Guide to alternative Big Hat Chaos Dwarfs 2017 edition

It's been a few years and thanks to the 9th Age chaos / infernal dwarfs remain the scourge of the badlands they always have been.

If you are looking for the first instalment of my guide it is available here.

I won't go over the range featured in the earlier edition but it's fair to say both mantic and Russian alternative have kept the big hats alive which I am sure helped the below fine manufacturers produce some amazing miniatures.

First up is Norba Miniatures.

These two character minis are fine editions to any collection and will fit in nicely with existing big hat armies.

The above bros are about as big hat as their infantry gets but have potential.  Alas the remainder of their miniatures chose the path of the helmet but since Lost Kingdom miniatures have come to my rescue with kits for big hats do yourself a favour and check out Norba.

Lost Kingdom miniatures have indeed heard my cries from the land downunder and produced these truly inspiring big hat head kits: http://lostkingdomminiatures.com/en/3-miniatures

I am confident these will fit on a range of minis and an old set of avatars of war bezerkers will soon lose their vanilla dwarf heads to these to become my Chosen of Lorgar for 9th Age.

Filling out their big hat range is this sorcerer who again can fit across many infernal dwarf ranges.

Perhaps which makes them my favourite big hat range at the moment is this scenery piece with appropriately attired shedu on either side of the entry of the gate.  Truly a centrepiece for any army.

I thought I would also show lost kingdoms' bull centaurs who with the addition of the big hats kits are worth the investment.

Whilst not exactly big hats like we know and love, Titan Forge miniatures fall into my loose definition due to this unique aesthetic by recognising our embrace of machine and magic: http://titan-forge.com/fantasy_miniatures_sons_of_kashan_vra

These guys are truly fearsome looking and their version of the Kadim Titan is also worth a look.

The remainder of their infantry and characters are awesome too. Here's a sample.

Next is a new small company called Werewoolf miniatures: https://hexy-shop.com/product-category/producer/werewoolf/?type=list

Not my favourite of those listed here but fans of Mantic abyssal dwarfs can't go wrong with these dudes. 

Whilst I am not a huge fan of these dudes I recommend their hobgoblin khan which I think fits in with the Classic GW hobgoblin range.

My final recommendation is for a small range from Admiralty Miniatures: http://admiraltyminiatures.blogspot.com.au/p/28mm-fantasy.html

Finally we get a female infernal dwarf with a suitable size (choice of two) hat.  Either of these sets are worthy of your hard earned cash.

Admiralty also produce this animated dwarf statue that I have been thinking would make a suitable Kadim incarnate.  I might have to take to the Admiral about how I can alter the poses so I can get four of them for a suitable size unit.

Finally it's not miniatures but if your need suitable infernal dwarf bits be sure to check out https://www.shapeways.com/shops/carcearion-s-forge for some awesome pieces like this.

More bull centaurs finished

I have finished a couple more baby/ bull centaurs including the standard who is a conversion with a magic mould of the original BC standard that I used on the BC renders.

I still have the BC standard who will have a new weapon or maybe become the musician. The plan is to have ten of these bros ready for when 9th Age 2.0 drops.

As usual the banners are colour copies from the White dwarf presents : Chaos Dwarfs with some touch ups to keep them in line with the purple theme of my army.

Mordheim lives

After many years of always wanting to play Mordheim I finally had my first game last weekend.

The wait was worth it and starting in a short while my chaos dwarf warband will be stomping the mean streets of Mordheim.

I will be using the fantastic Black Dwarfs list with hobgoblins as informers, a hellcannon crew member converted as a gaoler with the rest pretty clear. 

Updates to follow over the coming months.

The full Black Dwarf warband

The Sorcerer and Gaoler

Bull centaur

Chaos Dwarfs

Informers

Infernal engine and carriages

After many years I finally finished my dreadquake mortar which sat idle following some shameful performances during 8th edition warhammer and the times of the end (apologies broken Matt Hardy).

Anyway a competition on the mighty chaos dwarfs online for a dawi zharr inspired airship encouraged me to finally finish this amazing miniature.

I am pleased to report I have also found it much more useful in the 9th Age in both its regular and bound daemon form.

Despite the option for the land train not being available (yet?) I am extremely happy with this centrepiece for my infernal dwarfs.

You will note the infernal engine has a rather nasty death roller to represent the steam hammer option. This always gets lots of looks at tournaments as it is moveable up and down.

This is picture to my entry to the CDO airship competition.  The dreadquake mortar formed a major part of my entry as well as the great Taurus who helped the airship take flight.

The winning entries are truly inspiring and I am pleased by all the positive feedback I have received on my entry: http://www.chaos-dwarfs.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=17076

Taurukh Annointed / bull centaurs renders

With the evil empire killing off the old world I have embraced the 9th Age.

The infernal dwarfs are their equivalent of the mighty dawi zharr and with the option for both Taurukh Annointed and the regular Taurukhs I have been busy finishing off as many of my unpainted artists formerly known as bull centaurs.

Bull centaurs return to battle

Thanks to the wonder of the 9th Age the original bull centaurs miniatures are usable again.

Here are my miniatures ready for battle.

Zonk sorcerer

Fantastic Great War blog post

Check out this great post set in Bagamayo 1916

Really inspiring to see a sea land battle fought out.

Battle Report Late War Germans vs Russians

It was the second outing for my draft Russian list wih this time incorporating core units of conscripts as compulsory who were subject to the new Collective Seeds of Rebelln rule.

My opponent Troy took a late war German list which was always going to be outnumbered by my conscripts but would outnumber me in the artillery stakes.

This list I chose included two conscript companies and with three and two platoons respectively, a cavalry company with command and two cavalry troops of nine each, a medium field gun, a HMG and the obligatory Batallion command (made up of the excellent west wind Romanov holiday set).

Approximately 837 points under my draft army list.

The Germans went artillery and hmg heavy with a couple of platoons of old boys who decided it was better to look after their chums with the big guns than volunteer for the storm trooper batallions.

With the wind at their backs the Russians sally forth with only one failing their rebellion test.

The Germans consolidate their positions within the two homesteads and await the advance of the unruly conscripted Russians 

The Russians on their far right decide singing revolutionary songs was better than advancing into the teeth of the German menace

Forward you conscripts 

A devastating German hmg attack whittles the Russian (French substituting) cavalry troop but survives the required morale check

The second cavalry troop make it through the firestorm to defeat the Hun hiding behind the hedge only to be left exposed to a German counter attack

Revenge on the last trooper is served with a side of sour kraut

The Russians seek the protection of the hedge - it won't save them from the two hmgs lurking in the forest on their far right 

 The advance on the Russian left flank has faltered so the Germans advance

Likewise the Russian conscripts on the right and the centre are either fleeing or no longer in a position to threaten the other village so the Germans advance over the stone walls 

The second conscript platoon command ponder the loss of the left flank from the safety of the forest

The Germans continue to advance in the absence of Russian opposition 

The German artillery send a couple of shells over the head of their victorious infantry

From the safety of the village the German high command celebrate the decimation of the Russians 

Another fantastic game but I made a couple of mistakes on my draft rules as well as some other basic mistakes - I need to be released to play this game more so I don't make so many mistakes I keep telling my Wife.

The final result was a clear German victory as they held their nerve to let the artillery and rifle fire do what they do best and the Russians fell and or fled with only one unit of cavalry making contact with the Hun.

My opponent Troy is not only a top bloke but also has some of the best Great War Germans you will find on any table top.  My apologies for the under coated dudes and the blurry pics but things will get better in future reports