Sunday 25 September 2016

"A Rotbringers Sorcerer Is A Wizard."

"Opening his blistered mouth impossibly wide, the sorcerer vomits..."
This 28mm Finecast "Age Of Sigmar" model of a Rotbringers Sorcerer is made by “Games Workshop” and "can attempt to cast one spell" in each of my Hero Phases, as well as "attempt to unbind one spell in each enemy Hero Phase." In addition the portly wizard "knows the Arcane Bolt, Mystic Shield and Stream of Corruption spells"; the latter of which allows him to vomit forth "a powerful torrent of disease and filth" that can inflict 3 mortal wounds upon an enemy unit within 7 inches.

As this miniature is actually the first figure made from the Nottingham-based manufacturer's much-maligned resin that I've assembled and painted, I must confess to initially being very impressed with its crisp detail. In fact, apart from some minor pieces of flash which were easily removed with a sharp modelling knife, I genuinely couldn't see what all the fuss was about. Admittedly, the model has essentially no weight or heft to it whilst in the hand, and the magic user's Rotwood Staff is still disconcertingly bendy to the touch. But all in all, I was genuinely looking forward to applying my brush and a limited palette to the mortal hero... 
Bloodletter WIPs - These lesser daemons have been washed and dry-brushed
However just as soon as I started trying to dry-brush "Vallejo" German Grey over the Sorcerer's "Citadel" Abaddon Black undercoat I began spotting all the tiny wedge-shaped pieces of "Finecast" that were predominantly dotted about the folds of the Rotbringers' cloak. Presumably these were caused by the casting process, and soon took the wind out of my sails as I continually had to stop dry-brushing, cut away another piece of resin I'd missed, and then re-undercoat the area with more Abaddon Black. Sadly by the time I had finished this process any enthusiasm I had had for the miniature had been exhausted and I had to force myself to start painting his undergarment "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna.

Incredibly it wasn't long before I encountered precisely the same problem with this piece of clothing as well, and once again spent some considerable time cutting away tiny little triangular pieces of "Finecast" from in between the wizard's robes. Having finally finished this area I then started picking out the corrupted one's scrolls with White and skull adornments with Iraqi Sand, I also took the opportunity to pick out his maggots (and pimples) with Heavy Ochre. All of these areas were then washed with “The Army Painter” Strong Tone Quickshade.

In order to make his Rotwood Staff appear rather sickly-looking, I initially gave it an undercoat of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown and picked out its dripping skull-festooned icon with Heavy Khaki and Iraqi Sand. The main areas of wood were then washed with more Strong Tone Quickshade. I did however then use both "Citadel" Thrakka Green and Carroburg Crimson for the slime and matted areas further up the pole, and as a final touch, gave the innermost skull a light dry-brush of Iraqi Sand to bring out its detail.
Kitakami Class Tug WIP - The vessel should make a good stand-in for the NCC-1701
Sticking with my Host of Nurgle, I am currently in the process of washing my (allied) unit of ten Bloodletters with “The Army Painter” Strong Tone Quickshade, and dry-brushing them with "Vallejo" Heavy Red. I'm actually aiming to have the lesser daemons finished before the end of October so they can accompany my Plaguebearers on the battlefield, or perhaps just simply be summoned by my Rotbringers Sorcerer when the moment takes him...

Lastly I have started adding the details to the only "Irregular Miniatures" Kitakami Class Tug I currently own. The spacecraft still needs some additional dry-brushing and tidying up. But when finished will hopefully make a sound proxy for a  Constitution-class Federation starship, and allow me to finally field Captain James T. Kirk's U.S.S. Enterprise.  

20 comments:

  1. Despite the problems, the sorceror looks superb, sir! And the Bloodletters are coming along very nicely, too!

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    1. Thanks Gordon. He does look a bit better in the flesh so-to-speak. But is a rather unassuming sculpt for so powerful a model in "AOS"; at least he has been in the games I've so far played.

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  2. Personally I find the top figure just too dark. I can see that you want it foreboding but fo me it is just a little too dark.

    The blood letter though looks just about right but perhaps a tad (and just a tad) of hi light might be applied. I agree it is always frustrating to think you have the figure all cleaned up and then find some you had missed first time out. But at least you are not throwing a tantrum about it!

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    1. No tantrums here, Clint ;-) But the sorcerer did put me off painting for a few nights. I actually saw a few colour schemes for him on the net, and in the end went with the "GW" one from the "Grand Alliance: Chaos" book. I may give the Bloodletters an additional red highlight over their pimples but I'm going to wait until after I've tried blending in their black hands and horns first, and got their shining gold swords painted.

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  3. Your trials and tribulations with your laughingly called "Finecast" Nurgle Sorcerer just provides me with yet more ammo for why I hate GW so much. I do admire you for persevering with him. Simon. In the end he doesn't look too bad. Sorry, Clint, but I think the dark look works well on him.

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    1. Thanks Bryan. "Finecast" is not my fave material I must confess. Though I thought this sculpt was a bit mediocre too tbh. As a result the sorcerer is easy to miss on the tabletop until he starts summoning etc - which may be an advantage :-)

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  4. Looks great. I think the issue with finecast was from when it came out. But as usual you don't hear good things about them very often and mud always sticks! I think the trouble is with like most materials of a similar colour there hard to see the moldlines etc until you start applying paint.

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    1. Cheers Simon. I had thought "GW" had dispensed with "Finecast" and am actually convinced when I ordered the model from them that it was advertised as a metal mini... However as you say, I've encountered that issue on many an occasion, only to repeatedly clean the mini and then keep spotting more vent flash is a first for me.

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  5. Nowt wrong with the others, but I really like that spaceship.

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    1. Cheers Roy. Still a bit to do on my version of the USS Enterprise. But she's getting there slowly. I really do think the "Irregular Miniatures" ships dry-brush a treat too.

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  6. I've never had a finecast mini though I know Myles has had a few, and I don't think he was over impressed to be honest, I did buy some "Fenryll" figs a long while ago and was to impressed with the resin (or whatever it was), myself, don't know if this was the same stuff of not, but it was just to "bendy" for me, and not cheap.

    Nice figs but those irreg starships continue to impress me!

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Thanks Roger. I must confess that if I saw a metal version of a Rotbringers Sorcerer (which is what it was originally cast in), then I'd be sorely tempted to get it and paint it up.

      The starships by "Irregular Miniatures" are especially nice now I'm starting to move up in ship size.

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  7. I do like that Sorcerer with all his scrolls tucked under his arms, but sorry to hear that the casting was a bit of a pig.

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    1. Cheers Michael. One of the joys of painting I'm afraid. But he's finished now, and I've other "Finecast" minis before me now on the painting table.

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  8. Nicely done with the sorcerer. Good stuff mate. :)

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    1. Thanks Leon. Another uninspiring mini tbh. Where have all the good sculpts gone? :-)

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  9. For being such a royal pain in the arse (As all of my own Finecast experienced have proven), your sorcerer has come out quite lovely mate. Dreary and nasty - just how the plague God likes 'em!

    Do like the Enterprise stand-in! Close enough but just different that it could be from that alternate dimension where the Federation is all evil and stuff.

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    1. Cheers Dai. I am still somewhat disappointed at just how uninspiring the sorcerers sculpt is to be honest. That coupled with the "Finecast" issues certainly made it an unpopular painting piece.

      The Enterprise is now finished and should be posted soon. I do have a few vessels I'm contemplating for "Mirror Universe" opposition; so don't be surprised to see the I.S.S. Enterprise at some point (I already own it for "Star Trek Attack Wing").

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