"Now That I've Created The Badballs..."

"The world is ours, Snivelitch!"

These five 28mm scale resin models of some Microclopia are produced by "Precinct Omega", and can be bought as Code BM051 from their Ballmonsters! range. Designed to be used for a "mad-cap gaming experience that mixes board-game, wargame and bar billiards for an experience unlike anything you've ever played before", the miniatures also each came supplied with a clear plastic flying stand.

"Not if the Madballs can help it, Doktor!"

Having decided that my team of Ballmonsters would simply bounce towards their opponents along the ground rather than fly through the air (on easily breakable stands), I super-glued each helium-filled beachball onto a 25mm circular base, and primed them all "Vallejo" Heavy Red. I then drenched the cyclopean bonces in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, before dry-brushing the lot with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red.

"Black Tree Design" WIPs - Three Autons have been based, primed and 'boxed off'

Next I 'picked out' all the carnivorous balls' teeth using a combination of "Vallejo" White and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and the majority of their eyes with "Vallejo" Heavy Ochre and a smidgen of "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade. Finally, I applied a dot of "Citadel" Abaddon Black over a layer of pure "Vallejo" White to one of the Ballmonster's pupils so as to make it appear more like a normal eye.

With my first "Ballmonsters!" team completed, I've once again turned to "Black Tree Miniatures" and their extensive range of "Doctor Who" figures for a science fiction fix. I've a number of their sculpts on the painting table currently, including some Quarks and Sea Devil Warriors, but its a handful of classic factory floor Autons which has particularly caught my imagination; doubtless aided by repeated listenings to "Spearhead From Space".

"Otherworld Miniatures" WIPs - Two Barrow Guardians and a ('propped up') Death Worm

In addition, I am continuing to plough through my collection of "Dungeon & Dragon" models by "Otherworld Miniatures". The Hertfordshire-based manufacturer has very generously gifted me with two more of their excellent Barrow Guardians. So perhaps unsurprisingly the pair of stone custodians have gone straight to the top of my queue, and have already been assembled, pinned, based and primed.

I've also tried my hand with one of their Death Worms, but found the necrophidius to be an absolute swine to pigment. Not however, because the crisp detail is hard to reach with a brush-tip, but because the very nature of its pose seems to make it incredibly inclined to break wherever one vertebrae meets another. Having pinned the 'blessed beast' back together after one misfortune, and then had it snap to pieces again, I've super-glued it to an old plastic tombstone by "Renedra Limited".