Troll Cave Interview

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! We have recently hit 100 likes on Facebook so if any of you go and like www.facebook.com/thetrollcavern.com , you will be given the chance to win in a giveaway that we are doing soon!

Today I am interviewing Mally Anderson! His blog is: http://mallysminiatures.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

H: Hello Mally, how are you doing?

M: Im well, well not 100%, under the weather but wont let that stop me.

H: Hope you get better mate! So today we are talking about your Three Trolls Diorama. I must say, it is fantastic! What made you make such a cool creation?

M: Thanks. It was my wife who was to blame. She loves trolls and anything big and ugly, hence she married me. So she bought me the three trolls and said she wanted a cave and a waterfall. From there I set about thinking how I could pull it together.

H: Haha! I'm sure you're not that bad! I bet she was happy in the end then! How long do you reckon it took for you to make it?

M: The painting of the figures was the biggest part, nearly 3 months getting them all done. Then the actual display was maybe a month or so.

H: So a long project!

M: A fairly long one. I did do a couple of other things in between. I also dont have masses of time. It was for a diorama challenge on The One Ring forum. It came second, always the bridesmaid !!!

H: Congrats mate! So please tell me about this piece in more detail!

M: It was mainly my imagination. As it had a cave I wanted it to be visible so therefore I opened up the back of the display so you can see into the cave. If you look from this direction you can see the entrance. As with all my diorama I wanted it to tell a story. When I studied the figures they all resembled being startled or suprised by something or someone, so that set my thoughts going. The cave was a must so I figured I would have them doing their daily cooking when they were disturbed. I did a little conversion, Bert had the spoon cut from his hand and replaced by a freshly severed horses leg, the body of which is near his feet. The horse in the paddock I wanted rearing up, obviously a little startled at what it had seen. The waterfall had to have a source which meant a steep rock face. That would help me with the cave and provide the height fopr the waterfall with a little stream taking the water away. The trees were scratch built as I just dont like the ready made ones, too uniform and also these had to be big.

H: It is great to see the idea behind the result! I am a massive fan of the waterfall by the way, what did you use to create such a cool effect?

M: The waterfall was simply Woddland Scenics Water Effects. I squeezed out lines onto some kitchen foil to set the shape and contours to the fall, now pured in a little Woodland Scenics Realistic Water to fill it in. Once dry I peeled it off and gave a little trim to suit and fastened it in place using more Water Effects. When dry I applied some more Water Effects and flicked it up with a cocktail stick to represent splashing water. Its very tome consuming as you have to let each stage cure which is about 24 hours.

H: Fantastic! Hopefully we can get a tutorial in soon! It really achieved a great effect though so congratulations! To do something as advanced as that, you need to be into the hobby for a long time am I right? How long have you been in the hobby for?

M: Well I’ve always loved modelling, starting with Airfix kits as a young lad. It was the release of Di Agostini Battle Games in Middle Earth which got me into painting, 14 years ago. I still have some of those first goblins, god I was awful. Thakfully I progressed from there but is really the last couple of years I have thought, I can do this a lot better and started pushing my learning curve. I keep trying new things, always explore methods and practise. That is for painting and modelling, though the modelling side I do not do much of as I have so much painting to do. For those trying to improve their painting its like muscle memory, get loads of figures going through your hands, you will remember how to hold the brush, how to apply the paint and you can staret your path to improvement.

H: All too true mate! I obviously need to ask the question, what has been your favourite project to work on since you started?

M: Looking back I would say its those pieces that I regarded I had stepped up. In the early days I did a Saruman and a Cave Troll that I was immensely pleased with. I did a Mamuk diorama, which was my first and a big learning curve. In recent times it has been non LOTR which has pleased me most. Gokan was my first non LOTR and my first 54mm figure. It was great to work this bigger scale and I learnt a lot. My work on Glottkin is perhaps some of my best ever. And back to LOTR, I did a NMM Elf Command piece that I was delighted with. I am currenly working on Smaug as a commission piece and this is starting to look good so fingers crossed on that one.

H: Some fantastic models in your blog too mate! Thanks so much for letting me interview you today, and more importantly, seeing your amazing diorama!

M: You are very welcome and thank you for showing your interest in my work.

Thanks again Mally and merry Christmas to you all!

Episode Two - A New Hope

Seasons Greetings SBG fans and Fanettes! 

Welcome to the last fan post of 2015, as Old Man Jind tells us what he makes of the recent change of direct by GW towards SBG, and why it reminds him of when he was manning the walls at the siege of Vienna...

There have been countless wars & battles in the history of mankind, but one battle in particular stands out, and that is the siege of Vienna in 1529…

The mighty Ottoman Empire was marching to take control of Hungary, and hungrily (inset slow clap here) set their sights on the all but abandoned city of Vienna. 

Just 20,000 defenders (and Old Man Jind), along with 75 artillery pieces, mustered to repel over 100,000 attackers who had brought over 500 artillery pieces. 

As part of their siege tactics the Ottomans dug numerous tunnels as a means to enter the City, but were stymied by an all-but retied 70-year old German Mercenary by the name of Nikalas Graf Salm who instructed the defenders to place bowls of water filled with dried peas around the walls. 

Let’s go over that last part again just to make sure we understand his tactic – bowls of water filled with dried peas to be placed along the walls…against 100,000 men and 500 artillery pieces…

And it worked! The Ottomans gave up the siege taking heavy losses, I’m guessing after being confronted by the sight of bowls of dried peas – because that would terrify any sane person – and it makes you think that perhaps Gandalf COULD HAVE DONE A LOT better when commanding the defence of Minas Tirith during the War of the Ring! He had magic to command, and yet he didn’t conjure up a single water filled bowel of dried peas!

So why does Old Man Jind draw parallels with GW’s recent decisions about SBG to the siege of Vienna?

- Well just like Vienna our beloved game had been all but abandoned

- We are heavily out numbered in the world of table top war gaming, making up the smallest percentage of GW sales, just as the citizens of Vienna were

- Bowls of water filled with dried peas saved Vienna, as will the three new GW Middle Earth team members will save SBG

And the excitement doesn’t stop there…

- Throne of Skulls including SBG

- GBHL Tom & Damien reprinted issues 1 & 2 of the SBG magazine 

- Ardacon 2016 seems poised to be perhaps the largest SBG event of all time (until Ardacon 2017 of course)

There hasn’t been a more exciting time to be in the hobby than now, and Old Man Jind for one is excited to see how the bowls of dried peas will work out for GW!

A very happy new year to everyone, and happy Strategy Battling!

Christmas & Terrain!

I hope that every one had a very Merry Christmas! Today I am uploading the photos from my new partnered Terrain Maker! I love all of these terrain pieces, but if I had to choose my favourite one, it would definitely be the Watchtower with the LED light!

Terrain Partnership!

I am starting a partnership with a Terrain Maker! There will be more frequent uploads soonish, so don't worry! Here are the first few pieces of terrain :D

Old Man Jind #1

Hopefully yet another weekly post from Jind Singh!

Season's Greetings & welcome to today's word with Old Man Jind!
"Painting models is painful, while I love the concept painted models the act of painting is a royal pain. ...I'm not fast, not the best technically, and frankly painting is akin to physical suffering!"

Yet Old Man Jind cranked out a 1,000pt army of Erebor in just over 2 weeks! The same person who’s not painted an entire army in 28 years of table top gaming!
We asked him what had finally changed after 28 years of playing with UNPAINTED MINATURES! Here were his top 3 answers…

1) GET OVER IT! I had to accept that in order to paint every model to the standard that I had set myself would mean…no army would ever be painted! I had to be happy with what I had done, and believe me when you see an entire army painted, no matter to what skill level, it’s about as good an accomplishment a hobbyist can ask for!

2) Challenge Accepted! Nothing is better than healthy pressure, this could be an upcoming event or a friendly bet, anything that gets you motivated! I bet my mate on weekly painting targets, if we succeeded we’d buy ourselves a treat (a character in our case). If we FAILED our target we ALSO had to buy our mate his treat! I like my mate, but not enough to buy him a model outside his birthday/xmas!

3) Break it down! Nothing kills more than hobby burn out - stick to a small target; say 30 minutes, of hobby time 2-4 times a week at most. You'll be amazed in how much you can accomplish! If anything you’re more productive as you keep focused and try to squeeze out as much as you can in that short period of time.

And at the end of the day when I look at my army it brings me an unique of joy – almost as joyful as when I saw my baby being born!

So if Old Man Jind can do it we all think that you can too!

An Interview with Mark Barbet!

An Interview with Mark Barbet! They are very long, but packed with content! If you want to do something like this, drop me a message using the Message button at the top of my facebook page :)!This is a one-off interview from the weekly interviews starting on Friday the 25th (I know that day... :D )

 H: Hi there Mark! How are you?
M: Hi there Harrison. Very well thanks.
H: Good to hear! Let's talk about, how long you have been into the hobby.
M: OK Harrison. I'm only recently getting back into the hobby, after a good ten year break. Having two young children, I needed to find a hobby where I could relax and get a little rest and relaxation. I've currently been painting for the last 4 months, and I'm learning still on each miniature I finish.
H: Well if I am sure on one thing, you are churning miniatures out! What would you say your favourite miniature has been to paint since you have come back?
M: Many hours have been spent in my newly converted man cave Harrison. I started off my hobby again with a riders of rohan set from GW. I will say these are my favourite so far.
H: Well they sure do look great! I must say that I am quite a fan of the picture of them fighting the Goblin Town Goblins! In that picture, you also have a very nicely painted set of Citadel Woods. Were they easy to paint for you, after a ten year break?
M: Thankyou Harrison. I picked up the citadel woods a week after picking up the riders of rohan. I'm not going to lie, it was a little daunting once I opened the box and remembered what was involved again. But as they say.. It's just like riding a bike. I assembled, primed and started the woods on a Monday evening, and had completed it by the Friday. Time from start to finish was approx 7 hours. It was then that I got bitten by the bug again and remembered what a truly enjoyable hobby this is.
H: Well it is truly enjoyable Mark! You mentioned you Man Cave too! So what is your Man Cave all about?
M: OK Harrison. So we live in a bungalow, and since my two young daughters have arrived, I found myself needing a space where I could concentrate and not be disturbed.. The dinner table just wasn't cutting it anymore.. So then I had an idea... Attached to the back of bungalow is a old coal shed, all it contained was junk, a freezer a general garden furniture. I set about creating a new space for myself to use. The shed was gutted, painted, carpet and carpet put down. I then picked up various bits and pieces from friends and family. My desk came of the side of the road and started off as a old computer type desk that I modified to fit. It's ideal for holding all my paints and tools for the hobby. I'm lucky to have multiple power points in the shed aswell as a double glazed window. Next up was cd player, heater, lava lamp and a couple of desk lamps. I then decorated with posters and pics that are special to me. It's now a great little haven to retreat to when the bungalow gets a little too loud for my liking.. Every man needs a quiet space right??
H: Right! Well I have a similar space! We had a shed in our garden that I turned into a gaming shed. Well anyway enough about me, as it is your interview! So what can we expect to see from you in the future Mark?
M: I'm glad it's not just me who lusts for a little peace and quiet now and again Harrison. So I find myself looking at various online auction sites and the games workshop site most evenings now. My dear wife is pleased I'm back into the hobby, and has just recently purchased me the great eagles set from the hobbit range. I will be working on this fantastic birds over the Christmas period after spending time with my wife and children of course. After that I'm hoping to purchase the escape from Goblin town set along with some extra scenery.
H: Everyone needs a little piece every now and then and I am glad you get support in your hobby! Great Eagles are beautiful models, so I can't wait to see what you do with them, along with EFGT and the scenery! Thank you very much for being interviewed by myself, and I hope that some readers can see you again in another interview! Thanks again!
M: It's been my pleasure Harrison. It's fantastic to speak to like minded people who really appreciate this fantastic pastime. Keep up the great work on your site, and I look forward to speaking to you again soon. I will be sure to keep you updated on my progress with the Eagles and another couple of small pieces along the way. Thanks for your time. Mark.



 

I'd just like to give a huge shoutout to Mark Barbet! He is a great guy, and great to talk to! He can be

 in another interview for sure!

New Additions!

Today I have some unpainted models, but nevertheless, some great models! A lot of people think that their faces look too similar (of which I mostly agree on), but they are supposed to look similar!

 

Glorfindel

 

Glorfindel is such a cool model. His High Elf armour is the same as other high elves, but still nice. He has a cool Elven Blade, that any High Elf Hero would never leave home without! He also has a beautiful cape, that will really lend itself to painting.

 





Erestor

 

Next up is Glorfindel again-I mean Erestor ;). Even though he has a similar head, if not the same, he still looks quite unique! He has two nice long daggers, which have great special rules in-game. Nice armour, and a different kind of cloak. He is definitely a nice model as well as Glorfindel.

 

Overall, these new models are very nice, so I can't wait to get them painted and field them in a battle. If all goes well, I should be able to upload on the 2nd in the New Year some battle pictures of The Three Hunters taking on a opponent!

 

 

Sigmarines!

Age of Sigmar. Some people are not fans of AoS, but personally, I think it can be a fantastic game if you play friendly games! Some of my personal favourites from the range, are the new Stormcast Eternals, or more commonly known as: SIGMARINES!!! They have fantastic armour, and even though they don't look like original fantasy, they still look amazing!

 

Sigmarine Force (Painted by Dream Painting Studio)

 

 

The Sigmarines are a force to be reckoned with! Giant shields, wings and hammers, what's not to like!? I picture them fighting Chaos, like it's the end of the world...OH WAIT!

 

Sigmarine Prosectutor (Painted by Dream Painting Studio)

 

 

I love the feel that GW has given the prosecutors, they are so dynamic and you can easily picture them hammering through endless Chaos!

 

Sigmarine Liberators (Painted by Dream Painting Studio)















 

And then you have the liberators. How on earth have GW made the normal unit still look so cool!? A lot of people in the community think that they are too much like 40k, but they are still very cool in

my opinion!

 

Lord Celestant on Dracoth (Painted by Dream Painting Studio)

 

When the starter set first came out, this guy really caught my eye. He is by far, one of my favourite models from the Sigmarine army, and I think it is clear why! He is riding a Dracoth, which is itself, a very cool model.

 

Overall, even though a lot of people in the community are not fans of the new game, I am sure that I will support it, just because the models look cool!

Elrond, Gil-Galad and The Three Hunters!

The first of what will hopefully be many! I am a massive fan of LoTR, so here are some of my favourite characters from the franchise!

 

Elrond and Gil-Galad (Painted by Dream Painting Studio)

 

I love the first scene in the Fellowship of the Ring, with the great Last Alliance Battle, and I wanted  a very similar army! So what better to start with, than the great Gil-Galad and Elrond!? I am a fan of their look from the films and they even have some great profiles in-game. So that's the start of my High Elf and Numenor Last Alliance army!

 

The Three Hunters (Painted by Dream Painting Studio)

 

Next up are the fearsome trio! The Three Hunters; Aragon, Legolas and Gimli. Where do I begin with these guys? These are some of my favourite models produced from Games Workshop's LoTR SGB range! The sculptor really captured them well from the film, whilst they are chasing the Uruk-Hai, to get Merry and Pippin back.

 

Overall, I really like these miniatures and I can't wait to get more of the Elven/Men Army and field the Three Hunters in a friendly and themey game!