New Release: The Hobbit Trolls, Hunter Orcs and Fell Wargs Oh My!

Here  we have it, Games Workshops renditions of the Hobbit an Unexpected Journeys bad guys, Trolls,  Hunter Orcs and Fell Wargs. I think the most anticipated figures, other than Bilbo and the dwarves, would be the Trolls who capture Thorin and company. Well Tom, William and Bert are ready to waylay travelers to satisfy their considerable appetites. They are large, tough and exceedingly dangerous.

These Stone Trolls are colossal in nature and are wonderfully detailed models. Their skin is thick, creased and weathered like rocks, and they are garbed in simple clothing such as loin cloths and straps.

They're sculpted in dynamic poses, looming forward with an outstretched arm or towering over their foes, and they carry a range of items - one of them holds up a huge piece of tree, ready to smash it down on someone.

Another clutches a spoon (though there are options for it to be armed with a fork or piece of timber if a spoon isn't vicious enough). The kit comes with a piece of meat roasting over a fire, which is surrounded by rocks.

There is also a small pile of tools and weapons suitable for significantly shorter people, as well as items of luggage.

This kit will run you a whopping 85 USD and contains 44 components, three 60mm round bases, with which to make three Stone Trolls.

To add to the mayhem, you can pick up a kit full of Hunter Orcs! For 35 USD you get 28 components and twelve 25mm round bases with which to make 12 Hunter Orcs.

Hunter Orcs are the fast-moving and fanatical right hand of Azog, a relentless band who will stop at nothing to slay his quarry.

These Hunter Orc miniatures come in an array of dynamic poses. They sport mainly bald heads with tufts of hair in the centre, lending them a savage appearance. They possess muscular torsos with limited armour across their thighs and upper bodies.

They carry bows and a quiver full of arrows is slung over their shoulder, while some grip curved, crude blades.

Hunter Orc on Fell Warg miniatures, as we might expect, also come in an array of dynamic poses. These Hunter Orcs are sitting atop the Wargs, which are sculpted to have the appearance they're on the run. In a variety of poses, the creatures possess a prominent spine, with thick fur covering the front of beast. Each one has a ferocious head, snarling expressions and exposed teeth.

Powerfully muscled, with thick matted fur, Fell Wargs would be considered fearsome even before one saw the dark glow in their eyes and realised that they are possessed by a sinister eldritch force.

This kit costing 40 USD contains 44 components and six 40mm round bases with which to make 6 Hunter Orcs on Fell Wargs.

Let us know what you think of these models and the game. Are you excited for its release and the model range or is it what you expected from Games Workshop.

Thanks for stopping!

Have a Great Battle,
The Old Crow

Advance Order The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Strategy Game from Games Workshop

Well, here it is, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Strategy Battle Game is the tabletop game for two or more players to recreate the exciting events of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey with your collection of Citadel miniatures.

You can now Advance Order the Games Workshop products before the release date of December 1st. Order by midnight Sunday November 25th and choose to have them delivered to your local Games Workshop Hobby Center  and they'll guarantee the product will be there for you to pick up on launch day - absolutely free of charge. Order by Wednesday November 28th, and they'll ship it directly to you on Friday November 30th.

So, what do you get? You'll get a beautiful but expensive, at 85.00 USD, 288-page full-color hardback rules manual containing all the information you need to begin your adventures in Middle-earth. Get the miniatures too and you can unleash the heroes of Thorin's Company and their dreaded foes on the tabletop.

The rule book includes full instructions for playing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Ideas for beginning your collection seven exciting scenarios recreating the events of The Hobbit as well as more taken from the history of Middle-earth, such as the attack at Weathertop are included.

As always you'll get details on fighting Points Match games and a gallery of gloriously painted Middle-earth Citadel Miniatures.

What else can you advance order? For a 125.00 USD you can get the limited edition set, The Hobbit: Escape from Goblin Town. So what do you get for your hard earned money?

The Limited Edition of The Hobbit: Escape from Goblin Town features an exclusive miniature of Radagast the Brown that you can only get with this set. The box set is sold in limited quantities and only available While supplies last. 

The Escape from Goblin Town set contains 56 Citadel Miniatures including: Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield, the limited edition Radagast the Brown, Oin the Dwarf, Gloin the Dwarf, Nori the Dwarf, Ori the Dwarf, Kili the Dwarf, Fili, the Dwarf, Dwalin the Dwarf, Bombur the Dwarf, Bofur the Dwarf, Bifur the Dwarf,The Goblin King, Grinnah the Goblin, The Goblin Scribe, Goblin Captain, 36 Goblin Warriors, and The Goblin King's platform. Also included is a 48 Page full color 'Your Journey Begins Here' booklet, 1 Play Sheet, a 112 page full color rules manual, 8 Dice, and 1 Ruler.

Radagast the Brown is an awesome centerpiece to this stunning collection of miniatures. He is posed striding merrily across fallen trunks, with his hedgehog companion Sebastian tucked under his arm. The miniature sports a long beard, shortened trousers, and a ragged yet ornate cloak which comes with intricate patterns sculpted into it. A satchel full of leaves hangs by his side, he wears an unusual wizard hat and carries a branch-like staff. It is a remarkably detailed miniature that is only available with this limited edition.

Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit miniature comes with two variant arms - with one he is gripping Sting and with the other variant he holds his walking staff. The miniature is garbed in a long coat, short trousers, scarf and waistcoat, and displays the thick hairy Hobbit feet. 

The splendiferous Gandalf the Grey is posed reaching forward, leaning upon his staff, and wearing a long robe, a scarf and sword - and not forgetting his iconic pointy wizard hat.

Thorin's Company is a remarkably detailed collection of Dwarves. Each model carries a unique piece of weaponry - Thorin Oakenshield brandishes a sword while for the rotund Bombur the Dwarf, a ladle and meat cleaver will do the job nicely. Their beards are impressive in their own right and come in an array of styles, loose or plaited, short or long. They are stout, sturdy figures, garbed in jerkins or doublets, heavy boots, hoods and hats, as well as different levels of armor  from none at all, to gauntlets and thick chain-mail.

The box set is also bursting at the seams with Goblin miniatures, wiry and misshapen creatures that are covered in boils and clutching crude, primitive weapons. The Goblin Scribe sits within a sling, his withered legs dangling before him, clutching a parchment and board. The Goblin Captain is even shorter than normal goblins (the smaller they are, the tougher they look) and displays a ferocious, snarling expression. While finally Grinnah the Goblin, the Goblin King's lieutenant, is armed with a barbed Scourge and a primitive dagger. 

The Goblin King is an immense figure with phenomenal jowls and a toothed crown, and huge arms whose knuckles drag along the ground. He holds aloft a timber pick and is seated upon a towering platform made of wood and stone, and which is strapped to a rock face. 

So as you see, you do get quite a bit for your money but the value is only in what it's worth to you. It's a great set with fine miniatures as always, but if nobody you know wants to buy it and play the game, where is the value?

Next post we'll go over the new trolls and orcs.

Have a Great Battle,

The Old Crow

Painting Warhammer Stone Trolls

Welcome, today we’re going to move back to the realm of fantasy miniature wargames and paint a Warhammer Stone Troll.

Here he is in all his glory. Let's run through the step by step process of painting this beast. 


We started as usual by priming the model in black. 

The next 3 steps are successive coats of dark gray, medium gray and finally barn wood.

After its set for a few minutes, we added a dry-brush coat of country grey to pull out all of the details.

The stone troll model also has a great deal of detail on his back. Here it is with the highlights. 

Next we added a wash of olive green to simulate mosses growing in the crevices of the stones.

Making sure the olive has dried and we dry-brushed warm white on selected areas of bumps and stones. This adds some additional warm tones to the otherwise cool tones on the troll.

Now back to the front and starting on the details. We used clay bisque to base the skulls and trolls teeth. Next a highlight of titanium white was added to those same items. 

We based the ropes, hair and cloth with burnt umber and the chain mail with metallic gun metal.

A highlight of light aluminum was applied to the chain mail bringing out the links nicely. Then apply a wash of red oxide to simulate rust on parts of the trolls chain mail. Be careful not to overdo it.

Onto other details, we used antique gold on the rings, a dry-brush of linen on the ropes, mushroom dry-brush on the cloth and sand on the belly button bone to set it off from the surrounding cool tones.

The dwarf trophy head received coats of red oxide and a light dry-brush of pure orange to the hair. For the skin tone we used mushroom, linen and a final light wash of olive in so it looks like its been hanging there for a while. A slight wash of heritage red in the trolls wound makes it appear irritated and in the process of regenerating.

The club was painted with mushroom, clay bisque and a wash of heritage red was added into the recesses. After drying a dry-brush of warm white finished it off.

Now onto the bases! I typically mark the base with where the model attaches to keep the area clear of sand, ballast or rock. Here we have added the chunky rocks and gravel. The chunky material is “Lizard Litter” made from crushed walnut shells. The smaller gravel is Woodland Scenics medium ballast. Skeleton bits and a small aquarium rock were added for detail.

REMEMBER SAFETY! Halogen lights get really hot and if the adjustable lamp you are using slips lower while your bases are drying it can have disastrous results. Thankfully a plastic model was not attached to the base.

OK, now lets add a liberal wash of dark gray.

After it thoroughly dries, under your halogen light, dry-brush on medium gray and finally country gray.

We touched up the skeleton pieces with successive dry-brushed coats of clay bisque and sand.

Final touches of brown and green flock with a few bits of ballast mixed in were added. Make sure to randomize the patches in size and spacing.

Repeat all the steps above and you’ll have two lovely Warhammer stone trolls ready to add to your orc and goblin horde!  With the eighth edition rules these guys now benefit from an added stomp attack making them tougher than ever.

Have a great battle,

The Old Crow