Sunday, 26 November 2017

"My Ghosts Will Make More Ghosts."

"Enough to bring an armada. Enough to wake me from my sleep."
This "officially approved" 38mm scale metal miniature of a rhinocerid humanoid from the planet Judoonia is manufactured by “Warlord Games” and can be found inside their Judoon boxed set. However, unlike the three figures sold as part of the "Doctor Who: Into The Time Vortex" range, this specific model has been slightly converted so as to turn it into one of the two "Incorporeal" ghosts which should accompany the Fisher King on the "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" tabletop.

These spectral pawns of the alien warlord were a highlight of the 2017 televised story "Before The Flood", and, as "Warlord Games" have yet to produce any miniatures based upon the deceased likenesses of Albar Prentis, Jonathan Moran, Richard Pritchard and Alice O'Donnell, I thought I'd re-purpose a couple of the Shadow Proclamation's enforcer as some early (undead) victims of the Fisher King. However, because the Ghosts of the Drum can only seemingly kill their prey using physical weapons I decided to replace this Judoon's right hand with another carrying a plastic "Frostgrave" hand-axe.
"It's the call of the Fisher King. The call of their master."
Originally, I didn't anticipate this particular alteration requiring much in the way of drilling and pinning at all, especially as the hand-weapon by "North Star Military Figures" was a single-cast piece. Annoyingly however, no sooner had the conversion's super-glue dried than the axe simply broke away from the hand which was holding it; revealing what I can only imagine to be an internal flaw within the plastic itself. In addition, the rhinoceros-like headed alien's eyes were both hollowed out in order to help create the impression of the visual organs atrophying and sinking away inside his head...

Once the axe was re-attached I undercoated the miniature with "Vallejo" White and shaded it with Pale Grey. The "single-minded" Judoon was then washed with some "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, a little Biel-Tan Green and finally dry-brushed with more "Vallejo" White. To complete the model, I 'picked out' its axe's handle using "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and painted its blade using a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson.
Bonesnapper WIP - The House Goliath ganger has been assembled, primed and dry-brushed
Alongside "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" and "Warlord Games", I have also found "Games Workshop" to be a consistent thorn in my wallet's side over the past few months, and like so many other old-time gamers couldn't help but "head back to Hive Primus" and purchase a copy of the new "Necromunda". Needless to say, the starter set is absolutely packed full of some of the most fiendishly devised 28mm plastic miniatures ever created, so I have decided to start slowly by simply assembling, priming and dry-brushing the Goliath known as Bonesnapper.

Comprising of a staggering nine pieces, this "living testament to brawn over brains" is incredibly detailed, and sits upon a nicely-sculpted sewer-like base. As a result, I plan to just paint five gangers from House Goliath and then move my sights onto some of the Escher fighters which also come in the hefty skirmish tabletop war game box...

50 comments:

  1. Fabulous conversion and painting Simon.

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  2. I still haven't painted my fanatic Goliath

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    1. Oh dear, Phil, perhaps a few "Necromunda" postings will encourage you to put pigment to model? ;-)

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  3. Great work on the ghosts Simon, have you managed to finish the article ?
    You seem to have got yourself another model with lots of little details with the Necromunda models

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    1. Thanks Dave. I'll be cobbling the article together this weekend as I need to do a battle scenario for it too. "Necromunda" does indeed have a ton of details, but I'm hoping to crack on with a great many "Games Workshop" minis over the next few months - as Friday's posting will attest ;-)

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  4. The ghostly Judoon have turned out great, Simon.

    Now you know how much I hate Games Workshop but I always thought "Necromunda" was the best game they ever produced. It was my birthday a few days ago so I treated myself to the new "Necromunda" boxed set (bought from Wayland Games because it was 20% cheaper than GW was selling it for) and I must admit that I'm very impressed with it. Suffice to say, I'll be following your "Necromunda" postings with a keen interest.

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    1. Cheers Bryan. What a fantastic way to celebrate your birthday, and many belated congratulations :-) I too bought elsewhere, as the savings are well worth it imho. I only buy from "GW" themselves when they're webstore exclusives etc.

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  5. I really liked Necromunda the first time round, and I imagine the new version will be somewhat similar to that. I think we are fairly fortunate as we still have the original game and its expansions packed neatly away in a crate in the spare room, should we ever need a Van Saar or/and Escher versus Goliath fix lol.

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    1. I'm green with envy, Hils. I believe I do own the books somewhere, but never the scenery or minis. Perhaps "The Game Cupboard" should delve back into it for a nostalgic trip down memory lane :-)

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    2. Interesting notion. I may well explore the idea in 10mm (as I have a lovely collection of Pendraken sci-fi minis just begging to be used, supplemented by a load of Rebel Miniatures heroes and space pirates. We could easily enough make our own terrain for this (and a cool project for Dave maybe) and bingo! Necromunda mini version hehe.

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    3. Definitely sounds like something the Two-headed monster could work on, Steve. I'd be interested in picking that scale scenery up at no mistake ;-)

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  6. The idea of Necromunda in 10mm always really appealed to me. Just think what you could make on a 2 foot board, with all that scaffolding and sci-fi looking poison oil sumps, toxic wastes, slag heaps and plascrete ruins, pipes, tubes, and cable wiring everywhere. Ahhhh happy daydreams.

    Enjoy your new Necromunda, I will enjoy reading these posts very much.

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    1. 10mm Micromunda has been done. Check this post out for inspiration - http://www.lead-adventure.de/index.php?topic=104058.0
      Impressive, huh?

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    2. now THATS intriguing. And yeah, rather impressive too :)

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    3. "Enjoy your new Necromunda, I will enjoy reading these posts very much." - I do hope so Steve, I fear what with "Shadespire", "Age of Sigmar" and "Necromunda", that they'll be a lot of "Games Workshop" painting to come.

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    4. That will be a real treat Simon, Sigmar or Necromunda, both sorts of AAR appeal greatly :-))

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    5. Thanks Steve, I've certainly a few BatReps waiting in the wings, ready for posting over the next few weeks - hopefully something will catch your eye ;-)

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    6. I`ll tell you a little secret Simon. Okay, if a fairy came and landed on the end of the bed (or should that be a genie), and said "I can take away ALL your many life time hobby collections, and allow you to start again with just ONE focussed, consolidated subject, what will it be?" I would immediately take that fairy up on the offer and for a split second in my mind I would have to make a choice... Napoleonic Wargaming, or Warhammer/Age of Sigmar - Sigmar would probably win. I have often thought, if I could go back to many.. many years ago (back into my twenties) I wish I had stuck with Warhammer Fantasy, and focussed ALL my attention on that one single subject.

      So you see Simon, as Darth Vader would say to his son as he lay looking up at him from the floor of the dying Death Star: "Its too late for me, son." but I DO s enjoy reading batreps and AAR`s about this game.

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    7. How bizarre, 'cause without hesitation I would say "Napoleonic Wargaming"; which is probably why I'm desperately trying to give the period one last push before my eye-sight gives way :-)

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    8. hmmm, okay I`m dead serious now Simon. Take another look at Perry Miniatures Napoleonic 8mm version. Its stunning (I`d advise 2 sets to get complete value out of it all). It allows plenty of scope to build upon by adding, say, for example Pendraken.. or Peter Pig.. 10mm carriage, surgeon ambulance set, civilians, camp followers, etc.. all the usual suspects you`d want and expect to find in this era.... and it looks SOOOOOOOO good painted up, and is so easy and fast, and yet looks spectacular. Might fill that need for you Simon, in an epic `grand old` scale?

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    9. Yes... Both your review and subsequent phone call about "Perry Miniatures" 8mm version had me pondering picking it up at the time, Steve, and I am sorely tempted. However, as you'll see from my next couple of postings (I'm usually a few days ahead with my painting articles) I am making some ground with my French, and indeed, started on the Austrians as well. If I'm not still on track by "Salute", then you can say "I told you so!" and point me in the direction of the Perry Brothers' stand ;-)

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    10. awwww wouldnt do that mate. I know.. I know Hils and I both go on and on about `saving money, `use what you have` and so on, but we`d never use the `told you so line`. I`d be more inclined to listen to you, nod, sagely make mental notes of your needs, and then try steer you in the right direction with tried and tested advice on how I did it myself (and what friends I know did with theirs, etc). Pretty much how you did with Cubicle 7 and Doctor Who. Your phone advice about that system was invaluable to me, and you set me well and truly on that road when you kindly bought me the HUGE cubicle 7 DW rule book. From there I bought myself the "Paternoster Investigations" and have never looked back since. A Victorian Doctor Who setting appeals to me and Cubicle 7 certainly delivers. Madame Vastra, Jenny Flint, and Strax just MAKE that show come alive for me, and the WG set which has them in was one of the best purchases I ever made.

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    11. In that case, you can just shake your head sadly at "Salute" and then nod towards the Perry brothers' stand LOL :-) Glad you're enjoying the "Cubicle 7" Doctor Who book - it was the least I could get you in return for the D&D stuff. I've yet to paint my Vastra, Flint and Strax set, so you'll certainly encourage me to do so by posting up about yours :-)

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  7. Those Dr Who stuff look great Simon. When are you going to be demo-ing the game at the shows for WG? ;)

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    1. Thanks Roy. LOL. I have been asked to do some more "Doctor Who: Exterminate!"BatReps, which should start appearing on this blog from next week :-)

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    2. You're welcome, Steve :-) They'll be based upon a campaign map similar to the one I'm using for "Gotham", with the first battle actually being based upon a vote made by some of "Warlord Games" "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" fans ;-)

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  8. Nice looking Dr who types, slippery slope necromundia and then who knows what will follow? GW seem to have got their act together and are selling things people want for a change! I'm going to resolutely avoid spending any more on them though, I think. ...
    Best Iain

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    1. Cheers Iain. Hopefully my "Necromunda" posts won't tempt you ;-) And if not, there should be plenty of "Age of Sigmar", "Warhammer 40K" and "Shadespire" on show too, just to tickle your "Games Workshop" fancy ;-)

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  9. Things seem to be coming on well.

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  10. Great post Simon. Love those Rhino-ghosts! Necromunda was one of fave GW games back in the day so look forward to seeing progress on these

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    1. Cheers Andy. I'm looking forward to seeing some progress too :-)

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  11. Nice work mate. Great start on the new Goliath as well.

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    1. Thanks Simon. Early days yet on "Necromunda".

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  12. O my goodness Simon, more purchases!? Lol!
    (Saying that, if i had the cash, I'd be right there with you painting thise new hive gangs)

    Ghost judoon looks super good. I like the washes youve used to make him look more "ghostie".

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    1. Cheers Dai. "Necromunda" was one of my last hurrahs until "Salute", as I think I have enough minis to be getting on with ;-)

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  13. Nice work on your latest ghost Judoon Blaxkleric - the tabletop pics looks ace too. Very well done. :)

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    1. Thanks Leon. Nice to get the pair of them finished, and get some scale pics in of them stood alongside the Fisher King.

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  14. Very effevtive paint jobs on your ghostly Judoon - reminds me of the spectral host from LOTR, which is as it should be. I shall be interested to read the AAR, as I'm wondering how effective these ghostly minions are on the tabletop and how they've worked the rules to take into account their spectral nature.

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    1. Cheers Jez. I'm rather curious to find out too, and hope the Fisher King will make for an interesting BatRep subject.

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    2. {{{reminds me of the spectral host from LOTR}}}

      Oooh yes, the Paths of the Dead ghostly army. Good connection

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    3. Tbh I paint all my ghosts this way, and whenever I track down my Army of the Dead, will paint them precisely this way too :-)

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  15. 9 pieces for a single 28mm(-ish) figure? Seems a bit excessive to me...

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    1. Too right, Hugh, I wasn't impressed at all - and is one of the main reasons I've only assembled just the one "Necromunda" mini to date. What a nightmare!

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  16. Still loving the look you acheive with the Judoons

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  17. Love the 'Ghosty' things. I like more than their actual incarnation. Ermmm...Necromunda, never played it first time round trying to resist buying it now! The figures do look good, despite the construction problems.

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    1. Cheers Mark. I think the Judoon are corking minis and one of my fave 'Nu Who' monsters. "Necromunda" is a bit of a beast imho, but one I hope to crack over the Christmas period.

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