So this year, I’ve set out to do something I’ve wanted to do every since I was a little kid (at least in Middle School)- enter Golden Demon! I’ve entered several painting competitions at this point, including some really great ones, and I’ve seen a number of Golden Demons, dating back to the old Games Days (not to mention endless hours pouring over White Dwarfs).
But the GW style and I have kind of drifted away over the years. While that universe and art style is pretty foundational to my approach to the miniatures hobby, well we’ve both moved on. We looked at each other and said, “it’s not you, it’s me.” I’m stuck in the past, fawning over cartoonish metal sculpts and playing games written around the time I was born. GW is laying out a slick new video game future, for the kids (and the money). While I still find myself coming back to the GW IPs over and over again, the style of the modern sculpts as well as the modern painting idealized by Golden Demon just isn’t my favorite style anymore.
But who, am I kidding, I still love it! I’ve poured hours and hours into studying old Golden Demons in WD, and still love to revisit them in my collection. And so I’d love to finally participate after all these years! I don’t expect much, and I want to do it my way, but I do want to participate!
So with that, just today, I signed up for two entries.
Ludwig Schwarzhelm, Emperor’s Champion
I had hoped to do this one last year, but never go around to it- revisiting some Oldhammer from my old 5th Edition Empire army. Ludwig Schawrzhelm, battle standard bearer and champion of Emperor Karl Franz. I made a few minor improvements building a slightly elevated and angled base, and adding a banner, but other than that its just a dude on a horse.
I started by replacing the banner pole with a copper rod and building some extra doo-dahs onto it. Doodahs are very important for the pomp and circumstance of the Empire, you know. The banner is made out of aluminum can.
Now I’ve started getting a little paint onto it! Slowly but steadily covering square centimeters in paint.
Ogre for Hire
So this old school Warhammer ogre I actually picked up at Warhammer world, brand new, in the year 2025. I didn’t expect to find anything to buy there, but they had a small run of oldhammer exclusive recasts I couldn’t refuse! I decided to make a little diorama of this fellow outside a tavern in Reikland, maybe hired by the innkeeper to keep some particularly rowdy customers at bay. I mocked up the diorama, and got some feedback on the construction before polishing it up! Time for paint!
Here we go, hope we can get it done, and good luck to everyone else throwing together something for the first time!
-BS