Tuesday 20 February 2018

"What In The Name Of? What, What Is This Place?"

"Recently we learned our world was destroyed in a stellar explosion."
This excellent resin scenic piece is made by "N-FX Game Design Studio" and can be purchased from their Illuminating Terrain range. "Perfect for your sci-fi or fantasy game table" and "suitable for both 28mm and 38mm scales" the model is supplied with "an unpainted base and three clear crystals [which are] available in a range of colours." All that is then needed is one battery (not included) and "away you glow!"
"So now we must make this planet ours."
As I was very keen to use this 'piece of landscape' predominantly for my "Doctor Who: Exterminate" wargames, in order to represent a surviving part of Zygor, the home planet of the Zygons, I decided to paint the terrain in a way similar to that of the now extinct world's shape-shifting refugees, and resultantly primed it with a double undercoat of "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone. I next applied a heavy wash of "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson over the entire model and subsequently gave it a dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone in order to help 'pick out' all the sculpt's marvellously rendered crags and crevices.

With the basics finished, I additionally added a haphazard wash of "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green and Carroburg Crimson to some of the resin's various peaks and troughs, and lastly treated the entire ensemble to a final, somewhat lighter, dry-brush of "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone. This approach not only helped 'blend in' all the different shades, but hopefully produced an effect close to the colour scheme seen upon the aliens' organic control consoles in the 1975 "Doctor Who" serial "Terror Of The Zygons".
"Heroclix" WIPs - Super-Ape Igor, a Dire Wraith Queen and Dragon Man
Having finished the Illuminating Terrain, I have once again started trying to clear my currently overly-cluttered painting table by progressing a handful more super-heroic miniatures by "Wizkids". These plastic "Heroclix" models really do range in height from the diminutive Super-Ape Igor at just 16mm, through my 29mm-tall Dire Wraith Queen, and up to Dragon Man's impressive 67mm. I'm hoping to get these figures varnished within the next few days, and then get them involved in some upcoming confrontations with the "Fantastic Four"...

Another range which has suddenly caught my attention, is a handful of  “Newark Model Soldier Company” models I'm rather embarrassed to say I first started painting over eight years ago. As memory serves these arguably crudely-carved sculpts were actually given away free upon entrance to a number of the “Partisan” wargaming conventions, and were going to form part of a much larger gaggle of ghosts I wanted to use for some ghost-busting.
"Newark Model Soldier Company" WIPs - The ghostly apparitions have been primed and shaded
Courtesy of a quick look-a-round, I have tracked down my completed Laurence the Asylum Attendant, Paul the Postman, Stuart the Telegrapher, Harold the Hero and Little Lau the Chimney Sweep. So subsequently hope, once I have sourced some alternatives to my original combination of "Citadel" Thrakka Green and Devlan Mud, to add both a few duplicate figures to their number, as well as the likes of James the Swordsmith.
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20 comments:

  1. Dave Stone21 February 2018 at 00:01

    Nice job on the terrain base Simon, the heroclix models are coming along, and very interesting idea on the ghosts, I'm surprised your not using your current recipe for ghosts

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    1. Blaxkleric21 February 2018 at 01:04

      Thanks Dave. As you may have guessed my recipe for the ghosts is now over eight years old; albeit these days I water down the green wash to make them more translucent. As I need these "Newark" minis to tie-in with the old I'm sticking to the original pure shade though :-)

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  2. Da Gobbo21 February 2018 at 00:18

    i love the crystals mate and what a cracking set of minis!

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    1. Blaxkleric21 February 2018 at 01:05

      Cheers Andy. Plenty to be getting on with currently ;-)

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  3. Vampifan21 February 2018 at 02:32

    Your crystal scenery piece has come out great and fits in well with your Zygons. Another fun-filled eclectic post with much to enjoy. I look forward to seeing all of your figures completed. Keep up the good work, Simon!

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    1. Blaxkleric21 February 2018 at 03:32

      Thanks Bryan. I really like the Illuminating Terrain piece, and hope to do more at some point. Dragon Man will probably be first past the finishing line, as I want him for my next "Fantastic Four" BatRep, in order to give Doctor Doom some additional muscle ;-)

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  4. Anonymous21 February 2018 at 03:50

    Those 3 Heroclix sculpts look really cool. Looking forward to seeing them finished and played with.

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    1. Blaxkleric21 February 2018 at 04:26

      Cheers Roy. I feel they'll be lots more "Heroclix" on show over the coming weeks as I knuckle down and paint my way through a mountain of them :-)

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  5. caveadsum147121 February 2018 at 10:42

    Nice terrain piece, I like the heroclix WIPS, they look very interesting and good idea to use the slightly crude sculpts as ghosts!
    Best Iain

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    1. Blaxkleric21 February 2018 at 13:13

      Thanks Ian. I've a stack more "Heroclix" to come, but thought I'd get some of the more straightforward ones finished first :-)

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  6. The Wargame Addict21 February 2018 at 18:22

    I don't know how close you've got - I'd like to say I'm far too young to remember a 1975 Dr Who episode, unfortunately I'm far too old to be ABLE to remember!) - but it looks excellent and certainly ties in well with your Zygons :-)
    Yet more excellent 'Clix and clever use of the Partisan mini's round out another great post!
    I dunno about equivalents to GW daft name paints, but I know someone who might, and I'm just awaiting his reply Simon.

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    1. Blaxkleric22 February 2018 at 01:27

      Cheers Greg. I'm fortunate enough to be able to say I didn't see "Terror Of The Zygons" until it was released on VHS video :-) I've gone with "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone as my new mix for the ghosts. Its a little greener than before but when they're all done and based, the entire horde should look okay... Thanks very much for asking someone, as I'll be interested in their response :-)

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  7. Zabadak22 February 2018 at 02:24

    "Away you glow"... I saw what you did there.
    Some interesting sculpts coming up, looking forward to them.

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    1. Blaxkleric22 February 2018 at 02:50

      Thanks Joe, but I actually borrowed that line from the "N-FX Game Design Studio" website ;-)

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  8. Undercoat22 February 2018 at 12:01

    Well, I finally have the coal powered computer working and letting me put a comment on. What a diverse posting. The glowy crystal scenery looks great, and can be used in a variety of games. Your Boromites would look good next to them. The heroclix look like good sculpts, quite impressed with those and as for the 8 year old partial paint jobs I did laugh! The sculpts do look quite cool and I think a ghostly paint job will look cool. Good stuff and apologies for not commenting recently - as I said steam powered tech!

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    1. Blaxkleric22 February 2018 at 14:03

      Most kind, Undercoat. The Illuminating Terrain piece is excellent, and a few would indeed look good for a Boromite-focused battle using "Beyond The Gates Of Antares". The "Heroclix" minis continue to provide plenty of variety, so I don't anticipate them slowing down any time soon either.

      Yes... eight years is a bit long, but I've dug some more "Newark" out, and hope to get them both finished and involved in a BatRep reasonably soon :-)

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  9. Dick Garrison22 February 2018 at 12:52

    Smashing work on the crystal pieces Simon, very "Who'ish", and the ghosts is an interesting way to use those figures, not a company I've come across myself, must have missed them somehow, and your Heroclix...excellent as always.

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Blaxkleric22 February 2018 at 14:08

      Thanks Roger. I was delighted when "N-FX Game Design Studio" sent me the piece to try out, as I immediately thought of using it for a Zygon base :-)

      The only reason I know of "Newark" was because of getting them as a freebie at the old "Partisan" shows, so I've no idea if they're available elsewhere on the web.

      I'm never low on "Heroclix" minis to paint, but these have actually got me interested in getting some and simply using them for "Wizkids" rule-set. Stay tuned for some BatReps using them soon ;-)

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  10. Dai28 February 2018 at 15:35

    The glowy resin terrain is a great idea! Suprised now I see it why no-one had thought to make this type thing before?

    THe ghosts of the extras from Mary Poppins no less! ;)

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    1. Blaxkleric28 February 2018 at 16:49

      Cheers Dai. The Illuminating Terrain is excellent imho. Ha Hah! Yes I see that now you've mentioned it!! :-)

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