Hordes of the things - Project LOTR

[Luddite]

For Uruk-hai, I'd use the pikemen from late medieval , cut feathers, paint the legs and the flesh in brown.

The Uruk Hai never used pikes.

Those that fought for Sauron used 'crooked swords' (probably scimitars?).  Those that fought for Saruman were armed with 'short broad-bladed swords', as Aragorn notes when he encounters them and notes that they were armed unusually.

Their use of pikes depicted in the movies is actually a conflation with the Dunlending men who apparently used pikes to defend the Fords at Isen.  Even with those, the term 'pike' may actually refer to spears as is seems unlikely that pike blocks would be able to deploy in defensive trenches!

Also the Uruk Hain skin was black, not brown.

For Rohan, I'd use Late roman.

Excellent choice.  I used those too.

For Gondor, don't know yet. Maybe a mix form Dark age and medieval.

I'd go with Medieval.  The Gondor men appear to have been like Medieval knights of the 'Chivalry' period, with heavy armour and caprisons, especially the Roquen.  They also appear to have had bright and varied heraldry, not the flat uniform metal depicted in the fllms.

Was thinking about buying a Pendraken mammoth and make longer legs.
Or, sculpt one Giant elephant form scratch.

For the Mumakil?

Aye, or use maybe 15mm or 20mm elephants?

I think the film depiction had them much larger than they should have been though, although its difficult to tell as the only references to their size are by Samwise who i think refers to them being 'as big as a house', and then 'as big as a moving hill'.  I guess for a Hobbit 'house' and 'hill' are pretty much the same thing!   

[nikharwood]

Good to see you back Arsenus 

You lot have got me thinking about doing this again, you bad b*ggers 

[Maenoferren]

Mwa ha ha... you know you want to Nik

[barbarian]

I use the GW rules, based on the films, (yeah, I know, don't flagellate me) so my troops will be alike the films.
For the Dulendings, Vikings ? Gauls ? Anglo-saxons ? Dark ages ?
The more I think about it, the more I'm thinking about using medieval humans for the orcs.
A mix of Peasants, troops in gambeson, pole arms... With a good paint job, it could be nice.

I've made this :

In â,¬, I guess (without Postage) and using storical ranges from Pendraken.

Prices	Inf	Cav
Pendraken	0,15	0,31
Kallistra	0,22	0,44
TB line	0,2	0,44
Copplestone	0,22	0,56

For the Oliphaunts, I've found the ZVEZDA 1/72 WAR ELEPHANTS, 10 £ the two of them. Some says they are actually 25 mm african elephants, so pretty enormous.
http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx334/Tantallon2/022.jpg the one with big hears.

[Arsenus]

Harrad is in way!

[Arsenus]

Good to see you back Arsenus 

You lot have got me thinking about doing this again, you bad b*ggers 

Thanks Nik!

Join us!! 

[Luddite]

I use the GW rules, based on the films, (yeah, I know, don't flagellate me) so my troops will be alike the films.

No worries.

For the Dulendings, Vikings ? Gauls ? Anglo-saxons ? Dark ages ?

Well, i don't know about the GW version, but the Dunlendings were wild hill folk, with long matter blonde hair and dressed in furs, and fighting mainly with clubs.  They used pikes and horses to defend the Fords of Isen, but it may be likely that these were supplied by Saruman, as they are not noted to use these outside of their service with Orthanc.  Also, the term 'pike' seems debatable as they deployed in trenches, something pikemen wouldn't be able to do.  It may be that these were actually spears.

I think the closest Pendraken codes are likely to be the Ancients: Dacians.  They look pretty spot on actually.  AD7 & 8 for the wild folk, and AD6 for the 'pikes' used at Isen.  Dunlending cavalry seems to have been light cavalry at best and certainly not up to opposing the Rohirrim.  Perhaps AD4 is best for them?

Given their wild life in the hills Dunlendings probably lived by hunting, so it may be acceptable to assume they had bows for hunting but there's no reference of this as far as i know.  AD9 Dacian archers would do the job though. 

The more I think about it, the more I'm thinking about using medieval humans for the orcs.
A mix of Peasants, troops in gambeson, pole arms... With a good paint job, it could be nice.

I think that's an interesting idea, perhaps mixing Pendraken Goblins with the Fantasy: Beggar figures for the lower quality orc and goblin troops and Medieval men for the Goblin-men, Great ORcs and Uruks.

[Maenoferren]

totally agree Luddite, the Dacians are ideal for the Dunlendings
to be quite honest though I am using the goblins as ... welll errr goblins
somehow I decided to paint them brown and they ended up green... grrrrr

[barbarian]

The Uruks :
The dulendings or wild men :

[Luddite]

Well, they'll both do although neither the Uruks, nor the Dunlendings (see above) naturally used spears.

somehow I decided to paint them brown and they ended up green... grrrrr

Aye, orc skin colour is problematic isn't it?

They're mainly described as being 'sallow skinned like the worse sort of Mongol-type' (apologies for the racism; this is how Tolkien described them  ). 

Sallow skin http://www.thefreedictionary.com/sallow

This coupled with their general avoidance of sunlight i guess means they're sort of pale yellowish in tone?  The Uruks were described as being darker skinned, but i'd perhaps place them in the 'tanned Asian' cetegory (like actual Mongols, or maybe Native Americans?)

Since Tolkien describes the Troll-men of Far Harad as being 'black skinned, with red darting tongues', presumably, the Uruks aren't very dark skinned or black?

[Arsenus]

Harradrim are approaching!

Nik, you could use your Saladin army and just add some mammoths... 

[barbarian]

I've made an order.
I'll let you know how I manage to use the minis.

[Arsenus]

That's could be interesting!

[nikharwood]

Harradrim are approaching!

Nik, you could use your Saladin army and just add some mammoths... 

Oho - now that's not a bad idea at all Arsenus....hmm...

[Luddite]