The Beard Bunker

Hello happy bunker dwellers! First of all, bonus points if you identified the oblique title reference, it is the subject of todays post*. Yes the Slayers are finished! Hurrah! I really think painting them in lumps has been the best policy for this little lot for a number of reasons. First, it has meant that I've been able to lavish the care they deserved on them. Second, serendipitously (totally a word) I have used a slightly different mix/method for the hair in each case meaning that while there is the appropriate sea of orange there are enough differences in tone to make it feel a touch more natural. These are the motly crew that finished the unit. As a result of my cherry picking my favourite Dwarfs it means that the unit contains a special character and a hero choice masquerading as normal slayers: Yup, that's a Dragon Slayer on the left and the nakedest Dwarf in Christendom - Garagrim Ironfist - on the right. Oh, and I'm not kidding about Garagrim, he i...

Well folks, that is it, the Geek Week is over and time to inspect the spoils of the final days, first, I'll take a squint at my Dwarfs: As mentioned last time, I was rewarding myself with a Bolt Thrower. I'm really chuffed with figuring out a new wood method: Steel Legion Drab with Rakarth Flesh woodgrain all bound together with Agrax Earthshade wash. I don't hold with this new idea of Dwarfs only using metal. Kinda daft. Also in the vein of rewarding myself for a week of solid painting I thought I would add another rank of Slayers to the unit. These five are the pirate slayers to give them their nautical feel. Long Drong the pirate slayer captain will be the Giant Slayer of the unit and deserves a slightly closer look. Gotta love that Macaw on the shoulder, all the colours just balance the beard so, so nicely. Check real world references when painting animals as you will always, always forget important details. And finally, the first hero for the Dwarfs...

Greetings fellow beardlings, Jeff here. I am aware that I haven't been around the bunker for a little while but moving house does rather knock the personal hobby on the head! As a result I am delighted to present the first models of my brand spanky new Dwarf army! Yup, the first models I paint for this army are a special choice, go figure! Truth is I love Slayers, even back when they really, really sucked. They just embody the fatalistic stubborness of the Dwarf character. For those who are not familiar with Dwarven backstory, a Trollslayer is a Dwarf who has suffered some great personal shame or committed some unforgivable crime or breach of protocol. They sing their death song, dye and shave their hair and beards into tallow stiffened crests and walk into the world. To all extents and purposes their life has ended and their kin mourn as such. They now seek out the largest and most potent monsters to face in battle. They do this to find peace in death. No Dwarf would ...