Wednesday 1 August 2018

(Lead) Mountain Musings - "Strontium Dog" August 2018

The Stix Brothers WIPs - The "ice-hearted killers" have been primed and are slowly having their details painted
This month's themed attempt to try and reduce my sadly, ever-growing collection of metal, plastic and resin miniatures will focus upon a selection of recently arrived figures manufactured by "Warlord Games" as part of their "Strontium Dog" range. "Defined by legendary comic creators John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra" within the pages of the British anthology comic "2000 A.D.", this "skirmish tabletop battle game for two or more players" focuses upon mutated Search/Destroy agents and their "dangerous universe full of outlaws, pirates and corruption."

Fortunately, I was able to have a good preview the rulebook a few weeks before the "Strontium Dog: The Good the Bad and the Mutie" starter game was released, and was therefore rather 'encouraged' to purchase both "the classic confrontation between... Johnny Alpha & Wulf Sternhammer and the infamous Max Bubba’s gang", as well as my favourite Search/ Destroy agents, the Stix Brothers. Resultantly, I thought I actually paint up the comic strip's two main protagonists, alongside arguably their most memorable mutant nemesis' from the town called Stixville on the planet Freedonia.
Neophyte Hybrid Kill Team WIPs - The Genestealer cultists have been assembled and undercoated
For now I've simply managed to prime the first three of the "ice-hearted killers who affect the look of gunfighters from Earth’s Old West", and begin 'picking out' their boots, holsters, straps, gloved hands and firearms. Because "nobody is sure how many Stixes there are" there is always the potential to purchase more of these hopefully straightforward-to-paint figures, but with the Nottingham-based company already offering so many other of the comic's characters, from the Weerdz to Darkus' Howlers, I doubt I'll be tempted to do so for some time yet...

In addition, "Games Workshop" have released their latest incarnation of "Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team", which contains an assortment of their hard plastic multi-part miniatures, including a posse of Devoted Sons. I've loved the look of these Neophyte Hybrids ever since the possibility of a Genestealer Cult was first raised within the pages of "White Dwarf", so simply couldn't resist the opportunity to own a handful of the figures without the need (or expense) of buying a battleforce or bundle.
Boromite Work Ganger WIPs - The alien just needs some of his rocky skin to be shaded
The boxed set comes with enough models for a complete Kill Team, so I have set to work assembling and undercoating my merciless band's leader, Yorl Krauss, and a cult icon carrier already. I'm really hoping to get the makings of these faithfuls ones finished rather quickly, as the Writhing Shadow Tyranid starter set has already been announced and that means potentially building a second team of "multi-limbed monstrosities... armed with rending claws and scything talons" in the near future.

Of course, so many new projects means I've been desperately attempting to finish off some of my older ones, such as my 500-point Boromite Scouting Force for “Beyond The Gates Of Antares”. This final extra-terrestrial miner still needs a portion of his stony skin shaded and his facial features 'highlighted', but should soon bring to an end a somewhat grinding, oft-times frustratingly slow, year-long challenge.

22 comments:

  1. I am glad you chose the Stix brothers as they always stood out in the comics for me. So creepy, so nasty and so memorable. They seem to be coming along nicely so I can't wait to see them done. Keep going with the Boromites! Genestealer cultists eh? They look like great models so again I can't wait to see what you do with them.

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    1. Thanks Undercoat. The Stix Brothers should be good fun to paint, so I'm hoping to get them done quite quickly. The Boromites should be posted in all their glory by the end of the week ;-) Ah... Genestealer cultists... I've always liked them, and the release of a Tyranid Kill Team tipped me over the edge :-)

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  2. Best of luck painting the Stix Brothers, Simon. I painted mine in just a few days and will be showcasing six of them in my next blog post, followed soon after with a batrep featuring them. I, too, am a big fan of the Stixes and I'm looking forward to using them in my first "Strontium Dog" batrep.

    Regarding "Kill Team" this is one GW product that I do like the look of, especially the gaming boards and scenery. I do like the idea that you can play with a very small amount of figures. I very nearly bought the boxed starter set but seeing as it was released just a few days after the release of "Strontium Dog", it was a case of one or the other, and seeing as I'll always choose a 2000AD product over a GW product I went with "Strontium Dog." Who knows? Perhaps in the future I will succumb and buy "Kill Team". But for now I'm fully focussed on "Strontium Dog".

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    1. Thanks Bryan. I think I'll be getting a second box of Stix at some point down the line, but there are certainly a few other Stronty Dog foes to paint first. Are you planning on using the new rules or will your game be "W.O.I.N." based?

      "Kill Team" is great boxed set and finally gave me a reason to get my hands on some Genestealer cultists. The scenery looks great too, so I hope to get some of that posted at some point to show it off too, and the new Tyranid expansion contains a few additional pieces.

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    2. I will be using the official Warlord Games rules for my first games of "Strontium Dog". However, EN Publishing hold the licence to produce RPGs of all the 2000AD stories and "Judge Dredd" is due to be released very soon (I just saw the front cover of it today and I can't wait for its release). A WOIN based "Strontium Dog" RPG is planned but probably won't happen for at least a year or more. Warlord Games holds the licence for producing 2000AD-related skirmish wargames. For all 2000AD fans these are exciting times with so much to look forward to.

      Regarding "Kill Team", my first choice for a Kill Team would be the Tyranids. I still have a huge army of them boxed away, so I'd have no bother at all in fielding a legitimate force. Nice to see that we're in agreement on the best team to choose for this game.

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    3. Splendid. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the rule-set then Bryan. I do recall you getting into “W.O.I.N.” because of the “2000 AD” connection, so its nice to hear the books will soon start to be released.

      I’ve always liked the Tyranids, just never had the nerve to dip into such a horde army before now, and bite-sized kill teams seems to nice way to start me off :-)

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  3. Great start on the Styx models Simon, was a bit disappointed with the renegade dogs box as slabhead didn't come with big Cynthia and Armstrong Jones but had Flys Eyes Wagner instead, will probably still get it in the long run and hope they bring out the other two, and while we're talking wish list a smiling Chuckwalla that my movie character was eaten by.
    Nice start on the cultists and good to see the last Boromite almost finished

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    1. Cheers Dave. I’m actually in awe as to just how quickly “Warlord Games” are pumping out the “Stronty Dog” minis personally. But there again I’m told they’re Paul Sawyer’s fave comic book characters, so no surprise really he’s getting them made asap. Fingers crossed your own faves will be produced asap.

      I’m hoping to get my Kill Team rather quickly, certainly faster than my Boromites have taken ;-)

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  4. I'm looking forward to seeing all the new SD figures as well as Kill team, Necromunda etc but my enthusiasm is tempered by the realisation that my playing days are over. No local groups and I have grandchildren older than some of the GW crowd.

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    1. Oh dear, that isn’t good, Phil. Have you visited Dave Stone’s blog recently as he’s putting together a Blogger’s Meet at some point soon?

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  5. Now here's another project that has me thinking. I may need to catch up with my reading first and order a collection of Strontium Dog episodes. Kill Team has got a couple of friends chattering about a three way tournament and might prove fun for the school club, so I shall be following the progress of both with interest.

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    1. Thanks Michael. I always try and have a few genres on the go, as you know. The “Strontium Dog” stuff will be around for a long haul though, as there is simply loads of minis coming out for the game. In addition “Kill Team” could see me painting a lot of different bands, as I get the chance to really dip my toe into all the different races and WH40K armies available for it :-)

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  6. All interesting stuff Simon, lots of different stuff in the pipeline there!

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Cheers Roger. Fingers crossed I'll get at least some of these minis finished before the month is done ;-)

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  7. I'm loving the Stix Brothers Simon, and though my initial reaction to Kill Team was "No - definitely not!" posts like this one are making me reconsider ;-)

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    1. Thanks Greg. I hope to have a lot of “Kill Team” posts up in the future, as the expansion kits should irrestible - I just wish “Games Workshop” would stop producing so much so quickly. There’s no time to save or paint their stuff with their current release schedule.

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  8. Some interesting things to come - looking forward to all the goodies.

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    1. Cheers Joe. Hopefully there’s some stuff here to keep you entertained and enthused.

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  9. SD is an exciting title for Warlord to start with on their 2000AD rules set. Loved the comic series as a lad, but I shan't be diving in on the minis game.

    I too picked up a copy of the KillTeam box. No idea why, what with all the other stupid amount of projects I already have going on! LOL

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    1. LOL Dai. I'm hoping to get "Strontium Dog" finished over the next few months, tbh, as "Warlord Games" have plenty more expansions planned for the game - some of which I've already pre-ordered.

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