Yesterday, when I showed off the Volcano Dwarf clerics, I said that they might be the final units for the army.
![Volcano Dwarves Volcano Dwarves](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/765827a.jpg)
After a quick inventory of my workbench… yes, this army is complete!
![Volcano Dwarves Volcano Dwarves](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/765827b.jpg)
It's not a large army – just 35 stands, lots of guns and a disproportionate number of command stands.
![Volcano Dwarves Volcano Dwarves](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/765827h.jpg)
The whole project started back in the 90s, when I painted up some Grenadier Dwarves for a 'last stand' type scenario involving command and spear, plus a few Ral Partha wagon-mounted ballistas (half-painted and back in the lead pile somewhere!).
![Volcano Dwarves Volcano Dwarves](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/765827c.jpg)
The opposing army was intended to be Goblins and maybe some Kobolds. The rules were probably Battlesystem. The figures were originally single-based, with the idea that I could change bases for different rulesets. My friends didn't think much of the red-and-yellow color scheme – the McDonaldland Dwarves, they said.
![Volcano Dwarves Volcano Dwarves](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/765827g.jpg)
Well, I changed jobs, moved around the country a few times, and the figures ended up in a box somewhere. And one day, I dug them out, and said: let's finish this army!
![Volcano Dwarves Volcano Dwarves](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/765827j.jpg)
During my long project pause, I had picked up more Grenadier Dwarves at sale prices – enough for a nice gun line, and a small body of well-disciplined troops.
![Volcano Dwarves Volcano Dwarves](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/765827d.jpg)
By now, I already had several Dwarf armies, so I had to figure out what made this one unique. Looking at the color scheme, I figured these guys were chaotic and perhaps a bit crazy – they live in volcanos! They have a small army with lots of guns and a little magic, and make extensive use of allies and mercenaries.
![Volcano Dwarves Volcano Dwarves](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/765827e.jpg)
So I rebased the Dwarves I'd painted all those years ago, and sent the rest from my lead pile off to our good friends in Sri Lanka – Fernando Enterprises – for painting to match the original look. And then I based them up, and here we are!
![Volcano Dwarves Volcano Dwarves](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/765827f.jpg)
What next? Well, I've been dreaming up some kind of campaign with the Volcano Dwarves going on the attack against some nice, peaceful peoples… with a variety of oddball and sometimes low-value allies and mercenaries. I've got plenty of recent armies that need to get onto the tabletop!
![Volcano Dwarves Volcano Dwarves](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/765827i.jpg)
You'll see the Volcano Dwarves again, I promise!