Remember the days...

...when shopping, although a bit boring, wasn´t such an effort ?

Anyone remember the "massive horror"  of  PIG FLU ?

Steppes Warriors - Set 1

As with the first  lot (set 2), 12 bods and 12 nags in 6 poses. The nags are the same as set 2 so after a hot water bath, their heads got repositioned. 

As with set 2 you get extras,  this time two spears, a sword, a quiver, two bows and a saddle bag which attaches to the nag in the same way the bow or quiver attaches, with a peg 

Again, as with set 2, no flash!! None!! 10/10 and a Gold star for that.🌟

Close ups

The one on the right comes with the axe positioned directly over his head. Small snip and a bit of a twist and it looks better. 

Horse archers

The added extras. 

Steppes Warriors - Set 2

Labelled as Steppes warriors these, considering Alliances other fantasy output,  are definately the Riders of Rohan. One of them even  looks like Theoden.

12 bods and 12 nags in 6 poses.  You also get two lances, 2 shields, a bow in its holder, a quiver of arrows, a mace and a sword.The bow or quiver can be attached, peg into hole,  to one of the nags. The Shields attach, peg and hole, to the backs of the archers. The peg is on the archers quivers so it can be removed to give a bit of variety if the whole set were to be painted. The mace, sword and lances, although nice looking and easy to remove from the sprue,  I swopped them out for metal ones from the spares box. 

Zero flash on both the bods and the nags. As far as I can remember,  it´s the first set   I´ve bought without any flash that needs removing. Ok, I removed clumps of grass that  were on the hooves but that wasn´t necessary, just a personal preference. 

Uniform colour scheme.

Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden!

Fell deeds awake, fire and slaughter!

spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered,

a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!

Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!

Close ups

Each nag has a secondary weapon slung on the right except for one which has a rope.

The nag with the bow quiver. The hole could be filled and using a 1mm drill, a hole can be drilled in any of the other nags. 

Archers

Boss

Like em? I love them. 💗

The detail is top notch. Not clear in the pics but Lower leg and forearm armour has straps with clearly defined buckles. A couple of helmet plumes needed repositioning so they are flowing in the direction of movement. The holes in the hands for attaching weapons are a wee bit small but that´s easily sorted and better small holes than ones which are too big leaving the weapon dangling at an odd angle. 

Minotaurs

32 of them in 8 different poses. RedBox and labelled as being on the Dark Alliance side. Minotaurs, are they baddies, neutral or good? 

The whole herd together. 

"Rocky", "Bull the Butcher" and "Sirus"

"Axel", "Boxer" and "Lance" 

Lance is missing half of his left horn. Wether this is deliberate or due to the mold I don´t know but I assume it´s deliberate. 

"Bones"and "Thore" 

They are big. Depending on Pose, they range, from hooves to top of their heads (not including horns) between 28-30mm.

Here´s "Bully" between  Italeri and Perry bods

Uruks riding Wargs

RedBox´s Alliance range, Original titel "Warg Half Orcs" but I reckon, seeing as Uruks are a half breed creature their mounts would also be Half breeds. Wargs crossed with Hyenas!! Not the modern spotted hyena but the pre-historic Cave Hyena (Crocuta crocuta Spelaea). The beast was reckoned to weigh 225 Kilos!! 

Anyway, as my contribution to Orctober. 11 of the 12 have been painted as one of them was supposed to represent  Saruman but ended up as Merlin

5 of the ?..what are they? Wargs not, Hyenas also not. Wyenargs? Anyway, 5 of the Wyenargs were dumped into boiling water and then had thier heads repositioned. 

Command 

It looks as if one of the  Wyenargs skulls ended up being used as part of the standard. I hope it died a peacefull death but..TBH, I doubt it. 

Wargs are described (By Tolkien) as being sentient and having a proto language "the dreadfull language of the wargs " which Gandalf could understand. Given that, a body of Orcs/Uruks mounted on Wargs would pose quite a problem. Being fast, they could be used to go to the flanks or rear of an enemy and when there, the orcs/Uruks could dismount to fight on foot with the wargs alongside them, effectively doubling thier force.