Arthedain Arequain and Requain

Participating in the Wargaming in Middle Earth FB group has inspired me to finish another squadron of Arthedain cavalry - these are Arequain, or royal knights.  They wear the midnight-blue surcoats and bear the silver star of Arnor (I wasn't about to free-hand the plethora of Arthedain stars) upon each of their shields.

These miniature are part of the Scotia Grendel generic fantasy line and are listed as Men of the West Cavalry. There is also a command pack.

Also, in finishing the arequain, I found the shields for the requain (knights), finished some time ago, so I snapped a photie of the combined force. The requain have golden Arnorian stars on their shields.

There are some banners in the works, but Illuvatar knows when I'll get round to them. I've started working on some Northman mercenary cavalry for Cardolan to use, to give these fellows some opposition.

- Namarie'-

New Project: The Ruin of Eregion

Christmas was good, here in Arthedain.  The wife has been espying my on-line ramblings and surprised me with some gaming stuff. Amongst this years gifts were a 28mm mausoleum (for a 7th Adventure game) and the Mithril Miniatures pack "Annatar Fighting Celebrimbor".

Miniatures from Mithril Miniatures

As a set piece, these models are great. Celebrimbor is retreating - he cannot defeat Annatar (who is really Sauron is his fair, Vanyarin form). Note the advancing posture and the upswept hair on Annatar? That's either fire, or way too much mousse. With his hand in the air, it looks to me like Annatar is flaunting the Ruling Ring, and on his left hand, he's basically showing he's married to himself.

 All this said, this is not the best casting for actual miniature gaming. Back in the late 90's, Mithril came under pressure, from GW, to cease production of gaming figures for Middle Earth - some twenty years later, we gamers are still paying the price.

So, some simple conversion is in order. Pictured below are some specialty bases, dressed up thematically to evoke an Elven setting.. 

Miniatures from Mithril Miniatures, bases by Rystul

In this case, these 30mm bases are from Ristul's Extraordinary Market "Elven Rosarium" line. They are not listed on Ristul's webpage, that I can find, but they are (or at least were) listed at Noble Knight.

The new basing works pretty well - Annatar was slightly problematic, because of that trailing "on point" foot. Twice epoxied seems to have settled that issue. The shattered elven-style masonry adds to the theme, and the idea of the delicate roses being trodden underfoot by war and destruction heightens the sad undertone of the Ruin of Eregion and the fall of Ost-in-Edhel.

I'll be working up stats for the various figures, using Knights & Magick, with some additional bits from RoleMaster/Merp and also from the LotR battle game.

-Namarie'-