It exists! Osprey sent me an advance copy of my new game, Hairfoot Jousting. The first game I have written that could probably be called 'cute'. I believe it will be available in late May! And yes, you need 4d6 to play the game. More information coming soon!
12 Spearmen
10 Swordsmen
10 Archers
6 Knights on Foot
2 Mounted Knights
3 Rangers
2 Men-at-Arms
1 Knight Captain
Prince Imrahil on Foot
I've got 5 more mounted knights waiting to be painted, which is the biggest hole in the army at the moment. Cavalry just takes so long to paint! I'd also like to get a few more rangers to get that unit up to 6 or 8. And beef the swordsmen and archer units up to 12.
I really should paint up the mounted Imrahil, though I'm not a huge fan of the official figure. I've been thinking about conversions. For the moment, I might just use my 1 metal knight to represent him.
Longer term, I'd like to get a ballista for when they are fighting on the defensive. I'd also like to make a supply wagon as a scenery piece / objective marker.
Being a hard-core Tolkien nerd, I’ve known this movie was coming for a long-time, though I was undecided on whether to see it. Would it fill me with joy like The Fellowship of the Ring? Or fill me with bitterness like The Battle of the Five Armies? I read a few reviews, but they were so mixed as to be unhelpful. Eventually, I decided I was overthinking it, and I should just go and try to enjoy it. And even if I didn’t enjoy it, at least I would be able to talk about it!
I prefer to go to the cinema at off-peak times, so I knocked off early yesterday. It was only showing on the IMAX at the big multiplex, so I overpaid for my ticket and then overpaid for my popcorn. There was no one else in the theatre when I arrived… and so it stayed, a vast, empty room. Thankfully, I’m generally happy with my own company, and moved to sit right in the middle! I read a book while the adverts played, slightly worried they might decide not to show it for only one person (which did happen to me once!). Eventually, the movie began.
It was a strange ride, but I enjoyed it. The story itself is strong. It includes the whole tale of Helm Hammerhand as Tolkien wrote it – but obviously needed to add a lot to turn 3 printed pages into a film. Most of this addition comes in the form of Helm’s heroic daughter, Hera. She get’s her own story, intertwined with her father’s. Both are well told. The characters aren’t particularly deep, but this is fairytale not literature, and on that level, it succeeds.
Where it is less consistent is the animation. The movie opens with a beautiful shot of the map of Middle-Earth fading into actual mountains. A moment later, a giant eagle flies past… the eagle appears hastily drawn on top of the gorgeous background. For a moment my heart sunk. On the whole though, the animation is good, and sometimes it is utterly fantastic… but there are moments throughout that look either unfinished or rushed, which is a shame. A couple of moments did seem more ‘anime’ than ‘Middle-Earth’. The animation is going to lose a lot of people.
I have seen complaints that the movie is too long. I don’t agree, most of what is there is necessary.
I have seen complaints that Hera is a ‘Mary Sue’ (a flawless
heroic woman). These are baseless. She is heroic and competent, but she needs
help as often as she gives it.
I was hoping to take my 8-year-old son to see the movie, but there are a few character deaths that are too rough for a sensitive soul.
The War of the Rohirrim is far from a perfect movie, but for my money (and I spent plenty to see it), it is a good one. More than a Tolkien fan should ever expect for the story of Helm Hammerhand! I probably won’t rush to see it again in theatre, but I’m glad that I went, and I will buy it on Blu-Ray when it is released.
If you want to see it in theatre, I suggest going soon. Based on my own experience, it won’t be there long…
There is a beautiful scene in The Lord of the Rings where Frodo, Sam, and Gollum come across an old statue of a Gondorian king that has been defiled by the orcs. The broken head lies nearby, and Frodo notes that nature has crowned it with a ring of flowers.
Obviously the hobbits were walking through a region that had once been strongly held by Gondor... but at some point they must have crossed an invisible line into lands that were more traditionally held by Mordor, where the evil powers might have constructed their own statues. That was my idea here anyway.
The statue is from Gale Force 9's Egyptian line. It's a nice piece straight out of the box, but I decided that I'm unlikely ever to assemble a lot of desert terrain, so I decided I would repurpose it for a more temperate climate. So, I primed it black and painted various layers of grey over that. Then I gave it a coating of flock and added a few scenic tufts. Finally, I gave it a few flowers popping up. So here we have ancient evil, but still beauty and life persevere. How very Tolkien.
The statue does still show it's Egyptian influence with the headdress, but I think it looks generically evil enough to work for Mordor. It's a chunky piece and a good size to force tactical decisions on a battlefield without dominating a table. I actually have a second one, which I will probably give the same treatment at some point.
Knock knock
Who's there?
Moo.
Moo Who?
I hate it when cows cry...
The walk to school with my daughter produces another classic!
