July 4th Weekend Part 2 - Shadow and Flame!

Mr B: Oh, you think darkness is your ally. But you merely adopted the dark; I was born in it, moulded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but BLINDING!

[grabbed from the shadows and repeated punches to the face]

Mr B: I will show you where I have made my home while preparing to bring justice. Then...  I will break you. 

Big Bad time, boys and girls! 

Its the Big Bad!

Mr B himself, 

thats right... Balrog! 

BALROG!

Or as Legolas, that pointy-eared girly boy whispered it "Bhaal...rohh...guuhh..."

And some goblins from Darkhold miniatures, which I got from Splintered Light.  They arent Oldhammer, but they are cutely sinister, and thats why they are here.  Also, we have new terrain to represent Darkhold, a level of Moria in the Underdeeps.  Its a chaotic hellish ruin of fire, metal, blood, and brick.   Definitely not a place to go on holiday.

This is Mr. B
He is a C31 Citadel Balrog. 
Mr B. means business
You do not want to mess with Mr B
Everyday is a bad day with him.


A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.

Darkhold gobbos might be silly looking, but remember they do eat man-flesh.  So watch out, they bite!

Individually they arent much of a threat, but in numbers they can poke and stab things to death.

Im guessing that lil snotling in the center is a druid with a sickle.  Im gonna have to find him a pet of some sort... a cave squig perhaps?

And here is the goblin witch Minnie Castevet and her entourage

Minnie and her staff bearer

Minnie Castevet:  Snips and snails and puppy dog's tails. 

The porter and the lantern bearer

Venkman:  We've been going about this all wrong. This Mr. Stay Puft's okay! He's a sailor, he's in New York; we get this guy laid, we won't have any trouble!

 Meanwhile, a certain Wraith materializes into Darkhold...  it is Murkillor after his defeat in the Battle of Mazarbul.

Mr B:   Wraith, you have failed me for the last time.

Wraith Murkillor:  Milord, we shall double our efforts!

Mr B:  I hope so, for your sake, the Dark Lord Sauron is not as forgiving as I am.

[Wraith gulps despite having no corporeal throat]

Wraith Murkillor: What of the reports of the rebel Dwarf Balin and his Chaos Dwarves massing near Sullust?

Mr B: It is of no concern. Soon the rebellion will be crushed and young Skywalker (err, Balin) will be one of us. One more thing, Wraith...  build me an army of the undead and siege Easthold!  I know how you feel about raising your old comrades back to unlife, but this time...  do not fail me!

Wraith Murkillor: [looks down at his boots]  Yes...   my master.

Mr B:  Leave Balin to me....


Up next:   The finale for July 4th weekend...  Army of Darkness!

Oldhammer First Edition Box Set has Arrived!

  I've owned nearly every edition of Warhammer at some point or another.  But the original White Box 1st edition was the one that never synchronized with my finances, availability, and/or my interest in wargaming (dont you just hate those hobby droughts).  At long last, much like the Dark Crystal, the Great Conjunction is upon me.  Just today, I have received a beautiful copy.  The box is reasonably intact, and all the booklets are in very good condition.  Also, the box contains not only the 3 booklets it should have, but also 3 booklets from the Forces of Fantasy expansion, and another booklet of armies called the Book of Battalions.  Basically everything I could ever need for 1st edition gaming.  I might hunt for some old White Dwarf magazines in the future though. 

  So its official...  this blog is now an Oldhammer blog.  And I am aligning myself to the codes of conduct of an ancient and venerable institution.  The Invisible Fraternity, the Brotherhood of Worldwide Gaming Grognards.  Our manifesto: to grumble a lot, roll dice often and sneer at new fangled rules sets.  So, fellow soldiers of the Old Guard, I have come to say... after many years I am ready for a new campaign to extend, once again, the limits of glory! 

 Whats that mean for this blog?  I will be skewing my purchases towards old lead from the 80s.  Marauder, Citadel, Ral Partha, Grenadier, etc...  These will fill the ranks of lead I already have.  And of course my rules are here, a perfect fit as you will see for my Dwarven Lost Kingdom Reclamation Project.  Highlights as to why Im using 1st edition: Use any figures, rules for fighting in dungeons, dwarf and gnome army lists, scenario driven games, character hero progression for a hybrid blend of rpg/wargaming, and even stats for Balrog (yeah, not a bloodthirster... Balrog, deal with it, Tolkien estate!) Some pics to celebrate and some words to accompany them below.

 Beautiful old school charm, box is in great condition considering it was "made in 1982"

 And look at all the goodies that were in it!

 Booklet 1, the main rulebook

 Simple artwork, simple rules, a lot less of those pesky special rules.

 Fighting in dungeons

 Booklet 2 is for magic

 Look at that art!  Look at it!

Those spells sure look a lot like D&D, dont it?

 Booklet 3 is for characters

 Wierd to see how close rpgs and miniature wargaming was back then.  And will be again, for me!

 Encounter tables! Again, its D&D, but Warhammer.

 Booklet 1 of Forces of Fantasy expansion

 And its all about army lists, very open and simple army construction

 Theres a list for my stunted ones...

 And for my gnomes, too!

 Dark Elves, checking in!

 Next booklet is for advanced rules

 Tabletop terrain generator with possible hidden monster lairs

 Booklet 3 of the Forces of Fantasy expansion is magical spells, weapons, treasure

 And monsters!  Here is the dreaded Balrog.

 Rune weapons, and a guide to actually paint them on your  minis. Ooh, lookout, Death Runes!

 Another nice illustration, every bit as evocative as the old school AD&D portfolio

 Finally, the Book of Battalions, which has famous game industry people with their army lists.

 I like the Reality Quotient stat for each army... "For example Bryan Ansell is 100% real - and consequently dangerous."  and yet poor Mr Rick Priestly is a meager 25%,  John Blanche 50% The Perry twins make 11% combined! Mr John Stallard (current head honcho of Warlord Games) is at a respectable 85%.  Richard Halliwell (of Space Hulk fame, for me) is 0%?  Cmon, that man is a legend!

Next post incoming...  painted Lead Adventure Ratnik Dwarves!