat Swarm of the Misty
Mountains. Nice colours but only usable in a heavily themed wood elf
army that would have very little with the official army list.
[imagelost1.]
The
second version I have forgotten what it was, but it probably was some
sort of fairy-elf.
Third
version is, of course, a bad-ass fairy-dragon (a bit of a
contradiction of terms there).
Bears!
In advent of the next Hobbit-film, one would perhaps be better off
waiting for Games Workshop to release this. Not to mention Beorn...
It would anyways look nice with an indomitable company of Black
Bears...
Captured
Great Beast of Gorgoroth, armoured in shining metal and with
banners flying in the wind. Oh, what great sight to introduce in a
Gondor army. Not on my priority list, though... however, typing this
gets me thinking...
[sketchlost1.]
Horn
of Mundborg on Wagon. I just had to add something for Rohan,
although I am of the strict opinion that Rohan is to be spared as one
of the few ”clean” armies of the humans. Clean as in free from
fantastic creatures and monster. I will still make a little sketch of
this one. Just in case ”a feign mood” hits me.
Greedy
Mountain King for the dwarwen armies. A king that wants to be
carried around – I guess you could make it without it looking too
much Asterix & Obelix. Again, a fun hobby project but nothing
that is, for me, interesting to use in a game.
War
machines. For the dwarwes. You could probably just go bananas here
and do a little of this and that, as long as it is suitably
mechanical and awesome.
Abrupt
end. Have to go, looks like a part three is necessary....
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