We meet again, at the turn of the tide.

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Hobby progress these last couple of months has been slow. Real slow. Without the deadlines from events, conventions and tournaments I’ve lost both direction and drive. Turns out that just doing hobby does not light my fire.

The solution? Create some arbitrary deadlines and a group to hold me accountable. News From the Front! will be a collection of hobby progress articles from the Chicago Dice crew. We are taking inspiration from the classic Tale of Four Generals, but for us, each participant can choose whatever project / game / system they’d like. The current plan is a new article every Monday. We have four participants giving us each a solid month between deadlines. That should be plenty of time…

Project overview

For my project I am going to tackle something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Why now? I’m not sure. Maybe it’s nostalgia? A true love for Tolkien’s world? The new edition of Middle-Earth Strategy Battle Game? Whatever it is, I am fully on the hype train for Rohan, the home of the horse lords. So far this November I haven’t done much building or painting. But I have been collecting. That might be where this project sprang from – a growing collection of Lord of the Rings minis from Games Workshop. I’m talking about the OG metal ones, the first range sculpted by the Perry brothers. These minis are the ones released when I first started my hobby journey all those years ago.

Thus, I’ve answered the siren’s call and am now fully invested to build and paint a large and diverse Rohan force for use in MESBG.

The Goal

In an attempt to limit project scope creep, the first target is a Defenders of Helm’s Deep Legendary Legion for MESBG Matched Play. I’ve already collected many of the original Heroes. Following my classic ‘theme first’ approach that I use for my Bolt Action armies I want to create a diverse force that contains a mix of heroes, Rohirrim, and elves. The first models to hit the paint station will be the peasant levy of Rohirrim left to defend the Keep. Once I’ve gotten back in the swing of things I’ll start on the gorgeous ranks of Haldir’s Elves (OG metals). After that – that’s got to be Eomir and the resplendent cavalry charge.

No school like the old school.

Inspiration from WD 276 – Jan. 2003!

While all that is going on I’m also planning to complete a Rohan themed table. I already have a luxurious Killing Fields Battlemat and it will be the perfect base for a Rohan table. I’ll need to scoop up a few Rohan Houses and I’ll supplement with some from Renedra as well. Add in a few rocky outcroppings and you’ve got yourself a table!

The ultimate goal…

Renedra kits to supplement the GW Rohan Houses.

For now, I’m still in building mode. There is a lot to do before I can bust out the paints. However, consider this mission a failure if I don’t have painted models to share by the next update. The clock has officially started ticking.

The humble beginnings.

Progress Report

Until next time, Forth Eorlingas!