Battle Report - Middle Earth Goblin Town Vs Harad, Game 1 #MESBG

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity I've been playing MESBG again at Warhammer World! We had signed up for a midweek event again, just 500pts, 3 games. But this time we went down the day before, had a game and stayed overnight, so we were fresh the next day to do battle. But the 

Here's my 500 point warband with the 'might bank' from the captain's to buff the King with the Scribe.

• The Goblin King with 10 Goblins
• Grinnah with 6 Goblins
• The Scribe with 6 Goblins
• Goblin captain with 6 Goblins
• Goblin captain with 6 Goblins

First game and it was Robert Burton with his 'Norse' themed Harad - his Mummakil was actually covered in sculpted green stuff fur to make it a Mammothkil!

• War Mumak of Harad
• Mahud Beast Master
• Gnarled Hide
• Tusk Weapons
• Rocks
• Rappelling Lines
• Sigils of Defiance
• 12 Haradrim Warriors
• 6 Bows
• Banner
• Warhorn

Not sure how much a battle report these are going to be as I can't remember much. I don't even recall the mission, I think there was just a central objective. Luckily I took a picture, it was Hold Ground, and a picture of Robert and I too!

I've never played against a Mumak, Scott had two and they're in the shed, but they've never been in a game I've played. I'm aware they play similar to the Great Beast [giant rhino], but they're rules are quite difficult to fathom. But I needed my drum back at least.

I tried to use the small ruin to get in the way of the Mumak. I threw a goblin at the Beast Master and missed.

But he was still able to swipe half a dozen goblins, each being trampled by 4 Strength 9 hits! However, I managed to get the Goblin King and 8 goblins into combat with it. No duel roll, just hits and the King singing re-roll 1's to wound. I think we got 3 or 4 wounds on it, with the re-rolls. I was quite chuffed until I discovered it had 10 wounds, I think I thought it'd be 6.

The Haradrim started lobbing rocks at the goblins, killing a fair few at Strength 6. A few rappelled down to get to the objective, but at least one died, possibly two. I recall thinking Robert had done more harm to his army than I had. I think one got to the objective, but the Mumak was holding it all by itself anyway! The Mumak trampled through the rest of the goblins, turned round, came back for the King who's blubbery mass just stopped it dead in its tracks. I think I managed to put another wound or two on it.

I didn't have much left at the end, just The Scribe. We totted up the points and thought it was 17:0, but then discovered that because I didn't have a banner I still automatically got 2 VPs, so it was 17:2

OK, so I had no chance against the Mumak. That seems like something I would have to practice against beforehand to develop a plan on how to cope. I had some prior experience with the Fangorn challenge of the Ents, but this just doesn't work the same. It was doable, the first round of wounds could have been one or two more with luck. Some better understanding of positioning might have kept more goblins alive to try and chip away at it but inexperience prevailed.

A good game and Robert's army was really interesting to play against.

Battle Report - Middle Earth Goblin Town Vs Moria Goblins, Game 0 #MESBG

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity I've been playing MESBG again at Warhammer World! We had signed up for a midweek event again, just 500pts, 3 games. But this time we went down the day before, had a game and stayed overnight, so we were fresh the next day to do battle. But the 

Here's my 500 point warband with the 'might bank' from the captain's to buff the King with the Scribe.

• The Goblin King with 10 Goblins
• Grinnah with 6 Goblins
• The Scribe with 6 Goblins
• Goblin captain with 6 Goblins
• Goblin captain with 6 Goblins

And Otty's list:

• Drûzhag the Beastcaller, Bat Swarm, Mirkwood hunting Spider, 5 Fell Wargs
• Cave Drake and 1 Moria Goblin [bow]
• Moria Goblin Captain, 5 Goblins [shield], 3 Goblins [bow], 1 Goblin [spear]
• Moria Goblin Captain, 5 Goblins [shield], 3 Goblins [bow], 1 Goblin [spear]

Not sure how much a battle report these are going to be as I can't remember much. I don't even recall the mission, there were objectives and it was corner deployment. I didn't even get a selfie with Otty, so here's Ben and Otty deep in discussion at Bugman's beforehand.

I had the King, Scribe and Grinnah in the bottom right corner and the 2 Captains and their warbands in the top left. I called Heroic March twice with the King. The Scribe ensured all my goblins got the 3" bonus. I then used Grinnah to repay the spent Might

This was an attempt to outmanoeuvre the slower Moria Goblins and get to the central objective. Unfortunately the Cave Drake, Spider, Wargs and Bat Swarms have comparable speed after I marched. However, despite its fierceness the Drake's push forward ptu it close to the King. 

Who was able to smash it to bits with the help of his rabble and some poor dice rolls by Otty.

I have so little recollection of what actually happened but I think he'd been broken at some point and just started to lose models. I may have been broken too but the King was keeping everyone in check.

Then I was just rolling out of my skin - five 6's in a row.

The Kin just brutalised everyone, and being my General next to the central objective scored a lot of VP's alongside the other captured  objectives. Not sure what the score was but I think I won convincingly this time round.

Bugman's is a great venue, the coffee is decent.

This caramel brownie, was a little dry but very rich and almost decent value for the size of the beast!

We stayed at the Nottinghamshire Golf resort for the evening and had their Stack Burger [£17.95] with fries and 2 onion ring. The second best burger I've ever had. No gimmicks, just good quality ingredients, excellently prepared.

Battle Record - Middle Earth Goblin Town Vs Moria Goblins #MESBG 07/06/26

Afternoon #Warhammer Community I've been playing MESBG again in preparation for going to Warhammer World! It was Otty and I for this Sunday night reminder of how to play the game, get used to his new Moria army and remind me how to play my Goblin Town.

Oh boy, I can't remember what the mission was, I think there are objectives dotted around. I have to protect mine and capture/destroy Otty's.

The usual singing rabble.

Otty has a custom Moria army, built around the rules Drûzhag the Beastcaller, but made as early history Sauron. He's accompanied by his vampire girlfriend [bat swarm], a giant Fell Warg [Mirkwood Hunting Spider] a Cave Drake, Wargs and Goblin Warriors, all with head swaps!

I think I got priority and headed up the board, but sent some goblins back to my objectives

I completely failed to screen The Scribe and he was killed by a Goblin archer. Lesson learned. The Cave Drake smashed through the trees but I sent some gobbos back to try and screen the objectives.

They weren't much of a speed bump, but Otty has some awful Duel roll's. I think I failed to capitalise after winning one and then somehow a Goblin did put a wound on the Drake. 

Meanwhile I committed the Goblin King to go for Otty's objectives. He fought a Goblin Captain at one point and captured him, putting him in his crotch pouch to score a bonus VP.

The Drake was joined by 2 Wargs.

And I think this proved too much, with Drûzhag enraging the Drake .

The King went for the Warg [hunting spider] while the rest of the rabble tied up the Moria Goblins and try to destroy his objective.

The ebasts continued to savage my defence.

I kept the 'spider' occupied and headed for the middle objective.

But the beasts were surrounding my objectives too. I may have kept the last Warg away fromt he one near the tower.

I can't remember what the score was. I don't recall if that Goblin King prisoner made the difference but it was a lot of fun, as usual. Otty was dismissive of The Scribe, but that was because I put it in a vulnerable position. I will try not to do that on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, they have set up a new Bolt Action Operation Sea Lion board with a whole new German force that just seems to have appeared from nowhere. 

I think they're going to the Phalanx wargames event to showcase the board and this was a test.

Much more terrain than the last time we played.

It feels like an actual village now.

Imperial Knights - Cerastus Twins in manufactorum pt4. - Hatches

Afternoon #Warhammer Community it's been a while for hobby updates. After the Capillary Towers I've spent some time finishing off the hatches on the Cerastus Knights so that they open/close. I've started some other projects, built and primed, but they're top secret for a while. My son visited for half-term as well, which meant we watched anime rather than hobbying. So apologies for the quiet. Anyway, how to make your hatch open/close - drill either side of the hatch hinge socket and then cut out the top bits. 

Drill through the hinge and glue a metal pin into the hole.

Make some 'sprue-goo' I used the drill swarf and bits I removed from either side of the hinge socket. Chopped finely, mixed with polycement and splodged on. 

After a days rest I then smoothed it down with scalpel and fine sanding pads.

It's not perfect, but the texture and damage I will add will hide any issues. 

I also added a hatch on each of them. The left one is a plastic handle, from the carapace launcher. But it was very small so I had doubts it would be helpful when used to actually open the hatch. So I created a staple from a metal rod which is more substantial. But, it's not straight and the primer rubs of easily, just like old white metal models!

Well, it was an experiment in different choices. Anyway, you can see they're primed now and I'm starting to add the metallics. A tedious task and one made less appealing to record. I'll probably do my next WiP when the first highlight is done but the sub-assemblies are not conducive to good blog content. Not to mention [as I have many, many times] I just find metallics unpleasant to paint. All the glitter in your paint water and brushes that refuse to clean properly - yuk! However, these two are THE primary project and when the metallics are done we will make lots of progress. I want them complete by the end of the hobby season, and if I'm lucky the two secret squirrel projects. These Knights have been ongoing for over 2 years - it's about time they got TO DONE!

'nids part 387 - Terrain is everything - 3D printed capillary towers - TO DONE! 🔴⚪

Afternoon #Warhammer Community I've been #PaintingWarhammer on the 3D printed capillary towers. As the project came to an end I was lax again in keeping track of timing. I did record the red fleshy highlights though.

Red highlights 1, was 68 minutes. Red highlights 2. was 50 minutes. I didn't keep track of anything else.

Further highlights, shading, matt varnish, gloss varnish and Tamiya Clear Red X-27 followed. Really happy with the final result, but I ummed and ahhed for quite along time over the 'value' in hobby points. 

The biggest spires are as big as an Imperial Knight but are they worth 20 points each? I figured the two of them were worth 20 points The medium ones are they 10 points each? If so they're effectively the same value as the big ones. I did think not to worry about it and it balances out only giving the big ones 20 points. But in the end I valued them at 5 points each and the small ones at 2 points each.

Add the 5 point Terrain bonus and the entire suite of towers was valued at 39 points. The MESBG terrain was 80 points [plus 5]. This does feel like half the amount of effort, maybe a little more... 🤷What do you think?

A Great Big Chrome Stamp of Approval adding to my spreadsheet this is worth 39 points [plus 5 bonus terrain points]. Therefore, this brings me up to 289 points for the season so far.

And against the white background. Probably could have done to add a Termagant in for scale but forgot.