“I Give You The Mausoleum Of All Hope And Desire…”

"The final and funniest folly of the rich."

This excellent 28mm scale resin model of a Mausoleum is made by "Wargames Terrain Workshop" and can be purchased from their Graveyard Scenery range. Shipped as a single cast piece “with hollowed out core”, the building is 100mm long, 80mm wide and 58mm in height, and will provide me with an impressive central scenic piece for when I want to re-enact The Mausoleum scenario from the “Frostgrave” rule-book by “Osprey Publishing”.

Initially undercoated with “Vallejo” Dark Grey and washed with both Nuln Oil and (patchily) "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade, I tried to bring out the rectangular structure’s grainy-bricked detail with a heavy dry-brush of more “Vallejo” Dark Grey, as well as a subsequent lighter highlight of Heavy Bluegrey. As a final touch I then picked out the crypt’s wooden door using a combination of Heavy Sienna washed with Strong Tone Quickshade, and “Citadel” Ironbreaker shaded with Nuln Oil.

Apprentice WIPs - The amateur Wizard 's numerous tools and pouches are slowly being 'picked out'

With Mo'Vember now well underway I have continued to apply myself to the third of my four submissions and the physically intimidating “Frostgrave” Apprentice (Enchanter) cast by “North Star Military Figures”. This wonderfully detailed magic user had somewhat ‘lulled’ me into a false sense of security by sporting a rather bare-looking front-facing upper apron. However, the detail sculpted onto the Transmuter’s back more than makes up for this, and is absolutely packed full of water bottles, pouches, blankets and metal-work. Indeed, if anything this figure is even more complicated than the Imbuer’s fur-clad master.

Equally as difficult and time-consuming to paint will doubtless be the first of my ten multi-part plastic “Games Workshop” Space Marines which I have assembled in order to play the company’s latest version of “Kill Team”. These three “Warhammer 40,000” models are comprised of parts taken from the boxed game’s Tactical Squad sprue and the Ultramarines Upgrade Pack, and will provide my force with a Veteran Sergeant (armed with Powerfist and Bolt Pistol) as Team Leader, as well as my Guerilla and Indomitable specialists.

Ultramarines "Kill Team" WIPs - The first of ten space marines destined to battle Nurgle

Admittedly the last thing I currently need is to be lured into the dark embrace of Rick Priestley’s “dystopian science fiction universe.” But the requirement to simply field just 200 points worth of miniatures, along with the skirmish feel to this “stand-a-lone two-player game”, has really swept me up; especially as my current “Age Of Sigmar” Nurgle Host already boasts enough models to create a legitimate Plaguebearer warband.

In addition, I love the idea of fitting out each model with lots of extra kit and details in order to personalise them on the battlefield. This is particularly true of my "shrewd and experienced commander", and the three 'uniquely talented' specialists I must employ as part of my Tactical Squad. As a result, my bare-headed but heavily decorated Guerilla specialist is adorned with all manner of honours such as a laurel and parchments, as well as numerous purity seals. Whilst my Indomitable plasma-gun carrying Adeptus Astartes proudly wears an Iron Halo upon his right shoulder pad; a “special honour badge given to a Space Marine who has shown exceptional initiative or bravery on the battlefield.”