The Middle-earth Grand Tournament recently shook the rafters at Warhammer World, with generals from all over the world duking it out to be crowned champion. This annual event is one of the biggest in the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game calendar, and is as much about showcasing beautifully painted armies as it is battling.
One of the most coveted awards is for the Best Painted Army, and with entrants bringing both Good and Evil forces to the tournament, it takes a multi-disciplinary master to win. This year, that master was Robert Burton.
Good – The Kingdom of Khazad-dûm
Robert’s Good army focused around the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm, specifically Balin’s expedition to reclaim Moria from the Goblins. Naturally this force is led by Balin himself, but it also includes Gimli and a King’s Champion as its other Heroes. The army is filled out with a mixture of Dwarf Warriors, Khazâd Guard, and Vault Warden Teams.
Robert has gone for a striking colour scheme, with the deep purple of his warriors’ clothing contrasted perfectly by their bright golden armour. The combination of gold and purple is typically associated with royalty, and ideal for the livery of the Kingdom of Moria, reclaimed with Balin as its new king.
Undoubtedly the most impressive part of the army is its stunning display base, which depicts a stairway leading up to an entrance to Moria in the Misty Mountains. On either side of the stairway is an imposing Dwarf statue, whilst the rest of the board is covered in snow to give a wintery appearance. Robert has even made a selection of Objective markers themed around the events in Khazad-dûm!
Evil – Far Harad
For his Evil force, Robert brought a host of fearsome Mahûd tribesmen from Far Harad. No Mahûd force would be complete without one of its fearsome war beasts, so the army included a War Mûmak of Far Harad – standing out with an armoured headpiece, tusk weapons, and sculpted fur lining on the beast's back. Robert also painted a variety of war markings onto the Mûmak’s skin to represent its Sigils of Defiance upgrade.
The Mahûd Beastmaster Chieftain atop the Mûmak has also been converted. Robert gave his Chieftain a skull facemask, a bone club, and a feathered headdress to make him fit in more with the Mahûd aesthetic.
The rest of the army is packed with a mixture of Mahûd Warriors and Mahûd Raiders, led by a Mahûd King – each of whom have had individual war markings painted onto their faces.
Once again, Robert provided an excellent display board for his force, this time depicting the arid desert landscape that the Mahûd tribes call home in the far south of Middle-earth.
Congratulations to Robert. These armies were voted as Best Painted by the people attending the Middle-earth Grand Tournament, so make sure you’re in the running next time by hearing all the latest events news from the Warhammer Community newsletter.
