Great Beast Completed and Project Gondor

Well, I've finally finished the Great Beast. I'm really pleased with the final thing, and painting it was good fun. I'm looking forward to trying it out on the table now! I decided in the end to pin all of the orcs so they can be removed as casualties.

 

I've also completed some orc archers that weren't used on the beast and a second barrow wight for scenarios:

And now the Beast is done, it's time for the next task - I bring you "Project Gondor!"

Last summer I went a bid mad on ebay and bought over 100 Gondor models. Many are elites, but I'm starting on the basic Warriors of Minas Tirith, plus a few siege crew, captains and Faramir (54 in total). To save time I sprayed them with the Army Painter platemail spray which seems great on the few test pieces I've done. I've also base coated all the faces. I hope I can get these done before I bore myself too much!

Wow - 2 updates in 2 days!

Having completed the Great Beast, the crew are next. These orcs are fantastic sculpts, using bits of the previous plastic and metal orcs and even the helmet that Frodo wears through Mordor. I'm tempted to swap 2 of them for plastic archers just to give some variation to my orc infantry.
I'm also contemplating some sort of pinning system so that they can be removed from the Beast when dead. That may be a while off though.

It looks as though one of the crew has sneaked into both photos!

In other news Josh and I have recently finished off some rocky outcrops to use in the Fellowship of the Ring scenarios. Really simple stuff - just chunks of slate on bases, but they look good. One of them is bark instead of slate as a test. I think it makes a great rock substitute, and is a whole lot lighter and less likely to chip.

Half Term Painting

So I haven't posted for a while, but half term a teacher is a great time to paint, so here is an update.

First off Erkenbrand is finished, and with him a detachment of Riders of the Westfold (signified by the red shields to go with his). I'm not sure which is better with flash or without?

Also, the main body of the Great Beast is done, now onto the base and the crew: