Tuesday 10 April 2018

"I Mean, Daleks Don't Have Names, Do They?"

"A secret order above and beyond the Emperor himself."
This 38mm scale "easy-fit plastic" model of a Dalek is produced by “Warlord Games” and comes from the Nottingham-based company's Davros & the New Dalek Empire Expansion Set. Sold as part of the "Into The Time Vortex" range, I've painted this particular drone up to represent one of the "secret order" of Daleks known as The Cult of Skaro; four Kaled mutants "assigned the task of furthering the Dalek cause through the development of new and unorthodox ideas and strategies."

Created by Russell T. Davies for the July 2006 BBC Television story "Army Of Ghosts", in which the Cult's Void ship was being unwisely experimented upon by the Torchwood Institute, this "ordinary" Dalek was super-glued onto a 40mm lipped circular stand and subsequently undercoated with "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna. I then gave the individual named unit a double coat of Brass, thoroughly shaded it with "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade, and finally gave the model a heavy dry-brush of more "Vallejo" Brass.
Vervoid WIPs - The three 'plant creatures' have simply been primed, prior to being shaded
With the basic painting phases completed, I 'picked out' the Dalek's eye stalk, control arm and multi-range variable power destructor with some "Citadel" Ironbreaker and Nuln Oil, as well as additionally pigmented the pepper pot's audio scanners with "Vallejo" White and Pale Grey. As a final step, so as to make this particular miniature stand out from my previously finished 'rank and file' Daleks, I applied a combination of "Citadel" Ironbreaker and Nuln Oil to its fender.

Despite having already completed the Cult's leader, Dalek Sec, I still need to complete two more figures in order to utilise the "Cult Of Skaro" Recruitment Card for the "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" "fast-paced tabletop miniatures game". This "Unique" unit can actually utilise both the "Dalek Science" and "Emergency Temporal Rift" Adventure cards without either counting "towards the faction's Adventure card allowance."
Copyright "Warlord Games" - Two Dominators, along with three Quarks
In addition to slowly progressing this pair of additional Daleks, I have started work on nine Vervoids from Colin Baker's tenure as the Sixth Doctor. These "artificially created humanoid plant(s)" have rather embarrassingly been sat within my grit box since they were first released in November last year. Predominantly a 'leafy' green, I'm planning on using one of the figures as a pilot piece to see whether some simple shading and dry-brushing will suffice in quickly bringing out most of the sculpt's detail.

With "Salute" 2018 just around the corner and my painting queue still crammed to capacity, "Warlord Games" have announced that their "Dominators" expansion set will apparently be available at the show alongside their "Ninth Doctor & Companions" box. As a huge Patrick Troughton fan, this set will prove irresistible, so expect plenty of Quarks and "humanoids from Drahb" being based and primed soon...

20 comments:

  1. Great work on the dalek Simon, I only have a vague recollection of the Vervoids, would suggest a brown wash all over, then purple wash in shadow areas, for the head and collar, paint in a bone colour, then use glazes to get the right tone, red for the face, ogryn camo for the collar.

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    1. Thanks Dave. Simple stuff on the daleks though tbh, as I'm really happy with my method for them. I'm shocked you don't recall one of the best Sixth Doctor monsters!! Thanks for the colour advice, and see you at "Salute".

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    2. I found why I didn't remember them, Bonnie Langford was the assistant at the time, so had stopped watching as much, no problem on the advice, and see you Saturday mate

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    3. I’m afraid to say I’m a big fan of Bonnie’s Mel, Dave; especially following the release of all the audios she has done, where she no longer needs to scream. A steady hand to Colin Baker’s manic Doctor. See you Saturday :-)

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  2. Another great Dalek, you must have quite a collection now. Very nice paint job. The Vervoid minis look great, can't wait to see them done as I think they will make a striking unit together. Those Dominators look superb! Looking forward to seeing them in the display cabinets at Salute! Great work on the Dr Who stuff!

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    1. Cheers Undercoat. I've a fair force of Daleks done, but now have two more of the Cult of Skaro to finish. Lots to soon the Vervoids too, but they should prove a lot of fun once I've settled upon a painting method. You can never have enough Quarks in my books, so they'll be an essential purchase at Salute.

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  3. I do like your take on the Daleks and that this one was another plastic, surprised me somewhat.

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    1. Thanks Joe. I'm a big fan of the plastic Daleks "Warlord Games" produces.

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    1. Cheers Simon. Hoping to bring back some nice stuff for at least one Salute post.

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  5. Nice work on the Dalek Simon, though I don't quite grasp how these are different to you're normal ones? is it just the colour at the bottom? Terror of the Vervoids was one of the best Colin Baker stories so I can see why you want a few of these in your collection. The Quarks look good too, you'll have to see is you can charm so extras out of Warlord on the day with the lure of publicity! Have a great time at Salute, looking forward to seeing you "booty" post already.

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Thanks Roger. I’m afraid you’re spot on with the difference as that’s about all I could muster to help make them stand out on the tabletop.

      I’m hoping to pick up a couple of packs of Dominators so I can field a few Quarks, and use the spare dominators as statues and Fisher King ghosts.

      “Salute” booty post will be out on Monday, along with another finished “Black Tree Design” Doctor Who miniature ;-)

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  6. Another fine glimpse into your Who-niverse Simon, and with Salute just hours away you must be getting excited by the prospect of adding to the collection :-)

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    1. Cheers Greg. I have a few new additions lined up - hopefully enough for a Monday morning “Salute” Loot post ;-)

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  7. Lovely looking dalek,it might be a simple finish but it looks great! Don't spend too much at Salute, but as you haven't bought anything for a while I guess you have a license to spend and anyway what's too much!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks Iain. I have been very good over recent months, but will be adding a few items to my lead mountain over the weekend... just enough for a simple ‘Loot’ posting though you understand ;-)

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  8. No Salute again for me, instead a 3000 word essay on the recent Coercive and control legislation.

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    1. Oh dear, the Serious Crime Act 2015 strikes again!! ;-)

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  9. Yet another lovely looking Dalek - how many is that now all painted up?

    That Dominator set is fun. I really like the not-human's costumes.

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    1. Thanks Dai. I don’t have that many Daleks painted tbh, but enough for a few Faction cards for “Doctor Who: Exterminate!” I’ll be posting up my own Dominator Set just as soon as I’ve based, primed and dry-brushed the Quarks :-)

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