If Literature were Chapters: Game of Thrones (continued)

Warhammer & Warhammer 40k are rife with puns, homages, and word play. The game universe is awash with references to literature, pop culture, historical figures, world cultures, & myths. In this section, I draw inspiration from various sources to imagine them as new armies of the Imperium.

Today I'm breaking from my usual format to create 10 chapters from a single source: George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.

Continued from here

Dragonfathers
House: Targaryen
Colors: Red with Black torso and helmet.
Concept: Upon their arrival in the Western Aeros sector it was discovered the chapter's librarians were capable of forming a telepathic bond with an indigenous species of firedrake found on the Southern steppes of their new home. Their psykers ride the beasts ahead of the troops and lay waste to enemy lines before they arrive.

Reciprocators
House: Lannister
Colors: Maroon and Yellow halved
Concept: No slight is too small to warrant retaliation for this chapter. They are ruthless in their pursuits, and have terminated entire planetary governments due to a Governor's slanderous words. No one knows how the Reciprocators are able to exact such precise and exact revenge, but it is rumored that the Chapter Master consults a wizened Watcher in the Dark on all of their battle strategies.

Reaper Lords
House: Greyjoy
Colors: Black with Gold accents and grills
Concept: This chapter made its home amongst an asteroid field in the Northeastern region of the sector. Each of the 10 companies is led by a "king" and are housed in their own cruisers that navigate the sea of rock. Once every six years they gather at the Kraken, their fortress at the heart of the storm.

Celestial Falcons
House: Arryn
Colors: Light blue with White shoulders & legs
Concept: Of late, the Falcons have not engaged in any of the power grabs of the other houses. They remain in their mountaintop monastery, seemingly unmotivated to vie for position amongst their peers. Some have noted that Chapter Master Johan has not been seen for many years, leading to the speculation that there is unrest in their leadership.

Shield Wardens
House: Tyrell
Colors: Green with Orange chest & shoulder trim
Concept: Established on the most fertile Argi-World in the sector, the Shield Wardens wield enormous influence, and are not afraid to use it. More devious than they are given credit for, they are nevertheless one of the most stabilizing forces in the region.


Bonus Chapter

River Runners
House: Tully
Colors:  Light blue & Red halved
Concept: The shrewd River Runners make their home on the aquatic world of Trident. They excel in all aspects of diplomacy, although their record was marred recently when second company Captain Piscis Perniger left the chapter after coming to blows with the Chapter Master. He continues his dutiful service to the Emperor as he wanders throughout the system.

You like Half-Orcs? check these guys out.

Stonehaven miniatures is back with their latest kickstarter Half-Orc Adventurers. I was excited to see them tackle these guys since they're really underrepresented in miniatures. They're down to the last 48 hours now though, so if this tickles your fancy you should check it out.

Reaper, with their immense lineup of minis, has 19 Half Orc minis to their name, almost all of them are Barbarians, Fighters, or Rogues. With this one kickstarter Stonehaven is adding (at least) 16 new characters, in a variety of professions. Who'd have thought to make a Half-Orc Mechanist (below, left)? Also, 7 of those are female, compared to Reaper's 6.

Stonehaven sets themselves apart by putting their own twist on the race, so the aesthetic is a little different from the traditional D&D Half Orc. They have pointier ears and most of the males have bulkier frames, so they look more Orcish than Human, the exception is the Thief mini (right).

Art from Stonehaven Miniatures, Copyright 2014 Michael T. Evans

The females are more slender in stature, almost human sized. There's a bit of variety, with the Barbarian appearing far bulkier than the other ladies (right). So far, my favorite mini has to be the Bard (left). She looks like an entertaining character, and at home in any fantasy setting. How she uses the drum while in combat might be fun to figure out too (in my mind one of her drumsticks is actually a club).

Art from Stonehaven Miniatures, Copyright 2014 Michael T. Evans

 If Half Orcs aren't your thing Stonehaven adds a variety of side races to the mix as well. This time around they've added an Asian flair by introducing several Tengu (Samurai, left), songbird Hengeyokai, & a giant-sized Oni. There are also a few familiar faced races like a hobgoblin, a Wemic, and a few Half-Dragons (Dualist, right).

Art from Stonehaven Miniatures, Copyright 2014 Michael T. Evans

 The scale for the Half Orcs appears to be around 32mm, so a bit bigger than your average mini. I can't tell for sure, but I imagine they'll be comparable to Reaper's Warlord miniature line. They run a bit big, but not so large that they look ridiculous next to the rest of your PC minis. Here's a comparison they posted in an update:

If you like what you see, I'd encourage you to check out the project. I participated in the Elven Adventurers KS, and I was quite pleased with the results. Like I said before, there's less than 48 hours, so don't hesitate too much if you're interested.

~Muninn