After an incredible first round celebrating the massive, towering beasts of the tabletop in Monster Madness, it’s time to shift our focus down into the dirt. The history books remember the Primarchs, the named characters and heroes, but the wars of Aotearoa’s tables are won by the unsung.

Welcome to the second edition of The Gilded Griffin: Obscure Officers!

This edition is all about the field commanders, squad leaders, and custom heroes who hold the line against all odds. We aren't looking for named, canonical legends like Roboute Guilliman or Abaddon. We want to see your heroes. The nameless Imperial Guard Sergeant who held the trench, the fearless Ork Boss Nob who led the charge, the stoic Skaven Clawlord, or the Space Marine Lieutenant who earned their marks through sheer grit.

The Brief

Show us a leader or officer from your army who isn't a famous canon character, but is a legend in your own personal lore.

• Eligible Models: Non-named Characters, Squad Leaders, Sergeants, Champions, Pack Leaders, or customized officers from any wargame system (Warhammer 40k, Age of Sigmar, Warcrow, Infinity, Horus Heresy, The Old World, Trench Crusade, etc.).

• The Story: We want to see models that ooze personality, storytelling, and tactical presence. Freehand heraldry, personal conversion work, atmospheric basing, and battle damage are highly encouraged!

How to Enter

1. Paint Your Officer: Finish your model (single character/leader).

2. Post Your Entry: Post a photo of your finished model on Instagram or Facebook as new content.

3. Tag Us: You must tag @gorgon_games and include the hashtag #GildedGriffin in your caption so we can log your entry.

4. Tell Their Story (Optional): We love lore! Drop a quick sentence in your caption telling us who this officer is and what line they held.

Rules & Eligibility

• Location: All submissions must be based in New Zealand.

• Original Work: The model must be painted by you. Conversions and kitbashes are strongly encouraged!

• Model Age: There is no restriction on when the model was painted, older work is welcome, as long as the social media submission post is brand new.

• One Entry: One entry per person per edition.

• Gorgon Games staff and their immediate family are not eligible to enter.

• Gorgon Games reserves the right to amend these rules or cancel the competition if required. Any changes will be communicated via our social media channels
  

Key Dates & Judging

• Submissions Open: 1st September
• Submissions Close: 6th October
• Finalists Announced & Community Vote: 9th October
• Winners Announced: 12th October

The Gorgon Games team will review all entries and select the Top 6 Finalists. From there, we hand the power over to the NZ hobby community to vote for the ultimate champion, who will take home the Gilded Griffin and bragging rights!

Dust off your sergeants, convert your chieftains, and give your unsung heroes the spotlight they deserve or at the very least a name. Let's see those Obscure Officers!