Celevue's LotR campaign-behind the scenes (13/1/20 Hornburg)

Batman of The Shire · **Posted:** Thu Jan 02, 2014 4:36 pm

Thaat is actually an awesome idea, i always imagined Aragorn donning Uruk armour while escorting Frodo to Mount doom. Cant wait to see another update.

Celevue · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 1:43 pm

Happy new year for all!

Here's the first update for the year, a variety of Gandalfs, including the Knight Models one.

This concludes my "alternate hero poses" project, and we are now ready to continue the campaign with the second season scenarios. Behind-the-scenes work does not pause, however, and next in line is a custom mold for Helm's Deep and Seeing Seat parts.

Gandlaf the Grey · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 2:07 pm

Wonderful to see this lot together and furthermore, moving onto the next phase. I'm looking forward to the next update.

Oldman Willow · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 2:19 pm

The figures look nice. Thanks for the photo of the Knight figure with the GW figures

Quote:

next in line is a custom mold for Helm's Deep and Seeing Seat parts.

I am looking forward to that :twisted:

Fëanor, the mighty elf · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 2:25 pm

Fantastic work, again!

Also good to see the KM Gandalf painted, and in comparison to GW's Gandalfs. He looks to be a bit taller, but it's acceptable for me. Thanks for sharing!

Thao · **Joined:** Sun Jan 22, 2012 10:10 pm **Posts:** 179

Celevue wrote:

....

Now, on the Rohan side, the models (including Haldir’s elves legendary formation) fit on four transport trays. There will be several battlehosts on Rohan’s side, too, including Théoden’s Guard, Warriors of the Westfold, Riders of the Westfold and Éomer’s Knights. Here’s a pic of the model pile while they are still in boxes and blisters:
...

Here is a picture of the currently ongoing assembly / cleaning process (a stage which could be called “horse factory”).
...

I’ve still plenty to do in terms of assembly & cleaning of plastic figures; all the metal figures are already cleaned and ready for basecoating. The four plastic horse poses are quite repetitive (and the metal banner bearers on plastic horses are very top-heavy), so I’m thinking of ordering a few metal horses from Mirliton for heroes, captains and banner bearers.

Most of the boxes and blisters are collected over the past four years or so, and I’m cracking them open only now as you can see. It has been an interesting experience, not always problem-free… my Eorl the Young lacked the separate horse legs (one plastic horse donated his), one of the Rohan captains missed his shield, and, most annoyingly, the Finecast Rohan commanders set came with two captains and without the King’s huntsman. Since the company I bought the set from has disappeared (Maelstrom Games), I’ve emailed GW customer service directly about this (but haven’t received any reply so far). Even if I did get the missing sprue, I could use two huntsman figures. My plans are to convert the Finecast banner bearer into a substitute huntsman (along with a surplus Hama figure if GW ignores my plea). Alas, I did like the specific miniature sculpt, and do sorely miss it. I had been less sorry if the duplicated figure had been a hornblower – the captain in the set has, again, the annoying special detail (a dead orc). A fine figure on its own, but I keep picturing him on the Deeping Wall saying “oh, this lone, wandering Mordor orc? I’ve no idea where he came from, but I killed him nevertheless”. Oh well, even if I had got two hornblowers, that would not have been enough – in fact, the planned conversions for the Rohan force include mostly hornblowers (both on foot and mounted). The captain with dead orc might appear in the battle report for the Pelennor Fields eventually. The extra copy I will probably trade.
......

OMG, just discovered this thread. I cannot believe the whole project can be finished by a single (working) person. Just wow.

Alone the planned Rohan army seems to be bigger than the Rohan army I'm working on for more than a year...

Epic, best project ever.

Harfoot · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 2:52 pm

Thew Knight model of Gandalf looks perfect along with the GW scale, going to have to get him!

IntLemon · **Posted:** Sun Jan 05, 2014 11:41 pm

Will you be using the new GW January Gandalf as well? He looks to be a fine model.

Socrates · **Joined:** Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:50 pm **Posts:** 17

IntLemon wrote:

Will you be using the new GW January Gandalf as well? He looks to be a fine model.

The january Gandalf is indeed a very nice sculpt. However, the staff Gandalf wields isn't the one he has during the Lord of the Rings. I don't know the exact reason why he changes staffs but

Click to: Show

.

So I'm not sure how 'true' Celevue's planning to make this epic campaign but something like this 'Staff-gate' can be a point of discussion.

I for one wouldn't lose a minute of sleep over it, old staff or new

.

Celevue · **Posted:** Mon Jan 06, 2014 10:32 am

Hi all & thanks for the comments!
@Fëanor, KM Gandalf is a couple of mm taller than the Khazad-dûm Gandalf, but about the same height as the Heroes of the West Aragorn.

@IntLemon, the January Gandalf is a nice pose, but as many have commented, more suitable for a Bag End diorama than a battle scene in a battle report, so I have no plans to add the new figure to my collection at this point.

Socrates has a good point about the staff - the KM Gandalf has also a different staff compared to the GW minis in my photo. I don't overtly fret over single details like this, but I try to choose poses having similar clothing... with a couple of exceptions, of course - some Gandalfs have a cloak, but since it is painted with similar grey, the difference is not noticeable. We'll have to use the narratives in battle reports to explain why the Grey Wizard sometimes drops his hat!

Also, one of the Aragorns has a bit different clothing, but creative painting makes that not too obvious (and I did like the pose very much). Alas, I decided not to include Gimlis with elven cloaks - that would have been too different compared to the un-cloaked versions. Similarly, the new plastic Legolas is a bit too different from the old ones, so I will skip that, too.

I have ordered the Knight Models Galadriel, however - it'll be interesting to compare her with GW's two older Galadriels. Should they release a suitable Elrond, Saruman and Tauriel, I'll give them a go, too.

Crucium Giger · **Posted:** Mon Jan 06, 2014 11:52 am

The KM Gandalf fits in nicely even though a tad taller, I don't think it would be noticed on the table top. Oh and good job on the painting

Celevue · **Posted:** Mon Jan 06, 2014 3:30 pm

Thanks! Yeah, the 2mm difference is not noticeable at all, so perfectly usable in SBG / WotR.

Now you all got me thinking... the January Gandalf would, in fact, make a very nice statue to the fourth age Minas Tirith as a tribute to the great wizard... hmm...

double0b · **Posted:** Fri Jan 10, 2014 8:32 pm

This thread never fails to make me smile :-D

Galadrin · **Posted:** Thu Jan 16, 2014 9:38 pm

Just found this thread

All I can say is: Incredible!

Celevue · **Posted:** Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:55 pm

Thanks, double0b & Galadrin!

Here's a small update - while obviously putting a lot of effort on Helm's Deep during the first half of the year, I still need to build Amon Hen terrain first for the campaign. Here are my rough plans for the Parth Galen stairs (overview + one wall section) as well as for the Seeing Seat.

As I mentioned earlier, I will make a custom mold for casting parts for Helm's Deep and the Seeing Seat - here is some WIP work on the master parts for the Seeing Seat mold:

More specifically, I will cast the eagles, the seat backs, the columns (the ends of which are formed from suitable buttons) as well as the ornate trims around the top of the structure (not done yet). The gryphons are from Thomarillion (as is the large head), but since the gryphons lack wings, these will be cast additions, too.

I will use mostly Depron and pink/blue styrofoam as the materials for the ruins (plus occasional bits done with Hirst Arts molds). The idea is to use one of the River Isen board tiles to show the shore of Anduin / Nen Hithoel, and have three yellow grass boards progressively higher up, connected with new slope terrain pieces (one of which will have the Parth Galen stairs embedded). The Seeing Seat would then be at the top, furthest away from the river. I'll also add brown / yellow foliage to the tree trunks prepared a few months ago, and make new woods bits with plenty of dead leaves characteristic for Amon Hen as seen in the film. Ok, this may not have been the clearest explanation, but it'll get clarified later on, I'm sure.

Finally, just a teaser - a colour / scale test for the Minas Tirith gate area:

Oldman Willow · **Posted:** Sat Jan 18, 2014 10:14 pm

Very cool! Your eagles and the seat back looks way better than the one I tried to make.
I was able to use all Hirst Art blocks for the Seeing seat building. I used the bridge rail for the decorations on the side. I also built it square to the table.

You can see where I changed my plan. I can add a hill around it later. The bridge rail might look more like your plan turned the other way.
I will send you some of the blocks if you don't have that mold.

:?:

The Parth Galen stairs
Did you find a plan with the exact number of stairs? Or is the plain a best guess?

This is the only screen shot I have.

I looked here for good inspiration http://www.lotrscenerybuilder.org/parth_galen.php

Celevue · **Posted:** Sat Jan 18, 2014 10:54 pm

Oldman Willow, I do have the bridge mold, and thought of using the rail bits like you did - but since I'm doing a custom mold anyways, it's no big trouble to have some plasticard worked with punch & die to reproduce the small double arches more akin to the original. But if you wish, I can send you some eagles & chair backs? I still need to add some green stuff to the spot where the wing joins the body. I like the sleek look of the Weta environment with the surprisingly narrow columns and the embedded-in-the-hill look, so I'll go with that. I've not yet narrowed down the shape of the topmost hill on my board, upon which the Seat will be, but I'll design it so that it can be used later at the Pelennor Fields for the charge of the Rohirrim (without the Seeing Seat, of course

)

Parth Galen stairs are a combination of best guess and, indeed, lotrscenerybuilder's model pics, as well as a Spanish Amon Hen board (http://universoasur.blogspot.fi/2010/09 ... rte-3.html - I've seen this linked on this forum before). However, there is another quick scene in the movie where the uruks are running down the stairs - I believe these to be the same stairs but from the top end, looking down:

I will also do a small bridge across which Merry & Pippin are seen running. That seems to be featured on the Spanish board, too.

Oldman Willow · **Posted:** Sun Jan 19, 2014 2:08 am

Thank you the eagles & chair backs will be an improvement over my very limited sculpting ability.
Please include some more photos of the custom parts and molds in the WIP. I am looking forward to watching this develop.
I have some photos of the Spanish board but did not have the link. Thanks!

:?:

I have not decided if I am going to curve the Deeping wall. There is also a tower at the far end of the wall that is not in the Movie model.
What do you think?

I have a photo of this room but do not know what is under the hall.

There is a battering ram for at least one large door. Are there doors on the stable? Are the orks with torches climbing stairs over the door? I have no photos of this part of the set. I hope you are that far along with your plan. I am stumped.

Goldman25 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 19, 2014 11:26 am

Oldman Willow, isn't the armoury under that hall? Going off my vague memories of The Third Age video game, I'm pretty sure that's there. The entry can be found to the left of the bottom of the stairs, you can vaguely see the outline of it on that picture.

DwarfWarrior · **Posted:** Sun Jan 19, 2014 4:19 pm

Just found this thread and went through the whole thing, UNBELIVABLE!

Celevue's LotR campaign-behind the scenes (13/1/20 Hornburg)

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