Wednesday 22 August 2018

“Hold It. Alpha’s Smart. Double Back For Sure.”

"Escape pods Level K. Watch 'em."
This 30mm tall metal model of one of the Stix Brothers is produced by “Warlord Games” and can be purchased as one of three miniatures from the Nottingham-based manufacturer's "Strontium Dog" range. Part of "a clan of apparently identical mutants of indeterminate number" the bounty hunters were created by John Wagner, Alan Grant, and artist Carlos Ezquerra in October 1980 for a "2000 A.D." comic book story-line which featured Johnny Alpha hunting down Adolf Hitler.

Initially primed using two layers of "Vallejo" Dark Sand, the Vancleef System-born brother was shaded using "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade and later dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Dark Sand. The Search/Destroy agent's badge was 'picked out' using a combination of Dark Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, whilst his numerous straps and top of his broad-brimmed hat were treated to a coat of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna before being washed with (more) Strong Tone Quickshade by "The Army Painter".
Rocket Raccoon, Monkey Joe, Molly Hayes and Groot approach a dangerous-looking objective marker
As some final steps I painted the cold-hearted villain's hair with "Vallejo" White and "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and treated his skin to some "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone and "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade. I also slightly 'hummed and hawed' over whether to 'spot' the ruthless gunslinger's eyes or not, but in the end decided to leave them "Vallejo" Black as if heavily overshadowed by his spaghetti western styled head-wear and highlight around the cheekbones and nose with a dab or two of "Vallejo" Skintone.

Recently I've become more determined than other to play at least a handful of games a month, and was therefore delighted to grasp the opportunity this past weekend to throw down some of my repainted "Heroclix" collection, randomise a few objective markers across a desert settlement and play a few rounds of my homemade Super-hero rules, "M.I.S.S." This veritable mash-up was a real hoot and based upon the unlikely premise of the Black Manta and his U-Men clambering up out of a desert well so as to invade a settlement and surprisingly finding themselves face-to-face with the forces of the Dark Knight instead.
As Batman strives to reach Ben Grimm, the Man-Thing, Robin and Molly Hayes hold some of the other objectives
At the start things actually looked pretty good for the villainous David Hyde and his firearm-carrying frogmen with the black-costumed knaves shockingly gunning down both Rocket Raccoon and Monkey Joe as the heroes tried to approach an undercover Benjamin Grimm (Objective). However, once Batman and Nightwing joined the fray not even the sinister presence of Black Manta himself could prevent that particular flank from folding under a torrent of bat-shaped throwing stars.

To make matters worse, my formidably-sized contingent of nine U-Men were quickly whittled away courtesy of a nasty combination of gun-fire and jaw-dropping punches, leaving Commissioner Gordon and Molly Hayes to successfully push through to the battlefield's central objective, the Cosmic Cube. Despite my taking down Howard the Duck with a harpoon through the dratted bird's wise-cracking cigar-chomping beak, I was unable to subsequently mount any sort of counter-attack and ultimately watched helplessly as the Boy Wonder beat up the last of my surviving frogmen who were desperately trying to protect a Doctor Pepper drinks machine. What a diabolical performance...    

26 comments:

  1. Since announcing that August 2018 was going to be devoted to the Stix Brothers I've been eagerly awaiting more posts on them than we've had so far. That said, you have done a great job on painting this particular member of the brotherhood. I hope this means the others will follow soon.
    As for your latest batrep please shake hands with the guy who shot Howard the Duck in the mouth for me! It's just a shame he wasn't using explosive-tipped ammo! No, I am not a fan of the duck.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Bryan. Unfortunately, what I'm tending to find out the hard way is that I spend the entire month painting the minis and therefore don't have many finished by the end of the themed four weeks -thus end up posting them in the following period. The other two Stix Brothers should be posted soon though, and I hope to squeeze in at least one more "Strontium Dog" mini if I can.

      As for the game, I was playing Black Manta, so it was me that took out poor Howard the Duck. My opponent's force was very animal-orientated in many ways, with a raccoon, duck and squirrel all leading the charge - I think I managed to skewer all three :-)

      Delete
  2. Very cool. Been eyeing up Strontium Dog range

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you kindly, Martin. I'd definitely give it a go, as "Warlord Games" seem very keen to get out as many of the comic book's characters as it can.

      Delete
  3. Great work on Stix Simon, will be cherry picking models from the range, and look forward to seeing what else they release for it.
    Cool BatRep, and true comic book fashion the heroes prevail in the end

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Dave. Stix was a test piece, but now I've settled on how I want to paint the other pair, they should be finished pretty quickly. The sculpts are great but the detail is a little soft in places compared to the "Games Workshop" plastics I'm also currently working on.

      Delete
  4. Great work on the Stix figures though I am surprised he is only 20mm tall (oh when did you swap to using roman numerals?) ;-)

    Great looking game Simon, could be one of Jaz's "crossover" Singularity wars games.

    Cheers Roger.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Roger, and good call on the size of the Stix. Obviously it should have read XXXmm tall, so I have changed it accordingly ;-)

      I'm really hoping to get a few more games in over the next few months, and as I can't even hope to do my usual BatReps on so many battles - nor would want to as they're both intrusive and time-consuming, a few pics and a brief write-up will hopefully give you enough of a flavour for the game :-)

      Delete
  5. I like your Stix, one of my strontium dog favourites. You have captured that dirty weather beaten look well. What a batrep/game! They say there is a fine line between genius and madness. Which side of the tightrope line did you just fall off?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Undercoat. I did consider going for "Vallejo" Heavy Brown for the Stix's coat instead of Dark Sand, but thought it might look a little too dark.

      To be fair it was my opponent whose mix of heroes was utterly mad, I simply allied the Black Manta with the U-Men; a perfectly understandably "DC Comics"/"Marvel Worldwide" mash-up.

      Delete
  6. Nice job on the first Stix. Good to see you getting some games in as well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Simon. More games to follow - I hope.

      Delete
  7. Lovely work on the Stix Bro Simon, and all power to your elbow regarding playing more games :-)
    You're absolutely right about "a few pics and a brief write up" being the way to go!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Greg. I’ve got plenty more of my full-on BatReps to come, but some simple AARs will at least hopefully provide a fun record of some of my other games I’m currently playing.

      Delete
  8. Nice start on the Stix there Simon :)

    I'm looking at getting the game at some point.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks very much, Tamsin. The minis are a bit hit and miss, when you look at the Wulf Sternhammer. But these three Stix Brothers are pleasant enough to pigment :-)

      Delete
    2. I haven't seen the figures in person, so it's difficult to say, but from pics I have seen of Wulf I did think it was a bit odd to sculpt a figure without the Gronk pelt and so only appropriate for the first 5 episodes ever printed...

      Delete
    3. Your knowledge of Wulf is clearly encyclopedic, Tamsin. You've reminded me that he then wore just such a pelt in honour of the (original) Gronk. Hopefully I'll get round to painting my one soon, and post up some WIPs for you so how off his angles etc. His outstretched arm is definitely too short though, imho.

      Delete
  9. Nice work dude, glad you got some games in. Shame about Howard really, I like that duck...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Andy. I'm a huge Howard The Duck fan myself - owning his entire first run of comics. But he had to go in this game ;-)

      Delete
  10. Stix Brother is right out of the comics mate, bravo!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love the brushwork on Mr Stix (whoever he is) and gettibg a game in is always a bif plus.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Joe, much appreciated. I've two more Stix Brothers to paint to finish the gang :-)

      Delete