"They're Made Of Plastic. Living Plastic Creatures."

Two of these models are from "Crooked Dice" Game Design Studio's 'Minion Mob'. They are actually “Unarmed Minions” but were first ‘converted’ with their sprues’ optional pistol hand, and then given two coats of Fenris Grey (and a wash of Asurmen Blue). This was in order to give the impression that they were wearing boiler suits (similar to those worn by the Autons in the January 1970 Doctor Who TV story “Spearhead From Space”). Their Emotionless Mannequin heads were painted with Tallarn Flesh, before their face plates and ears were highlighted with Elf Flesh. Both of these areas were then washed using Ogryn Flesh.

This simple ‘single-colour’ painting scheme was also applied to 'Pandora King' (Also by "Crooked Dice Design Studio), but this time I used Adeptus Battlegrey and a wash of Badab Black.

I planned earlier this month to simply turn these four of Cooked Dice’s “Advancing ARC Astronauts” into versions of the Doctor Who ‘monster’ the Vashta Nerada by simply picking out their space helmets’ visors with Chaos Black. However in a moment of madness I changed my simple plan and decided I'd try to actually show the creatures skull heads. So instead I removed all of their astronaut heads, and replaced with some plastic skulls taken from the old Games Workshop PBS5 Skeleton Army Boxed Set.

However, I quickly shelved my other idea to replace some of the astronauts’ hands and limbs with some taken from the Skeleton Army box after just the first ‘conversion’. The plastic skeletal fist proved just too difficult to superglue ‘securely’ to the 28mm metal miniature, and as a result, I repositioned the figure’s arm (in an uninspiring pose) in order to ensure the fist was securely fastened to the rest of the model.

My hopes to quickly paint the models up using a watered down wash of Astronomicon Grey over the top of their Skull White Spacesuits also proved disappointingly unrealistic, owing to the number of buttons requiring ‘picking out’ on the figures’ breathing apparatus.

COMING SOON - Currently recovering from a 'flesh-wound' received at Wenley Moor, this Captain will prove to be the Brigadier's dependable deputy...

"And Who Are These Friends Of Yours In Fancy Dress?"

These models are from “Crooked Dice” Game Design Studio's ‘Corn Doll Hoedown', and are sculpted by Mark Evans. The four 28mm miniatures come with separate arms and two different torsos, so they were assembled in order to create four distinct poses. As I wanted them to represent the animated scarecrows utilised by Son Of Mine in the June 2008 Doctor Who TV story "The Family Of Blood”, I opted for their sack heads to all be uniformly painted with Calthan Brown and Devlan Mud, and their straw hands and tufts to be painted with Iyanden Darksun and Devlan Mud. In addition all of the Corn Dolls’ rope was painted using Dheneb Stone and Devlan Mud.

It was then a case of giving each scarecrow their clothing’s own unique (dirty) colour scheme. This was achieved using a variety of different paint and wash pairings: Fenris Grey and Asurmen Blue, Dark Flesh and Devlan Mud, Mechrite Red and Devlan Mud, Blood Red and Baal Red, Macharius Solar Orange and Devlan Mud, and Knarloc Green with Thraka Green.

As with all my models (these days) the bases had already been undercoated Chaos Black before being drybrushed with Dark Flesh, then Dheneb Stone, and then washed with Devlan Mud.

This Needle Monument is from “Terrain Warehouse UK” and was quickly painted using an undercoat of Dheneb Stone followed by a heavy wash of Devlan Mud. The ‘Aztec head’ feature was picked out using Burnished Gold, Skull White and Blood Red, before being treated to a combination of Thraka Green, Ogyrn Flesh, Baal Red and (oop) Red Ink washes.

Beneath The Surface - Part One

Having spent the weekend reading the "7TV" rulebook by "Crooked Dice" and continuing the theme of "Doctor Who And The Silurians" and its potholing adventures, I plan to build and paint up a number of pieces of cave-based scenery so as to replicate an underground network. However, rather than build specific terrain boards, I plan to base my rock formations and cave pools individually. Then they can simply be placed upon a brown cloth at irregular intervals across the table and (hopefully) generate the impression of a cave system, ready for exploration.

The larger of these resin pieces are from the ‘Battlefield Scenery Rock Formations’ range by “Terrain Warehouse UK”, whilst some of the smaller rocks, areas of rough terrain and cave pools are from “Total System Scenic”. In addition, there are a couple of pieces from the ‘Eccentric Range’ of “Frontline Wargaming”, specifically “ER10 Movie Power Units.” All have been based on either pieces of wood or plastic in order to make them sit flat upon the surface and to increase their stability.

A couple of the larger rocks, as well as the Needle Monument (all from “Terrain Warehouse UK”) have also had their bases covered with sand, in preparation for these to be drybrushed first with Dark Flesh, and then Dheneb Stone, before being washed with Devlan Mud. This will bring all the scenery in line with the basing colours used for the "Crooked Dice" 28mm models. In addition the Needle Monument has also been given its first undercoat of Dheneb stone.

"I Take It You're Another Member Of The U.N.I.T. Team?"

This model is from “Crooked Dice” Game Design Studio's 'Minion Mob', and has been painted alongside two more ‘hard-hatted soldiers’ in order to bolster my Unit Nations Intelligence Task (UNIT) Force. As this miniature is going to represent the military organisation’s Scientific Advisor, Doctor John Smith, I gave him one of the Peaceful Space Explorer Minion heads and then gave him a much larger nose using ‘green stuff’.

Having re-watched the January 1970 TV Seven-parter "Doctor Who And The Silurians", I decided to put a couple of coils of rope around the cave explorer’s shoulders (using string) and, despite it not actually appearing in the televised story) also gave Doctor Smith a sonic screwdriver. This was quite a simple conversion as having chopped the model’s right hand off I simply replaced it with a crowbar-wielding hand from a plastic “Heroclix” Lackey miniature. I then snipped the ends of the crowbar off and stuck a suitable looking jewellery bead on the end.

I also noticed that the Scientific Advisor wears a different darker set of overalls to the UNIT soldiers, so painted his attire Calthan Brown and then washed it with Devlan Mud. His hair was simply undercoated Astronomican Grey before a combination of Devlan Mud, more Astronomican Grey and Skull White were applied.

COMING SOON - Continuing my "Crooked Dice" themed month, these models are also from the Game Design Studio's 'Minion Mob', but use some of their Alien Heads. I've also done a simple conversion (for fun) in order to try and answer the question "Do you take milk and sugar?"

"Hello, Sweetie."

These models are from "Crooked Dice" Game Design Studio's ‘ARC Astronauts’ and include their Melody Lake miniature. I have assembled them to represent three members of the Strackman Lux expedition who encountered David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor in the May 2008 Doctor Who TV story "Silence In The Library”.

As I planned to use the Melody Lake model to represent the archaeologist Professor Song, I wanted her companions to better represent two of the explorers who accompanied her; namely Proper Dave and Other Dave. As a result instead of super-gluing an astronaut head to one of the ARC Astronaut Datapad bodies, I attached one of the Peaceful Space Explorer Minion heads instead. In addition, I chopped the model’s right hand (with datapad) off and replaced it with a clenched fist from an Unarmed Minion body.

All of the ARC Astronauts were then given an undercoat of Astronimicon Grey before being given two coats of Skull White. Their flight suits were then washed with watered down Astronimicon Grey. Whilst Other Dave’s face was painted using Dark Flesh and Devlan Mud, the skin of Professor Song and Proper Dave were treated to an undercoat of Tallarn Flesh, before being highlighted with Elf Flesh. These areas were then washed using Ogryn Flesh.

A future painting project will be to turn four of the Advancing ARC Astronauts into versions of the swarming, carnivorous Vashta Nerada. These models have already had their out-stretched arms repositioned (i.e. bent) in order to make them all appear in slightly different ‘menacing’ poses. As all four models have also been painted Skull White, each miniature now only requires a watered down wash of Astronimicon Grey, and their visors being picked out with Chaos Black.

COMING SOON - Continuing my "Crooked Dice" themed month, this model is from the Game Design Studio's 'Minion Mob'. He should prove an invaluable scientific advisor to the small collection of models I've assembled to represent members of the Unit Nations Intelligence Task (UNIT) Force from "Doctor Who And The Silurians".

“Don't Worry, Brigadier. People Will Be Shooting At You Soon."

Corn Dolls, Femdroids, Robo-Rodents, Minions and Scary Statues are due to be launched against the planet Earth during the next four weeks, and nothing but a College Professor, his Sidekicks, some Astronauts and some Minions of his own stand in their way…

These models are from "Crooked Dice" Game Design Studio's 'Minion Mob'. They are part of a small number of models I have been assembled to (hopefully) represent members of the Unit Nations Intelligence Task (UNIT) Force who accompanied Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor in the January 1970 Doctor Who TV Seven-parter "The Cave Monsters". Because the story features the military organisation hunting for Silurians in the caves of Wenley Moor two of the models simply consist of (Hardhat) Human Heads on Armed Minion Bodies. Though clearly their Scientific Advisor has been tinkering with their rifles…

As their leader had to be Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, one of the (hardhat) Human Heads was given something of a green-stuff moustache. This is somewhat larger than that of the TV character, but I wanted him to stand out from a distance. In addition, his pose needed to be different to that of his soldiers, so I used an Unarmed Minion body instead. Even that though, wasn’t enough to make the model stand out as much as I wanted, so I chopped his right hand off, and swapped it with the datapad hand from one of the Game Design Studio’s ARC Astronauts. The datapad was then painted as if it was a folded map of the cave system/collection of papers.

The soldiers’ uniforms were simply painted using Dheneb Stone, and their pouches with Dark Flesh. Both areas were then given a wash of Devlan Mud. Their helmets were painted Skull White and washed with watered down Astronimicon Grey. The models’ skin was treated to an undercoat of Tallarn Flesh, before being highlighted with Elf Flesh. These areas were then washed using Ogryn Flesh. The soldiers’ weapons were painted with Boltgun metal and Badab Black.

COMING SOON - Continuing my "Crooked Dice" themed month, these models are from the Game Design Studio's 'ARC Astronaut' range, and include Melody Lake. I've assembled these models to represent some of the explorers who accompanied David Tennant's Tenth Doctor in the May 2008 Doctor Who TV story "Silence In The Library". As a result, two of them are called Dave, but which is the proper one...