"Got A Feelin' You ain't Seen Nothin' Yet."

"Speaking of which, when can I get a replacement body? I can't stand this old heap of junk."

This 28mm pre-painted plastic model of Robotman is by “Wizkids” and can be bought as number 009 from their “Heroclix” DC Origin range. Created by Arnold Drake, Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani, Clifford Steele’s brain was placed inside a metal construct after a race car accident destroyed his physical body and is one of the founding members of the Doom Patrol. “Initially dubbed Automaton”, Cliff made his first appearance in the June 1963 issue of "DC Comics" "My Greatest Adventure”.

Originally primed with “Vallejo” Copper so as to totally eliminate the miniature’s factory pre-paint, the figure was washed with "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade and then dry-brushed with more “Vallejo” Copper.  Afterwards, I picked out the super-strong hero’s chest control unit using a combination of “Heavy Blue” and “Citadel” Asurmen Blue, and the device’s wiring with “Vallejo” Heavy Red and “Citadel” Carroburg Crimson.

"Heroclix WIPs" - These heavily armoured figures have simply been washed and dry-brushed

With the Seventh Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge having (finally) started, and with an eye somewhat fixed upon the ‘Armour’ themed Bonus Round, I am already working on three more rather robotic “Heroclix” miniatures; all of which are heavily armoured. Foremost of these is a 90mm tall model of T.E.S.S.-One (Total Elimination of Super Soldiers), Pat Dugan’s powered armour suit S.T.R.I.P.E. (Special Tactics Robotic Integrated Power Enhancer), and an impressively organic-looking incarnation of Superman’s nemesis, Metallo. 

I’m planning on getting a considerable number of “Wizkids” figures finished over the next three months, and these reasonably straightforward ‘prime, wash and dry-brush’ models should help get the enthusiasm for my long-running “Cosmic Cube Wars” project back on track; especially if I can build up a sizeable force of minions, ninjas, servo-robots, aliens and vampires…

"Secrets Of The Third Reich" WIPs - These British Commandos with carbines still need a lot of painting

That doesn’t mean however, that this month’s drive to paint up some additional units for “Konflikt ‘47” has ground to a halt. Having recently finished enough “West Wind Productions” Commandos with carbines with which to field a minimalist British force for the “Warlord Games” rule-set, I have dusted off a further six “Secrets Of The Third Reich” Tommies, and started busily adding some pigment to their rifles and body armour.

These additional soldiers should help me greatly bolster my reinforced platoon, and, points-wise, provide me with ample opportunity to either increase the number of zombies my obligatory German opposition can use, or encourage me to paint up/re-base another Third Reich ‘Weird War’ unit entirely.