• 🏆 Texturing Contest #33 is OPEN! Contestants must re-texture a SD unit model found in-game (Warcraft 3 Classic), recreating the unit into a peaceful NPC version. 🔗Click here to enter!
  • It's time for the first HD Modeling Contest of 2024. Join the theme discussion for Hive's HD Modeling Contest #6! Click here to post your idea!

Troll Manticore Rider VII & Manticore Creep (riderless)

Due to my limited spare time i wasn't able to make many models recently. Luckily i managed to finish one of them. I already had made some time ago a Troll riding a manticore as an aerial unit, but to be honest i wasn't 100% satisfied about the result. So i made a new, (IMO) better version of this unit, one that significantly differs from the old one.


Troll Manticore Riders:

These are very powerful aerial units found in Troll armies, mostly in tribal ones. They consist of a Troll beast master riding and commanding a mighty manticore. Apart from dragons and alikes, most other air units would be well advised to avoid these mighty battle units! The large stinger on the end of the manticore's tail can deliver a deadly sting, while their fearsome fire breath can cause havoc to any opponent brave or foolish enough to engage it. Although they carry no armor, they are still more durable in combat than most other units and manticores are also reasonably fast. Usually they form the spear tip of Troll aerial assault troops, since they are capable of incinerating most other air units, like hippogryphs and can deter other ones from fighting. The Troll beast masters who are riding the manticores are usually of high status among their tribes and communities. The major drawbacks of this unit are its somewhat limited attack range and its high costs. But their power and abilities make it worth the investment!



!Important Update!: riderless Manticore (creep) version added

After a lot of work i managed to finish the riderless (creep) version of the Manticore too. Originally i was planning to make a model + a separate portrait file, but later i changed my mind. I integrated the portrait to the actual model file, which also delayed the model's release.
Free (untamed) manticores are similar to the tamed ones, with the biggest difference being more unpredictable. They occur in a wide range of habitats although they generally stay more at warmer climates, especially where there are larger prey animals. Living is usually solitary or in small groups, especially when having offspring. Unlike most predatory creeps they don't always avoid settlements, often preying on livestock as well as on unfortunate villagers. Young ones are usually raised in caves, especially on hard-to-access cliffs and in other lairs, made often inside hollow tree trunks and other things, until they are able to fly. A good indicator for a manticore lair are bones and other food remains near the lair, so the wise adventurer would stay away from such places. A manticore's diet composes mostly of meat and partly on fish and sea food in coastal areas, although they also readily consume other food, like larger fruits. Prey is mostly attacked from above (through the air), most commonly by surprise. If the prey is very powerful or poses a danger to the manticore, it's usually hit with the poison stinger. The manticore than circles around the prey in the air, waiting for the poison to kill the prey or to weaken it, until it can deliver the finishing attack. Most common prey are pigs, boars, antilopes, deers and other herbivores, especially ones that can be easily carried away. But also mammoths and other large herbivores are taken on chance, few creatures are safe from these voracious predators.

Feel free to use it in any way you want! Have fun with it! ;)
Previews
Contents

Manticore Creep (Model)

Manticore Creep Icons (Icon)

Troll Manticore Rider VII (Model)

Troll Manticore Rider VII (Model)

Troll Manticore Rider VII (Icon)

Reviews
General Frank
Works in-game, performs appropriately and is a good addition to the model section. Good work!
I prefer this concept, specifically the wing choice, but the attack animation in the old one was more fluid. This troll goes stiff. Curious, that full swing in Stand Victory fits better.
The Manticore's neck wrap is stretched.
Still, good effort.
The attack anim is supposed to be short, a quick breath of flames, i used the Manticore Riders from Armies of Exigo as a concept

hm.. demon hunter torso doesn't really feel like a right thing to me.. mostly because it doesn't match troll's skin (head, hands and feet)
i made it darker/more toned ingames with a geoset anim, IMO the difference isn't that noticeable ingames

The old version is better...

assessment:
5/10
Interesting, anyways thx for the rating! ^^
 
I've been gone for a long time, and upon my return I'm glad to see you're still making models! I remember when you were new!

This looks really good, and I think the demon hunter chest is appropriate. The hair of the mane could use some work on the wrap. It looks terrible. But that's not really noticeable in-game.

4/5. I love it, but I don't give 5/5's out easily.
 
Level 5
Joined
Sep 1, 2014
Messages
78
I prefer it to your earlier one, Fester - it really came across as a mash-up of a bat and a wyvern. Honestly a Manticore in name only. The Blizzard wyvern doesn't look very leonine with those leopard spots, even if it's supposed to have some gryphon ancestry.

Yeah, I know the Manticore has combined bat, lion and scorpion features, but giving it a bat face doesn't sit right with me. Let's not even get into what it'd look like with a scorpion's face...

You've done a very good job of using in-game resources, here.

The leonine features are much more in keeping with the mythical creature. I don't think any of us want to see one with a human face. It'd be horrific. (It's a shame that Blizzard didn't have lions as a critter, at least).

The wings are great. That's definitely the part to go full bat on.

Like Wazzz, I'm really looking forward to seeing a version without the rider. It'd be invaluable for a little hobby map I'm working on.

A more scorpion-like tail would be wonderful, but I can imagine what a headache that would be. The current one works perfectly well. The Arachnathid's tail would probably clash with the design you have going.

I realise that the fire is artistic licence, but it feels flashy for a basic attack (dragons being the exception).

Not sure how you'd feel about it, but swapping the attack and spell animations may bring this more into line with its namesake.

Maybe try it for the unmounted version, see what you think?

4/5 from me, in any case. I love to see ingenuity like this on the Hive.

- Sin


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Edit: I just discovered Kuhneghetz's lion, here:

Lion Male

It may be a good source of inspiration.
 
Last edited:
Top