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Scenery / Fantasy - 6mm to 49mm
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Displaying Reviews: 1 - 1
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Average Reviewer Rating:
 
Number of Reviews:
1
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An excellent piece of tabletop scenery!
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Reviewer
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Reviewed by Antar (Editor) (info@totalmodel.com) December 20, 2005
"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."
These are the opening lines of J.R.R. Tolkien's immortal tale, The Hobbit. They serve as a particularly good introduction to the review of this hobbit hole produced by Geoff Broad of Fantascene. Geoff launched his company only a few short months ago and this is one of his first pieces. As such it provides a useful yardstick to what the company has to offer.
In case you've been asleep for the past 60 years, hobbit holes are the cosy little dwellings built partially underground, often into the side of hills, where hobbits live. The most famous hobbit hole - and the one mentioned above - was "Bag End", formerly occupied buy both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins.
This particular hobbit hole is, I think, of a more generic type. The base measures 28 x 20cms at its widest points. The entire structure is a two-part, high density, urethane casting. The whole thing is incredibly light and yet somehow very robust. I get the impression that even if it were to fall from a great height it would probably survive intact!
The gable ends of the building can be seen protruding from under the hill at the front and back and both side elevations. The front is the most detailed. It has the traditional round door flanked on one side by a similarly shaped window. Directly in front to this is a small cobbled patio-like area deep enough, perhaps, to accommodate a couple of figures. At one end Geoff has modeled an old, twisted tree which climbs around the side of the building and up onto the roof. This is just one of a number of small but important details which, like the chimney poking out from the top, lends the piece an extra pinch of character.
The hobbit hole is supplied pre-painted. Much of this rendered by a dry brushing effect. with several layers of increasingly contrasting colours layered over a black undercoat. The larger, flat areas - such as the wattle walls - are blocked in by hand. The paint finish wouldn't win any prizes but it is more than fit for purpose and will look extremely effective on the gaming table.
The rest of the hill is entirely covered in a blanket of static grass. Tufts of longer, yellow grass have been added at various points around the base which provide another layer of detail and interest. Indeed, even the tree, mentioned earlier, has a certain amount of flock foliage. Geoff tells me that once all the materials have been applied, the entire piece is sprayed with a couple of coats of matte varnish. I suspect it will be a long time before anyone needs to re-seed this lawn.
I really like the hobbit hole. Although it has certain limitations it's still an excellent piece of tabletop scenery. Anyone with even a passing interest in the Middle Earth styled games doing the rounds would be well advised to take a closer look at this and the other hobbit buildings in the series. What's more, considering this is one of Geoff's first creations, it bodes very well for the future. Fantascene are certainly one to watch!
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11
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12
people found this review helpful
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