Last of 2022 - Ogre & Goblins

As the year ends, I squeezed in a few final models complete, although I’d been working on them for a while, on and off.

All sculpts from Nick Lund I believe.  The ogre was, if I recall correctly, from Citadel Miniature’s old ‘Chronicle’ range from the ‘80s.  I’d hoped the pale fur on the shoulders would make the dark skinned face stand out more, but it’s not turned out too bad regardless.

The goblins are from Forlorn Hope Games, but I’m pretty sure were originally part of Grenadier’s Fantasy Warriors range.  I couldn’t decide on a skin colour so, taking inspiration from the trolls I did, decided on a mix of colours, for that slightly chaotic look.

I’m not that taken with the GW style of ‘gobbos’ - these are more up my street, mean and cruel looking.  I decided to be brave and go a bit ‘old Skool’ with individual, highly decorated shields.  I’d like to thank all the other painters and bloggers I ‘borrowed’ from or was liberally inspired by in producing these!  

Much as I like them, I couldn’t help but ponder why goblins otherwise dressed in rags would have such highly decorated shields.  I came up with two ideas:

1. They decorate their shields with images of whatever gods or demons they worship, believing they frighten the enemy and bring good fortune, hence the attention paid in comparison to the rest of their gear; or

2. The folk living in ‘goblin country’ decorate them and leave them as ‘tribute’, in the hope it will catch a goblin’s eye and persuade them to leave them alone. For a while at least.

I like the first idea, as it hints at goblin society and beliefs, and the second because it echoes old folk tales of leaving gifts for spirits and supernatural beings - like leaving a bit of a Cornish pasty to appease the tommyknockers.

Anyway, expect more goblins to follow!