I’m busy working away on my Oldhammer Orcs & Goblins army but I’m still at the rather less glamorous stage of applying base colours across the board. This weekend I’ve taken some time off from the drudgery though in order to finish a few models and paint their shields as well.

The classic half moon is the emblem for my Goblins of the Leerin’ Moon tribe. I’ve added a Bob Olley sculpt to the regiment as Champion since he’s larger, more gnarly and has a three pronged spear. Three is better than one, so he must be the boss.

Bob Olley Goblin lording it over his Marauder minion

The regiment of Marauder Orcs is from the tribe of the Greedy Maw, which is reflected by their shield emblems being all variations of this theme.

Marauder Orcs with shields carrying their tribe’s emblem

Yesterday saw my first battle of Warhammer 3rd Edition in twenty-odd years. I fielded my Orcs & Goblins against the Undead of Chico from Oldhammer on a Budget.

We intend to develop a narrative campaign through this and future clashes and had written the following background stories for our armies.

• The Ropsmenn, the Fall from Grace •

The Vampire now known simply as the Rotten Prince, the fallen son of Kislev pondered how he had fallen so low. Once he rode at the head of a mighty Warhost, Destroyer of Chaos and beloved of the Ice Queen.

Bitter, corrupted and twisted by the Blood Kiss received hundreds of years before by a Black Clad Knight bearing the symbol of the Red Dragon. The Rotten Prince now seeks not only his revenge on that Black Clad Knight but also on all the living, those that feel the warmth of the sun.

Now his former kinsmen The Ropsmenn serve him in death as well as they did in life. His Demi-Boyar the Wight known as Sir Boney the Black leads what’s left of his once proud Winged Lancers. Hardy Kossars now nothing but rag and bone still retain their missile weapons and at his whim a catapult made from bones has been constructed.

Only one thing stands in his way of marching on the Old World, a foul tribe of Greenskins known as Kanbok’s Kingdom Krusherz led by the infamous Kanbok Goresmasher. Soon he shall feed on Greenskin flesh and it’ll taste like victory.

• Kanbok’s Kingdom Krusherz •

Kanbok Goresmasher has led his tribe of the Greedy Maw from the lands east of the Mountains of Mourn in search of new conquests. Whether he has fallen out with Hobgobla Khan or is even still in his service, nobody can say for sure. Fact is that Kanbok seems like an Orc on a mission, whose ambition is to carve out an empire in the lands of the west, where plunder is said to be plentiful and the enemies weak.

For several years the Greedy Maw battled their way across the Dark Lands, hiring out their services in exchange for the best in weapons and war machines, many of which built by the Chaos Dwarfs.

When approaching the northern World’s Edge Mountains they encountered the Leerin’ Moon Goblins who were controlling access to one of the few passes into the Old World and had grown rich on levies.

Kanbok demanded the Goblins submit to his rule or he would batter their fortress down with his war machines. The Goblins agreed to a parley and invited Kanbok to a banquet in his honour. His experience in the lands of the Hobgoblins had made Kanbok wary of trickery, and so he brought along his Trolls as food tasters. When one of the duo turned from green to blue after tasting the squig stew be had been served, Kanbok declared negotiations over and helped himself to a side order of Goblin King sashimi. The remaining leadership of the Leerin’ Moon tribe quickly accepted his terms of unconditional surrender.

As the first snow began to settle on the eastern foothills of the World’s Edge Mountains, Kanbok led his army across the pass and into the north of the Old World, expecting to catch the weakling fiefdoms of the humans off guard.

Once his army reached the western side of the mountains, they encountered hunters from the rag-tag Orc tribe of the Split Tongue. A bloody skirmish ensued and the Greedy Maw emerged victorious. Back in the camp of the Split Tongue, their Shaman Zogdrek divined from the entrails of their slain Warlord that the gods favoured an alliance with the new arrivals.

With a foothold established in the Old World, Kanbok immediately set sight on subduing the surrounding kingdoms of men. Zogdrek advised him that the closest was ruled over by a sickly looking human called the Rotten Prince, whose army would be a push-over, consisting of nothing but skin and bones, and sometimes not even that. With these lands added to his new realm, Kanbok would soon be set to fulfil his mission.

With the scene thus set, the two generals met in the sleepy hollow of Watford. What was to follow shall be retold here soon in all its gory detail.

“Wut tha heck waz dat?” Kanbok picked himself up, his back battered and bruised from the shod hooves of the boney steeds that had trampled him into the dirt.

Those had not been the weedy humies the Split Tongue’s Shaman had told him about. These things were no humies at all, they were like demons. They didn’t bleed, they seemed to shrug off any blows and, most disturbingly, they didn’t make a sound as they charged and rammed their icy iron lances through rank after rank of his best fighters. 

“Dat bloody shaman has got sum explainin’ to do when I get my fingaz round his throat!”

No battle plan survives contact with the enemy. Luckily, I didn’t have one to start with, but when I saw the Death Riders line up in front of my general’s unit of Orcs I couldn’t have hoped for a better clash to kick off the battle and put me on the path to victory. How wrong I was, as we shall see.

The deciding clash of arms looms

My army had filed its way down the treachery slopes of Legbreaker Ridge, setting up its arsenal of war machines  on the heights overlooking the valley.

Orc artillery taking aim

My infantry was split evenly into a left flank consisting of Orcs and right flank of Goblins, with Gobbo Stickaz holding high ground in the centre, Wolf Riders poised to make a long outflanking move round the forest to the left and a Snotling Pump Wagon heading right to circumnavigate a rocky outcrop and steamroll into the Undeads’ flank.

The Goblins march forward

Things got off to a lively start as the Orc Arrer Boyz failed their Animosity test and fired their arrows into the backs of the fighters from the Greedy Maw tribe. Zogdrek the Shaman could be heard cursing under his breath. “Dammit, you wuz only supposed to shoot dem in tha back after tha scrap, once dey’ve got rid off dem walkin’ ded thingz for uz…”

The Shaman quickly scampered off into the woods and out of harms way to observe his perfidious plans unfolding. His mind reached out across the battlefield towards the leader of the Undead horde. Finally he had the might behind him to take on the otherwordly throng of this cursed Vampire. Zogdrek cackled maniacally as he overwhelmed the Vampire in a magical duel and channeled some of the beast’s power into his own body.

Meanwhile on the right flank the Goblins marched forward, coming under fire from the Skull Chukka. Its skull ammunition landed bang in the middle of the trailing regiment, but probably thanks to the eight casualties they took and the ensuing confusion the Goblins failed to realise the unnatural nature of the attack and didn’t yet panic.

The Skull Chukka aims to spread panic

The Leerin’ Moon Shaman shuffled ahead under cover of the Goblin regiments, when suddenly his left leg gave way under him. In disbelief he stared down at his shinbone protruding from his skin. Leaning heavily on his staff he scanned the enemy lines until he caught the gaze of his magical assailant, a Liche leading a unit of Skeletons, its skull face grinning spitefully back at him. “An eye for an eye, a leg for a leg”, thought the Shaman – and snapped the Vampire’s leg in retaliation instead.

The Goblins continued their advance and unleashed two crazed Fanatics in the direction of their shambling opponents. Unfortunately they came short and were spinning their massive metal balls dangerously close in front of the noses of their own companions.

Goblin Fanatics hurtle towards the enemy

Meanwhile the Lead Belcher had been primed and aimed to fire at the leading regiment of Skeletons. With an earth shattering roar all of its four barrels spat lead destruction and turned one short of a dozen of the Undead into bone splinters.

The skeletal archers and crossbowmen on the other side took aim at the Fanatic that was getting dangerously close to their lines and killed it in a hail of projectiles.

Skeleton Archers and Crossbowmen defending the Vampire’s crypt

On the left flank the opponents had manoeuvred into position and the Death Riders were threatening to charge. Sneakily, Zogdrek fished a chicken bone from a pouch on his belt and aimed it at the Undead Hero leading the erstwhile proud lancers before snapping it in two. At the same moment the front right leg of the Undead’s warhorse snapped, slowing the entire regiment down to a trot.

Alas, for the second time the Shaman’s plans hit a snag as the Death Riders just managed to reach the Orc Boyz under leadership of Kanbok Goresmasher himself. With lances lowered they smashed into the orcish battle line. Kanbok’s first inkling that something wasn’t quite right came as he landed two mighty blows with his enchanted mace directly on the black armoured chest of the horsemen’s champion. Rather than seeing him topple from his saddle in a mist of red gore, as so many of his opponents had done before, Kanbok observed with horror that this creature didn’t even flinch and just kept on driving his horse deep into the ranks of his warriors, skewering them with its deadly lance.

The Death Riders charge

When even his trusted second in command didn’t manage to fell a single of the hellish riders in a flurry of axe chops, Kanbok decided it was time to rethink his options. Ideally, several miles away back in his camp high up in the mountains, far away from these abominations who felt no pain and didn’t bleed.

The Orc archers of the Split Tongue tribe, who were right behind as instructed by their Shaman, immediately sounded the retreat. The Giant who had been lured into the battle by the promise of a good hot meal and a dozen barrels of mushroom brew turned around as well, shouting after his Orc paymaster. “Oi, where ya off to, I’m not going anywhere without ma barrels of booze, fight or no fight!”

Rout of the Orcs

Oblivious to the collapse of the left flank, the Goblin mobs continued towards the enemy. The spearmen had their gaze fixed on the large regiment of Skeletons ahead, when another unit of animated bones clawed itself out of the frozen ground right in front of the Goblins, followed by an Undead Hero. The Liche then raised its hand and conjured a fireball that burned the remaining Fanatic to a crisp.

The ranks of the Undead are growing

Whether through bravery or ignorance the Goblins overcame any fear and charged the Skeletons ahead, scattering their bones, while their Shaman immolated the Champion with a fireball, never to be raised again.

Thus ended the third turn and we had to pack up. My Orcs & Goblins were defeated, though in a very different turn of events than I might have anticipated. The feeble Goblins stood firm against the horrors of the Undead, while their tough cousins were first beaten up and then sent packing by a pile of bones on rancid smelling horses.

Kanbok headed back to his lair in the mountains to gather his remaining forces and plot his revenge. Messengers shall be sent to the east to bring reinforcements. But where is that cursed Shaman, who hasn’t been seen again since slinking away into the woods. And for that matter, those Goblin Wolf Riders also never returned with news from the western flank. Better to bring in more warriors from the Greedy Maw tribe who advance when they are told to, flee when they are told to and die when they are told to!

To read Chico’s report of the battle, head over to The Disturbed Slumber.

Sir Boney the Black, your days are counted. You have been walking the earth for too long.

Sir Boney the Black and his knights

After being skewered and then trampled down by Chico’s Death Riders in last week’s battle, I decided that my Orcs need some cavalry of their own.

The Greedy Maw tribe is the ruling elite in my horde, and I’ll be working on a second mob of Orcs (from the Split Tongue) so I can promote the Greedy Maw infantry to Big Uns.

The cavalry mob will be Snortas, +1 shock elite cavalry, and therefore should also stem from the ruling tribe. There are one or two Orc Boar Riders with scale armour in the Marauder range, but I don’t have any of them anyway at the moment, so the majority of the unit will consist of converted MB2 models.

The first of these I finished painting today, and I am very happy with the result.

Greedy Maw Orc Snorta cavalry on war boar

Shield depicting Greedy Maw iconography

Working on the war boar from the old Citadel range was particularly fun, I just love their grumpy, mean spirited expressions.

Grumpy war boar with war paint

I finished another rank of my Marauder Orc regiment which I’ll use as elite Big Uns in Warhammer 3rd.

Another rank of Big Uns takes the field

To add some variety to the shield emblems I’ve painted one of them with just the lower jaw and dripping blood. I quite like the design and it has also given me some ideas in terms of storyline for my horde.

Gory shield emblem of the Greedy Maw tribe

To make sure I don’t make too much progress on my Oldhammer Orcs & Goblins project however, I just swapped the standard bearer and musician of my previously finished Arrer Boyz against new models. They have bows slung across their backs, so they are really more appropriate for the job. Only downside, they don’t have any paint on them yet, taking me back to a total count of zero for completed units.

It’s autumn and cold winds are starting to blow, so what better time to work on some warriors from the Land of Chill itself.

These Dark Elf troops stem from Mengil Manhide’s Company, a Regiment of Renown in Citadel’s classic 80s collection, sculpted by Bob Naismith.

Dark Elves by Citadel Miniatures

Well, actually it has been quite balmy the last couple of days, but I have been meaning to try out some Dark Elf colour schemes for a while.  I’m planning on gradually building my collection up to allied contingent strength for use in Warhammer 3rd Edition.

I’ve gone for some classic colours associated with the Dark Elves – predominantly black and cold steel with accents in decadent purple and venomous green.

Heart and thorns, classic Dark Elf iconography

A spade, inspired by drawings in Warhammer Armies

The cloaks of flayed skin have been given just a single coat of pale flesh over black undercoat. Once I have a full regiment together I’ll probably detail them all to a higher level, but for now they look decent (and gruesome) enough under battlefield conditions.

The Dark Elves wear the skins of their victims as cloaks

Since digging up the Plagueship I have been meaning to scratch-build some more ships for Man O’War. I decided on a squadron of Ironsharks of Khorne to get me started and so far managed to build and paint a prototype over the weekend.

Scratch-built Ironshark of Khorne for Man O’War

The original models for Man O’War are quite stylised and abstract, not to mention rather over the top. That makes it quite easy to recreate them, although I am not attempting to achieve perfect replicas, but rather recreations using the materials and techniques at hand.

The winding mechanism for the jaw is kept below deck

The shark bow of the ship is formed in Fimo, with cut offs from plastic sprues for eyes, cardboard teeth and fin and shield bosses from Skeleton Warriors for hinges. The chains leading below deck are sections from Dark Eldar trophies.

Texture is mostly just painted onto the cardboard

The body of the ship is cut from thin cardboard, held together with superglue. Rather than sculpting the oars I decided to simply paint them on strips of cardboard, same as the planks and the window slits. The mast is a toothpick and the yard a thin strip of balsa wood.

Ironshark ready to snap

The second scratch-built Ironshark has left the dry docks and this time around I took some work in progress shots along the way.

Tools of the trade

It was a much quicker and cleaner process second time around, now that I had a template to work from and figured out the best order of construction steps.

Bottom and deck assembly

Body of the ship and Fimo jaw with markings for carving

Comparing with the Citadel catalogue page, there is obviously less detail on my reconstruction, but it has enough for my purposes. I see Man O’War ships somewhere between miniatures and playing pieces.

Ready for painting

The third Ironshark is at the second stage above, so I am hopeful of being able to finish it over the weekend. Next project – the dreaded Bloodship.

Ironsharks under sail in the Sea of Chaos

The regiment of Big Uns for my Warhammer 3rd Edition Orcs & Goblins is finished. Halfway through a unit of this size I usually run out of steam, but this time I kept steadily at it, while working on some side projects for variety.

Mob of Big Uns marching into battle

I converted the banner pole since it is too large in its original configuration and sticks out way in front of the model. With the overall theme of the unit being “sumwer’ from tha east”, I felt a Nippon style banner wouldn’t look out of place.

Flying the banner of the Greedy Maw

The shield emblems are all variations on the tribe’s motif, the Greedy Maw.

Heavily armed and armoured, clearly the elite of the horde

As a part-time Necromancer, I have always been of the opinion that one can never have too many Skeletons. For aeons the bulk of my legions have remained buried though, slumbering in their cardboard caskets as a jumble of bones.

Alas, the ritual of summoning has finally begun, and two score of new skeletal warriors are being assembled. When I say ‘new’, that might be misleading actually, since they are the first generation plastic Skeletons, originally released last century.

The Skeleton Champion gathers trophies from the living

I added some slightly newer parts to the command models – the unit standard is from the Chaos Marauders kit, while the drum and mallet of the musician are early metal add-on parts from the second edition Skeleton Warriors plastic box set. I don’t remember where the Champion’s trophy heads stem from, but they were definitely a great fit.

Undead warriors marching under the black banner

Skeleton musician beating the drum

When getting back into collecting forces for Warhammer 3rd Edition I divided up my Vampire Counts army into the really old stuff and the not quite so old. That meant all the metal Skeleton Warriors were formed up in two separate regiments as the backbone of my Undead for Oldhammer, while the plastic Skeletons, though consisting mostly of first generation models, continued to serve as the core of my Vampire Counts infantry.

Skeleton Warriors serving the Vampire Counts of Sylvania beyond death

Those Skeleton Warriors were painted about 15 years ago in a rough and ready fashion. In order to spruce up their look on the battlefield I repainted the bases from grey to brown and placed them on a new set of movement trays. I tend to divide up my units on two equally sized movement trays so I can take one away when they have suffered heavy casualties or to quickly go from a 5 to a 10 wide formation.

Vengeful skeletal fighters on the attack

I ended up with a unit of 30 and am still raising a new horde of 30 more (those summoning rituals sometimes take longer than expected). The original regiment however also found itself without a leader and musician. For the leader I quickly promoted one of the warriors swinging a rather large axe dynamically over his head, who looks the part at the front of his troops. For the musician I built a quick conversion, using a plastic Skeleton with a bell taken from the Empire Flagellants kit. The bronze bell also allowed me to try out the new Nihilakh Oxide from Citadel on a small scale.

Skeleton musician tolling the final bell for the living

The regiment’s standard is the metal version that came with the second generation plastic kit for a short period of time.  I particularly like the crow perching on the severed head. Looks like crows and severed heads are becoming a theme across my Vampire Counts army.

The Skeletons are marching under the banner of a gruesome trophy

Centuries ago the Iron Baroness ruled her fiefdom with an icy grip, squeezing every last coin from her subjects in taxes. When rumours about witchcraft and foul rituals at her manor began to spread, the serfs finally rose up against her rule and burned down her estate. Trapped inside the dungeons underneath, the Baroness and her two most loyal retainers perished.

That is, until dark magics began to saturate the land and her lingering spirit was unshackled from its tomb, to once again terrorise her former realm. This time, her traitorous subjects would have to pay their duty in blood.

The call of the Banshee spells doom for the living

This Banshee and two Cairn Wraiths have been haunting my armies of the dead since the late nineties, varyingly as character models or unit of three.

My Vampire Counts can call on packs of beasts to sally out ahead of their shambling main horde and hunt down the enemy’s light troops.

Dire Wolves with Doom Wolf pack leader

First to answer the call is a pack of ten Dire Wolves. These are the early models, consisting of metal heads with the plastic wolf bodies. Two of them are just plain wolves altogether, and the Dire Wolf is the full metal version. They are all just drybrushed, since the idea was to get my undead army finished quickly. That was back in ’98.

Fell Bats swooping down on their victims

The Fell Bats I had for a long time but never fully painted. I finished them a few years ago after a rare battle in which they kept tumbling from their flying stands. Now they have been fitted with pins and small blobs of blue tac to stay in the air.

A monstrous Varghulf on the rampage

The Varghulf is one of the latest additions to my army and the only one in Finecast. It is painted using the same palette as the Fell Bats but with reddish wings to indicate its vampiric origins. It still looks a bit flat overall so I’ll do some more work on its paint job and base once the other tasks for the army are completed.

Next to my skeletal legions, the rotting cadavers of Zombies are lurching towards the enemy lines, reanimated by the foulest of spells in the grimoires of the masters of necromancy.

The recently deceased are marching on

Driven by an insatiable hunger, a horde of Ghouls has also gathered, leaving their dark crypts behind to feast on the fallen of the looming battle.

Ghouls on the hunt for warm flesh

About two thirds my 30 strong Zombie horde consists of the mid-90s metal models, while the rest including musician and standard bearer were added when the plastic kit was first released. I have another ten assembled and base coated and will complete them eventually for summoning during the fight.

The once proud leader of the local militia now craves the brains of his former wards

The Ghouls are also a mix of generations, consisting of 4th Edition miniatures and the metal models that preceded the current plastics. They were painted several years apart, the first batch with an orange skin tone that I later highlighted further to blend in with the new arrivals, which were dry brushed heavily over dark brown washes to give a dirty appearance befitting a pack of catacomb dwellers.

Repulsive Ghouls are the most degenerate of the Vampire Counts’ servants

I’m done repainting the bases across the army, so it’s on to the characters next, some of which need finishing off still. Obviously I also have plans to add some new models, like the Corpse Cart, but I’ll try and stay focussed…

They are coming to get you

My Praetorian Imperial Guard forces for Warhammer 40k received a boost recently when I received two new squads with command and heavy weapons from an old friend.

That means I can now field an under-strength Company of six infantry squads, organised into two platoons, several heavy weapon squads, and a Command HQ.

The banner of Praetoria is carried into battle

With the increase in troop strength came the necessity for improved mobility and communications capability for the Captain and his staff.

So the Techpriests got to work and dusted off the squad’s somewhat neglected Chimera. Several days of drilling, welding and much liturgical chanting later, a state-of-the-art suborbital transmitter array was fitted, which thanks to the Chimera’s STC compliant configuration slots neatly into one of the lasgun ports.

Chimera Command tank with long-range antenna

In order to allow the relaying of orders outside the tank, a comms panel was fitted to either side of the hull.

Finally, as part of the reconsecration ceremony into the Emperor’s service, the proud Praetorian colours were painted onto the tank’s sides and new campaign markings added on the turret.

The comms panel can be linked directly into the radio transmitter

The chances of getting an Orc Champion in Slaves to Darkness aren’t very high – roll 96-00 on a D100, followed by 69-80. However, when reading how Chico, that prophet of perversion, was raising a coven of Slaanesh worshipping Dark Elves, against all odds a seed of corruption was planted in my mind. Those are the dangers of following Oldhammer on a Budget.

Orc Champion of Slaanesh with Snotling followers

Several models from my unpainted greenskin collection immediately sprang to mind as suitable followers for the Prince of Pleasure. First off, some impressionable and simple minded, yet easily excitable Snotlings. Always prone to playing cruel games and pranks, they should serve to give Slaanesh a giggle or two in their desire to please him.

Snotlings of Slaanesh, commonly known as Porklings

For the Champion itself, my eye fell on the model for Hardnose Mard the Truly Unpleasant. This character was featured in the Ravening Hordes flyer from the Warhammer 2nd Edition box set. I’ve been looking for a suitable role for the figure since it’s a great sculpt with lots of character and extravagant detail, but doesn’t quite fit with the rest of my Orcs & Goblins for Warhammer 3rd Edition.

I painted the newly coined Champion of Chaos in polished bronze, lush pink and blue and shiny silver, to please his patron. The flayed Snotling hide was painted in old Gretchin Green.

Skinning things with his big knife has become an obsession

I have yet to discover the backstory of how this Orc came into the service of the Lord of Decadence. I think it has something to do with prolonged exposure to Dark Elves and a demonic bracelet. As for future followers of this Champion – not many self-respecting Orcs or even Goblins are going to follow his path so he will most likely ally himself with foul Beastmen and the human slaves to darkness.

The elaborate armour is a trophy taken from a defeated Champion

With the new Warhammer Armies Dwarfs having been released last weekend, I felt inspired to get painting on my warriors of the Karaz Ankor again.

First to taste the brush was the venerable Runesmith Durgni Silverbrow, to accompany his Lord Norvin Goldbeard into battle.

Dwarf Runesmith and Lord

The figure is the Rune Priest from the Anvil of Doom, sculpted by Michael Perry and released back in 1993. Truly an ancient member of the Clan of Morgrim!

I used the same colours on him as for the Lord to tie them together as leaders of my throng.

The bronze staff grounds enemies’ magical power

Durgni’s mighty hammer is polished to a high sheen and glows in an eerie blue light that starts crackling with energy when wielded in combat.

Durgni’s runic hammer can split stone and skull alike

Durgni will accompany my Ironbreakers into battle, where the Forgefire of his rage gives them the Armour Piercing special rule.

The Runesmith is wearing a thick bear pelt

I bought a set of Dwarf stone sculptures from Scibor Miniatures recently as I intend to build up a small collection of themed terrain to go with each of my armies.

The statues, or rather what is left of them, match the classic Warhammer style of Dwarfs very well.

Ironbreakers advancing through the ruins of their empire

I took a simple approach to painting. Undercoated black, I drybrushed three layers of grey on with a final highlight of pure white, matching the pre-painted rock formations by Gale Force 9 in my collection. To finish the weathered stone effect I dabbed some dark green ink into some of the recesses.

Seeing the statue of his ancestor toppled sends this Slayer into a rage

There is a liberal smattering of skulls and some vegetation on the bases of the fallen statues, which provide a nice counter point to the dark stone.

A Dwarf Slayer is stalking the ruins

Some static grass and the usual brown finish I use on my miniatures’ bases tie the scenery in with the battlefield and armies fighting over it.

A Dwarf king of old, battered but never broken

Salute 2014 has come and gone and with it mostly unfulfilled resolutions from the previous hobby year were replaced by new ones. My main interest at the moment is in sci-fi so I’m starting with a selection of my highlights from the genre at this year’s show.

My favourite sci-fi display was The Spice Must Flow from Frothers Unite in which forces loyal to House Atreides defend the Citadel from Imperial Sardakaur and Harkonnen troops.

The biggest sci-fi stand was courtesy of Hawk Wargames’ Dropzone Commander, a game whose success story was evident in its ever increasing presence at the show since its first preview two years ago.

The massive carrier is still under construction and I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing it finished next year.

The board was nearly entirely built with the cardboard terrain available for the game and gave a great sense of scale in urban warfare.

White Dragon Miniatures brought a nice looking space combat board for their new Shattered Void dog fighting game.

Once again there was a great gaming table for Gruntz on show. I bought the PDF of their rules after last year’s event but didn’t manage to try it out yet. I think I should start on my shopping list for 2015.

On a number of smaller tables participation games for Dust Tactics were also run.

There were more fantasy themed tables that caught my eye at Salute this year, perhaps partially due to the Pelennor Fields skirmish game staged by the South London Warlords.

The scene was recreated in 75mm scale using models from the Armies of Middle Earth range by Play Along and some Schleich additions. I’ve previously never paid much attention to these figures in toy stores, but seeing them in action like this really was a great experience.

Smaller in scale but rich in fantastic detail was this table by Fenris Games for their Hell and High Water participation scenario.

Freebooter Miniatures brought a very atmospheric board along for their game of fantasy pirates, showcasing their excellent range of miniatures.

Another characterful skirmish game was run by Crooked Dice using their 7th Voyage ruleset inspired by mythical fantasy movies of the 60s and 70s.