“The Most Barbarous And Brutal Of The Uruk-hai Are The Bezerkers.”

"Frenzied killers who are hurled into battle to break through enemy lines."

This 28mm scale metal Uruk-hai Berzerker is produced by "Games Workshop", and these days can be bought as one of four different resin cast sculpts from the Nottingham-based company’s "The Lord Of The Rings" range. Both “Oblivious To Pain” and “Impervious To Bow Fire” in the Middle-Earth Strategy Battle Game, this is one of seven such double-handed sword-wielding maniacs I intend to field as part of my 500-point Isengard force.

The figure was initially primed in two coats of “Vallejo” Heavy Red, before having his leather sandals, loincloth and hand-guards ‘picked out’ with some slightly watered-down Heavy Sienna. The entire model was then shaded in “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade, and had its chainmail pigmented using a combination of “Scale 75” Thrash Metal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

"Rocket Pig Games" WIPs - The Tin Construct is currently being weathered

Next I tackled the issue of trying to replicate the decades-old metallic paint-job some of my previously-finished Orcs had with modern-day colours. This resulted in me applying some “Citadel” Abaddon Black to their great hand-weapons and helmets as a base coat, and subsequently giving them a lick of “Scale 75” Decayed Metal.

The sword and head-gear were later dry-brushed with “Scale 75” Thrash Metal, shaded with “Citadel” Nuln Oil, and finally dry-brushed with (more) “Scale 75” Thrash Metal. As a last step I applied a hand pattern over the brute’s face with some “Vallejo” White” so as to mark the Bezerker out as being favoured by the treacherous White Wizard himself.

"Rocket Pig Games" WIPs - The Twig Fiend has been shaded and dry-brushed

In addition to my latest Uruk-hai, I have also been working on the first couple of 3D Printed models I bought from “FullyCycled”. Both of these figures are actually produced by “Rocket Pig Games” and printed in resin. However, as part of my experiment into this new aspect of the wargaming world, I did acquire a 40mm print of the Tin Construct and just a 32mm the Twig Fiend; albeit on the tabletop the wooden monstrosity would appear to be of a comparable size.

One of the first learning curves I’ve experienced is being super-careful when removing any support struts still attached to the models, and double-checking to ensure what I’m clipping off isn’t actually meant to be part of the sculpt itself. Unfortunately, I mistook the Tin Construct’s head-handle as being ‘flash’ and whilst tidying up one of the tendrils on the back of my Twig Fiend snapped the surprisingly brittle piece off…