Reaper Miniatures 02828: Thornback Troll

Azazel: Today’s post comes from Marouda, who I’ve convinced to start up her own WordPress account so that she can add the odd post to the blog. Her last contribution was adding her thoughts and perspective to the review of Dungeon! back in Jan 2013. This model is Reaper’s Thornback Troll by Ben Siens, Released in 2004.

Anyway, over to Marouda:

I selected this model to paint for a Reaper Miniatures painting competition in 2011. However I never got him finished in time, so he sat unfinished for a while. Originally he had a bright orange yellow loin cloth, which Azazel suggested that I tone down. The shading and highlighting on the muscles took ages to do as it involved many, many layers.

I enjoyed painting his club and his pimples. I am very much a beginner painter, but it’s very handy having Azazel who has been painting for most of his life coaching me through the various stages and layers of painting. Last week I decided to finish the model and further highlighted his belly brows, jowls and muscles with a pale highlight. I did all the painting on this model myself apart from the very fine detail work of the pupils of the eyes, some of the teeth and the base.

This is the second model that I have ever started and just recently finished apart from some Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that I painted more than 10 years ago. I also started and finished a water unicorn model at the same time I started this troll. I have a female Entwife figure from Mithril Miniatures that was started some years back that I should really get finished. I also really like the GW Tomb Kings models although that involves some very fine work and a very steady hand.

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Azazel: I did the basing so that the model remains consistent with the rest of the miniatures. The model was based on a round back when this model was started, and since it’s as much a display model of Marouda’s as a gaming piece, I’ll leave it on the round instead of rebasing to square as the other trolls are. Tufts of course tie the model in with the other trolls in the collection, so this purple guy can fit in nicely enough in a unit with the various others.

Citadel Stone Troll with Axe – (1992)

Another troll today. This figure is one of Michael Perry’s efforts that redefined the look of Warhammer Trolls back in 1992 for 4th Edition. So leaving that narrow era of 3rd that “purists” feel is “Oldhammer”. With 4th Edition WHFB, the armies began to be overhauled and have their looks unified in many ways, putting an end to the “rough and ready” and slightly chaotic look that forces and their ranges had previously.

Citadel Stone Troll with Axe (1993), Michael Perry

Stone Troll with Axe (1993)

The old C20 trolls were retired and replaced with the new “Stone Trolls” and “Swamp Trolls”, sculpted by Michael Perry. Although the Swamp Trolls were superseded a few years ago by the plastic River Trolls, four of the original six of these Stone Troll sculpts are even still available today, some 23 Years later, including this guy. (One of the rare times I don’t mind comparing my own paintwork directly with the official GW paintjob!) Still, that’s one hell of a distinguished time of service on this model.

Citadel Stone Troll with Axe (1993), Michael Perry

Rear View of Stone Troll with Club

I first started on this guy 5+ years ago, at the same time I started on the other blue C20 trolls. As with the “Hill Troll”, this guy got “left behind” and was never finished. Since I managed to finish the Hill Troll a couple of weeks ago, it motivated me to pluck this part-painted guy off the desk and finish him off. All I’d done was the base, the basecoat in blue with a wash and drybrush on his cracked back texture – no details. I’ve gotta say that I really enjoyed finishing him off, and if I weren’t in the midst of a self-imposed moratorium on starting new models, I’d be all over the rest of these which I’ve got tucked away somewhere.

C20 Cave Troll, Stone Troll with Club and C20 Warrior Troll

The more recent Stone Troll towers over his older C20 Brethren.

As you can see, this guy is much larger than the older models. As KoW uses regiments of 3 and 6 in size for Trolls and I already have 6 of the older models ready to go, if I manage to use him in a game before I paint up some more, he can be used as a Troll Bruiser (Hero).