More Scenery & LotR Stuff

 Boromir Arrives on his Mighty Steed

Ambushed on the way to Rivendell

In the end I opted for a simple black scheme on the horse to try and make it a bit more imposing ( Where Have all the horses gone?). But overall he goes well with the version on foot.

 

Scouring of the Shire - Ruffian Huts under Refurbishment

I made these  huts a few years ago for a Scouring of the Shire campaign. They were done in a hurry and I was trying to find ways of not doing much painting.  Whilst I quite like the design, the stone effect wallpaper didn't really work, and the woodwork was a bit rough (ok very rough). So in light my previous attempts on the cityscape photography board. I thought would attempt to remove the wallpaper and attempt to the texture the walls. And give them a general tidy up. They will then also be suitable for the city scape board. 

Unlike the other foam card used to make the cityscape board, the card on these buildings wasn't easy to peel off. I ended using a long Stanley knife blade (the kind with the snap off sections) to slide between the card and foam layers. This did make the foam a bit rough, but this actually helps the design. I even managed to get the paper and card off of the hut with a covered porch with doing any major damage. 

Sections of brick were added and then the remainder of the walls were given a light coat of poly filler. Which when dry, will be given a gentle sanding to dial down the roughness of the walls. Then it tidy up and painting. 

Speedy mark one ruffian huts

Already looking better

Rob 

Horses Or Ponies?

ME-21 Boromir - Part 2

My latest Boromir has arrived, the mounted version of the ME-21 Boromir. And the thing that struck me first is just how small the horse (or pony!) he is riding. It really does look like they ran out of horses when Boromir went looking for a mount. 

I wonder if this is Citadel trying to save money by making a smaller model or did they just forget to scale up their horses when scaled up their 25mm to 28mm figures? 

Boromir alongside a 90's Grenadier mounted barbarian

Call of the Wild

When I ordered the wolfhounds from Alternative Armies, I also took the opportunity to pick up a few of their other figures that I fancied. Among them was the druidess, I didn't realise she was a resin figure until she turned up (It does clearly say she is a resin figure on the website, I just didn't read it). It doesn't really matter but it was a surprise to see the grey resin alongside the other shiny metal figures. 

I haven't any great plans for her but I do quite like their Seasons of Celebration range  and I quite like the idea of any army of evil snowmen. Ironic in the middle of a heatwave!

Rob 

Trio of Boromirs

Picking Favourites

In answer to a question posted in the comments of the blog. I took a quick picture to compare the three figures. The middle figure is clearly bigger than the right hand figure. As to sculptors, I am not sure but I think the middle might be Bob Naismith and the one the right is one of the Perry twins? Thoughts anyone?

Both  classic sculpts are great figures but I prefer the bigger scale of the middle one. Befitting for Boromir as a renown warrior. Just don't ask me to pick between the film and the classic versions...

Rob 

ME-21 Boromir & Prodos Fae

 The Captain of the White Tower 

I think this figure is much more suited as Boromir - Captain of the White Tower with his armour and two swords. Like most of the classic Lord of the Rings range, a pleasure to paint and I am pleased with the final result. 

Although, may have to go back and fix one of Boromir’s eyes, which doesn't seem to have come out well in the photos but it looked fine at the time I painted it. 

Obviously there has to be  picture of Boromir against some orcs!

Boromir against some suitably aged orcs. 

Prodos Games Fae

I bought this set back in April last year Fae Guard on impulse off of eBay because I liked the Elven looking guard (4th from left)  and some of them fitted in well with the Fae army I was doing at the time. I did a couple of them at the time I bought them but mostly they sat waiting for the Hexwraith flame experiments. 

I think it would be fair to say that painting these figures has run the whole range from good to bad painting experiences. However, it has given me a chance to try different techniques and at just over £1 per figure they didn't break the bank.

They are beautifully sculpted figures but most of them don't really say Fae to me. However, I do now have a very nice skeletal champion to join either the undead or chaos armies. 

Rob 

Plugging On

Next Hexwraith Flame Project & Boromir

Along with working on the Thistlewood goblins, I have also been continuing my quest to paint more figures with the Hexwraith flame paint. So I picked up Gideon's ghost from Mythic Miniatures via eBay. As this figure is quite a bit bigger. I will have a think about what other colours to use before diving in with the Hexwraith paint. 

Over the years I have alternated between white, black and grey (my current choice) for undercoats which a few exceptions. I plan to use white for this figure to try and made the Hexwraith flame stand out even more. 

The second Boromir, also ended up painted in the same scheme as the first one. In what is now becoming my standard colours for this character. I have even decided to paint a 'modern' Boromir figure in the same scheme. 

Rob 

Boromir of Gondor (Again)

Captain of the White Tower

I have been looking for this version of Boromir for some time  and my previous Oldhammer Boromir (Boromir of Gondor) was bought as part of my attempt to put together an Oldhammer fellowship. As I am not very keen on all of the the actual Oldhammer fellowship figures in the set. I think they were done by different sculptors working in very different styles. 

So had stopped looking for this version of Boromir after I got the previous one and then came across him on unrelated search at a reasonable price.  Work on the Thistlewood goblins also continues. 

Clan of the Cave Bear

Finished off the first of the hunters. The cave bear was a Poundshop special (Cave Bear). Which at first I thought was a bit big. However a quick search online uncovered the North American short-faced bear.   Which is an extinct bear genus that inhabited North America from  ~2.5 Mya until 10,000 years ago (So present in the time of modern humans). Considered to be one of the largest known terrestrial mammalian carnivorans that has ever existed. Rangier and longer legged than any bear today, it was about five feet at the shoulders when walking and stood as tall as 12 feet on its hind legs. It was thought it could run at up to 40 mph. So even running away would be a problem!

Rob 

Boromir of Gondor

 Alternate Colour Scheme

Definitely not a copy of the film colour scheme. But I am quite please how he turned out. I may add a design to the shield. But I quite like it plain at the moment. 

It's a great sculpt and  it wouldn't surprise to find out that it was sculpted by Mark Copplestone or Perry twins. 

"...You Did What I Could Not."

"It Is A Strange Fate That We Should Suffer So Much Fear And Doubt 

Over So Small A Thing."

Doing what Boromir does

The Two Elephants in the Room

When talking about Boromir, two topics are likely to come up: 

Boromir on Film 

Sean Bean - Obviously!

An excellent choice for Boromir on screen in my view obviously. One of the key casting choices that convinced me at the time that Peter Jackson could do a good job  and got the source material. The other great casting choice was Christopher Lee. Most of the rest of the main cast at the time were relatively unknown. So it was hard to tell what the direction the films would take before the first film came out. 

An older modern Boromir. 

My Boromir was painted shortly after the figure came out so I suppose nearly twenty years ago .  With 6 points of Might and 3 Attacks, he saved the day on many occasions. As Citadel's LotR game has been a regular feature of my gaming since the films came out. 

The 1978 version by Ralph Bakshi

Never got the pseudo-viking look. But the film was a valiant attempt to do epic in animated feature. 

The Death of Boromir

Its hard not to mention Boromir and not to think of his final battle at the breaking of the fellowship. 

The Last Words of Boromir by Ted Naismith

The Death of Boromir by Inger Edelfeldt.

The second picture is from the 1985 Tolkien Calendar which I had (have?).

And finally my favourite  quote:  "What is this new devilry?" 

Rob