Friday 18 December 2015

"Although They Are Uncommon In The Ruins..."

"... Some soldiers do carry crossbows."
This 28mm model of a crossbowman is manufactured by “North Star Military Figures” and is comprised of assorted pieces from their Frostgrave Soldiers twenty multi-part hard plastic boxed set. Carrying a crossbow and dagger, as well as wearing leather armour, the soldier is the first of two such armed men I plan to have within my wizard’s warband, and costs 50 gold pieces.

Having initially built the figure using some ‘Contacta Professional’ liquid glue for plastics by “Revell”, and then added even more equipment from one of the box’s sprues onto the infantryman’s back, I gave the model an undercoat of “Citadel” Abaddon Black. Once this was dry I slowly worked my way up the model, using various combinations of “Vallejo” paints and “Citadel” washes as I went.

The most predominant colours used were “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna for the mercenary’s boots, gloves and backpack, Charred Brown for one of his pouches and crossbow, Heavy Brown for his leggings, a rope coil, another pouch and his waist bag, and “Citadel” Doombull Brown for his flesh. All of these areas were then given a coat of “The Army Painter” Strong Tone Quickshade.
Witch WIP - The warlock now needs only his skull helmet to be painted White to be completed
 To add some brighter colours to my Crossbowman’s assemble I used “Vallejo” Heavy Green and “Citadel” Thrakka Green for his robe, “Vallejo” Heavy Blue and “Citadel” Nuln Oil for his undergarment and leggings, and “Vallejo” Heavy Red and “Citadel” Carroburg Crimson for his scarf and waistband. As I wanted the Moor’s simple cauldron-shaped helmet to appear an old battered piece of armour, I gave that a coat of “Vallejo” Gunmetal Grey before heavily washing it with “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

Having completed the first of my party’s members, I’m now close to completing its leader, a Witch. This ‘brewer of potions’ from a distant, much hotter land, has proved to be as equally difficult and time-consuming to paint as the Crossbowman, because the sculpt is absolutely packed full of intricate and brightly-coloured detail; such as his totem’s bright red face.
"Frostgrave" WIPs - A Snow Leopard, a Medium Construct and an Ice Toad 
Finally I have based a few more “North Star Military Miniatures” in anticipation of the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge and my participation in the event’s “Frostgrave” Side-Challenge. This four-way battle will determine who can paint the most points of “Frostgrave” related figures; including both official figures as well as other fantasy models which are thematically appropriate. The losers have to construct and paint the winner a piece of suitable scenery… So I’m already thinking about using up some of the spare parts from my plastic sprues as half snow-buried weapon caches and statues, and offering the eventual ‘champion’ their choice of my efforts. 

20 comments:

  1. Good to see you keeping busy, Simon. The Warlock has turned out very nice indeed. I like all three of your WIP figures. For me, painting has taken a temporary back seat whilst I play Zombicide: Black Plague. My god, it's addictive!

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    1. Thanks Bryan. The Witch is actually now finished and just needs some basing, so should be posted soon. The WIPs will be properly started once the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge starts in a couple of days time. You enjoy that "Zombicide: Black Plague" and I'm looking forward to your review of it ;-)

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  2. Lovely work Simon, so many wonderful things coming off your table at the moment - can hardly wait for the challenge to begin.

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    1. Cheers Michael. Much appreciated. Can't wait myself. I'll be up late tomorrow night to see the Challenge in... and get some paint flowing straight from the start :-)

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  3. Sounds like you're making good progress on the Frostgrave models. Will we see a game sometime soon?

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    1. Cheers Hugh. I'm certainly making some progress on them, and definitely plan on doing a couple of "Frostgrave" BatReps when I have enough painted minis. I've had a lot of minis on hold waiting for the start of the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge. So once that gets underway, they should be plenty of painted minis eager to see some tabletop action :-)

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  4. Not long before the off, Simon and nice to see some more figures prepped. Looking forward to seeing what you'll be doing with those Frost grave beasties. I'd be inclined to paint the construct as though he was made from giant pencils, due the shape of his head, because it would make me laugh.

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    1. Thanks Jez. Not long at all... Plenty more "Frostgrave" minis to come too. Just basing them up as I type :-) Nice idea with the construct... You'll have to wait and see ;-)

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  5. Nice work Simon, good to see the frostgrave chap finished (at last, lol). Best of luck with the analogue challenge.

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Cheers Roger. Hopefully my "Frostgrave" minis will start to flow thick and fast from now on :-) Lots to see and hopefully entertain over the next three months...

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  6. Those are looking very cool!

    Here's my starter warband - I've posted it on the Paint Table Saturday community as I'm taking a break from blogging
    https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/112685009571607395830

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    1. Thanks Roy. Saw your "Frostgrave" stuff on the Carry On Painting FB page. Very nice. When are you going to finish off your "Crooked Dice" gang and table though? ;-)

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    2. Probably never, if I'm honest. A stalled project. The boards are sitting up on a shelf in one of the outbuildings and the figures are scattered up in the attic painting room. Nobody local to me plays the game, and I'm trying to get something together to play as quick as I can, so the CD stuff is very low on the list of priorities.

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    3. Ah.. Well I've plenty of similar projects myself. Next Year is the release of "7TV" Second Edition, so maybe that'll encourage more of your locals to take an interest? Certainly I'll be doing a fair few BatReps I'd imagine.

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    4. Doubtful. The local club (thankfully just changed its name to Catterick Garrison Wargames Club - formerly The Shire) is mainly Sci-Fi, leaning heavily towards GW and Hordes. I know a couple of fellows from the Pendraken forum who play historicals and pulp stuff, but, again, I'd need to be the driving force to push new games into the mix (and it all takes time). Then there's another group I've just made contact with who are Historical, so no joy there. I'm going to start introducing Frostgrave and Dead Man's Hand and hopefully take it from there. Oh, and Relics, with the CGWC as a couple do have stuff for it already.

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    5. That's a shame as you seemed rather taken with "7TV" and I was certainly looking forward to seeing your Catwoman cast all painted up. Perhaps another year ;-)

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  7. Crossbow man came out very nicely. Has a great look of a man who lives in the now, working purse to purse and having to cart all his worldly goods along with him!

    Your witch is coming along nicely too.

    Those toads are wonderful sculpts, what colour you thinking for him?

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    1. Many thanks Dai. Much appreciated. I'll probably follow the "North Star Military Figures" paint scheme for the toad and do him white with a grey wash. Boring I know...

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