"Please Stand By. You Will Be Upgraded. Welcome To The Cyberiad."

"No need to panic, my young friends. We all know there are no more living Cybermen."

This 38mm tall "exquisitely sculpted pewter" Cyberman figure is produced by “Warlord Games” and can be found within the company's excellent "Nightmares In Silver" Cybermen Collector's Set 1966-2013. Sculpted to replicate the fictional race of cyborgs as they appeared in Neil Gaiman's 2013 television story "Nightmare In Silver", this new design arose "as the result of a deep space meeting of Mondas and Cybus Cybermen; whose amalgamation resulted in an upgraded, stronger and superior model."

The figure was primed with "Citadel" Abaddon Black and treated to a double coat of Ironbreaker. It was then washed with Nuln Oil and had its famous 'tear-drop' eyes and mouth slit additionally darkened with a small amount of Abaddon Black, before being dry-brushed with more "Ironbreaker". As the Cyberman's dynamic pose rather attracts the eye when compared to the more sedentary look of its "emotionless space-faring" compatriots, I decided to make it a Cyber Leader, and resultantly picked out his chest piece with a combination of Nihilakh Oxide and Drakenhof Nightshade.

"We've upgraded ourselves. The next model will be undefeatable."

Alongside this "upgraded Cyber War" Cyberman I have also painted three more of the cyborgs' plastic models as found inside the "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" "fast-paced tabletop miniatures game" starter box. Unsurprisingly, these figures were painted exactly the same way as the version which threatened the Eleventh Doctor and Clara in the "military-controlled, extraterrestrial theme park Hedgewick's World of Wonders."

Recently, fellow bloggers PulpCitizen ("Eclectic Gentleman Tabletop Gamer") and Simon Quinton ("Brummie's Wargaming Blog") have been busy finishing off a handful of miniatures in order to play-test the rule-set "Squad Wars". I must confess to having been green with envy at their marvellous paint-jobs and the fact that the figures they've been posting about are all inspired by the "G.I. Joe" franchise.

"G.I. Joe" WIPs - Destro, Major Budd, Sergeant Slaughter and Snake Eyes

To be honest I know very little about the "line of action figures produced and owned by the toy company Hasbro", but quickly became infected by the guys' enthusiasm for the "National Toy Hall of Fame" product. Unfortunately however, the models they own are from a private collection and not therefore commercially available and as a result I have been struggling to acquire even one of them...

Until now that is, when I finally (and very luckily) was sent a few spares to help me join in with the chaps' "Real American Hero" obsession. As a result I have immediately based up the Iron Grenadier known as Destro, Cobra Command mercenary Major Budd, and G.I. Joe loyalists Sergeant Slaughter and Snake Eyes.