"Yet Another Goblin Army For My Table-Goblins In Stahlhems" Topic

Sometime at the turnover from 2nd Edition to 3rd, my local shop sold off the older 2nd edition box sets at a bargain and I bought up a number for the minis. That is when I started making up a 40K Gretchin army using nothing but Gretchin. Since then Ihave probably converted a few acres of fantasy goblins into sci fi as well not to mention collecting every kind of sci fi goblin anyone came out with.

Well, it has been ten or fifteen years since those mobs have seen any activity and this year apparently I have made up for lost time.

Back in 2nd edition GW came out with the Ork faction in jackboots and steel helemts and I fell in love with them. Sadly, the stahlhelm and jackboot look must have caused a visceraal reaction in europe and GW quietly let the figures into the background. I wanted a goblin version of them and was kind of heartbroken back then.

Now in the last year I have stumbled across a number of companies that seem to share the same kind of mental ilness as me.

First ff is a designer of 3D prints called Trollet Minis who has a set of Goblins in German steel helmets and greatcoats. As a bonus they carry the same style autoguns as the ld 2nd edition plastic figures. This is the bulk of my army. Five platoons of thirty each.

Next is Kromlech Miniatures and their Iron Reich goblins. There is a commander, a flamethrower set, a panzerschrek team, an infantry section and even some artillery crew and vehicle crew-gobbos. I picked up their panzerschrek teams and sections. The figures with the sci-fi schmeissers get to be infantry section leaders. Maybe I can use the mauser figures for conversions.

Then there are also some figures by Command Post Models. they have come out with a Weird War Range of Great War themed goblins in the first war stahlhelms with the rivets. They have infantry sections, MG08 teams and flamethrower teams. I like their savings on the infatry sections deals. The infatry have masuer rifles so more for converting. I do like their falmethrower teams a bit more than the kromlech flamethrower. They also have the range and more in pickelhaubs too, but not this time,,, yet.

Finally, there is another range. This time the Goblin civil War ranges in collaboration between Scotia and Sally 4th. The Spanish civil War themed goblins have a few sets where they too have the stahlhelms. I have to warn you that this time some goblins have goatees. A bit of variety of stahlhelms for infantry, greatcoats and command. Not to mention all kinds of types specifically of Spanish flavours too but I am sticking to the german steel helemt theme.

More to follow.

So my basic block are fifteen infantry sections of ten goblins. Most are the goblins in greatcoats and german helemts with autoguns. Each section gets one of the Kromlech figures with the sci-fi Schmeisser. Maybe I canvert one special weapon for each section. I have tons of the plasma rifles. Or if I use them for trench fighting maybe I can convert some with medium flamethrowers.

Each of the five platoons gets a command figure of either a kromlech or a CP Models Officer in steel helemt with a broomhandle mauser and their accompanying one of two regular infantrymen.

For support weapons, I use three teams of th Kromleck Panzershreck teams. Three teams of the CP models heavy flamethrower teams. As well I have squirreled away a pile of heavy weaapons from the older GW imperial guard and Demonblade Shockforce heavy weapons sets. Lascannons, heavy bolters and autoguns and heavy stubberss. I like those better because of their diminutive size that fits them better.

I am left with either finding or converting some figures for equivalents for the true odds and ends ot the army command that you might want to either point me out in finding or ideas for converting.

A medic or doctor, I have a bunch of tiny hand tools from doll house minatures. Saws, power drills, pipe wrenches and spanners.

I do have banner pole figures from the Goblin CIvil War line, but what can I add or do to help go along with their oddball theme? Should the banner itself have anything speial painted on it?

A commisar type, I do have left over Goblin in great coat and peaked cap with bullhorn from the time when Black Hat made goblins.

My biggest question is where can I find or how do I keep the theme for a goblin magician or weird boy?

While I am going to avoid mechanised or mounted goblins for this army I am looking for idas for anything special.

What about Squigs?
Can i use squigs?
I am picturing a unit of squigs where I use the heavy flamethrowers as the 'herders' to motivate and shepherd them around the battlefield or to drive them forward in the trenches. Should the squigs get taken out they still have the heavy flamers as follow up.

Maybe feed them in trenches for training to stop them from leaping out of the trenches so that they run forward looking for food?

Besides, "Get Help", anything you can think of or can add to encourage me?

The only thing crazier than the laughter I get from my ideas, is seeing them come to fruition physically on the table in front of me.

Have a great weekend everyone.

I have even found a pair of ammo runtz on Thingverse with a pair of goblins in german helmets carrying ammo around, but can't seem to find anyone I have to sleep with who is willing to print them.

I should do something with all my Gretchen too…

Troopwo, have you considered adding some drop troopers, e.g. Fallschirmjäger or Fallschirm-gobbos :) Some figures gathering in their parachutes, one or two upside down on their bases with their head stuck in the ground.

The squigs would be a good substitute for German Shepherds – how did the German army use these? Or how about cavalry substitutes?

I am sure it will be a fun army. Might not win often but when it does it will be legendary!

My gretchin armies started for two reasons. One was what do you do with some hundred and fifitty odd gretchin with autogun? The other part was that me and my friend alwaays played some high quality troops in 40k, like space marines. So as a challemge I tried these guys out as a joke to see what I could actually do with them.

If you took a serious look at the rules an dweapons you might be surprised, even back in 2nd edition.

For one they were cheap to the point of stupid for the army builder cost, what five points.

Next, if you put some thought to arming them.
Autoguns might not do the best damage but are flat out comparable to anything the imperial guard had in lasrifiles. The benfit is that you are rolling fistfuls of dice to see if anyone hit.

You could use things out of either GorkaMorka or even fanatasy becasue all that stats alligned.

Converting the old plastic fantasy goblin archers to crossbows. Suddenly I was taking out tyranids at forty inches with a strength four weapon.

Mount a goblin on the old plastic wolf and give him a sword and pistol. You get an incredible three or four attacks. Not to mention the weird rule of wolves can run through woods with no penalty to movement. Suddenly a unit of wolf riders can move sixteen inches through terrain some one thought was protection.

My converting tends to stick to the rifle and weapon or mating the figure to the right thing. I love the fallshirmjager idea, but it took me fifteen or twenty years to find all the models of the german helmet types.

Maybe in another ten years worth of looking. Who knows the way 3D printing is going, it might happen just by bringing up the subject.

As for more mounted ideas, Hotwheels can be your best friend.

I have a complete unit mounted on motorized shopping carts like you find at the big bos retail store.

Another unit or two mounte on Hotwheels stretched Harley Davidsons.

Maybe some tiny sclae V2 rockets so I can use them as Jump Troopers?

Am I the only one who has a goblin doom diver clutching a Teller mine?

Those kamikaze rocket dudes only came out long afterwards.

For a Supreme Commander, I would suggest a David Bowie miniature… ;-)

Based on the Diamond Dogs album cover art alone, never mind the movie Labrynthe.