Oldhammer Halflings, Hasslefree Dwarves, and New Terrain

Hail fellows and well met!

This blog will be getting some love and updates again.  Huzzah!

Ive been rebasing all my figures from 25mm round to 20mm squares.  That can only mean one thing...  Im moving from skirmish gaming to mass combat fantasy.

This blog started with:

 - 28mm LOTR/Song of Blades/basic D&D dungeon skirmish, then became
 - an Oldhammer 1st edition game blog, with larger and larger units

As my retro lead miniatures collection has grown, my gaming table will now also expand in scope.
Ive got alot of new terrain for battles above ground.  Time to take the battle out of the dungeons, my little stunties. Similar to how Expert D&D to Basic, its about the Overland Wilderness adventure.

The time has also come for my rules set to be upgraded as well.  From now on, the story of the Dwarves of Moria will be told through the lens of...
7th edition Warhammer Fantasy Battle, with the 6th Edition Ravening Hordes booklet for army lists.

Onwards to some pics...

An idyllic farmland on the southern borders of the Shire.  A motley force of Hobbits approaches a group of Dwarves marching to Moria.  They trade news of happenings in the wide world. 

Lobelia Sackville Baggins has taken command of the Shire Militia. 

Despite the fact that most of them are eating, drinking, or smoking pipeweed, the Hobbit Militia can be a dangerous foe.  Especially when motivated by the ever present threat of Lobelia's broom.

A Fenryll Water Well.  A bit fiddly to put together, but worth it.

Dwarf Trading Post from Ziterdes.  Very light weight foam resin.  Durable and a pleasure to paint.
Readers of this blog should know how much I love Ziterdes terrain and buildings.

I made alot of fences/stone walls/bocage using wooden paint stirring sticks as bases.  The actual stone walls are from Warlord games, which in turn are from Italieri.  I bought 3 boxes and now have enough to fill a full gaming table.  With Woodland Scenics trees and bush foliage, Im happy with them.

Wheat field is a door mat.

Another Ziterdes building.  A half timbered farm house.

These Hasslefree Dwarves have heard of the plight that has befallen the expeditionary forces in Moria and have decided to lend a hand.  And an axe or two.

These fellas are plenty characterful. 

They are slim compared to modern GW. 

They are smaller  than 80s Citadel Dwarves as well.

But they are on par with Ral Partha, Alternative Armies and LOTR.

Suddenly, the ground rumbles as a large brutish creature comes into view.
It wears armor and carries a large spiked ball on a chain.  Even without the weapon, it has tusks reinforced with steel.

At its side is a barrel of something.
Its roar is like a trumpet.  It looks about confused.

The Hobbit Militia approach cautiously.  Foolish or brave, the halflings inch closer to the large lumbering beastie.

Lobelia calls out to the beast "You are trespassing on our lands, strange creature.  And frightening our children.  Please come no closer to our village, or we will be forced to use our secret weapon..."

The other hobbits gulp and look at Lobelia, wondering if the Chaotic Beastly Mutation will heed her warning.

 Lobelia: "OK, beastie, you asked for it.  Behold our weapons of mass consumption!"

Hobbits appear carrying all manner of crates, sacks, and barrels.

In the sacks are deliciously fried bird drumsticks.  And some cornbread muffins to boot.

In the barrels are some Shire Ale, Elderberry Wine, and some Bugmans Brew.

In the crates are all manner of pipeweed.  Longbottom Leaf, Old Toby, and Southern Star.

The halflings were able to figure out that the beastie was desperate from lack of beer.  The barrel on its belt was empty.  So not only did the Shirelings quench the beastie's thirst, but fed it with a great feast.

So pleased was the great beast that it pledged loyalty to its tiny new found friends.
In turn, the Elephant Beastman was named a Hobbit-friend.


The Hobbit children came out reciting an old poem:

OLIPHANT

Grey as a mouse

Big as a house

Nose like a snake

I make the earth shake

As I tramp through the grass

Trees crack as I pass

With horns in my mouth

I walk in the South

Flapping big ears

Beyond count of years

I stump round and round

Never lie on the ground

Not even to die

Oliphaunt am I

Biggest of all

Huge, old, and tall

If ever you'd met me

You wouldn't forget me

If you never do

You won't think I'm true

But old Oliphaunt am I

And I never lie

So why use 7th with Ravening Hordes?  Why not use 6th?  Well, they arent that much different.  But 7th is less fiddly, like getting rid of lapping round.  Why use Ravening Hordes?  I think its universally accepted that the army books arent balanced, 7th worse than 6th.  But that doesnt matter to me, as Im not a power gamer nor a tourny gamer.  I come from the historical wargamer background, so points dont matter much to me.  Its about scenario building, in which case, points can help in designing a good battle.  My gaming groups of the past and present have always been of the same mindset.  So back to the question... why Ravening Hordes, if not for the better balance?  Simplicity.  I need less special rules/unit rules to remember.

Well, thats enough for one post.  See you fellows on the next one!

Cheers,
Mar