Wednesday 11 January 2017

"Quarry In Range. Eliminate."

"Target detected."
This 28mm scale pre-painted plastic model of TESS-One is by “Wizkids” and can be bought as number 027 from their Marvel “Heroclix” Age Of Ultron range. Created and published by both Mark Gruenwald and artist Mike Zeck in September 1986, this giant "special robot" was built by Professor Schumann in case an army of super-soldiers, like Captain America, returned home after World War Two and took over the United States. Eventually abandoned in a bomb shelter underneath its late inventor's residence, the  Adamantium-armoured machine would be activated and attempt to neutralise the Sentinel of Liberty in "Captain America" Annual 8.
"TESS-One battles Captain America and some New York City cops
90mm in height, TESS-One was first 'cut' from it's somewhat diminutive 'clicky-base' and super-glued to a "Games Workshop" 50mm circular stand. The model was primed with two coats of "Citadel" Ironbreaker and subsequently washed with Nuln Oil. I then spent a good thirty minutes patiently dry-brushing Schumann's robot with more Ironbreaker. The sculpt's detail was rather soft in places so I ensured that there was very little paint on my brush each time I drew it across the figure preferring to build-up the 'effect' rather than lazily apply a single heavy application. Once this process was complete, I used the same brush to 'polish' the flatter areas of the model. Finally I 'picked out' the automaton's face plate with Abaddon Black and applied a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson to its menacing eye-sensors.
Grey Aliens WIPs - The extra-terrestrials have all been undercoat with "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey
In addition to my submission for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge Armour Bonus Round I have also 'pulled out' the next selection of miniatures by "Copplestone Castings" I plan to paint as part of my "Mad Max" project. Like the Terminator Robots I've previously finished, these Grey Aliens are part of Mark's "Non-Humans" "Future Wars" range, and should prove relatively straightforward to finish on account of their diminutive size.

Likewise I've dipped into my "Black Tree Design" drawer for some more "Doctor Who" themed models, and inspired by the "Big Finish" audio story "Domain Of The Voord" have prepped, primed and started painting Yartek and six of his fellow Voord. With the exception of their "commando-style knives" the semi-aquatic extra-terrestrials are actually entirely black in colour on account of their scuba-diving bodysuits, and such make for a rather uninspiring painting subject.
Voord WIPs - The plunderers of Marinus have been primed, dry-brushed and had some details 'picked out'
However, in order to try and break up their monochromatic monotony I have decided to pick out their eye lenses, belts and small diving weights with grey and their belt-buckles in silver. The entire models will also be dry-brushed in Charcoal and finally be washed with "Citadel" Nuln Oil to try and tie all the different pigments together.

Fortunately, the model of the Voord's leader isn't quite so 'dull' a subject to paint as "Black Tree Design" have sculpted him wearing the robe of Arbitan; the Keeper of the Conscience of Marinus, whom the alien brutally murdered and momentarily replaced. Admittedly his 'imperious' gown is still predominantly one colour, but he's also wearing the guardian's nicely detailed golden medallion of office, and this should make a good contrast to the rest of the grey-scale frogmen. 

24 comments:

  1. TESS-One is another Marvel character I've never heard of. He looks very intimidating lined up against Captain America and the cops.

    Your Copplestone Greys should be a doddle paint. They all look mean and angry. I love the one giving the finger.

    I'm sorry to say I am not a fan of your Voord figures. They look so bland. Still, two out of three ain't too bad.

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    1. Thanks Bryan. TESS-One is a corking model and is badly under-used within the comics imho, considering its an adamantium-armoured killing machine specifically designed to take-out Captain America.

      I've still got a bit to do on the Grey Aliens, as I want to highlight them a little more and then try and smooth out their shadows with a second wash. As "Copplestone Castings" go though, they are very straightforward sculpts, so should be finished soon.

      The Voord were one of the first 'new' aliens designed to try and replicate the popularity of the Daleks, and as scuba-gear wearing aliens go I've always found them fascinating. Unfortunately as you say an all-black model is a little uninspiring, hence my desire to try and break its monotony up as much as I can without stepping too far away from the source costume.

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  2. Love the robot (though obviously I've never heard of him)and you've done a great job painting it despite the limited palette available to you.
    The love greys too and look forward tp seeing these completed too and the Voords will be interesting to see ow they turn out.

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    1. Cheers Joe. I'm delighted to have introduced you to TESS-One :-) Both the Greys and Voord are almost finished and destined for the AHPC this week - I hope!

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  3. That great big robot thing is excellent! One of the models I voted for in the Theme Round.

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    1. Many thanks Roy. very much appreciated. Now I'll know where I got my vote from ;-)

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  4. TESS-One was awesome Simon, such a grand scale too. Lovely reworking and basing, a cracking entry.

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    1. Cheers Michael. Much appreciated. TESS-One seemed such a simple choice for an Armour themed round.

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  5. What a monster of a robot, great stuff!

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  6. Lovely selection of figs. TESS-One is particularly impressive!

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    1. Cheers Gordon. I'm rather pleased with her :-)

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  7. Great job on Tess-One Simon, the greys will look great, and I'm intrigued to see the results on adding interest on the Voord

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    1. Thanks Dave. TESS-One seems to have gone down quite well on the AHPC site too. The Voord still look predominantly black as that's what their main colour should be. But hopefully a spot of grey here and there has broken them up a little. The grey Aliens are finished and just waiting to be varnished.

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  8. Never heard of TESS-one but that is a smashing figure, if I was buying any fig's this year I would go and look for him now (but I'm not so I wont, you tempting swine I told you not to do this didn't I!).

    The greys are nice, but then so is all of Marks stuff.

    The Voord were never a favourite of mine to be honest, and the heads on those figs look a little large to me, but the painting on them looks top notch as always, best of luck with the challenge by the way.

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Cheers Roger. Much appreciated, and at just £1.49 from "Blue Rate Games" I'd say TESS-One was an absolute bargain too ;-)

      The greys are now finished and just need some basing to be good for the battlefield, so hopefully they'll be posted soon.

      The Voord are one of my fave "Doctor Who" baddies, but these sculpts aren't great. I'm hoping to have them all finished though by the end of the week, as I've just found five more Nimon...

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  9. TESS-One has come out very well and I shall be getting one for myself. I do believe i have that Annual somewhere. IIRC Cap required a bit of help from a certain Canadian in order to defeat her.
    The Greys are...grey. until i see them done, I haven't much more to say.
    And more Doctor Who is always welcome, even though I haven't seen this particular adventure.
    I did visit my FLGS in search of Dicemasters, but they no longer stock it, as the amount of space the stock was taking up wasn't mayched by the demand. Whilst Toys'R'Us did have some stock, it was a toss-up between taking advantage of Black Tree's sale or Dicemasters - and the good Doctor won.

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    1. Many thanks Jez. I'd certainly recommend TESS-One as an addition to your collection, and you're spot on about the Wolverine being in the Annual; indeed the selling point of the comic was a supposed Cap vs Logan battle.

      The Grey Aliens are now finished and should be posted early next week, and as you say they're grey...

      I'd strongly recommend "Chaos Cards" for "Dicemasters" as they do an excellent service and sell singles at very reasonable prices if you fancy picking up certain ones. Obviously though I entirely appreciate that the good Doctor must win!!

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  10. TESS-One looks ace Simon. :)

    Well done. :)

    You do wonder where his creator found so much adamantium though!

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    1. Cheers Leon. Much appreciated from a fellow follower of super-heroes :-) TESS-One got her adamantium long after her creator was dead, by hijacking a truck going to Adametco Metallurgy and forcing some worker to coat her with a layer of it ;-)

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  11. TESS-One looks great! it could be used for all sorts of robot shenanigans too.

    Those Grey's are fun!

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    1. Cheers Dai. Glad you approve. I'm hoping to have her make an appearance in my next "Zombicide" BatRep ;-)

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