Mantic Dwarf Berserker Lord – March Might & Magic Painting Challenge

Mantic Dwarf Berserker Lord

After my first post in awhile the other day, I’ve started looking a bit more at posts from others (aside from Bogenwald, who keeps tuirning up in my email with short & sweet posts that have been easy to keep up to date with). Yesterday morning, I saw a new post from Ann, of the Immaterium where she was introducing a painting challenge for April, and mentioned that her current (March) challenge ended on the 3rd of April. if you’re reading this blog, there’s a reasonable chance that you know I do enjoy a painting challenge, and also that I burned out on running them (amongst other things) late last year. So seeing a challenge that ended in 2 1/2 days, what could I do? I sat down at my mostly-abandoned painting desk, spied a model that was basically 90% base coated with a small touch of shading done and finished that fucker up over the course of the day (in between going out a couple of times to buy apocalypse supplies.)

Mantic Dwarf Berserker Lord

That fucker, in this case, is the Mantic Dwarf Berserker (not a Slayer, oh no!) Lord. One of Mantic’s older metal models, but very much one of their better ones from the early era. I painted him as a Slayer, because those are the models he’ll be going alongside in my collection, and without too much extra-fanciful decoration, because amongst the Slayer models I’ve accumulated over the years, this guy makes for a nice solid grunt rather than a Lord.

Ann’s March Challenge, the “March Might & Magic Painting Challenge” is still up for a few minutes under another 24 hours, so it’s also possible (but not guaranteed) that I may be able to complete a second model that fits the “Might” category. I’ve even been working on it a bit today (yeah, it was started months ago) but there are SO many little detaily bits that it could easily go either way. Thanks, Rackham!

Oh, and a huge thanks to Ann as well – if not for your post, I wouldn’t have gotten motivated to finish this guy or probably do any painting at all much more beyond the very generic desire to get rid of a few annoying cages off the desk.

Avatars of War Dwarf Dragon Seeker Berserker Iron Fist (Felix Paniagua) (Jewel of July ’19)

Avatars of War Borg Ironfist, Dwarf Dragon Seeker Berserker, Felix Paniagua, AOWEX01, Troll Slayer, Giant Slayer, Dragon Slayer, Daemon Slayer

So my completed models for this year’s Jewel of July come to a close with this model from Avatars of War. Their Dwarf Berserker range are clearly a series of Not-Slayers, though unlike some stalwart GW defenders, I don’t take umbrage with other companies and artists taking inspiration from models and concepts that have clearly taken inspiraton from many and other sources themselves. AoW have a pretty impressive of pretty amazing quality sculpts from a range of forces, with a clear line of inspiration from a certain fantasy “Old World”, and their new released do continue in that vein – though the crossover with a new Age of S..culpts is still close enough that it would allow their use in most forces of newer games set in a series of Mortal Realms. I got this particular Dwarf Berserker quite some time ago, and it appears from the internets that he was withdrawn and used as a limited edition model, and sadly, no longer appears to be available. A real shame, as he’s a real nice one…

Avatars of War Borg Ironfist, Dwarf Dragon Seeker Berserker, Felix Paniagua, AOWEX01, Troll Slayer, Giant Slayer, Dragon Slayer, Daemon Slayer

I’ve actually got a fair few of their models across several of their ranges, though this might be the first one I’ve actually gotten around to painting – such is my sad backlog. I see this model as saving (one of) the best for last, though. Frankly, it was a reward to myself for finishing so many of the other, difficult paints.

One annoying thing about warpaint and tattoos on models is there are times when you really feel that you’vre properly nailed the highlighting and shading on a model’s musculature.. and then you’re going to cover it all up with their “ink”. This model is an example of that. The left shoulder and arm looked pretty spiffy, so I can only hope that the knotwork dragon was worth it. (Tilt your head to the right and let me know if you can actually see the thing?)

Avatars of War Borg Ironfist, Dwarf Dragon Seeker Berserker, Felix Paniagua, AOWEX01, Troll Slayer, Giant Slayer, Dragon Slayer, Daemon Slayer, Warmonger Miniatures Goblin Warlord, Kev Adams

A Traditional Rivalry, about to play out in a messy manner…

There are still a few more metal “Dwarf Slayers/Berserkers” on my desk. One is an odd one. A metal prototype for a plastic model, perhaps? A beloved character, and a rather quality single model from Mantic. After that, all the remaining Slayers are my other AoW metals, my AoW plastics, a few models from Reaper (if I can find ’em). Maybe something from Russian Alternative (I need to check!) and then it’s Fyreslayer time!

Dwarf Slayers, Troll Slayer, Giant Slayer, Dragon Slayer, Daemon Slayer, Avatars of War Borg Ironfist, Dwarf Dragon Seeker Berserker, Felix Paniagua, AOWEX01, Giant Slayer Standard, Musician

My little “Jewel of July” batch of completed Dwarf Slayers. Oh yeah, this should go without saying, but despite me saying nice words about AoW, this post isn’t sponsored or contra’d or anything’d by Felix or AoW in any way. Models all bought by me (too many fuckin’ years ago) with my own pocket money, etc. 😉