Sunday, 2 April 2017

Memories: My Top Ten Oldhammer Miniatures:


Having read some time ago various blogs with lists of top ten miniatures in the oldhammer community, I thought I should put forward my own and share with you all. Thus what follows is my personal favourite miniatures of all time.
When deciding on a list of ten I tired to keep to models I have a very fond memory for or have some significance to me as I have been gaming. So although I like a lot of models that have been produced over the years these are the ones that really stand out and made an impression on me. I also limited it to models I actually own. Let's get going then ....


1. Orc (Heroquest)


Orcs/Orks are my main go to when I think of the hobby, oldhammer, modern GW stuff and what it means to me. I love the goofy charm of the early models, but enjoy the savage style they gained from around 3rd edition. Be they fantasy or space faring they are my main army, alongside there lesser cousins the Goblins/Gretchin/Snotlings. My first introduction to them was Heroquest so it's only right I start with one of the cleaver wielding greenskins included in the game.




2. Bounty Hunter Ogre


White Dwarf 154 holds a special place for me, it had lots of cool space crusade articles, a feature on all the dreadnoughts at the time and it also suggested units to put in new Heroquest quests. To do this the Ogre they suggested was this one. After years of searching I finally acquired him on ebay in 2016 and he is now waiting to be painted. I love his look, the sword hanging on his shoulder like his work is never done as he casually carries the severed heads of the bounties he has claimed. Great model by Jes Goodwin full of nostalgia and character.







3. Tyranid Screamer Killer


If the ogre above lured me in the Tyranid Screamer Killer sealed the deal. So much I own two. It is a huge, heavy beast of a model (It was also considered as a dreadnought when first released with a datafax entry for Rogue Trader! see WD154).
A living battering ram of muscle that will tear tanks and space marines to shreds when not spewing bio-plasma at unfortunate imperial guardsmen. I should know it was usually the last thing standing (screaming?) in my old Tyranid army. I love this model and it epitomises the sheer alien feel of the Tyranid race.





4. Dire Avenger Exarch

Eldar are my secret army, I actually own a substantial force of the space-faring elves. The reason for this is way back when I was just starting I was bought a huge box full of them (I think it was a big box army deal with about 1000 points of models).
Of them all though the Dire Avenger Exarch is easily my favourite model. I don't know if it the roman centurion style helmet, the cool motivated pose or something else but it is fantastic and a must pick every time the Eldar get on the tabletop for me.






5. Ork War Buggy

At the half way point and this time it's some Orks from the future, driving a buggy and armed with a multi-melta!! (Oh how good was that gun in 2nd edition 40k!) This particular model was given to me as a kid when my older cousin gave up the hobby. This would make it the first vehicle model I would own. When I was given it my cousin had already painted it up and I have no urge to change that. I think it is a great looking ramshackle buggy any ork boss would be proud to have in his army.



6. Pink Horror - Squawker


I actually own the Screamer and Squealer Pink horrors from this era too and they are all so characterful. But this guy with his big smile is hands down the best. Just so demonic but happy at the same time which is how I imagine think Horrors of Tzeentch would be.








7. Dark Elf Hydra

I didn't usually buy models because I wanted to paint them, I was more a gamer back when I started than a painter when it came to the tabletop army hobby, but when this Dark Elf Hydra came out in whichever White Dwarf for the dark elves I had to have it. I think it is such a great model and was a pleasure to paint.
A writhing mass of serpentine heads which look strong and full of muscle along with the barnacle style spikes along its back, just a really cool miniature.



8. Delaque with Autogun

Necromunda is a fantastic game which I love. The fact that every model from the starter plastic Orlocks and Goliaths to the elite Spyrers are all great made choosing one to represent the game system very difficult. I have gone for this Delaque because they were my first gang and he is so animated while firing his autogun.







9. Chaos Champion of Tzeentch on Disc


I don't think a top ten is really accurate without one of the Chaos Champions and they are pretty much all amazing. However I have always been drawn to this model after seeing this version painted in so many bright and varied colours in the pages of white dwarf. Half champion half fungoid body and riding a disc, it is high fantasy no matter how you look at it.
Just amusingly noticed this is the second model I picked with a centurion style helmet must be drawn to the style of headgear.



10. Dwarf Command

The final pick. I have never collected a dwarf army and except for a bulk purchase on ebay for something else which came with a bunch of the newer plastic ones I do not own any. As a mere junior white dwarf reader I was obviously hooked on vile beasts, morally dubious xenos, sneaky gangers and terrifying alien monsters as you can see by this list. But these Marauder Dwarfs have always had such character to them that I had to find the commander. Why? maybe because the first battle report I read was "The Battle of Grimdal's Tomb" or perhaps because the marauder style dwarves appear to be mostly a large weapon and a beard. Whatever it was they are a strong part of my nostalgia for the game and I couldn't possibly have left him off the top ten list.


That's my top ten, what do you think?

Until next time.


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