The Empire Responds to the invasion of the Uruk Hai

I love those skeletons. It would take a team of ex soviet scientists a full day of unsanctioned methods to figure out the true depths of why that is. It’s the harryhausen feels. It’s the excellent design of the sprue to give so many options from such simple components. But most of all it’s the hard historical grounding given to these fantasy creatures.

I like my fantasy to feel REAL. Sure you make your chosen abstraction, magic, breath fire, looks like a Rottweiler…..in this case they’re dead. As dead as dead Tom. But that’s it, end of rule breaking. No more. Then you take the idea for a walk to do as much as you can to make it work. Proper proportions, these skeletons feel like they would fit inside a landsknechts meat-suit. The weapons are good historical representations and the transfers on the shields are a joy. This allows me to immerse myself in the world. Lord of the rings is excellent precisely because it draws from a rich seem of historic truths and literary traditions to make it feel REAL. Even though the details are entirely made up, like Uruk hai armour. It would work if it existed, the orcs are not steroid hulks, they just look like strong men. Real. These WOE skeletons are from the same breed of thought and superb because of it.

I’ve bought many sprues from warlord and adapted them to my fantastical desires but none have been so adaptable as the warlords of Erehwon skeletons.  I have managed to make this whole army from 1.6 boxes of the Children of the hydras teeth set (with tons of spares!) I’ve got 1.4 sets left to make up and I can’t wait.

Right off the sprue, I can make 4 combos of spearmen with shields for 4 slightly different feeling regiments. Same for the swordsman’s and there are arms for bowman. Fabulous Darling!

But wait,  there’s more dribbling to be done…. they fit other sprues perfectly for conversions, because they are proportioned correctly for 28mm historics. I can take the spare pieces from my landsknecht missile troops and rob them of the quarrel pouch and crossbows to make a skeleton crossbow regiment. I can even combine them with older medieval historic crossbowmen to make a real flavourful regiment. The great joy for me was the pikes however, the skeleton sprue is made from a type of polymer that allows them to be bent quite freely without breaking easily. I don’t need to heat them up or use solvent glued to melt them. Just get my hairy paw and bend it. This has allowed me to pose them pleasingly to be in a proper pike formation, and I can give them Greek helmets from the spares from warlords Greek sets! The pikes do need weighing down a bit as they can be top heavy with brass rod pikes. But again the sprue comes up top trumps, hollowed out square bases are included that fit a five pence piece perfectly on the underside. Queeny’s dearly departed visage not obscured of course! (Cue salute ?)

When it came to painting them it was so crisply full of detail, that a fantastic effect can be had with washes and dry brushing. So quick to do and the shield transfers take subsequent stains and washes very well without shifting, so they can be weathered very nicely. I found an aged bronze effect most pleasing using army painters stuff.

I’m currently working on some foot knights that are undead, using spare components from these skeleton sprues. And a siege cannon crew. And some chariot crews. I may even do some Bat riders with skellies stood up on their backs like Celtic wild riders. But that could be a little high fantasy for me.

I would love to get some conversion kits. Perhaps other weapon options such as halberds, Sweihander swords, different shields maybe the odd armour piece or variant helmets to fit to skulls. Or skulls with morion helmets or landsknecht hats, pistols, arquebus etc. just to speed up conversions.

But most of all, I would dearly love a couple horses so I could convert some cavalry or baggage carts. Maybe? Uncle Warlord?? Just some teeny tiny metal conversion kits?

Not asking for the pike and shotte Generals Coach to have a conversion kit of skeleton screaming rider with raised wip and a mysterious fanged fellow stroking the cheek of a poor, helpless, scared, bound and gagged victim on the inner seats of the cab as a conversion kit!? No indeedy.

Buuuut……horses. I think the riders can be easily made out of the Erehwon sprue as the plastic bends so beautifully. So who does decent skeleton horses?