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Thursday 6 August 2015

The Trolltooth Wars: Strongarms and Legionaries


As has now become a traditional part in the preparations for BOYL, I was extremely rushed in finishing things off for the big weekend (despite having had a year to get ready!) and not everything was 100% finished in the end! Added to that was the dearth of blog posts charting each unit or army I had finished as I was busy furiously painting.


In my defence I would cite the pressures of my job - the Summer term in particular is horribly busy in terms of SATs tests and all the follow up and analysis, report writing and all the other pleasures of wrapping up another academic year. Added to that was our preparations (lots of sorting out, tidying up and redecorating!) for selling up in York and moving out to the wilds of Cumbria later in the year...


Anyhow, enough prevaricating!

I spent some time searching for suitable minis to represent the Strongarm mercenaries. Somehow a lot of the old Citadel Men-at-Arms and Fighters I already had didn't feel right - too tied in to a particular period or pseudo-historical vibe. The same went for War of the Roses era Perry or Front Rank stuff - too recognisable as something from the real world.

I needed something with a whiff of Allansia - some fantasy style henchmen. Hmm, where would I find an abundance of henchmen who weren't directly inspired by a specific historical period...


So I went on a mission to gather together 36 Advance Heroquest henchmen!


Wednesday 5 August 2015

BOYL 2015 - The Trolltooth Wars Have Begun!

 It started with an ambush. When Balthus Dire's bloodlusting Hill Goblins mount their raid on the Strongarm caravan, little do they realise what dramatic consequences their actions will have. For that caravan carries Cunnelwort, a mystical herb from Eastern Allansia, destined for none other than the evil srceror, Zharradan Marr!

War - between two forces well-matched for evil - is soon to ensue...

(Steve Jackson, The Trolltooth Wars. 1989)

Fast forward twenty six years and the dramatic events that unfold in what has to be one of my favourite fantasy novels of all time have finally made it to the table top!


Illustration - Russ Nicholson

Long have I muttered about playing out the action described in The Trolltooth Wars with my good friend Warlord Paul and we finally got the ball rolling in style on the first day of BOYL 2015.