Dwarves and Hairless Chickens

When one thinks of Dwarves, one thinks of Celto-Norse berserker types a la Tolkien, horned helmets, chainmail, knot patterns on every surface, etc. Occasionally a painter can move away from the stereotype and work on a different style of the vertically-challenged, beer-swilling psychos.

West Wind Productions have produced a series of very interesting figures and one of my patrons, Chris Blaxland-Walker de Medici provided me with the opportunity to partake of their fare.

I like them. I like getting away from the established norm and playing with a different concept. So a couple of Macedonian style pike blocks were right up my alley.

Lots of bronze, leather pteruges (the leather skirts named for their resemblance to feathers) and small round spiked shields. Their eyes are shadowed by the heavy bronze helmets and their long, iron-pointed sarissas make a formidable addition to any dwarf army. Imagine another eighty of these guys marching across a field.

As a nod to the Celto-Nordic ambience of the dwarves, I have used some Nordic design features but the appearance is purely cosmetic.

It's just something a little different from your run-of-the-mill. Looking forward to doing a couple of cohorts of the Roman dwarves from the same range. The shields are already done.

My other patron, David "Julius II" Veasey (Il Papa Guerriero), has given me permission to rest from building his Golcondan forces and I can attack the backlog of WH40K that have been taking up room for the past few years. These include Tau, Kroot, Necromunda and various Marine units, as well as the Space Rat army, presently in pre-planning.

To this end I have finished a set of figures that have haunted my shelves for nearly ten years.

The mighty Knarlocs, Kroot war beasts, a cross between dinosaurs and hairless chickens.

In keeping with the otherworldly aspect I chose a colour pattern of deep green as the base skin tone, with lighter green undertone for belly and the inside of limbs, with deep red markings. Talons, beak and spikes were in bone, which to my eye always makes for a vicious appearance.

Mounted on the beast are two Kroot, manning an auto-crossbow. I strung the bow using quilting thread, specifically Güttermann 5201. Thin enough to be to scale and, unlike other thread, doesn't get furry with paint or varnish.

Three unmounted, wild Knarlocs complete the group.

And as outriders, three smaller Knarlocs with Kroot riders.

Check out the nifty over-the-shoulder carbine of the first outrider. A spare is provided in the set, which I will use later.

The Knarlocs are Forgeworld resin. And some of their best pieces, in my humble opinion.

More to come, painting another troop of Kroot right now, then more Necromunda for D"PJ"V, and probably Republican 3rd Hussars for CBWdM.

Cheers
PC