Tag: Mantic Games

New Year/New Army 2024

~ Iron Jarl ~ Leave a comment

So at the start of 2024 I announced my Hobby Resolutions/Pledges for this year over on my Social Media Pages but for those who follow me here I shall add them below:

As you can see at the very top is my New Year/New Army for 2024 Pledge…a MASSIVE project for Kings of War, The League of Rhordia/Kingdoms of Man project!

So this army is also a project to showcase the possibilities to build and paint an army that you have envisioned from the ground up and this is because Kings of War is miniature agnostic so I have trawled the world wide web for miniatures and STL’s from various companies that I feel fit the unit titles/descriptions. The graphic below shows some of the companies that I will be getting miniatures from for this project.

While I await the arrival of miniatures I set about creating the multibases for the units and thought I’d showcase a tutorial on how I went about it…

And below is a selection of the other bases I’ve made so far…

Keep checking my other Social Media Accounts as well as here for more updates on this project!

THE Game of Fantasy Battles

~ Iron Jarl ~ Leave a comment

Calling all Rank and Flank Fantasy Wargamers, my Kings of War Events for this year are live. Join me at Board In Brum for Tournaments, Campaigns & Educational Bootcamps for Beginners.

This game of Fantasy Rank and Flank invites all players, unlike an Old World EVERY army is tournament legal (even those using models from other manufacturers), it was designed by gamers for gamers, has a friendly global community, and it’s easy and affordable to get started. 𝙋𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙨𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙒𝙖𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 Mantic Games!

Just check out all of this:

⚔️ FREE getting started rules

🗡️ FREE army list builder

⚔️ FREE 300+ page guide to the world and lore

🗡️ Ambush Starter Sets (2-3 units and rules) from just £35 / €40 / $45

So come and join in, click the images below to get your tickets now and we’ll see you on the battlefield!

25/5/24 – £20
27/7/24 – £20
31/8 & 1/9/24 – £65
30/11/24 – £20

From the Void They Come!

~ Iron Jarl ~ 1 Comment

So the cat is out of the bag, the Cruel Overlords and True Masters of The Void have Dominated my painting desk… Which is apt really as that’s what they do to the Denizens of the Void, The Nightstalkers!

So rewind to this time last year and I set out on a journey into Kings of War by Mantic Games choosing to work on an Ambush Army of Nightstalkers… Little did I know that roughly 1 year later I’d be getting ready to unveil their Masters, The Twilight Kin!

A massive thank you goes out to Mantic Games for sending me the new kits ahead of their general release date so I could work on them, it is such an honour to be chosen to show off my take on these stunning kits!

The Sprues

Void-Skiffs Sprue (Front)
Void-Skiffs Sprue (Back)
Impalers Sprue (Front)
Impalers Sprue (Back)
Corsair Voidwalkers/Fleetwardens/Wranglers Sprue (Front)
Corsair Voidwalkers/Fleetwardens/Wranglers Sprue (Back)

So the Miniatures are hard plastic and the detail is truly phenomenal! The kits go together really well, but if like me you have sausage fingers I’d highly recommend using a pair of good tweezers as some of the parts are small and can be a little fiddly.

I decided I was going to build these with a view to making a story driven set of Multibases and as such the units are not full model count, in fact they are well below the PMC suggested but I always go by the rule of cool and try and make sure the bases still look full!

I decided I was going to build a Regiment of Corsair Voidwalkers and then I realised I had a few spare which I could combine with a leftover sprue of Reapers/Tormentors from my Nightstalkers project to make a Regiment of Corsair Wranglers (I chose to use the Reapers as I’d seen the unit that Mantic advertised, however after reading the rules I now believe that it should have been Tormentors but it still looks cool).

The Best Of Both Worlds

The best thing about having these Twilight Kin units is that I can bolster it into a full army with the addition of some units, heroes and Monsters from my Nightstalkers army! So I’ll need to grab hold of an Ambush Starter & the Characters Set and then I’ll have a 2300pts Twilight Kin Army!

With the same mantra in mind I built a Regiment of Void-Skiffs, putting 2 of the models on the Multibase this would leave one which I then decided I’d build as a Captain on Void-Skiff. The conversion was an easy one with just a head and an arm swap which both came from the Corsair Voidwalkers/Fleetwardens/Wranglers Sprue.

Not sure it will be the most competitive list but should be fun and a nice addition to the growing collection of forces of Pannithor! Check out the rest of the Twilight Kin range HERE!

Firefight Upgrading…

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Yes you read that right…Firefight, the award winning Sci-fi game set in the Warpath Universe by Mantic Games is about to get upgraded!

Today, over on their blog, Mantic Games teased what is to come over the rest of the year for Firefight, which is a firm favourite hear at 𝕾𝖐𝖚𝖑𝖑𝖘 𝕳𝕼! Deciphering the Roadmap (pictured below) we will be getting a rules update, new 2 player set and new vehicles for a fair few factions in August… Is this the fabled “Tank Battles” play mode that Ronnie hinted at as far back as last year’s open day? We are hoping it is was we think a vehicle baby game mode would be awesome… Picture tank formations, air wings, etc bringing mayhem to the to battlefields of the Galactic Co-Prosperity Sphere… Pure carnage!!

Following on from that we have more vehicles and an update to the Mantic Companion, November the New Terrain Crates and Mats hit general release and closing off 2023 we’ll see new releases for Enforcers! What an exciting time to be a Firefight Fanatic and if you aren’t already, go check it out here!

𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗦:
https://linktr.ee/ironskull_gaming

Kings of War Slow Grow Challenge 2023

~ Iron Jarl ~ Leave a comment

Mantic Games are running a Global Campaign later this year for their flagship Fantasy Mass Battle game Kings of War. The Shadowed Horizons Campaign focuses around the frozen North of Mantica and the City of Chill where raids from the Evil forces are a daily occurrence but more recently there has been an onslaught of Nightstalker attacks. Is this foreshadowing the arrival of a darker evil? Will the secret of the great power Telenor holds as a close guarded secret be revealed or fall into evil hands? Only the results of the Global Campaign will reveal!

To take part you need to pick an allegiance, either good or evil and ready at least an Ambush sized army to play…if only there was a group to help spur us on in building, painting and playing a new Kings of War Ambush army…well this is where Blackjack Legacy steps in to save the day!

Over on Facebook there is a shiny new group issuing a challenge, a challenge to do just that…introducing The Kings of War – Blackjack Legacy – Slow Grow Army Challenge 2023 and we are going to join in…say hello to new versions of our existing Ambush armies or totally new ones from 𝕴𝖗𝖔𝖓𝖘𝖐𝖚𝖑𝖑 𝕲𝖆𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖌: 𝕾𝖐𝖚𝖑𝖑𝖘 – 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀.

The first challenge is up in the group and is simply:-

  • Choose an Army for the Slow Grow
  • Write a list up to 995pts
  • Paint your first unit/hero model(s)

So what Armies do we have from our team so far…

𝕮𝖍𝖗𝖔𝖓𝖎𝖈𝖑𝖊𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖇𝖊 𝕾𝖐𝖚𝖑𝖑𝖘: 𝕶𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖂𝖆𝖗 – 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 – 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝟭

Welcome wearied traveller, today is our channel’s announcement of the 𝕾𝖐𝖚𝖑𝖑𝖘 Team’s chosen forces for the #summerslowgrow which we are doing as part of the amazing BlackJack Legacy Kings of War Slow Grow Challenge 2023 in conjunction with Mantic Games in preparation for their Shadowed Horizons Global Campaign!

You may have noticed that recently we added a new 𝕾𝖐𝖚𝖑𝖑 to the prestigious Ironskull Gaming team and as such five of us will be working on new Kings of War Ambush Armies and are as follows…

The Iron Jarl – Northern Alliance – “to go as opposite as I could from my Nightstalkers I started at the end of last year, I’ve chosen to focus on the Tribes People of the Northern Alliance… I mean how could I resist the new plastics… Dwarfs riding giant ravens, who wouldn’t!!!”

Wargaming Old Guys – Abyssal Dwarfs – “forging alliances with the dark forces of Pannithor seems to be my thing so how about those evil Dwarfs bringing terror to the North!”

palette of war – Riftforged Orcs – “I mean have you seen the Storm giant!! I fell in love with that model when I first experienced Kings of War at the Mantic Open Day last year and so I knew when called to battle for a new faction it had to be this army!”

𝕬𝖈𝖊🔥 – Empire of Dust – “I know, I know I did those for my last build BUT I’m in love with this army and have decided to revisit it with a new Ambush list which when combined with my previous one will grow my army towards the 2300pts mark!”

Alchemy Reigns Uk – Undead – “loving the Gothic Aesthetic, I knew I had to start with the Undead Army… Regiments of Skeletons, Revenants & Soul Reaver Vampires marching through a crumbling graveyard was right up my street…I mean it’s the only way to go, right?”

Follow our progress and/or join in the fun of the Slow Grow Challenge… the fate of Mantica depends on it!

Check back for more 𝕮𝖍𝖗𝖔𝖓𝖎𝖈𝖑𝖊𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕾𝖐𝖚𝖑𝖑𝖘 updates for Kings of War coming soon!

𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗦:
https://linktr.ee/ironskull_gaming

KoW: Armada – Dafiþ Icekin’s Fleet of the Frozen Seas

~ Iron Jarl ~ Leave a comment

Armada is a 1/700 scale “Sea combat fantasy miniature range” and tabletop game from Mantic Games. Set in The Kings of War World of Pannithor where the various factions are deploying their fleets, either to protect their coasts or to perform pirate raids for treasure or slaves.

Pannithor has a rich history of ship building and naval exploits. The noble races of man, elf and dwarf, have explored the world’s oceans and seas for millennia, plying trade, exploring new lands, and launching expansionist invasions. But they are not alone, for all races must eventually learn the mysteries of sea-faring life, if they are to compete and survive in an ever changing and dangerous world.

With Pannithors colourful history, and world changing events have opened up new possibilities and connected lands in ways not possible before. The Infant Sea, born from the great inundation following the war with Winter, is now a chaotic and dangerous expanse of trade, piracy and outright war. The rewards are great, however, for those that prove their might, and powerful warships patrol the waters of the world, flying their nation’s colours, and protecting their coasts!

My first Fleet is from the Northern Alliance… An alliance of Man, Dwarf, Elf and Icekin from the Frozen North known as the Winterlands! My fleet has set sail on the Seas of Pannithor, after a slight delay in dock, due to turbulent weather. The Valellion, Captained by Dafiþ Icekin, cuts through the sheets of ice of the Frozen Seas on a journey Southwards towards the sea battles that lie ahead…

𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗦:
https://linktr.ee/ironskull_gaming

New Nightstalkers Showcase – A New Age For Kings of War

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So I had the pleasure to build and paint the new Nightstalkers products for Kings of War by Mantic Games. These are truly stunning miniatures that deserves to be praised as some of the best sculpts and casts Mantic Games’ has ever done. I set about painting then in my army colours and have to mention that I used 1 of the new Butchers as a unit champion in a PVC Butchers Horde, the other 2 off the sprue I assembled as Ravagers. I added a resin and a PVC Reaper to the regiment of Reapers which is still under PMC but the base looks full so that is all that matters!

An impressive and exciting year lies ahead for Kings of War! With hard plastics and resin replacing the old PVC miniatures, fleshing out of army lists with new units and reworking old units based on feedback it truly is a new age for Kings of War and so now it falls to you to hear the rallying call and to take the plunge into this awesome Fantasy rank and flank game! Check out the rules preview attached below…

𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗦:
https://linktr.ee/ironskull_gaming

Return of the Nightstalkers!

~ Iron Jarl ~ Leave a comment

Having received a nightmarish delivery, I sat down with the new hard plastic Butchers/Ravagers & Reapers/Tormentors sprues as well as the new resin Void Lurker kit and did a little showcase/review.

As an avid Wargamer and commission painter I see a lot of kits from a lot of different companies and even though I am a fan of the Mantic Games offering I can still be honest and critical as I can’t help but compare products to those from other companies. Because of this when I say these kits are phenomenal, I mean they are PHENOMENAL! The plastic sprues are clean and the details are crisp. The parts are clearly labelled for easier assembly and they even include scenic pieces to help decorate your Multibases! The resin, as with the plastics, are crisp casts which really showcases the details of this incredible miniature!

We are a commission studio and if you are a MiniWarGaming Silver Vault Member you can get 10% off your commissions by using the discount coupon in your members section.

𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗦:
https://linktr.ee/ironskull_gaming

Kings of War 995pts Army Showcase

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So after a couple of months of frantic building and painting the miniatures that I chose from the awesome array available in the Nightstalkers Faction I can happily say I have a fully painted and based 995pts Nightstalkers Army for Ambush!

The Colour Palette

So as you will see in the showcase video attached in the blog post I have moved away from the standard Nightstalkers colour scheme and chosen to go with a very pale white for the most part and the mystic energy is a magenta and black. This method was achieved quite easily and the recipe is as follows:

  • Base sprayed with a black primer
  • Zenithal highlight with white
  • The white areas were given a liberal coat of Contrast Paint: Apothecary White
  • The white is then highlighted with pure white
  • The magenta areas are painted using the Base Paint: Screamer Pink from Games Workshop (leave an area of white where you want to achieve a blend between these colours)
  • Using a mix of the Contrast Paint: Volopus Pink and the Contrast Mixing medium (1:1) blend the area between the white and magenta
  • The Magenta Energy is then finished by applying Black paint to the tips

The Basing Style

I decided to go with a dark, dingy/swampy graveyard for the basic aesthetic. This was achieved by using a variety of products as listed below:

  • Gravestones – I used a mix of Renedra Gravestones and items found in the paintedlegions eBay store
  • Rocky areas – these were created using cork bark pieces available from hobbycraft here in the UK
  • Trees – these are from the Mantic Games Terrain Crate range
  • The groundwork – I made a texture paste from burnt umber paint, PVA glue, ready mixed pollyfilla and bird sand. This was then applied liberally across the open areas of the base and used to blend the elements that formed the multi bases. This was then highlighted by drybrushing it with a grey paint, 3 types of tufts (varying lengths and colours) were then applied. The edges were then painted Matt Black. Rocky areas were painted a light grey and washed twice with Athonian Camo Shade from Games Workshop. The trees were drybrushed Dryad Bark forward by a light drybrush of Gorthor Brown which are both available from Games Workshop.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this look at the Nightstalkers project, think we may have to escalate this army in the future! – The Iron Jarl