A rare GW post (for Dragon Rampant...)

So about once a year or less I pop into a Games Workshop - sorry, Warhammer store - to see what's what.  Even back when I used to play 40k and Warhammer I was a rare visitor to their stores in the last decade or so, as really, there was no point.  They'd try to enthuse you about their games, I'd confuse them by saying I was currently working on a historical army, or using their models/accessories for either a commission or a completely different game.

Such it was a few weeks ago when I dropped into the Leeds store on a whim, at the end of an afternoon's shopping.  GW have upped their game (ahem) in the last few years, and seem to have made some sensible steps forward as far as a company.  I am genuinely pleased to see games like Necromunda, Bloodbowl, and Adeptus Titanicus back on the shelves.  Heck some of the prices even seem better than I used to recall.  But it's still, understandably, a monoculture of gaming.

"So what are you collecting mate?"
"Oh nothing really, I don't play any of your games anymore; but I do still buy the occasional figure for the games I do play." I replied; as a  pack of Gryph-hounds plopped on the counter.

 

"I used to play Warhammer," I continued, throwing him a bone, "but I didn't get on with Age of Sigmar, I switched to other systems."  Naturally he'd never heard of - or at least held to the company line as regards them - Dragon Rampant or Kings of War.

"Oh you should definitely come back to AoS." he proffered helpfully.  "It's really improved since it first came out.

I can't imagine it hasn't, my review of the original release damned it with faint praise but, I'm not tempted.

The only reason at all for buying the Gryph-hounds was that they would make a fun unit to add to my Lion Rampant/Dragon Rampant crossover force.  When going into the realms of fantasy my Feudal English take on the mantle of the Knights of Derpabury; and what could be a better thematic unit for such a force, than the living embodiment of heraldry?

With the pack containing six models for a fairly reasonable (at fantasy figure rates) price of £15, they would make for an ideal unit of Lesser Warbeasts.  Dipping into the stash of plastics, I was able to add a human huntsmaster to the group, both to identify the leader more clearly, and to tie the unit more clearly into the army theme.

 

 As is my preference, I went for a more naturalistic look to the models, using images of Hawks and Eagles for colour reference.  The versions shown on the box are very AoS/GW, pretty gonzo for my tastes.

 

The basing is to match the Feudal/Derpabury troops, rather marshy, with irregular bases cut from MDF.

These were a quick little project, ultimately painted for the Dragon Rampant Facebook Group's monthly painting challenge.  I'm happy with the results.

I look forward to my next trip to GW to see what they have available.

In a year or two....


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