Nobody likes a Gnoblar

I was chatting with a friend of mine the other day who plays ogres and he was really slagging off gnoblars. We discussed it for some time and then he admitted that much of it was due to hating painting them.

This got me thinking, is the painting of them one of the reasons they are so universally hated?

I personally love painting them - I have a 3k Gnoblar army!

I love painting them so much that I would even be willing to do some affordable commission Gnoblar unit painting and basing if anyone was keen?? 

But seriously, is it painting them what makes them so despised?

I own about 40 Gnoblars from the battalions I bought.  I'm dreading painting them, and I regret having used a couple as additions to some ogre models.  I absolutely hate painting them.  I'd rather go paint another Iron Blaster (I hated doing the first one.)

I really like painting the odd gnoblar as part of an ogre model, its a nice change of pace, but I dread the thought of painting a whole unit of them. Tiny surface area, awkward poses, lots of junk, and just soooo many!! *shudders*

As far as using them in a list goes, Ogres move so much faster they can't really keep up. I might use them as a screen to protect a unit of Leadbelchers if I've got some points left over, but as a minimum of 10 for 25 points, I'd much rather just grab a Sabretusk.

But then, I'm no Rommel of Warhammer

If they were painted though, do you reckon you would use them more?

I am seriously thinking of starting a gnobalr painting business - I love painting hordes.

Yes, I would use them more if they were painted. I hate the plastic unit of gnoblars but love the trappers and add-on gnoblars.

Its an interesting point you raise here.

I have always wanted to have at least 1000 Gnoblars just so I could run a game with like 10x100 0r 20x50 units of them. Just to see them on the table would be excellent!!

Why have I never done this? Because after painting the first 40 I literally couldn't be bothered with the sight of the damn things!

They are very small, like smaller than goblins. They lack any great detail (which should be a plus....but it isn't!). The ones in the Gnoblar box are ok but they are all pretty different (the guy sitting on someones shoulders springs to mind) which means that "speed painting" them like you would say Night Goblins is out.
They have them stupid fiddly little heads to be stuck on. Half of them you cant tell where their hat finishes and their head begins. It took me ages to work out that one of them was stood on a skull. All-in-all they are a pain in the ass to paint and in the main most people get into ogres to paint less models of a greater size, not hundreds of little fiddly ones!

I would say that the ones that come with Maneaters and characters are slightly different. The odd one is ok to paint. The trapper ones are quite fun too. But as for the rest....I cant say as im too fussed about painting them at all.

So you could be right, maybe that is why people don't use them allot!

And how much would you be charging for this Gnoblar commission work?  Its an interesting idea. Just pray that 50 people don't jump on it at the same time.....then you too can have the pleasure of painting 1000 Gnoblars! 

G_H

I forced myself to batch paint 30 of the buggers, complete with converting 3 into standard bearers.  I even based them.  It didn't take THAT long (20 ironbreakers take WAY longer), but painting them is in direct conflict with my enjoyment of painting the Ogre models: bigger, easier and more fun to convert, and fairly simple models.

That being said, I definitely break them out fairly regularly: 35 points for a unit that buffs my fortitude and can hold/contest table quarters (if you're playing scenarios) is hard to argue with.

@ GH - What about £2 a gnoblar painted, based with a movement tray and I will even convert a command group for free.

So that's £2,000 across to my paypal account then yeah? lol

Hmmmm, your funny! But not funny ha ha! 

Actually I have another proposition for you;

What about this; I will pay you £1 a Gnoblar, based and completed....don't worry about movement trays. I will pay this at a rate of 30 Gnoblars a month over a period of 3 years. At any point either of us can pull out or stop so long as it is in total agreement with the other party and all bills/ debts are paid in full?

That means in the first year I would have 360 Gnoblars. You would have to paint 30 a month. If you say " I cant hack it, stop!" we agree on that. If I say "enough is enough, stop!" we stop at that. 

What are your thoughts on that? Obviously I would buy the Gnoblars and send them to you. We could up the Gnoblar count...to say 50 if I am feeling flush, or drop it if you are just getting dog-sick of painting them!

Obviously, I would be totally down with the idea of you converting a few if you were getting bored with them!

Its only a suggestion.....but its there on the table my friend!

Of course if they totally drop OK from 9th edition and there just isn't any Gnoblars anymore or they are not viable in the most up-to-date version of Warhammer Fantasy Battle rules then all bets are off!

Thoughts?

 
G_H

In theory, I would be up for that, though would prfer £40 for 30 gnoblars, Would you be paying for postage back and forth? Also how would you want them painted? Have you got a particular theme/colour to your army?

Also basing? Are we talking basic ground/grass basing or ultra modern broken ice basing? lol

That's one hell of a production machine too 30 a month - I reckon I would need a break every third month to recharge, paint my stuff before I resumed but in theory I think it would work. but that only gives you 240 a year? We will be here half a decade.

or what about 50 every 2 months? So July 1st I paint you 50 and then I do you another 50 on September 1st - that way you get 300 a year but the schedule isn't as tight? - gives me a little leeway for painting my stuff, and you know...life? That probably sounds best to me.

Oh and one last condition - I don't know how you would do it but I see you are a member of the Stronghold Guard, liking the title dude - Any chance I could have a name reflecting my superior gnoblar painting talents - Gnoblar Head Honcho etc? I realise that I would be the only one but I like that!

Interesting!

I sadly cant promise you any fancy titles on behalf of the forum! Firstly it is not in my power to do so, and it would be unethical from the point of view of the Stronghold. Whatever agreement you and I come to has no direct reflection on the forum itself! You could be the most prolific painter of Gnoblars ever!....It is not in my power to bestow any sort of title upon you on behalf of the forum. I am totally sorry about this, but it would be really wrong and unethical of me to either suggest that I could or agree to anything like this.

I totally understand what you are saying about work-load. It would be a massive task to paint such high quantities of Gnoblars. Any normal person (not that I am saying you are not normal, obviously) would be bored shitless of painting Gnoblars after three months! So I have a counter proposition for you. This will allow you some "backing out in a hurry...you have got to be kidding!" space.

I will send you a bunch of Gnoblars. Like a bunch of them...say 60. You can paint them, or send them back if you get bored of doing them; your choice! I will absolutely agree to paying you at the rate of £40 per 30 Gnoblars. 

If in July GW decide to cut OK from their army lists and add the ogres into another army all bets are off. We all suffer and I will be flogging my OK army on ebay and trying to recoup my losses over the past 10 years! In exactly the way I had to when GW dropped Chaos Dwarfs and I was left with over £3000 worth of totally redundant models that had no place in the Warhammer world. Think on that!........£3000, its a deposit for a house.....The holiday of a life time, a collage education, a new car for one of my children etc etc I am not so stupid as to think it wont happen again!

So we can start this project like this, and I will PM you if you are up for it! In August I will send you 60+ Gnoblars; payable at a rate of £40 per 30 Gnoblars. The basing will be simple, and I will supply all basing materials and paint to you, for continuity's sake. I will pay you up front. If you rip me off, then I am a mug and I will put that down to experience. Not the first time, it wont be the last! I wont change  I am way too nice a person!
If, in the big scheme of things, GW drop OK from their army lists and there isn't such a thing as an Ogre army, then obviously we wont even go down this road because frankly; what's the point?!

This will allow you time to reconsider and drop out. You can do this anytime, at will. I totally understand and wont hold anything against you for this. You are offering to do the most boring job in the world; Paint Gnoblars!
If and when there comes a time that we reach 1000 Gnoblars we will both stop and re-consider/ negotiate our position and terms.

How are we sounding so far? I am happy to send you the first 60+ nof the little devils in August. The reason I have picked August is simply this; it gives you and me time to back out, it gives me time to ensure I have the models and materials for you to commence the project and hopefully by then we will know exactly what GW will be deciding to do with the OK army.

Are we good so far?

G_H

I feel as if I am watching a drug deal go down in the most complicated matter.  "I'll give you a taste.  Good price and all.  You don't want any more, no problem!  Otherwise, I'll give you a year supply.  This is a good deal kid, don't want to back down.  Although, this batch goes bad, I'm out.  Can't sell bad stuff.  Not good for business."

   

I think you are watching too much Breaking Bad brother!

 
G_H

Breaking bad?  What's that?  I don't watch tv much.  I just happen to watch my neighbors too much and have the wrong kind of friends.

Interesting!

I sadly cant promise you any fancy titles on behalf of the forum! Firstly it is not in my power to do so, and it would be unethical from the point of view of the Stronghold. Whatever agreement you and I come to has no direct reflection on the forum itself! You could be the most prolific painter of Gnoblars ever!....It is not in my power to bestow any sort of title upon you on behalf of the forum. I am totally sorry about this, but it would be really wrong and unethical of me to either suggest that I could or agree to anything like this.

I totally understand what you are saying about work-load. It would be a massive task to paint such high quantities of Gnoblars. Any normal person (not that I am saying you are not normal, obviously) would be bored shitless of painting Gnoblars after three months! So I have a counter proposition for you. This will allow you some "backing out in a hurry...you have got to be kidding!" space.

I will send you a bunch of Gnoblars. Like a bunch of them...say 60. You can paint them, or send them back if you get bored of doing them; your choice! I will absolutely agree to paying you at the rate of £40 per 30 Gnoblars. 

If in July GW decide to cut OK from their army lists and add the ogres into another army all bets are off. We all suffer and I will be flogging my OK army on ebay and trying to recoup my losses over the past 10 years! In exactly the way I had to when GW dropped Chaos Dwarfs and I was left with over £3000 worth of totally redundant models that had no place in the Warhammer world. Think on that!........£3000, its a deposit for a house.....The holiday of a life time, a collage education, a new car for one of my children etc etc I am not so stupid as to think it wont happen again!

So we can start this project like this, and I will PM you if you are up for it! In August I will send you 60+ Gnoblars; payable at a rate of £40 per 30 Gnoblars. The basing will be simple, and I will supply all basing materials and paint to you, for continuity's sake. I will pay you up front. If you rip me off, then I am a mug and I will put that down to experience. Not the first time, it wont be the last! I wont change  I am way too nice a person!
If, in the big scheme of things, GW drop OK from their army lists and there isn't such a thing as an Ogre army, then obviously we wont even go down this road because frankly; what's the point?!

This will allow you time to reconsider and drop out. You can do this anytime, at will. I totally understand and wont hold anything against you for this. You are offering to do the most boring job in the world; Paint Gnoblars!
If and when there comes a time that we reach 1000 Gnoblars we will both stop and re-consider/ negotiate our position and terms.

How are we sounding so far? I am happy to send you the first 60+ nof the little devils in August. The reason I have picked August is simply this; it gives you and me time to back out, it gives me time to ensure I have the models and materials for you to commence the project and hopefully by then we will know exactly what GW will be deciding to do with the OK army.

Are we good so far?

G_H

It is ok my friend, it was more of a joke - a homage to that dude from 300 "One last thing, I want a uniform" - I just wish I could stay as a gnoblar rather than Hunter or move up to bruiser etc.

That sounds Awesome - August it is. You have no worries, I am a firm believer in honouring agreements and so you will not get ripped off in this deal in anyway. I actually have loads of paint already so it isn't necessary as I will make sure they all match one another perfectly - unless you want the gnobalrs painted to match existing models? If so could I see a pic to get an idea of what I am copying?

Also, do you want a command doing?

Really looking forward to this project.

I feel as if I am watching a drug deal go down in the most complicated matter.  "I'll give you a taste.  Good price and all.  You don't want any more, no problem!  Otherwise, I'll give you a year supply.  This is a good deal kid, don't want to back down.  Although, this batch goes bad, I'm out.  Can't sell bad stuff.  Not good for business."

Do you think there is a Gnoblar addiction group?

If there is you would be the one to found it!!

The first step is to admit you have a problem.....I'm not looking forward to it but I expect I'll slot 50 gnoblars in at some stage. Should keep the more sane amongst us in Gnoblars I feel.
I painted a Tyranid horde, a skaven slave commission and an ork horde without cracking. I'll be damned if the big nosed little green gits will break me now.

I a going to try the dipping technique with my lot.  After playing an elitist army like dark elves where the cheapest troop is 9 pts, and the typical troop is 11 pts.  Having a big mass of 2.5pt gnoblars is great for that well timed rank bonus.

Im painting my 100+ gnoblars as spirits...then I can summon them using lore of undeath....


Just think of them as the gnoblars thst have been fed into skrags pot

Nice, spray, wash, drybrush - done!