New Release: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug from Games Workshop

Games Workshop New Release of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug!

This expansion provides a wealth of supplemental rules, which recreate the events of the film on your tabletop. This 64-page, full colour, softback expansion for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey includes:
· 8 brand new scenarios recreating the action-packed events in The Desolation of Smaug.
· Rules for linking your games with Thorin’s Company into a dynamic narrative.
· Rules for fighting in the realm of Mirkwood, and 3 new Points Match Scenarios.
· A gallery showcasing several hobbyists’ collections of Citadel miniatures, inspired by the warriors of Middle-earth and the events of the movies.
· An ‘Eavy Metal masterclass of Gandalf the Grey.
· Profiles and rules for the Good and Evil miniatures

This is an expansion so you will require a copy of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Strategy Battle Game rules manual, or The Hobbit: Escape From Goblin Town boxed game, to use this expansion.

Now onto the new figures for your collection of Citadel miniatures.

Beorn is the burly "skin changer" woodsman whose home is on the outskirts of Mirkwood. Beorn has the power to adopt the form of a bear that he so uncannily resembles.

The kit contains 3 components with which to make Beorn armed with a two-handed axe.

Thranduil, King of Mirkwood is a mighty king whose realm faces a dire threat in the rising power of the Necromancer of Dol Guldur. Beset from all sides, Thranduil maintains a vigilant guard upon his realm.

The resin kit contains 2 components with which to make Thranduil armed with an Elven blade.

Legolas Greenleaf is the son of Thranduil and thus prince of Mirkwood. Legolas is an exceptional warrior, even by Elven standards. His skill with his bow ensures his father’s domain is kept safe.

This plastic kit contains 5 components with which to make Legolas Greenleaf armed with a bow and 2 daggers. He is dynamically posed atop a tree trunk, poised to strike at any invaders of Mirkwood.

Tauriel is a warrior in the kingdom of Thranduil, a formidable fighter and ranger patrol leader.

Her status makes her an unlikely ally in the Dwarves’ quest to Erebor.

This plastic kit contains 6 components with which to make Tauriel armed with a bow and 2 daggers.

Barrels out of Bond literally contains the Dwarves of Thorin’s Company making their escape from the dungeons of Thranduil by hiding in the barrels and floating down the Forest River.

This resin kit contains 15 components with which to make Barrels out of Bond, containing all thirteen Dwarves of Thorin’s Company, and Bilbo Baggins™.

Travelling through Mirkwood is a perilous undertaking. Mirkwood Rangers show no fear for they are hunters without peer and deadly warriors one and all.

The contents of this box contains 23 components with which to make 10 Mirkwood Rangers, of which 5 are male and 5 are female. You can tell them apart, particularly by the fact that the female Elves have the curved bows.

Each miniature is made in a fixed pose, and they are designed to look like skirmishers. Each model is armed with a bow and daggers.


As always, all of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug kits come unpainted and require assembly.

Have A Great Battle!
The Old Crow

Old Glory Dwarf Canon for Warhammer Fantasy Dogs of War

Old Glory miniatures have been around for a good while and if you're looking for a deal they might fit the bill. Old Glory is also one of the few scale model makers located here in the states. In the old days Warhammer supported Dogs of War armies and many Regiments of Renown. One of these was a light caliber mobile canon called Bronzio's Galloper Guns. They were excellent models but are out of print and may be expensive to find on eBay or other venue.

However if you have a friendly gaming club that allows you to play old school, Old Glory makes a dwarf horse canon that fits the bill. This model is a smaller canon than most dwarven artillery and comes with the horse and a crew of four. We left the horse out of our photo, sorry. We also swapped out the smaller metal wheels for larger plastic spares we had available.

Here we started basing the cannon with black and used Burnt Umber on all the woodwork. The dragon heads were painted with a base of Burgundy.

A lighter coat of Raw Umber was then applied to all the woodwork.

Last step for the wood was a light drybrush of Territorial Beige. The metalwork was given a coat of Antique Bronze and drybrush highlights of Pure Bonze.

The steel shod wheels were painted first with Gun Metal and then highlighted with Aluminium.

The canon barrel was painted with Pure Bronze.

We then applied a black wash to bring out details and last touches of highlights to the woodwork and metals.

The crew consists of a pirate captain and three stout dwarf warriors. Here they are with base coats and most details applied.

Finally based and in their "Old Glory". Maybe next time we'll show you how to build an artillery emplacement for any of your cannons.

Have a Great Battle!
The Old Crow

Ruglud's Armoured Orcs Dogs of War Unit Completed!

Last summer we did a post on How to Build Ruglud's Armored Orcs and never showed the finished models. Well today we rectify that error. Here they are in all their orcyness. The entire unit works well together and all have collected their mementos from past battles.

We'll review the individual models in the order we showed you in the previous post.

Here are the first two of Ruglud's boyz, both have items raided from the lizardmen across the pond in Lustria.

Next the veteran from the Dwarf Wars sports a miners pick.

This orc boy has some chaos warrior armor and sword.

Sporting a dwarf shield as a breast plate.

More dwarf mementos

These guys have some chaos and Empire memorabilia...

... and additional items from Lustria

And lastly as I mentioned, my favorite raided a Tomb King treasure trove and brought the kings head back to prove it.

Kings shield carried on his back too.

So there you have them all individually and together!

Have a Great Battle,
The Old Crow

The Hobbit Advance Orders: Elrond, The Knights of Rivendell and Grim Hammers

Games Workshop has more from the Hobbit ready for Advance Order! Place you order tonight (Sunday Jan 27th) for Elrond, The Knights of Rivendell and Dwarven Grim Hammers. You can have them delivered to your local hobby center for pick up on launch day, Saturday February 2nd. You can also have your miniatures shipped to any other address, just place your order by Wednesday January 30th, and they'll ship it on Friday February 1st. Orders placed after the 30th will be shipped on Monday February 4th .

If you have seen The Hobbit an Unexpected Journey by now, you should have been impressed by the ranks of stalwart Dwarven defenders of Erebor. OK they were crushed by a dragon, but they did look great before that.

These Dwarf warrior miniatures are shod head to toe in gleaming battle plate and shining mail.

In the box set you get twelve Grim Hammers. Stout and sturdy figures who come appropriately equipped for defending the halls of Erebor.

Each wears chainmail and is covered from beard to toe in heavy armor  Each model takes a unique pose, swinging their pick hammers or sharp axes at different angles.

Their glorious beards hang down underneath masked helmets.

This plastic kit contains 30 components and twelve 25mm round bases with which to make twelve Grim Hammers. It retails for 35.00 USD.

Elrond is featured in two different ways. On one he rides his horse into the melee, his long sword extended and his expression is one of battle-hardened rage. The other model features him on foot, though wearing the same long, flowing robes and elegant armor across his upper torso. He stands on foot, holding his sword aloft with two hands, ready to strike his foe.

This finely detailed resin kit contains five components, a 40mm round base and a 25mm round base with which to make Elrond on foot and mounted on horse. It does retail at a steep 40.00 USD

An elite band of warriors formed of the nobles in Elrond's house, the Knights of Rivendell are formidable cavalrymen. 

Their devastating charges leave shield walls in tatters, whilst their nimble steeds can weave and dodge through even dense woodland with ease.

You'll get six highly dynamic Knights of Rivendell miniatures in this bow set. They are a beautiful addition to any The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey collection. 

With their cloaks billowing around them, they wearing elegant Elven armor and carry ornate shields, and long lances - though there are also options for one to carry a banner or a war horn. 

They come in multiple poses, each one a variant of a Knight of Rivendell riding their steed into battle. 

The kit also comes with casualties, to denote a fallen Knight of Rivendell.

This plastic kit contains 54 components and six 40mm round bases with which to make six Knights of Rivendell.

The kit is a great set of figures, but it will set you back 50.00 USD retail. As much as we love these miniatures, we find Games Workshop to be pushing the pricing as to be out of reach for new hobby enthusiasts and souring the taste of the older ones

Have a Great Battle,

The Old Crow