"Standby On Torpedoes."

"Fire!"

This Kurgun D-2A Destroyer was created using some "Bambu Lab" Matt White PLA (Polylactic Acid) on an A1 Mini 3D Printer, and can be purchased as an STL (Standard Triangle Language) file as part of the "Battlefront Valkyrie" Starter Set. The single piece spacecraft has been printed using a 0.2mm nozzle, with a 0.1mm layer height in order to minimise any striation lines on the finished model, and is an impressive 60mm in length.

As with the vast majority of my (not Klingon) fleet, the model was primed with plenty of "Vallejo" Heavy Green and doused in "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green. I then heavily dry-brushed the vessel with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Green, before 'picking out' its rear warp nacelle and forward facing 'beam weapon' using my tried and tested combination of "Scale 75" White Alchemy and "Citadel" Flesh Tearers Red.

"Fat Dragon Games" WIPs - Three of the four Hulks I've 3D printed from the "Battle Hulks" Starter Set

In addition to working on my latest addition to my "Battlefront Valkyrie" collection, I have also managed to squeeze in a little time pigmenting three of "Fat Dragon Games" Mechs for "Battle Hulks". To be perfectly honest I'm currently spending far more time plonking STL files on my Bambu Lab slicer and 3D printing out the various multi-part killing machines than actually putting a brush-tip on them. But I am trying to get the odd detail 'picked out' on them whenever I get the chance.

As with the American company's starships though, I don't plan on making too much of a deal with each Hulk's paint-job, preferring instead to mainly rely upon a basecoat, shade and dry-brush to do most of the miniature's heavy-lifting. To that end I am merely focusing upon each mech's array of formidable-looking armaments, their pilot panel and the odd joint bolt - to simply help break-up the monotony of their predominantly single colour.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Two Nautican Warriors awaiting the odd Shade or two

Lastly, I'm still pressing on with the two remaining Nautican Warriors by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" I want to get tabletop ready before this coming weekend's Warfare wargaming show. There's still quite a bit of work to finish on this duo. However, once all of the washes have been applied I'm reasonably confident that the pair can be completed in time, as well as give me a good understanding of how to pigment the sculpts reasonably quickly in the future - seeing as I intend to purchase another couple of blisters whilst visiting Karl Perrotton's stall.

Just what else I aim to add to my order from this (not) "Stingray" range I can't really say. I was thinking about getting Emporer Poseidus to lead my underwater forces, and maybe even buy one of their Piranha Craft too. But I've previously 3D printed one of the deep-sea craft sculpted by "Big Mr Tong" in the past, and was actually thinking of using the "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" Modern Moriarty as the Nauticans' leader in a similar vein to that of the Master in the classic Jon Pertwee 1972 "Doctor Who" television story "The Sea Devils"...

"The Ship Is Strangely Generalised In Design."

"There is no specific bridge, no command centre."

This Cygnian S-2A Scout was created using some "Bambu Lab" Matt White PLA (Polylactic Acid) on an A1 Mini 3D Printer, and can be purchased as an STL (Standard Triangle Language) file by "Fat Dragon Games" as part of the company's "Battlefront Valkyrie" Expansion Set Five. The single-piece starship has been printed using a 0.2mm nozzle, with a 0.12mm layer height in order to minimise any striation lines on the finished model.

The spacecraft was initially undercoated using a couple of layers of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, before being base-layered with "Vallejo" Gunmetal. It was then drenched in "Citadel" Nuln Oil before being dry-brushed using a little (more) "Vallejo" Gunmetal. Lastly, the vessel's central power core was carefully 'picked out' with a combination of "Scale 75" White Alchemy and "Citadel" Warp Lightning.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Two more Nautican Warriors on the painting table

As with all these terrific-looking 3D prints, there was still plenty of other details which could be patiently pigmented on the sculpt - such as hull panels, potential observation ports and rear-mounted thrusters. However, my entire plan for this range is to simply get a vast number of spacecraft tabletop ready so I can have some significantly-sized battles. Resultantly, I resisted any such temptation, and have moved on to the fleet's slightly larger Frigate-class vessel instead.

Having completed the start of my Cygnian (not Borg) armada I've found the time to press on with the remaining Nautican Warriors I own by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio". These two "Stingray" flavoured figures will hopefully be completed well before next week's Warfare wargaming show at the Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, as I intend to purchase another couple of blisters of them to help fill out the units - one carrying tridents, and another armed with laser-rifles.

"Beast In The Broch" WIPs - Alpha One and Alpha Two

In addition, I have not forgotten about the last pair of miniatures I need to get tabletop ready from the Systemic Units set I own by "Beast In The Broch". I must confess that I've found Alpha One and Alpha Two a little bit more fiddly to work on than I originally thought, so in the end decided to simply 'pick' away at them individually rather than as a duo - as I had first thought.

Graeme Dawson's company have not been slow in recent months in churning out several new "Blake's 7" inspired figures, so I have been desperately trying not to get too far behind with his release schedule and my own painting. The chap has also tantalisingly sent me a very generous discount code for my next purchase too, along with some excellent 3D renders of his latest pre-orders - so the temptation to add to my 'lead mountain' is proving increasingly difficult to resist...

Once Department X Is Committed..."

"...The X-Commandos go in."

This 28mm scale metal miniature is made by “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio” and can be bought either as MINI 178 X-Commando 1B or as part of the company’s SKU: DEAL 66 X Commandos 1. Sculpted by Ernst Veingart, the model comes equipped with body armour, Department X badged berets and an SLR/FN Rifle.

Having assembled the soldier by super-gluing a metal male head to its torso, the figure was primed "Citadel" Abaddon Black and enthusiastically dry-brushed with "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal. I then 'picked out' the trooper's hand-weapon using some "Vallejo" Gunmetal, and their shoulder/beret badges with a couple of dollops of Dead White. Both of these somewhat circular areas were later shaded using a little "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"We'll have a ship full of Klingons who think the war is still going on."

As I plan to have all of this range of miniatures resemble the U.N.I.T. troopers depicted during the April 2008 Doctor Who television story "The Sontaran Stratagem", I shied away from leaving the Commando's headware all-black and instead pigmented it using a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson. I also left his aforementioned badges predominantly white, rather than attempt to painstakingly 'sketch in' the red cross upon a blue background which the Department of Extraordinary Affairs uses as their top secret organisation's emblem.

Furthermore I changed up the palette on the 'official' X-Commandos' uniforms by painting all the miniature's hip-holster, ammunition pouch, and leg strap in "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna. This hopefully gave the soldier a little more contrast than the all-black colour scheme used by both "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" and their modern-day U.N.I.T. counterparts - even after this 'leatherwork' was sploshed with a "Citadel" Nuln Oil wash.

"A Klingon ship, the P'rang, is on its way."

Alongside this latest addition to my ever-increasing collection of fully-painted figures by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio", I have also managed to rattle off two more Kurgun S-3 Scout spacecraft by "Fat Dragon Games". These vessels were created using some "Bambu Lab" Matt White PLA (Polylactic Acid) on an A1 Mini 3D Printer, and can be purchased as an STL (Standard Triangle Language) file as part of the "Battlefront Valkyrie" Starter Set.

The single-piece spacecraft were printed using a 0.2mm nozzle, with a 0.1mm layer height in order to minimise any striation lines on the finished miniatures, and were predominantly painted in "Vallejo" Heavy Green and "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green. However, the (not) Klingon ships were then carefully dry-brushed it with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Green, and had their warp nacelles pigmented using a combination of "Scale 75" White Alchemy and "Citadel" Flesh Tearers Red.

(Lead) Mountain Musings - "Fat Dragon Games" November 2026

"Death is an experience best shared."

With the last four weeks providing my hobby productivity a much needed 'shot in the arm', I figured I'd focus this month on all of the many spacecraft by "Fat Dragon Games" I've recently created using some "Bambu Lab" Matt White PLA (Polylactic Acid) on an A1 Mini 3D Printer. Indeed, I've rather recklessly taken advantage of the company's recent sale of their Battlefront Valkyrie STL (Standard Triangle Language) files over on the "DriveThruRPG" website, and even picked up Expansion Set 5 which features a completely new alien race in the shape of the Cygnian base fleet.

These purchases should help me bolster my current Terran and Kurgun squadrons, as well as provide me with a chance to pigment a third faction with a completely new palette. In addition, the manufacturer has been generous enough to send me a couple more freebies to try out - including a seriously large space station which should prove to be the centre-piece of many a star-field scrap or two.

"Fat Dragon Games" WIPs - The first three Hulks have been 3D printed and primed

I have also taken advantage of another of "Fat Dragon Games" deals - this time over on "Wargame Vault", to pick up their Battle Hulks Starter Set. This skirmish wargame not only "features lightning-fast gameplay, rules-lite fun, and jaw-dropping detail." But also came with the Battle Hulks Terrain Set for free, which contains a planet defence cannon, storage tank, bunker, craters, rock outcroppings/cliffs and two large areas of water for the Mechs to fight over.

Perhaps understandably this has meant I've been especially working the 0.2mm hotend on my 3D Printer to the max, and hope to get as much of this latest acquisition tabletop ready by the end of November as my hobby time will allow. Of course, long-time followers may well recall my previous exploits with the 1:285 scale plastic Battletech models by "Catalyst Game Labs" a few years ago, which I based upon an alternative World War Two, where both the Axis and Allies had developed their own mechanical walking death machines.

October 2026 - "Beast In The Broch" breaks into my Top Five Manufacturers

Obviously this decision resulted in a lot of drab greens, browns and greys - colour schemes I didn't want to replicate with these Battle Hulks miniatures. Resultantly, I actually aim to set them in Post Apocalyptic America, and base them on the old National Wrestling Alliance territories during their hey-day in the 1970's - something which I'm hoping will provide me with some much more colourful palettes and mech names.

Of course, I won't just be applying my paintbrush to these smaller scale models as I've also got a fair few 28mm metal figures left to 'finish off' too, many of which have been cast by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" and "Beast In The Broch". Furthermore, the Wargames Association of Reading (WAR) annual show Warfare 2026 is less than a fortnight away, and that is bound to add to my Pile of Potential rather than help reduce it...

"A Race Of Beings Who Live Under The Surface..."

"...Plan to destroy the Surface World!"

This 28mm scale white metal model is produced by “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio” and can be bought either separately as Nautican Warrior C, or as part of their DEAL 415 Nautican Warriors four-figure set. Sculpted by Iain Colwell and Ian Mountain, this miniature would appear to have been somewhat inspired by Gerry Anderson's Aquaphibians for his 1964 television series "Stingray".

However, having previously developed a palette to give the first of these water-breathers a distinctly blue, almost Atlantis vibe, I primed the fellow with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and subsequently gave him a good lick of "Vallejo" Gunmetal afterwards. I then sloshed the entire fishy fiend with plenty of "Citadel" Nuln Oil to his vest, before dry-bushing the garment with a little (more) "Vallejo" Gunmetal.

"Attention all guards."

I next applied some "Vallejo" Deep Sky Blue to the model's bare arms, legs and head, and washed these areas using some significantly watered-down "Citadel" Drakehnof Nightshade. As a final step I later returned to certain parts of the figure, such as his fingers, forehands, eye-ridges, nose and head-tips and high-lighted them with an extra lick of "Vallejo" Deep Sky Blue.

Alongside this villainous minion I have also found the time to finish another model by "Beast In The Broch" too. This 32mm scale pewter cast miniature of Systemic Security Two can be brought either individually as SKU: ALI04 or as part of the six-figure Systemic Units set SKU: PAK 07. Digitally sculpted by Carl Stoelzel, I've painted the model up to resemble one of the System's guards as seen in the 1979 television episode of "Blake's Seven" entitled "Redemption".

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Three of the several X-Commandos currently on my painting table

The guard was undercoated in "Citadel" Abaddon Black, dry-brushed with "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal, and later shaded in "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I then used plenty of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil on the chap's visor and chest area (front and back), before tackling some of his finer details - like pigmenting the communications bracelet in "Scale 75" Decayed Metal and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, his hand-weapon in "Vallejo" Dead White and Pale Grey, and the minion's front-facing tubing in "Two Thin Coats" Ethereal Green and a smidgeon of "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green.

Lastly, I have picked up a load of models by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" I've not touched - except to place in another drawer from time to time - for a good five years. These X-Commandos from Department X will hopefully now start to regularly 'pop up' on this blog as I want to get a good half-dozen or so of them tabletop ready before the year is out...

"A Transport Ship, No Armaments."

"Tractor beam. Send a squad to the docking port."

This two-piece Kurgan Small Transport vessel is by "Fat Dragon Games" and was created using some "Bambu Lab" Matt White PLA (Polylactic Acid) on an A1 Mini 3D Printer. It can be purchased as an STL (Standard Triangle Language) file as part of the company's Expansion Set Three for "Battlefront Valkyrie", and has been printed using a 0.2mm nozzle, with a 0.1mm layer height in order to minimise any striation lines on the finished model.

As with my previously painted Terran Transport freighters I decided to give this unarmed spacecraft a somewhat different colour scheme to that used on my (not) Klingon starships, so primed the model with a generous, double-helping of "Vallejo" Heavy Khaki. The miniature was then washed using some significantly watered-down "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Khaki to help bring out all its details.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - The first of my rifle-carrying Nautican Warriors is almost finished

Lastly, the transport's propulsion unit was 'picked out' using my tried and tested combination of "Scale 75" White Alchemy and "Citadel" Flesh Tearers Red. To be honest I'm actually strongly considering using this propulsion unit - which has to be printed out separately - as a stand-a-lone shuttlecraft; albeit the vessel might look a little odd with the ship bottom piece needed for it to attach to a regular flight stand.

With yet another welcome addition to my Kurgun (not Klingon) fleet 'in the bag' I have started making some serious in-roads on the second Nautican Warrior I own by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio". This figure will largely follow the 'test piece' I recently pigmented, but has been sculpted by Iain Colwell and Ian Mountain holding an energy rifle rather the sea-dwellers' traditional trident. I aim to pick up a few more of these miniatures from the company at the upcoming "Warfare" wargaming show in November, so am keen to get the quartet I currently own completed as soon as I can.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Three of the Four Lunar Command figures I'm working on

Keeping my eye firmly focused on this month's painting theme, I've also based, gritted and primed all four of the models found in Karl Perrotton's Lunar Command set too. I must confess to being a bit cross with myself over the mix of poses with this particular 'blister', as I stupidly thought there were a few more purple-haired gun-totting ladies in the foursome than there really was.

Now there's no doubt that Wayne Peters has done a first-rate job in capturing the feel of the 1970 British science fiction television series "UFO" with these miniatures. But the majority are (understandably) a bit more 'desk-bound' than I need for my tabletop battles, so ordinarily I'd have simply bought just the one to use as my squad's leader, and then a handful of the sole 'bewigged technician' sporting a hand-weapon - another purchase pencilled in for "Warfare"...

An Ancient Dynasty Dating Back Before Human Record..."

"...The Nautican Empire has reigned supreme over the underwater kingdoms."

This 28mm scale white metal model is produced by “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio” and can be bought either separately as Nautican Warrior B, or as part of their DEAL 415 Nautican Warriors four-figure set. Sculpted by Iain Colwell and Ian Mountain, this miniature would appear to have been somewhat inspired by Gerry Anderson's Aquaphibians for his 1964 television series "Stingray".

However, as I wanted to give the water-breather a bit more of an Atlantis vibe, I decided to give the "warlike under-sea" villain an undercoat of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, rather than treat him to a prime of "Vallejo" Heavy Grey - as I've previously done with the resin 3D print of one of tyrant Titan's minions by "Big Mr Tong" some years ago. As a result I was then able to apply a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil to his vest, turning it into chainmail as opposed to just a string vest.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Three more Nautican Warriors

I then applied plenty of "Vallejo" Deep Sky Blue to the model's bare arms, legs and head, and subsequently gave these areas a shade using some heavily watered-down "Citadel" Drakehnof Nightshade. Certain parts of the figure, such as the fingers, forehands, eye-ridges, nose and head-tips were later given an extra lick of "Vallejo" Deep Sky Blue to help contrast them with the rest of the sculpt from 'three foot away.'

I also considered doing something more than simply dot the fish-man's eyes with a spot of "Citadel" Abaddon Black - perhaps giving them 'normal' black and white eyeballs or pure "Vallejo" Heavy Red ones. But ultimately I figured the pure black ones somehow made the figure look suitably menacing, especially with the aforementioned "Vallejo" Deep Sky Blue highlights surrounding them.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Three of four Alien Legionnaries currently being progressed

Perhaps unsurprisingly considering how enjoyable pigmenting this 'test piece' was, I have set to work on the three remaining Nautican Warriors by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio". Now I'm happy with their colour scheme I've already made some good headway on the trio's chainmail, trident tops and parts of their blaster rifles, so should soon be ploughing through all the base layers of their flesh.

Likewise, I've managed to get all the black leatherwork roughly done on four more Alien Legionnaries by Karl Perrotton's company too. This phase of their paint-scheme is by far the most tiresome and tedious. Yet now it's done on the entire quartet I can simply take each "Flash Gordon" influenced figure in turn and clean them up with plenty of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson...