Hi all,
I knew it had been a while, but nearly three months… wow!
Basically, I had to down tools again. A higher power—She Who Must Be Obeyed—roped me into helping with her kitchen. But now that’s done, it’s full steam ahead on the Shadow Land Orcs and their Iron Mother, which is their final model.
The Iron Mother
As you can see below, I have built a very rough white test model of the Iron Mother. To give you a sense of scale, I’ve placed her next to one of her many children—an Orc Grunt.
So you understand what you’re looking at, here’s a summary of her key components, numbered in red in the first image:
- The Iron Mother herself, seated in her massive iron cart, which carries her into battle.
- Her throne, made from gates pillaged from a temple or fortress. For all the Orcs’ faults, they are at least keen on recycling.
- The cart’s pushing beams, made from tree trunks, which her minions use to push their mother into battle.
- As she would no doubt be a prime target for enemy missiles and spells, her cart will have the option of mounting an iron shield or mask at the front for protection. I plan for this to be a destroyable part of the model that can be removed once it fails. By that point, however, she should be safely in the thick of battle.
- A feeding post, complete with an unfortunate Human, Dwarf, or Elf hanging from it to satisfy her hunger during battle.
- A cupboard or table where she keeps her treasure and magical Tears, which she consumes to fuel her spellcasting.
- The Iron Mother’s cart, filled with a foul liquid that helps sustain her enormous bulk.
- You can’t see them yet, but she will be surrounded by her Noms—juvenile Orcs and, of course, her children.
The Iron Mother is going to be the most complex model I’ve ever created, so it’s going to take some time to complete. On top of that, I plan to make the model somewhat customisable, which means creating additional add-ons.
For example, instead of the massive doors that form the back of the Iron Mother’s throne, I’m planning to create a variant featuring the skull of a giant beast—perhaps a monster she slew in the wastes of the Shadow Lands.
That said, I’m hoping to get back into the habit of posting every two to three weeks again.
At the moment, I’ve started adding colour and texture to her iron cart, and there are still a few more model parts to create, such as the massive Gouger she wields in battle. Looking at the Snort herself now, I may have to make her a little smaller yet. So, there’s still plenty to be getting on with.
Anyway, as always, feel free to comment—tips and feedback are always welcome.
Take care,
Dave
📖 Website: Print and Play Fantasy
🎲 Patreon: Dave the Wargamer