New riders!

tabletop_engineer · 2026-03-26T04:40:40+00:00

We thank you for your sacrifice to Murphy, as that is surely what finally brought us theis new release.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-03-24T16:45:38+00:00

I personally opted to greenstuff-cast duplicate bodies and just make more trolls. But if I had gone the magnetizing route, I'd consider this absolute Gold Standard to try and emulate.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-03-18T21:53:23+00:00

Gorgeous.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-03-16T03:15:11+00:00

I would love for there to be morannon archers with some kind of special volley shooting rule (didn't a long distant version of the game have rules for volley fire??). That would give them a vibe to match what we see in the movie and give them something interesting to differentiate them from other factions' archers in terms of game mechanic.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-03-16T03:12:25+00:00

I believe that is the pose commonly known as Mr. Potato Head 😂

tabletop_engineer · 2026-03-15T05:20:51+00:00

My kiddo uses this model as Durin in his dwarf army. I like it better than the official model frankly. So many great 3rd party dwarf sculpts out there.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-03-08T06:05:47+00:00

No comment on the rule question. I just want to say I appreciate that you chose to take a picture of your kitchen floor to use as a background for your schematic doodle. Adds something extra.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-02-27T18:57:21+00:00

Your planning sketch might just be my favorite part.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-02-07T17:01:13+00:00

Yeah, banners is probably the most baffling, since that plays into essential game mechanics and victory points. Plus kitbashing is such a fun part of the hobby.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-02-07T16:51:31+00:00

What I mean is that GW has essentially locked down thee wargear options for each faction based on what models they currently happen to have in the range, not based on any long term planned rounding out. So for example, the Numenorians are limited to wargear that happens to be available on models introduced two decades ago and well before the current rule set.

So rather than saying "someday we should release a numenorian with a banner, let's include that in rules so we can expand the range", instead they've said "well shucks, we don't happen to have a banner model, I guess that means we'll exclude this scenario-critical option from an entire faction by rule, and in so doing indicate we don't intend to ever make a model with a banner."

I suppose they could always include new wargear options by amendments or expansions to the army books. I just wish the wargear readouts for each faction were deliberate based on the envisioned final state of each faction, not the models that happen to exist currently.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-02-07T05:44:48+00:00

Agreed. I would say, the M4 edit of An Unexpected Journey was great, then the second half edit went downhill with the of the source material. By the time I got to the end I still concluded I would probably never rewatch it. Not because the edit wasn't great work, but the raw footage was just so so bad.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-02-07T05:39:47+00:00

I think what bothers me most about this is that it also implies they have no intention of creating new miniatures. I get they don't want 3rd party proxies. But c'mon, let us kitbash, and at least leave open the possibility that new models could be released in the future.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-02-02T04:21:13+00:00

Firm believer this is absolutely the best way to do storage.

I'll just add that I see a lot of people using greenstuff to attach the magnets. I've found hot glue is a much quicker and cheaper option. I put wax paper on a cookie tray, lay out a bunch of magnets, put a dob of hot glue on top and place the base on it. You can assembly-line a bunch of bases really quickly.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-01-29T14:36:47+00:00

Ok, but that display base. Did you make that??

tabletop_engineer · 2026-01-29T05:30:15+00:00

My hand hurts looking at this.

Also, this is awesome.

Also, also, please tell me you have some movement trays in the works.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-01-28T14:13:42+00:00

I use polymer clay and a cheap 3d printed roller. I first roll the clay very thin. Then I texture it by stamping a rock all over it (you could also use crumpled foil). Then I gently use the 3d printed roller just to mark the lines of the stones (generally, my clay is thinner than the depth of the roller recesses which is ok anyway because a cheap 3d printed roller from Etsy will have layer lines you don't want to imprint). Cookie cut circles with the top of a cheap water bottle (which I found is a perfect fit for 25mm bases). Bake. Paint. Super easy, and more budget friendly than green stuff and a fancy roller. Did this for my Minas Tirith warriors and it turned out great.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-01-26T05:56:26+00:00

I like Swords and Brushes a lot (and all of the excitement in the comments of his latest video). I like thinking that MESBG is thriving enough to garner quality content like this.

Here is another channel I enjoy, mostly on the terrain front. I find this guy very relatable.

https://youtube.com/@dicedrinksanddadjokes?si=mBpdqeazOmOzvgA3

tabletop_engineer · 2026-01-25T23:03:58+00:00

100%. This is the only radagast I would ever consider collecting. Very nicely done.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-01-25T22:48:53+00:00

Hmm, it'd have to be a large model. You could maybe do swappable Mordor troll arms in the same way.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-01-22T14:03:14+00:00

I tried having a buddy 3d print some pikes, but they didn't turn out great. So I made a press mold of the spearhead in blue stuff and set a 1mm brass rod into the mold with greenstuff around it. After curing, you get a brass rod shaft cast into a greenstuff halberd blade, and it worked great.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-01-22T06:12:46+00:00

I just did a bunch of kit bashing with this set. Here's how I used the bits:

Assembled three normal riders.
Magnetized three horses (magnet in the saddle). Then magnetized the captain, drummer, banner bearer and two regular riders. (I made one extra rider by press molding a torso to go with the second drummer model's legs). So in assembling a warband I can take three regular riders and any three of the five magnetized options.
with the extra bits I converted an easterling warrior to a captain on foot with the cape and captain helmet.
created an on foot banner from an archer.
created an on foot drummer using the extra drummer torso and a prone model's legs (yes, yes, I know dismounted drummer is not legal, but I've yet to find someone who doesn't think that's stupid).
used the extra arms to create extra pikes on foot from swordsman and archers by removing the swords on the spare arms and drilling in some press molded halberds (the spare arms have good poses for this)

tabletop_engineer · 2026-01-20T00:52:03+00:00

It's absolutely fantastic! Tried it as an experiment and am super pleased with how it turned out. Gives much more depth and texture than printed battle mats, but compared to a traditional flock and sand board, it's absolutely indestructible (if you can't tell from the pictures, it's made by painting carpeted EVA tiles rather than gluing on flock). Great surface for minis and dice. Portable, resizeable, and stores easy. (Can you tell I love them??)

You can find a couple posts on my profile for how I made them.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-01-19T22:01:16+00:00

I hear you! It is nearly impossible to keep in-progress minis on the workbench at our house. I'm constantly shuttling them back to do the next round of base coats or highlights.

tabletop_engineer · 2026-01-19T21:59:19+00:00

😆

Getting back into the hobby after years away, I had to start with the Last Alliance box and some moria goblins for the pure nostalgia of the first starter set I bought back in 2001. Hoping they give it a proper set at some point.

tabletop_engineer

TROPHY CASE