Sunday 19 November 2017

"Boo Yeah!"

"The Showiest, flashiest and most charismatic dwarf you are ever going to see..."
This 28mm resin miniature of Ronnie Salvage is produced by "TTCombat" as part of their "Rumbleslam" range, and bears a striking resemblance to the late great American wrestler "Macho Man" Randy Savage. "One of the superstars hailing from Kaiser’s Palace", this "nimble dwarf" brings high stamina and annihilating special attacks to the squared circle, and is the third of my four weekly submissions for this year’s Mo’Vember Challenge.

Composed of some sort of hard plastic-type resin, I actually had a bit of problem with Ronnie when I initially based him and snapped off one set of his trailing arm ribbons. Mortified by my fat fingered fumbling, as well as being all too aware that the flashy wrestler could never appear in public without his tell-tale tassels, I drilled an appropriately sized rectangular-shaped hole into his arm at the spot where the fashion accessory had broken away, and super-glued it back in place.
Converted Judoon WIPs - These two metal mercenaries just need some inks to be applied to them
Once re-assembled, I primed the model with two coats of "Vallejo" Heavy Ochre, and started to work my way up the portly figure using a combination of Heavy Red and "Citadel" Crimson Carroburg for Salvage's boots, pants and cowboy hat. The dwarf's skin was created by applying a shade of "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade over a layer of "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone. Ordinarily, I simply leave the "specially formulated" wash to do its job and just highlight areas such as the nose, cheeks, hands and fingers. But on this occasion there was so much flesh on show, especially on the chest and stomach, that I added some additional Heavy Skintone to these areas too.

Finally the 'Atomic Drop' crowd pleaser's "Vallejo" Heavy Ochre leg tassels, hand-wraps and vest were given a wash of (more) "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade, and Ronnie's pair of flashy shades were 'picked out' using a little Ironbreaker and Nuln Oil. For a moment I did consider basing the wrestling superstar differently as to how I ordinarily 'flock' my models, for the sportsman was supposedly going to always be 'fighting' in a ring, and thus having him appear upon a grassy base didn't really make much sense at all. Fortunately though, I then spied that "TTCombat" produces a "Rumbleslam" Grassy Mat and my problem was readily resolved...
"Victrix" French WIPs - The plastic soldiers have a phenomenal amount of detail to 'pick out' 
Having attended "Warfare" in Reading this weekend, and now bought the last of the figures I plan to purchase for the foreseeable future (or at least that's the plan), I have started trying to properly clear up some space on my painting table by finishing the odd project or twelve. Needless to say, what with "Warlord Games" offering a fiendish 'three for two' deal on their "Doctor Who" range at the Rivermead Leisure Complex-based show, I am now rather inundated with "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" models, so plan to polish off a handful more Judoon figures over the next few days for starters...

Similarly, I have quite the gathering of plastic Napoleonic French by "Victrix Limited" stationed within my line-of-sight. These wonderfully moustached unflinching Frenchmen will be getting a lot of attention as a result, and despite all their straps, pouches, bags and cuffs, should still be finished in time to meet my Mo'Vember Challenge deadline at the end of the month.

40 comments:

  1. Great job on Ronnie, the Judoon are looking good, and good progress on the naps

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Dave. Doubtless Ronnie will be one of many "Rumbleslam" minis I'll be painting over the coming months, and the Judoon are now finished and ready for posting later on this week.

      Delete
  2. Awesome work on Ronnie Salvage. The Judoon are progressing well. Whats this another project with the French?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Simon. More a continuation of an old French Napoleonic project than a new one. But I'm a bit more determined this time round to get it finished - or at least paint enough minis to play a game with!! :-)

      Delete
  3. Ronnie has turned out really well. He's quite a character. Like you, I pondered how to base my "Rumbleslam" figures, and like you, figured they'd only ever see action in the ring. I can't see me using them in any other game. So I stuck my figures on MDF bases (I hate those clear plastic bases) and painted them in the MDF wood colour to match my 3D wrestling ring model.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Bryan. I was in two minds as I can see me using quite a few of the minis as super-heroes for "Mutants & Death Ray Guns" too, hence I was in something of two minds.

      Delete
  4. 28mm Napoleonics,this way lies madness !!!!! 16 buttons to pick out on each leg gaiter on a fusilier, epaulettes, piping, tassels, etc. Repeat until you stick your underpants on your head and put two pencils up your nose and say wibble !!
    Mind you nothing looks nicer than a painted Napoleonic army. The Perrys and Victrix do some awsome stuff. Your're a far braver man than I for trying it.Saying that my first ever army was French Airfix Napoleonis in `OO' scale. The bendy figures where all the paint fell off.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hehe, we used to have (Stevie had) 6000+ painted 25mm Napoleonic guys all painted and ready for the game table (club) He gave the all away last year hehe.

      Delete
    2. Cheers Phil. I'm replicating the areas I painted on the models from years ago and am already seeing why I gave up on the project. I'm picking out so many straps that these days I wouldn't bother with. How mad am I!?!

      I remember those French Airfix Napoleonics and still have mine somewhere - Oh the battles those guys fought :-)

      Delete
    3. "He gave the all away last year" - I'd be sobbing uncontrollably at that sentence, Hils, not laughing ;-) What an incredible act of generosity from Steve (though hardly surprising tbh).

      Delete
  5. Nice wrestling dwarf! Napoleonic french infantry? Who'dve thought of that next? I've got 120 of the 1806 to 1812 figures to paint, I figure they can't be as difficult to paint as they were to assemble!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Iain. The "Victrix" French were a little hard to assemble. But like you I now have a whole horde them together and ready to be painted. I've a four-month plan ahead of me, and hope to have both an Austrian and French force finished by its end so I can start gaming the period.

      Delete
  6. Great post, and eclectic as ever! :-)
    Ronnie and the Judoon look excellent, and sheer amount of detail on the nappy WIP reminds why I prefer the MUCH smaller scales (where the detail is omitted) for this period ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Greg. I'm really enjoying mixing my genres currently, and have a great deal more diversity coming over the next few months as I attempt a partially-painted challenge. The French Naps could well prove a detailed mini too far, but that's why I'm trying to stick to a goal of just four per month...

      Delete
  7. That Judoon looks ace. I've got no idea what the heck they are, but seeing it painted all in black and in that big helmet makes it look mean and full of purpose. Don't think I'll ever get into the game, but on looks alone I think I'd fancy the Judoon.

    I like how Salvage has painted up. The skin tones look great and the black-lining works really well. Still not certain I favour the character enough to use it in my own stable, so will need to look into it's special rules more.

    Vive l'Movemeber! Or some't like that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Vive l'Movemeber!" indeed, Roy :-) The Judoon are now finished and should be posted on Friday, leaving me just a couple more to do before that particular faction is complete (for now at least).

      I need to paint up some opponents for Salvage fast, as it'd be nice to post up a BatRep campaign of his ring exploits in "Rumbleslam".

      Delete
  8. Those Judoon are my favourite looking of this latest batch.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Hils. I've got at least two Judoon-related postings ready for this week, so hopefully you won't get sick of them ;-)

      Delete
    2. Naaa, never. Judoon are so cool.

      Talking of Doc Who, we have a small dilemma actually. After much humming and Harring the decision is made (no doubt an article as to why, one day soon), were switching our DW to 20mm (HO/00 scale and going our own sculpting (and careful purchasing and facsimile( route for our main personalities. So our DW collection is now a moot point, maybe eBay I guess.

      Delete
    3. "So our DW collection is now a moot point" - Oh dear, as I'm working somewhat closely with "Warlord Games" these days, I happen to see their advanced pics from time-to-time on Messenger and there really are some corking models coming in the New Year.

      Delete
    4. *sighs* you completely misunderstood me there.... I was saying, for US we have decided to switch to 20mm, and our existing collection of 28mm is (for us) a question mark: will we give them away or sell them.

      Delete
    5. Hi Hils, I think I got your point :-)

      I was just saying its a shame you've gone with that scale as opposed to the larger "WG" scale as I know what's coming next year from them. But if you're going 20mm then I look forward to seeing what you sculpt :-)

      Delete
    6. Its a life long wish list thing himself has wanted to do, and is always mentioning it on and off (and with the moving house next year, it is suddenly within realistic reach) he want`s to combine a themed train set with wargaming: but to do that, sadly, means switching to HO/OO scale :(

      Delete
    7. Well hopefully "The Game Cupboard" will provide plenty of photos and narrative to what's going on, Hils. I'm certainly very interested in hearing/seeing how the project pans out ;-)

      Delete
    8. Thanks Simon, it certainly would be a major undertaking and a fun one too (as I like/enjoy making terrain for himself). But regardless, none of this would be until after the move, so probably late next year. Meanwhile he will (no doubt) keep painting and playing in the bigger scale until such a time.. or so I`m guessing. Although I have been watching him eyeing up 15mm lately as well.. and muttering things about a Stalingrad winter, and I swear I heard him doing machine gun noises the other day lol. Meanwhile WG DW and BA minis will see many an airing I would imagine, for the immediate foreseeable future anyway.

      Delete
    9. Ah... I'm going to dig out my "Pendraken Miniatures" for a WW2 Soviet winter myself, so that might edge him towards 10mm ;-)

      Delete
    10. Which in turn reminds me that I found out all our Pendraken fantasy minis and resin dungeon just the other day (a chance find while rummaging trough the attic). Hmmmm, I wonder. you got me thinking now: Frostgrave in 10mm, doable - I wonder?

      Delete
    11. "Frostgrave in 10mm, doable - I wonder?" - Very doable imho, Hils and massive fun to boot :-)

      Delete
  9. Another post of varied delights. I have no idea who the wrestling dwarf is based on as my knowledge of wrestling is based on vague recollections of Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks! However, he looks a great sculpt with lots of character and I love the paint job. Your Rhino police are great as always and the highlighting looks very clean and I agree with the comments about the Napoleonics. Madness indeed! But, having seen some of your previous Napoleonic work I know these will be good so keep working on them as I can't wait to see them done. Looking forward to your next post of WWII zombie riding dinosaurs or whatever wonderful mix you serve up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Undercoat. I fear you've missed out on the Late Eighties/Early Nineties "WWF" - Fortunately its all out there on DVD these days. I think the Judoon are corking sculpts, and great fun to paint, as are the French (in small bursts). I do own some dinosaur-riding WW2 minis, but they're for another post another day ;-)

      Delete
  10. Great stuff as usual Simon! Though I do admit, at first I immediately thought 70's supergroup 'The Village People' when I saw Ronnie :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Ivor. The flashy shades do indeed have the glimmer of the Seventies about them.

      Delete
  11. I'll keep throwing them out there, but does my all time fav Mr Perfect get a looksee in that rumbleslam action?

    Savage looks ace! A dwarf with style and attitude!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks very much, Dai. I'm a huge fan of Curt Hennig myself, so as soon as the perfect miniature does appear, I'll be posting him up :-)

      Delete
  12. Ronnie Salvage turned out very well mate - you should be proud of him I reckon. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Leon. I think all the "Rumbleslam" minis should be a hoot to paint.

      Delete
  13. I do love Ronnie Salvage aka Captain Caveman. You have done a great job on him. I was looking at this range last night, probably not going to dive in but did like the Werewolf in a 'mankini'!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Mark. There are some corking minis within the "Rumbleslam" range, and hopefully I'll tempt you with a few others over the coming months :-)

      Delete