Sunday 8 April 2018

"To Nurgle, Every Raddled Corpse Is A Welcoming Nursery..."

"...For wriggling maggots and cloying plague spores."
This 40mm tall Putrid Blightking is one of the five multi-piece plastic miniatures which can be built from the sprues found inside the “Games Workshop” Putrid Blightkings boxed set. However, as I had actually already used the legs I wanted for this figure on a previously painted "favoured mortal servant" of Nurgle, I actually took the somewhat expensive step of purchasing a second pair of limbs from a 'bitz' seller and subsequently 'stuck' a different torso upon them in order to help satisfactorily mask their similarities.

As a result of this 'Exalted Champion of Nurgle' wearing so much armour and chainmail I initially primed the model with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, before brushing on a couple of coats of "Vallejo" Gunmetal Grey over it. The warrior was then shaded with "Citadel" Nuln Oil and dry-brushed with more "Vallejo" Gunmetal Grey. The bloody desecrator's stained loincloth was treated to a little "Citadel" Abaddon Black, two thin coats of "Vallejo" Heavy Red", some "Citadel" Nuln Oil" and a gentle dry-brush of "Vallejo" Heavy Red.
"Black Tree Design" "Doctor Who" WIPs - These Late Sixties Cybermen needs some detailing work 
With the basics finished, I began slowly working up the highly-detailed figure blessed by "the touch of Nurgle's insectoid messengers" and 'picked out' his pouch, skull trophy and brass symbol of the Plague God with a cacophony of colourful combinations, such as "Vallejo" Heavy Blue and "Citadel" Nuln Oil, as well as "Vallejo" Iraqi Sand and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade. A couple of splashes of "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson were also thrown into the mix to give the impression of dried blood.

I applied some "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna to both the Blightking's hand-axe, shield and shoulder-pad as a base-coat, and later treated the age-corroded areas to coat of "Vallejo" Brass, a wash of "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade and some dabs of the "Citadel" Technical paint Nihilakh Oxide. These parts were all then later dry-brushed with more "Vallejo" Brass so as to blend in the patina. In addition I decided to change the brute's ghastly green-hued face to a deep reddish one, as if the entire head was grotesquely swollen, so simply re-painted it with Vallejo" Heavy Red" and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade.
"Nexus Miniatures" WIPs - These Caprican Legionnaires still have some armour plating to 'pick out'
Wanting to progress something a little less taxing than another Putrid Blightking, I have taken the opportunity to dig ever deeper into my recently discovered drawer of old "Black Tree Design" miniatures, and dry-brush some previously painted Cybermen. All of these figures come from one of the company's "Doctor Who: Invasion Earth" boxed sets, and are based upon the silver giants' tear-drop eyed version from the 1968 BBC Television story "The Invasion".

Lastly, sticking with a silver-coloured theme, I have also found some of my long-lost Caprican Legion models by "Nexus Miniatures". These armour-plated extra-terrestrials, which seem to be out of stock these days due to 'someone ordering a bunch', make great-looking Cylons and once finished should finally permit me to get a "Battlestar Galactica" skirmish game on the tabletop... 

24 comments:

  1. Glad to see another Blightking done. I like the metal work you have done and the four done so are very diverse so I can't wait to see them all together. More cybermen! Good grief. Although, I do prefer the new who fishermen that Warlord do, these have a certain charm about them that just makes me smile when I look at the pictures. Cylons! Double good grief man! Where did they come from? Another surprising, but entertaining post!

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    1. Thanks Undercoat. The “Black Tree Design” Cybermen have been pottering around my hobby table for years, so it’ll be good to get them finished. And the Cylons were a lucky find, along with a load of partially-painted “Bob Murch” minis I plan to progress later this year.

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  2. The Blightking looks stunning Simon, and I'm definitely with Undercoat and would love to see a "group shot" of the unit :-)
    Those Cybermen sculpts are showing their age, but have a charm of their own, and since they won't appear alongside any of the newer models - they can't (and shouldn't) be judged :-)
    Cylons eh? Or are these "Imperial" uniforms to take on the Hishen in a collaborative campaign with Tim (The Dark Eyed Warrior)?? ;-)

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    1. Cheers Greg. Once I’ve finished the fifth Putrid Blightking I’ll be posting up a unit shot. I think the “Black Tree Design” Cybermen look rather cute - which obviously isn’t a good look for them, but they have a charm.

      Hishen eh? I think I’ve seen them on Ed TheTHWguy’s blog, but that’s it. I’ve previously painted up a few of these not-Cylons before, so was pleased to find a few more as they’ve been out of stock for a long time as memory serves.

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  3. Seems your rummagimg through the lead pile is coming up trumps. Nice work on all the figures, although spome were obvioysly less taxing than others. Ofcourse, you'll be adding to your lead mountain come Saturday...

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    1. Thanks Jez. I’ve uncovered loads of forgotten miniatures during my recent clear out, many of which I aim to paint-up this year if I can. As for new additions, I understand “Games Workshop” won’t be releasing their Sea Alves for “Salute”, so my additions will be low in anticipation of them coming out in May :-)

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  4. What a great post Simon, started with the awesome Putrid Blightking, but what a sight those Cybermen are.

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    1. Cheers Michael. i think the Cybermen will look rather nice as a group once I've finished their bases and 'picked out' their weapons.

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  5. Great work on the Blightking Simon, the cybermen are improved by your brushwork, do you have the not colonials from nexus to go with your not cylons ? If you need not cylons I have some stock of them which I will have with me Saturday

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    1. Thanks very much Dave. I do own a few not-colonials, but if you want to bag up those not-cylons and put my name on it, then I'll happily pay and collect them at "Salute" :-)

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    2. No problem mate, will have them waiting for you

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    3. Always a pleasure doing business with you Dave :-) If you could kindly email me the bill please, then I can set aside the funds. See you Saturday.

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    4. No problem, will check how many I've got and email you the details

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    5. Email received and order sent :-)

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  6. I still think the cybermen have a lot of charm. Looks like a curled plait on the side of their heads, a bit like Princess Leah from starwars although not as pretty. ;)

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    1. Ha Hah, cheers Vagabond. Once I've finished these Cybermen, I'm certainly tempted to pick up some more, so I can field a few of them on the tabletop :-)

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  7. I do like your Blightkings, you paint then so well. Old school Cybermen are cool too, but the stars for me are the Not'Cylons, you do have a habit of turning up really cool stuff Simon!

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Thanks Roger. I do like to mix my genres about when I get the chance :-)

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  8. Blightking well worth the effort to finish him - he looks great.
    Another group of VCybermen too, you mysr have some force of these by now, but didn't recognise the Caprican (no surprise there, I hear you say)

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    1. Thanks Joe. I'm hoping to do a large Cybermen battle at some point in the future - just need to paint up some opposition.

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  9. More Nurgle, more Cybermen and a pair of goode olde Cylons!? This post is full of awesome!

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    1. Cheers Dai. Just one more Putrid Blightking to go and then they’re finished. Hoping to get the Cybermen finished in a couple of batches now their dry-brushing is sorted. I’m also a big fan of the Caprican Legion Troopers - albeit they are a tiny bit smaller than I would like.

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