War of the Ring High Elves
Recommendations: 356
About the Project
This project has been languishing for years now, and the new Spring Cleaning Hobby Challenge, has encouraged me to get them done. I have a goodly amount to do, but I have a bit of a head start. I did start this ages ago as you can see by the few units painted up in the colour scheme that I've chosen; Red, Black, Grey, with silver armour. Not pictured are the Rivendell Knights that I picked up a while ago, 2nd hand, cheap as dirt, and they aren't worth much more than I paid for them, I paid nothing for them, and yes that means they'll need a lot of work.
Related Game: Middle-Earth Strategy Battle Game
Related Company: Games Workshop
Related Genre: Fantasy
Related Contest: Spring Clean Hobby Challenge (Old)
This Project is Completed
Where I'll be starting.
I don’t even remember when I started this project, but I was working towards 1000 points. I think the group set some limits on the number of characters you could have, and for such a low points level I think it was one major hero, or two minor heroes. I went with Elladan and Elrohir, each one in a regiment of three companies of High Elf Warriors, backed up by a pair of High Elf Archer regiments, and led by a High Elf Cohort. Shown here is the two regiments of Warriors, with Elladan and Elrohir, that were painted at the start. Next up I think will be the High Elf Archers. It’s a very simple paint job.
Finally back to the project
Okay, so after like six weeks, I can actually make a start on the project.
I did get distracted by My 40k; Adding a Redemptor Dreadnought, oh and a Multi-melta Contemptor in a drop pod. That’s all done, and until the Cataphractii come out in their new box, I have time to try and get this done.
I did say the Archer Regiments were next, and so started them today, first by making six companies worth of them black, and then adding the colours. I got one company done before I had to stop for dinner. Thankfully, while the sky seems to be falling(It’s so wet), the airbrush had no issues making them all black again, and even getting me a head start on the armour.
One Regiment is done!
It was a long day, but I have three companies done(now I say done, but there is still some details I could do, and of course the basing), which constitutes a regiment. I’d like to get the other regiment done tomorrow, and hey I’d really like to get the Cohort primed, as most of that is metal, or finecast resin, I’ll want that to cure before working on it. A very simple scheme; armour is Vallejo Metal Color Exhaust Manifold, the cloaks are Vallejo NATO Black, the robes are Vallejo Base Grey, the sash is Vallejo Flat Red, and the bows are Vallejo German Black Brown.
Lots of Vallejo, but it’s a paint that I trust.
The second Regiment is done
Day two of the painting weekend, and the second regiment is done!
Forty-eight Archers in two days, I haven’t batch painted like this since my WHFB days.
The Army So Far
I am trying to get 1000 points done to play with a mate who’s been into the system for years, and I’m not going to get it all done for the challenge, but it’ll be done eventually. Here’s the shot of the Army so far.
An update.
With the challenge ending next weekend, I had despaired that I wouldn’t finish, especially when the new Bushido figures arrived, and I found the Primaris Apothecary and Ancient. Not that I’ll ever use them, I did want them done, the Space Marines, not the Bushido figures. I did get the Bushido stuff done Saturday, and the two 40k figures done today, but seeing as though I have to spend a week in isolation, I should be able to get the last regiment of the 1000 point War of the Ring army done. That does very much depend on if Covid kicks my arse or not, but I can be hopeful no?
A Start on the Final Regiment.
I actually slept okay last night, and woke up this morning to make all the phone calls telling people that I’ve caught COVID; Work(I’m going to miss a week), Nambour Hospital Digital Imaging Dept(I’m going to miss the MRI on Wednesday), The Sunshine Coast University Hospital(I cannot make it to the MedOnc Review Thursday).
After all that I turned on the compressor, and had breakfast.
Priming wise, because of the armour, I thought I’d prime with the gloss black from Vallejo.
I did one Company at a time.
Now annoyingly, I have to allow it time to cure, because a lot of the figures are metal, or resin, and I’ll want the primer to cure, to stop it from rubbing off with contact. So I’m going to have to find something else to do today, tomorrow I can start on the colours.
A Day of Base Colours
Today started off with the airbrush, for the metallic base colour for the Armour(Vallejo Metal Color Exhaust Manifold).
Then I moved onto the hairy stick, with the cloth elements.
Flesh tones, and Weapon handles.
Okay so next up is making them look alive, with some flesh coloured paint(Vallejo Model Color Cork Brown).
Reinforcing the Red
The Vallejo Flat Red is brilliant for base coats, as the pigment density is so high, but as the name suggests, is very flat, so I go over the top of it with the Citadel Contrast Paint; Flesh Tearers Red, I also go over the part of the centre of the shield with it to make it seem like a jewel. I also did some highlighting of the armour with the classic Citadel Chainmail, and went over the weapon handles with Vallejo German Camo Black/Brown.
Varnishing.
Because so many of these models are metal, they need to be varnished.
Firstly a Gloss coat, of the Glossy Lucky Varnish from AMMO by MiG.
After that sets, I go over it with a thinned down version of the Vallejo Matt Acrylic Varnish(26.518). Now they’re as ready as the rest of the army.
Ready for basing!
Okay, the 1000 points(I actually think it’s only 990 points, but whatever), is ready for basing. Tonight after dinner I might paint the Movement Trays ready, either a Pale Yellow or Grey Primer.
Ready for basing!
Okay, the 1000 points(I actually think it’s only 990 points, but whatever), is ready for basing. Tonight after dinner I might paint the Movement Trays ready, either a Pale Yellow or Grey Primer.
Getting the Trays done.
Last night I got the trays base coloured in the Vallejo Desert Tan. Makes them nice and light, for the basing material, which will be a mix of the Grimdark City Rubble, and the City Rubble ready basing mix by Geek Gaming.
First up PVA, and hey I used some spare bases to fill in the holes to make things easier for myself.
Then a mix of both the ready base mixes.
Finally a layer of the City Rubble.
Now that the trays are done, I don’t have enough for the Troops =(
So yes I’m not going to get them done in time, but they’ll be done the weekend after.
Starting the basing for the Troops.
Okay, so I don’t have enough basing material to get the troops done, but with just today left I did get all the bases sprayed in the Vallejo Desert Tan primer.
Not finished =(
Okay so I cannot finish in time, but I thought it best to at least show where I got up to. Some of the models already had basing material when I started, but they’re aren’t finished either. The Project will be finished next painting weekend.
Hoping to finish this Weekend
It’s the new painting weekend, and I’m set up ready to start tomorrow.
The Archers are actually finished, so just the Warrior regiments, and High Elf Cohort to do.
A Problem Surfaces
Okay so basing is super simple; One regiment at a time, add the glue, while adding glue to the rest of the regiment, the first company worth had started getting tacky, so I could start dipping them in the basing material, I got all the six companies of the Warriors done, but then I stopped to get something to eat.
Upon returning, I found five of the warriors had some strange green colour bleeding through the basing, which sucked. I tried adding another layer of the material, but nope…
Rebasing.
Okay, so I scraped off as much of the basing material as I could, then cut the bases, removing the elves.
Then I went through the 25mm bases, and base coloured five.
Added the guys, and then the basing material.