The first Oakbound Patreon draws to a close

 

Yes, somehow it's been a whole year since the launch of the Oakbound Patreon Warbands project!

If you missed it the idea is simple- every year we start off in January with an idea chosen by the patrons. In monthly reports we follow the idea through research, development, concept art, sculpting, moulding, casting and painting to a finished set of models which are then sent to every patron. These are exclusive to Patreon supporters and won't be available generally, though if you'd like a set you can jump on the 2023 Patreon project and receive them instead or as well as next year's set.

The theme for this year was "The druid's last stand", inspired by accounts of the fight between Roman Legions and the remnants of British resistance holding out with the druids on Anglesey. A mish-mash rabble of bedraggled warriors are whipped into a frenzy by the 'furies' and supported by howled curses from the druids themselves.

The miniatures were based on concept art by Christian Schwager. Each supporter will have received their metal miniatures in a custom display/storage box along with a colour print of the artwork. 

Discussion is ongoing as to what next year's warband will be. A poll will be appearing next week for supporters to cast their vote so if you're interested in being involved in the 2023 warband project head on over and check out the conversation so far on THE OAKBOUND PATREON PAGE.

Happhyia Siddence, lord of wyrms

 

Here's my November submission for the odds and sods painting challenge, a high elf now wood elf lord on a forest wyrm.

The rider is probably the most-painted model in my collection since to my reckoning he has been stripped twice and now painted three times. He's one of the few figures I kept in my collection from when I bought him new from Games Workshop in probably the late 90s. I have fond memories of going with my grandmother to buy him from the Basingstoke store having seen him in White Dwarf. On the way back I got to watch my grandad pilot his beloved RC boat around the duck pond, a rare outing indeed- as an engineer he spent much more time working on it than actually driving it. In his time this model has been a high elf general and a vampire count (painted in gold armour with fangs) and has now found middle ground as the army standard for my wood elf force. I still have his horse although it was chopped about a bit for use with my undead, it's getting a rebuild for a future odds and sods month. 

The mighty dragon will be instantly recognisable I'm sure as Kargos the Despoiler. I picked him up cheap as his wings and a back leg were missing whilst the right front leg was broken. No great problem as I don't necessarily rate wings for a forest-dwelling dragon. The rear leg was replaced by one of the dragon ogre alternative limbs I sculpted a few years back, this just took a bit of chopping and the addition of some scales. I raised the right limb to make it look like he's about to cuff some enemy and bent the left to bear his weight. I puttied scales over where the wings would have been and moved the rider to sit on his back rather than his neck, a much more suitable place to ride a beast that walks on all fours.

There's a significance to the dragon choice as well here. I remember seeing a photo of a 'firedrake' with an elf rider in a friend's 'old' (in the nineties) copy of White Dwarf. This image was imprinted on my mind, but looking through my own collection now I can't find it and have come to the conclusion from pose and subject matter that it must have been this dragon and his rider. The official paint job doesn't match the image from my mind, in my head what I saw was an earthy, brown-scaled dragon and I don't remember it having wings. A dragon without wings was somewhat novel in my young mind and lodged there because of it, in fact my love of wyrms may well stem from that image. I'm not a fan of the Marauder elf lord, really sorry, it looks lumpy and chunky. That could just be the obscenely bright colour scheme the original is painted in. Once again the picture in my mind was of a refined, slender elf perched atop his steed. Ah well, there you go, memories play you false. If anyone does know of the picture I am trying to describe let me know, it would be great to know I didn't make it up! Perhaps it was a Golden Demon entry using Kargos? I have tried to strike a balance with my painting and make him definitely a red dragon (to complement the green of the army) but mute the colours to make him look a bit more natural than the 'official' scheme.

Originally the model was going to be my wood elf general, however the theme of the odds and sods challenge this month is 'Grandeur' and so I decided it would be even more grand to make him the army banner. I didn't realise just how massive his sword was until I cut it off and slung it by his waist! Good job he isn't lugging it around on foot. I mapped out an intricate celtic knot design on photoshop but when I printed it out realised there was no way it was going to be possible for me to paint it at scale. Instead I had another brainwave. You'll probably know I am a bit of a massive Bob Ross fan. There's one episode ( a 1-hour special no less, on YouTube so check it out) called 'The Grandeur of Summer' so I thought that it would be entertaining to try that in miniature. A bit of extra Grandeur! That's the mountain side by the way, I tried a different, foresty image on the reverse. Pretty happy with how it turned out, especially against the Ted Nasmith mountain backdrop (see above).

The view of the dragon you'd want to see, versus the view you definitely wouldn't! The banner pole has proved to be a complete pain in the backside. It's a cast lead banner pole and is really bend. Although I drilled the hand out to receive it and added the leafy hand guard (some little jewellery pieces I had kicking around) it still isn't sitting straight. I have also just noticed in the photographs that the bottom part of the pole seems to be missing, not sure when that fell out! It should be below where the sword pommel would be to avoid the banner looking overbalanced at the top. I will have to hunt around on the floor to find where it has fallen...

Golden Gobbos 2022

 This year's Golden Gobbo painting competition (it's not a competition... oh yes it is!) has drawn to a close. Good to see so many entries this year, a nice variety as usual and the standard has been excellent!

38-Year Ali, renowned fighter

Giant Marauding Ogre

Hrothyogg of the Tower

Mad Greg (don't call him Old)

Matthog of the wicked hook

Nagash, Supreme Lord of the Undead (not chicken supreme)

Skeggit and Scraggit

Skeleton Champion, a pale bony one

A Slave to Darkness

Snotling Pump Outing

Lord Tyrell of Arden, White Dwarf cover renegade

I'm sure you'll all show your appreciation for the entries. If you'd like to vote for your favourite you can do so over on the Oldhammer Forum.

Heroes of Heldenhofen

Heldenhofen is my long-running 'Fantasy Medieval Town' project. I have boxes of furniture, architectural features, bits of half-finished buildings and have accumulated more civilians than I can shake a stick at which I am slowly plodding through. So whilst this month's submission for the Odds and Sods challenge isn't exactly army-related it is part of an unfinished project, so that counts, right?

These are a bunch of would-be heroes currently passing through Heldenhofen en route to make their names (and fortunes) in the wilderness beyond. But before that there's time for one last comfortable drink at the inn, or perhaps two. Maybe even three... 

Nicky Turnip blackened his name attempting to rob coaches on a busy stretch of road back in the empire. When he tried to hold up a hay cart in order to feed his flagging donkey the farmer recognised the young halfling tearaway immediately and Nicky was forced to flee somewhere his imagined infamy would not pursue him. He currently considers himself something of a swashbuckler.

Jacamo Passerova is a flamboyant mercenary and popular bodyguard for the ladies of the town. He is famed for the size of his sword and prowess in handling it. Secretly Jacamo is collecting dirt on as many rich and famous (or would-be rich and famous) individuals as possible so he can write his memoirs and retire on the sales.

Verbena of the sands has come to the soggy wastes of Heldenhofen from the baking south. Casting an air of mystique about her she claims to be searching for the companion-stone to the Tiger's Eye jewel set into her shield boss, a family heirloom stolen by an evil vizier. In truth she is seeking a bit of solitude and the chance to make her name, it's hard to find peace and distinction when you are one of 1001 Arabyan Knights.

Grubby Henry has a strict moral code, it's just that nobody knows what it is. It certainly isn't whatever the law of the particular province he happens to be in is. Mostly it seems to consist of 'possession is 9/10ths of the law' with the 10th 10th being 'all possessions are mine'. He is never one to elaborate or discourse at length on any subject, trusting in his large boomstick to make statements for him when required.

Cosmo Starling never takes camouflage too seriously. 'Best to be seen being daring' is his motto. A somewhat accomplished archer and swordsman he is currently trying to recruit a band of merry followers. Not to go fighting monsters but to relieve returning adventurers of some of their ill-gotten coin as they return to the town.

Lynne Ville, on the other hand, takes her stealth and secrecy much more seriously. And also believes you don't have to leave town at all to make your fortune, you just have to not get caught.

Bonnie of Tilea is the eldest daughter of a prominent duke, determined to prove she has every bit as much right to inherit her father's seat as does her young and irritating brother. The gold-plated ancestral armour certainly marks her out among the grimy streets of Heldenhofen, for good or for ill. She will have to prove she knows how wield that sword if she intends to keep it.

Lady Fuskia Sie may also be in above her head very soon. Fixated by tales of adventure and derring-do she has decided that the life of a swashbuckler is exactly what she wants. And what she wants, she gets. Having made it this far with wealth she will have to rely on her courage and determination to press onward.

The Pale Paladin is the sole survivor of a holy order wiped out by plague. She rarely speaks and acknowledges no other name than the title her companions on the ship gave her. Rumours say she didn't actually survive the plague herself, but continues to walk the land her body a vessel for all the dead paladins and her power equal to all their combined strength.

Anni the Blue Fox hails from the frozen north. Eager to forget whatever experience drove her all this way she is enthusiastic at the prospect of slaying monsters in the wilds beyond the walls.

Georg of the Rose is a seasoned fighter who has lead armies, slain dragons and faced terrible sorceries. He is retiring to Heldenhofen for a quiet life where he can maintain his honour (and income) training young adventurers without actually putting his life on the line any more.