Something wicked this way comes...

...WELL several things, actually. As I forecast in a previous post my next purchase of 15mm miniatures was indeed from Khurasan Miniatures, and comprised models from their newly expanded 'The Great Enemy' range, which are basically Orcs inspired by Angus McBride's artwork for ICE's MERP supplements. I shelled out a meagre £22 for 38 models including US>UK postage. The package was desptached on a Monday and arrived that Friday: there's service for you! These new models - and very nice they are too! - allow me to create six infantry units and one command base for 'Mayhem'. That's the core of an army right there, which for the aforementioned cost isn't to be sniffed at (especially when one considers what GW are charging for plastic 28mm Orcs these days!).

Alongside these I managed to procure through trade (thanks Mason) some 25mm Asgard (now Viking Forge) Orcs to use as 15mm Trolls and one of the new 15mm Giants from Mr. Copplestone. Through July I have manged to paint most of these up, save two units of Orcs and the command stand (basically 18 models) who I shall hopefully tackle next week.
I'm not entirely convinced by how the Asgard Orcs turned out. I decided on black skin like the Olog-hai described by Tolkien, but think they turned out too dark. It has become apparent to me that with smaller models and scales brighter colours provide better definition. Still, they'll do!

A 200 crown (point) 'Mayhem' battle was fought two Saturdays back: a bitter struggle between Dwarves (my friend Breccan) and Orcs (myself), which resulted in a very narrow Orc victory. We decided to play using the 'Total Annihilation' rules, so there could be no surrender nor retreat! The battle hung in the balance throughout and I thought my army was on the verge of collapse on several occasions. What tipped the balance was a lone unit of Orc Wolf Riders who had spent most of the battle perched on a hillock to the extreme left of my flank. In the final three-or-so turns they swept through the Dwarven ranks with several well-timed flank charges and essentially carried the day for me! Extra grog and Dwarf-flesh for those chaps!

Breccan had never played 'Mayhem' before - indeed, this was the largest game I'd played - but within a couple of turns he was able to quickly appreciate the game mechanics and by the end was even admonishing me for forgetting Fear rules and the like! A testament, I think, to the simplicity of these rules, which I once again take this opportunity to recommend to my readers. Apparently Breccan is already plotting his vengeance and is trying hard to resist the allure of building a 15mm fantasy army with which to exact it! Below are some rather poorly executed images of the titanic struggle. Obviously I need to crack on with the painting...

Both forces advance.

The initial collision.

The endgame. My Wolf Riders swept in from the bottom left of this picture, taking several Dwarf units in the flank to devastating effect.