Thursday 17 November 2016

“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.”

30 comments:

  1. Three projects all looking good to me. The mausoleum of all lost hope (yeah sorry I renamed it in my head)does look particularly good. the Artificer as well.

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    1. Thanks Clint. "Wargames Terrain Workshop" really are churning out some corking resin scenic pieces presently, with the Mausoleum proving to be the best of the bunch imho. Glad you like the "Frostgrave" apprentice too, as I know of your liking for the game.

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  2. Good progress On the apprentice mate. You definitely have an eclectic painting queue!

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    1. Cheers Andy. I do like to keep things lively on the painting table, otherwise I'd flit even more!!

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    2. haha I know that feeling, I haven't posted all of the other stuff i've been painting recently yet (maybe soon) concentrating on the Bushido and now some 2000AD but variety is the spice of life as they say and you have to keep it fresh!

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    3. Ah, but if you flitted you wouldn't be known as the 'Baron of Bushido' would you ;-)

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  3. As ever, a very eclectic mix of figures for us to enjoy, Simon.
    The mausoleum is a nice piece of scenery, usable in so many games and settings.
    You won't be at all surprised to hear that I will not be buying GW's latest WH40K game but I do admit to having a big fondness for the Ultramarines. I still have a huge army of them that I very much enjoyed gaming with. Of all the Space Marine chapters, the Ultramarines were, and still are, my favourite.

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    1. Glad you like the Ultramarines Bryan. They'll be a while yet until they're finished as I have a few other projects inbetween, but certainly 2017 will be the year of "Kill Team" if I have my way, and the Ultramarines will play a big part in that project.

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  4. Fantastic work as always Simon. I'm always impressed by your ability to balance multiple projects like this as well!

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    1. Cheers Bill. Got to keep things fresh, although I have ten "Frostgrave" skeletons to squeeze in before the month is out!!

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  5. Great job on the mausoleum Simon, I think your approach of having multiple projects on the go is a great way of keeping things fresh. Nice work on your other projects as well

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    1. Thanks Dave. Very much appreciated. Hopefully my brass Chinese Dogs will turn out just as well :-)

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    2. Your already off to a great start on them, look forward to seeing the finished piece

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    3. Cheers Dave. Hoping to have them done by the end of the week, so I can get to work on your excellent walls and gates - and some more gargoyles.

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  6. Nice looking minis and gorgeous Mausoleum !

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    1. Thanks Phil. Tbh the Mausoleum painted itself.

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  7. I have a feeling that both you and Bryan are go8ng to cost me some money shortly - i've already worked out how to create an inexpensive force of my own Justice Department due to Bryan and as you're planning on showcasing the Mark IV space marines soon, I have a feeling I might end up buying some of those as well. Quick question - how well do the new marines scale in with the old 'womble' marines, as I do have some of those already?

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    1. Jez, I haven't noticed any difference in scale at all. However the new Space Marines now come with the slightly larger 32mm round bases so they have some space around their fit. As a result I'll need to re-base the last one I painted here: http://fantorical.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/space-marine-sternguard-veteran-squad.html

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  8. That mausoleum has been added to the wishlist! Lovely!

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    1. Thanks Gordon. Glad you like it. I think it'll look awesome in one of your wonderful BatReps :-)

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  9. A nice piece of heavyweight scenery!

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    1. Cheers Fran. I certainly think its turned out well.

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  10. The Mausoleum is a cracking piece and has turned out really well, and you apprentice is coming on well too, and a "beaky" in amongst your space marines that take me back.

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Thanks Roger. The finished "Frostgrave" Apprentice will be posted up tomorrow for my Mo'Vember weekend submission, but it'll be a long while before you see the 'beaky' marine finished I'm afraid - as I'm still assembling the rest of the squad.

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    2. Went to Chester today Xmas shopping with the misses and kids, they wanted a look in "Game" computer gaming store, was surprised to see then selling some 40K figures in there!

      Cheers Roger.

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    3. Ah... Would that be the "Revell" Build & Paint Space Marines/Orks they've started to try and sell at all sorts of different stores? Its a big push apparently to try and attract new players to "WH40k"?

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  11. The mausoleum turned out very well and you are tempting me to pick one up! :)

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    1. Thanks Leon. Always nice to tempt others whose blogs are always tempting me :-)

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  12. O no... down the 40K Space Marine rabbit hole we tumble.... :P

    Apprentice coming along just fine. I like the stark strawberry blonde hair and beard colour you've gone with.

    I'll not be venturing into that mausoleum. Looks spooky!

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    1. "O no... down the 40K Space Marine rabbit hole we tumble...." - Well, I hope it'll just be a wee little tippy-toe down for now Dai, but who knows. I have a few projects in the wings first. But "Kill Team" will probably be as big a part of next year as "AoS" was in 2016... :-)

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