Fellows, I call on your summary knowledge to make a script for a video (or pdf) about collecting chorfs in these modern times.
We can all point to the range of 93’ (and the sea of recasts it produced), the forge world line from the 10’, the minis by Fabelzel, Lost Kingdom, Brawniac and Warp minis for places to start. However, it would be nice to make a nice summary for any potential lad getting into chorfs to help them along the way in what is a notoriously difficult army to collect.
I’m a little unexperienced when it comes to anything outside plastic minis and buying off prints from my local print shops, so I was looking for your personal favourite mini makers, printing, pricing, collecting and all other hobby experiences to make a digestible, honest and complete script.
Here are my recommendations for printing an army that is more or less in-line with the way chorfs look in Total War.
1. Lords and heroes.
Lost Kingdom has mounts, all the mounts! Taurus, Llamasu, even the Altar of Hashut if you play WAP. They also have more than a few options for a hero on foot, all pretty high-quality.
Raven Twin have their Daemonsmith - I would recommend to use him as a crewmember for your infernal engines.
Titan forge has subjectively the best sorcerer and BSB.
2. Infantry.
You want warriors and blunderbusses? Titan forge. You want Infernal Guard? Lost kingdom has you covered, and if you don’t like the skull masks and would prefer something a bit more old-fashioned, write to Sir Nicholas, he has sculpted some heads compatible with LK IG. You want Immortals? Raven Twin.
Between you and me, though, I would wait for autumn, Highlands should be releasing their Sons of Marduk lineup thereabouts. Judging by their sketches - we’re going to be eating good.
3. Slaves
Highlands have a decent relase of Steppe Goblins, and as for Orks - there are so many of those around I can’t possibly do justice to all of them, though Avatars of War are generally considered the best sculpts around.
4. Centaurs and K’Daai
For K’Daai Fireborn I would recommend Raven Twin Fire elementals, they look almost the same as in Total War. I haven’t seen a sculpt of the Destroyer that I would like, though.
For Bull Centaurs and Renders I recommend Lost Kingdom.
5. War machines
Meshymesh over on Cults has some of the best warmachines. If you want more exotic options, Lost Kingdom again.
I’ll add my two cents here for the Kings of War abyssal dwarf line. I only have a few of their minis, and their look isn’t quite my taste, but they fit the bill and might appeal to others.
Lords and heroes
Most of the abyssal dwarf characters are named, but the basic intent behind each model is clear. There are at least two models of sorcerer with gnarly staves, as well as two melee lords called the king and the overmaster. A melee lord can also ride a giant rhino mount, while the sorcerer lord can ride an obese lamassu mount. There’s also a generic slavemaster hero which looks great.
Infantry
The blacksouls are their warriors, and the decimators are the gunners. The immortal guard is the elite infantry.
Slaves
These are literally called slave orcs. They also have cavalry in the form of orc board riders, along with an evil dwarf taskmaster riding a chariot. They also have gargoyles which are like a sort of flying slave chaff. The gargoyles have a champion model available too.
Centaurs and monsters
Their bull centaurs are referred to as halfbreeds. In addition, they have a monstrous cavalry unit which seems unique to the KoW line called “grotesques.” They’re these gross Hellraiser-type monsters sewn together from body parts and weapons. Both the halfbreeds and grotesques have large champion options. There’s also some creepy little spider thing called a hexcaster; I think it’s like a bug wizard.
War machines
There’s a heavy mortar, a light mortar, a rocket launcher, and a “fire team” which is actually some evil dwarves with a flamethrower.
Giants
These offer a few options. There are golems, a big golem, and some sort of unique golem called the Charnox, which is a golem with a gun arm. There’s also some cybernetic dwarf-giant hybrid called an Infernox.
Diehard miniatures- nice centaur, chaos dwarf and chaos goblin
Knightmare miniatures- nice centaurs and chaos dwarfs
Oakbound- nice old school hobbos
Alternative armies- very well hid possessed chaos dwarfs
4a miniatures-now on ebay as gaunt21 i think sells a few chaos dwarfs Evillittlebuggers.com -sjoerdos amazing mm90 inspired chaos dwarfs
Ral partha europe - excellent range of cds plus demons etc
Max mini- massive range of cheap hobgoblins
Forlornhopegames-metal hobgoblins
For those who might want to use GW stuff for simple conversions I will recommend using Ironbreaker/Irondrakes, and just put old Chaos Warrior heads on them instead of the duardin heads, and then perhaps Bloodreaver or Marauder axes on there instead of the runic ones. The irondrake guns already have dragon faces, so could be Chaosy. To make them more Fireglaivey, plastic tubing glued into the barrels, then add axe or knife blades to the end undersides, and voila!
For heroes, same just adding more bits. And basing can go a long way to making them Chaosy, plus paint scheme.
For big stuff…
Iron Daemon/Skullcracker: Chaos Chariots put two together, or Chaos Warshrine + Skaven or Chaos wheels + cannons on the front or whirling blades on extensions from the Slaanesh chariots perhaps (or any blades on wheels). A Screaming Bell kit and/or Warp Lightning Cannon kit has tons of good bits for war machine converting. These types of chassis can also be good for the Dreadquake Mortar (though a cannon barrel is tougher). 40k bits with the 40kish stuff scraped off with an X-acto blade is very good for stuff like that often times.
Bull Centaurs and Tauruses: Wildfire Taurus or Stonehorn kit with a Ghorgon head are great (add Daemon Prince or Hive Tyrant, etc wings) with converted rider. Centaurs you could use Mournfang kits using the Ogor torsos. Would take some greenstuffing, but to cover the hole where the Mournfang heads are shields/banners, etc would be good. A more difficult but awesome conversion is using Juggernauts w either Ogor or Theridon torsos. I will add that the Ironblaster kit comes with a Rhinox and driver…makes an awesome centaur right there, and get 4 of them, and you can slap two chassis together to make any warmachine (and the cannon could be a magma cannon or Iron Daemon, whichever).
Kdaai is tougher but Tzeentch Flaming Chariot fire is good, stick weapons and heads whereever, paint appropriately. Similarly the Magmaspitter invocation from Fyreslayers works (I did that with 3 of them, it works!).
Hobgoblins, use Hobgrot Slittaz with greenstuff blob hats.
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