The Chetwood.

The Chetwood is a forest North of Bree where the Rangers patrol protecting people from dark and lurking creatures that come down from the far North. Rangers of the North, or simply the Rangers, were the northern wandering people of Eriador, the last remnant of the Dúnedain of Arnor who had once peopled the North Kingdom of Arnor. They protected the lands they wandered although their secretiveness made other peoples consider them dangerous and distrustful in Bree and the Shire, where they were known as "Watchers". Here we can see Aragorn and Tuigil clearing several giant spiders' dwellings that have been seen lately. After this, Aragorn will head for Bree and wait for the Hobbits.  

 Aragorn on the left with sword, short bow and Tuigil on the right with long bow and dagger.

They advance towards the first cocoon of spiders in the centre of the map, with one Hazard Token (HT) approaching from the left and another one appearing at the top.

Aragorn kills a spider and destroys the nest whereas Tuigil watches from behind. He spots an Orc scout but misses his shot.

The Orc charges at Aragorn who kills him in combat.

 

The rangers keep pushing North, leaving behind them three HTs but also fighting against another Orc scout who charges the from the North.

 

 

More Orcs are coming and Tuigil keeps missing all his shots!

 

 

And this time Aragorn almost falls down after receiving a telling blow from the Orc's two handed axe!

 

 

Aragorn is severely wounded and after that, a wolf coming from the deep of the woods charges at him. He manages to kill it without being wounded but Tuigil has to come back in help.

 

 

Aragorn patches himself with some unguent and healing herbs and then they resume marching North.

 

 

They reach the second coccon and clear it.

 

 

After that, they head East to finish the last of the spiders' nest but meet some more spiders and Orcs in their way.

 

 

Tuigil finally hits all the shots and kills a spider and an Orc in one turn. Opportunity that Aragorn takes to finish the last cocoon. Then they exit the woods without further incidents.
 

 

 

Now Aragorn say goodbye to Tuigil and set off for Bree to wait for the Hobbits Galdalf told him about.

 

Well, so far nobody has got killed and they gather in Bree and get ready to set for Rivendel. We will see in the next instalment how they progress out of Bree and to Rivendel.

More ratties.

I painted a second set of "Skavens" but this time with the dipping technique. As you can see below, there is not much difference in result when compared to the ones I have painted before, but there is a huge difference in time:

The model on the left has been primed in white and then painted with basic colours and finally dipped in varnish stained, whereas the one on the left has been primed in black and then retouched it with a brush to cover those holes where the spray doesn't reach. After that, it's been drybrushed it in pale grey and then in white, and finally painted with contrast paints. I'd say that each figure on the right took me six more times to finish it than the one on the left!

I also have to say that I made some mistakes painting the latest set and that next time they will turn out better.

In a nutshell, varnish stain dipped figures are faster and cheaper to paint and a much harder finish, but none of this methods convince me. I'm sure it would be different if I used Mixwax but it is impossible to get it in Spain, sigh!

 

The Old Forest

After crossing the Brandywine, they headed for the Old Forest through the Tunnel Gate but after a while, the evil forest misled them and they went south and east until they arrived to river Wythywindle.

The Hobbits start in the middle bottom of the map, the river to the right is the Wythywindle, the building is the house of Tom Bombadil, and the hills at the left top corner the Barrow Downs. They have to leave the table on the upper left corner and through the Downs. There is a Hazard Token (HT) in the centre of the table.

They started moving towards the Downs and the HT did the same, but a new one appeared behind them!

 

The Hobbits moved forward and met the HT who turned to be Tom Bombadil no less (I used the figure of a Dwarf to proxy him), and who offered his help and invited them to his house and then disappeared.

They kept moving north but started to get surrounded by HTs.

 

 

Suddenly they were spotted by a big and menacing wolf who seemed to be very hungry.

They ignored the wolf and run for the house of Tom but then they met with another and even more dangerous wild creature, a grumpy bear. Fortunately, they could reach the safety of Tom's house and after this, the creatures were dismissed by him.

  

One turn later, the Hobbits left the house and headed towards the Barrow Downs, but there they spotted a scout Orc. - An Orc so far from his lair! The enemy is moving fast, we must press on with haste Sam.

Merry and Pipping shot him with their slings but both missed. Then the four valiant Hobbits charged the Orc and together they could overwhelm him.

 

 

But Frodo resulted wounded, they must be more careful.

 

Finally, they crossed the Barrow Downs and exited the area. There was a possbility of an encounter in a Barrow but they missed it.

In the end, the Hobbits were very fortunate as things could have gone far more worse. Luckliy, next time they will count with the help of Strider That is, if he manages to arrive to Bree in one piece!