“The Beach Defence Infantry Of The Fortress Divisions Laid Millions Of Mines…”

“…And dug fortifications along hundreds of miles of coastline.”

These four plastic 15mm miniatures are sold by “Battlefront Miniatures” and can be found inside the company’s “Hit The Beach” starter set for “Flames Of War”. The figures consist of a non-commissioned officer (NCO), a machine-gunner, his loader and a rifleman. Together the quartet form one of six MG34 and K98 Rifle teams required for my German Panzergrenadier Platoon.

The models are supposed to be placed inside the specially-spaced inserts found on a medium-sized base, but I initially super-glued mine onto wooden strips for ease of painting. All four figures were then primed in “Vallejo” German Fieldgrey WWII, shaded using “Citadel” Nuln Oil, and enthusiastically dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” German Fieldgrey WWII.

"Battlefront Miniatures" WIPs - An NCO, Loader and Machine-gunner

Having also applied some “Citadel” Abaddon Black to the soldiers’ boots, ammo pouches, braces and the odd pair of goggles, I pigmented the soldiers’ other pouches, rifles, straps using some “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna, and later washed them with a mixture of “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade and “The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade. In addition, the Panzergrenadier’s rifle tops and water flask stoppers were ‘picked out’ using a combination of “Vallejo” Gunmetal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

The Germans’ formidable Maschinengewehr 42, or “Hitler’s Buzzsaw” was painted using both “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna and Gunmetal. These areas were subsequently shaded in “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade” and Nuln Oil respectively. The formidable firearm’s ammunition feeds were also treated to a lick of “Vallejo” Gunmetal, but were then splashed with both “Citadel” Nuln Oil and Agrax Earthshade to give an oily look.

"Battlefront Miniatures" WIPs - An NCO, Loader and Machine-gunner

Lastly, I applied a base coat of “Vallejo” Heavy Brown to the machine-gunner’s camouflaged helmet covering, and followed this up by sporadically splodging it in Luftwaffe Camouflage Green and Heavy Sienna. The helmet was later washed with “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade, and then highlighted back up with (more) “Vallejo” Heavy Brown, of Luftwaffe Camouflage Green and Heavy Sienna.

I’ve actually got another five of these medium-sized bases to populate before next Friday, when the plan is to test the entire Panzergrenadier Platoon out, along with its Company HQ, in a low points level test game of “Flames Of War”. As a result I have been patiently gluing the remaining twenty figures to wooden sticks, and giving them all some frenzied undercoats of “Vallejo” German Fieldgrey WWII…

“Flesh Hounds Are The Powerful Daemonic Attack Dogs Of Khorne.”

“They dash into combat at high speed and tear their foes apart with razor sharp claws.”

These three plastic 6mm scale Flesh Hounds used to beproduced by "Games Workshop" for their tabletop wargame "Epic", and disappointingly are now long Out Of Production (OOP). However I was fortunate enough to stumble across a small tub of these daemonic canines from the second-hand stall, “Lesley’s Bitz Box”, whilst visiting "Colours" at Newbury three years ago, and thought I should finally paint up a single unit as a pilot piece.

Before I could even begin to apply a brush to these tiny figures though, I needed to make some repairs to a couple of their spiked tails, which had somehow been broken during their storage. In the past I’d have probably just dumped the damaged dogs in the bin. But as these models are apparently rather difficult to acquire these days, I was willing to spend the extra time fixing them up with a little drilling and an application or two of plastic glue, rather than just throw them away.

Xenomorphs - Made up of figures from "Ground Zero Games" and "Pendraken Miniatures"

Once mended the trio were all super-glued onto a thin strip of wood, and primed using two coats of "Vallejo" Heavy Red. They were then washed using "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade and very carefully dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red. I subsequently 'picked out' their back spines and head crests with some “Citadel” Abaddon Black and their teeth with a combination of “Vallejo” White and “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade.

With my tiny test base finished, I have found the time to also complete six more 15mm scale metal miniatures by “Ground Zero Games”. These Xenomorphs are available as code SG15-X01 from the company’s Stargrunt Infantry range, and were super-glued in pairs upon three medium-sized plastic “Flames Of War” stands by “Battlefront Miniatures”.

"Tangent Miniatures" WIPs - The Recruiter has been primed, shaded and dry-brushed

The vicious extra-terrestrials were undercoated with a double-helping of “Citadel” Abaddon Black. They were then somewhat softly dry-brushed with “Vallejo” Heavy Bluegrey, before being given a wash of “Citadel” Nuln Oil in order to help tone down their highlights and better blend them in.

Lastly, I have based, primed, layered, shaded and dry-brushed another 28mm metal miniature by “Tangent Miniatures”. The Recruiter/Conman is from their Space Warriors range and delightfully bares more than a passing resemblance to Centauri from Nick Castle’s 1984 science fiction flick “The Last Starfighter”.

“The Son Of A Bitch Is Huge.”

“According to Mother, he's a primitive form of encephalopod.”

These four 15mm scale metal miniatures of some Xenomorphs are produced by “Ground Zero Games” as code SG15-X01 from their Stargrunt Infantry range, and come in packs of six figures (consisting of two alternative sculpts). The models are actually 22mm in height from head to base, and make excellent proxies for the LV-426 life-forms seen in James Cameron’s 1986 science fiction action film “Aliens”.

The quartet were super-glued onto a pair of medium-sized plastic “Flames Of War” stands by “Battlefront Miniatures”, and primed using two layers of “Citadel” Abaddon Black. The extra-terrestrials were then dry-brushed with “Vallejo” Heavy Bluegrey, before being given a wash of “Citadel” Nuln Oil in order to help tone down their highlights and better blend them in.

"Battlefront Miniatures" WIPs - A German NCO, Machine-gunner and his Loader

I’ve actually got a fair few more of these miniatures left to paint up, as they’ll form the backbone of the invading Xenomorph force I currently use for the vast majority of my 15mm sci-fi battles. As a result I have already paired up half-dozen extra aliens on three additional bases, as well as a handful of single figures on some smaller stands. I’m even considering populating a couple of “Flames Of War” large-sized bases to create a truly-terrifying ‘horde’ unit or two.

Staying with “the most popular scale for pre-20th Century wargaming”, I’ve managed to get another stand’s worth of infantry primed, shaded and dry-brushed for my “Flames Of War” German Panzergrenadier Platoon. These plastic soldiers by “Battlefront Miniatures” are proving a lot of fun to pigment, but due to their sculpts’ incredible level of detail, they are taking a tad longer to finish than I had initially expected; especially when it comes to painting the odd camouflaged helmet covering.

"Catalyst Games Labs" WIPs - A Griffin and Wolverine

Lastly, I have been focusing a little hobby-time upon two of my “Battletech” 1:285 scale plastic models by “Catalyst Game Labs”. I recently decided to add some green and black to my Griffin mech, so as to better represent the colours predominantly used on the old Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" aircraft. Until this particular plastic model becomes available outside of the Battletech Beginner Box I don’t expect to get my hands on any more, so wanted to include as many nods to the Japanese carrier-based fighter as I could.

Infinitely less demanding has been the Wolverine I plan to use as a Russian Yakovlev (Yak) medium-class war walker. As I’ve previously painted two Wasp mechs in a largely green palette, with the war machine having a single red hand to provide some contrast, I plan to replicate the scheme on this significantly larger model too – which will hopefully provide some striking cohesiveness to the Soviet forces on the tabletop.

“Delta Beta Two At Six.”

“Delta gamma three at five.”

This 28mm scale metal miniature of an alien invader is produced by “Tangent Miniatures” as code TN19 The Enemy from their Space Warriors range, and consists of a single cast figure. The model makes an excellent proxy for a Kodan from Nick Castle’s 1984 American space opera film “The Last Starfighter”.

As a result the figure was primed using a double-helping of “Vallejo” Heavy Red, shaded using some “Citadel” Carroburg Crimson and dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” Heavy Red. I then picked out the aggressive extra-terrestrial’s visor and belt buckle with a combination of “Vallejo” Gunmetal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

"Catalyst Game Labs" WIPs - A Stormcrow, Griffin and Wolverine

Finally, I applied a little “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna to the alien’s lower face, and later gave this area a splash of “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade mixed in with some Strong Tone Quickshade by “The Army Painter”. I did consider using this colour combination on the model’s bare hands on, as per Lewis Galoob Toys’ abandoned action figure range based upon the aforementioned movie. However, the ‘official’ costume photographs and picture stills clearly have the soldiers wearing red gloves, so I stuck with that notion for this initial test piece.

In addition to my “Tangent Miniatures” sculpt I have also continued to make some progress on a handful more “Battletech” 1:285 scale plastic models by “Catalyst Game Labs” for my Weird War Two project. I have been recently focusing on three mechs suitable to represent the forces of Germany, Italy and Japan on the battlefield, but have since added a fourth formidably-armed machine to bolster my Soviet forces too.

"Battlefront Miniatures" WIPs - A German Machine-gunner and his Loader

The Stormcrow, Griffin, Mongrel and recently started Wolverine are all at different stages in their respective paint-jobs, but most are now in the position of having their metallic areas, such as weapons, exhaust ports and the odd joint, getting picked out. I’ve also decided to add some green to my Japanese Mitsubishi-class Medium war walker to help break-up its predominantly yellow palette.

Lastly, I’m just finishing off the last couple of figures for a MG34 and K98 Rifle Team for “Flames Of War”. These 15mm plastic Germans, produced by “Battlefront Miniatures”, consist of a Machine-gunner and his Loader, and will complete the first of six four-man stands I require to field a full German Panzergrenadier Platoon alongside my already painted Company Headquarters, Unit Leader MG42 Team and Panzerschreck Anti-tank Team…

“The Tiny Head Lunges Forward.”

“Comes spurting out of Kane's chest trailing a thick body.”

These 10mm scale metal miniatures of some young Xenomorphs are produced by “Pendraken Miniatures” as code SFC5 Small Creature from their Alien Creatures range, and come in packs of ten single-pose figures. The models are actually 15mm in height from base to tail-tip, and seem to show H.R. Giger’s creations during the early stages of their transition from Chestburster to adult drone.

Due to their relatively small size, the entire horde were initially super-glued onto a couple of wooden strips to help with their eventual dry-brushing. However, disaster soon struck once I had finished painting a pair of test pieces, as I discovered that the miniatures badly ‘frosted over’ when later attached to the small-sized plastic “Flames Of War” stands by “Battlefront Miniatures”. I therefore permanently stuck the remaining extra-terrestrials to their bases before starting to pigment them.

"Splatters fluids and blood in its wake."

I was also in two (or three) minds as to what colour to predominantly paint the little horrors in. Due to their evolution’s close proximity to the Chestburster, I did consider going with a yellow-orange pigment or perhaps the dark brown hue of the so-called doggomorph from “Alien 3″. But having realised I had previously used “Vallejo” Heavy Ochre on a batch of “Pendraken Miniatures” Facehuggers, I decided to simply re-tread precisely the same palette as I used on my warrior aliens by “Ground Zero Games” over seven years ago.

This lead to me priming all of the vicious extra-terrestrials with two layers of “Citadel” Abaddon Black, and subsequently dry-brushing them using a little “Vallejo” Heavy Bluegrey on an old, well past its prime, bushy brush. The aliens were then given one or two washes of “Citadel” Nuln Oil to help shade down their highlights and better blend them in.

"Catalyst Game Labs" WIPs - A Stormcrow, Griffin and Mongrel have all been primed and shaded

Finally, I started to give them a seal of “Citadel” Ardcoat to make them disagreeably shiny. Disconcertingly though, the curse of applying gloss varnish with a brush struck once again, and I soon returned to my pot of “Vallejo” Matt Varnish when I saw the Ardcoat was literally stripping the tiny figures back to their bare metal. Luckily, a few touch-ups with “Citadel” Abaddon Black, “Vallejo” Heavy Bluegrey and “Citadel” Nuln Oil soon had my latest additions to the fearsome space monsters’ gruesome life cycle ready for the tabletop.

Alongside the Small Creature sculpts I’ve been plugging away at three more “Battletech” 1:285 scale plastic models by “Catalyst Game Labs” for my Weird War Two project. These medium-sized walkers are destined to represent Germany, Italy and Japan on the battlefield, and are giving me a great opportunity to explore some of the newer colours I’ve recently added to my “Vallejo” acrylic collection…

“Let The Devastator Squad Be Thy Blazing Wrath…”

“…Bringing the light of the Emperor's justice to the darkest corners of the battlefield.”

These three 15mm miniatures are nowadays sold by “Alternative Armies” as part of their "The Ion Age" selection deal IAF008 Retained Knight Post Charlie, and are armed with an assortment of weapons including an Anvil 888 Launcher, a Moth Type 12 Launcher, and an Angis Rifle with no bayonet. Usually formed into Lances of twenty-two men by the Prydian Army, I've actually painted these figures to proxy some Rogue Trader-era Blood Angels from the "Warhammer 40K" universe.

Despite eventually being based upon a medium-sized plastic "Flames Of War" stand by “Battlefront Miniatures”, each metal model was initially super-glued onto a wooden strip and undercoated with "Vallejo" Heavy Red. I then heavily washed all of the ‘beaky’ space marines with "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, before dry-brushing them with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red.

"Battlefront Miniatures" WIPs - An NCO and Rifleman

Each figure's significantly-sized weapon was subsequently layered with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and later treated to a combination of “Vallejo" Gunmetal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil. Finally, due to my desire for these futuristic warriors to represent the “specialised Firstborn Space Marines” of a Devastator squad I ‘picked out’ their helmets with a combination of “Vallejo” Heavy Blue and “Citadel” Drakenhof Nightshade.

Sticking with 15mm scale models, albeit sliding back in time to World War Two, I am making some steady progress on the first of six four-man stands I require to complete my German Panzergrenadier Platoon for “Flames Of War”. This unit, produced in plastic by “Battlefront Miniatures”, will ultimately comprise of twenty-nine soldiers, but having already finished a good handful of them I only have another twenty to finish; albeit I will then to pigment a second infantry platoon…

"Catalyst Game Labs" WIPs - A Stormcrow, Griffin and Mongrel

I have also managed to find the time to (re)base and prime a few more “Battletech” 1:285 scale plastic models by “Catalyst Game Labs” for my Weird War Two project. I’m still rather focusing on building up my Axis Alliance forces currently, as I want to be able to represent all the different powers who fought alongside the Germans on the tabletop.

As a result, I’ve picked a trio of Mechs to represent the ten-year Tripartite Pact (the Three-Power Agreement) between the three principal partners of the Axis – Germany, Italy and Japan. I’ve already recently painted a Stormcrow for the Wehrmacht, but thought an alternative colour scheme would make a nice departure for a second walker. Whilst I felt the quirky-looking Mongrel and somewhat Samurai-flavoured Griffin would well represent the Royal Italian Army and the Imperial Japanese Army respectively.

"The Stormcrow Is A Wide-Spread, Second Generation OmniMech.”

“The Stormcrow is a feared opponent on the battlefield.”

This 1:285 scale plastic model of a Stormcrow is made by “Catalyst Game Labs” and can be bought together with the Dire Wolf, Summonder, Mist Lynx and Shadow Cat in the company’s “Battletech: Clan Command Star” boxed set. All the pre-assembled miniatures in this “supplement to the BattleTech: A Game of Armoured Combat box” come with an assortment of Alpha Strike cards depicting various colour schemes. However, as I plan to employ this particular sculpt as a German Heinkel Flugzeugwerke class War Walker for an upcoming Weird War Two campaign using some homemade rules, I decided to go with a predominantly dark grey palette.

Built upon “a lightweight Endo Steel chassis” and powered by a 330 XL engine, the 38mm tall figure was initially undercoated with “Vallejo” German Grey, shaded in “Citadel” Nuln Oil, and dry-brushed using (more) “Vallejo” German Grey. I then ‘picked out’ the machine’s feet and a couple of areas around its cockpit using a combination of “Vallejo” Heavy Bluegrey and “Citadel” Nuln Oil. These areas were later carefully dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” Heavy bluegrey.

"Der feind sieht dein licht verdunkeln."

I did consider providing the Stormcrow with a splash of yellow or red to replicate the propeller heads of Heinkel bombers during World War Two. But couldn’t identify any ‘easy to reach’ areas which I felt would warrant such a contrasting colour choice. In the end I therefore settled upon simply ‘picking out’ a couple of the miniature’s joints, exhaust vents, ER Large Lasers and fuel tank with some “Vallejo” Gunmetal and a dash of “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

Luckily, so straightforward a paint-job has meant that I have also completed work on a second plastic model of a Mist Lynx to use as Henschel class German Wehrmacht War Walker. This “Catalyst Game Labs” figure was painted in the exact same colours as my first mech, predominantly using “Vallejo” German Grey and shaded in “Citadel” Nuln Oil. However, I was also able to apply a little “Vallejo” Sun Yellow and “Citadel” Reikland Fleshshade to the missile bay wrapped around the mech’s left wrist.

LVL Up WIPs - This Demon Hunter has been assembled using parts taken from two of their blind bitz pots

With the latest additions to my 6mm Axis Weird War Two force completed, I have spent some more time kit-bashing together the second of my 28mm scale figures for a collaborative demon hunter game I have in mind. This particular semi-tainted, futuristic warrior is entirely based upon the parts found inside a pair of small bitz boxes I bought blind at the LVL Up Gaming Store in Bournemouth, and appears to be exclusively comprised of second-hand plastic pieces taken from “Games Workshop” kits.

As with the first of my miniatures for this particular project, I was lucky enough to find a pre-painted Space Marine figure inside one of the pots - albeit the model was missing its arms and had had part of its right leg removed. However, with a piece of wire and the end of an Imperial Guard mortar, I was soon able to fashion a foot of some kind, whilst additionally plastering the fellow in lots of other pieces, including a Necron Gauss Blaster, a Seraphon hand-weapon and what looks like an Eldar weapon support…

“By Early 1944, Things Had Changed.”

“It was clear that the coast of France would be the next battlefield...”

These three plastic 15mm miniatures are sold by “Battlefront Miniatures” and can be found inside the company’s “Hit The Beach” starter set for “Flames Of War”. The figures consist of an Officer, Panzerfaust and NCO, and together create a Unit Leader MG42 team for the first of two German Panzergrenadier Platoons.

As with all my other “FoW” German soldiers, the figures were initially super-glued onto wooden strips, before being primed in “Vallejo” German Fieldgrey WWII, shaded using “Citadel” Nuln Oil, and dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” German Fieldgrey WWII. Their details were then ‘picked out’ predominantly using “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna, Gunmetal, Buff, German Camouflage Dark Green, Heavy Brown and a series of “Citadel” Shades.

The Imperial Guard face a swarm of Xenomorphs and Face Huggers on their right flank

With another of my German Panzergrenadier stands completed, I’ve been lucky enough to squeeze in a second visit to the LVL Up Gaming Store in Bournemouth within the space of a fortnight so as to play-test my homemade 15mm science fiction rules, "M.I.S.S.” As before I brought along some Xenomorphs by “Ground Zero Games”, a smattering of 10mm Face Huggers by “Pendraken Miniatures” and some figures by "Alternative Armies". However, to change things around a bit, I also took some vehicles from my “The Ion Age” collection.

The three-stage campaign was played across a small settlement, a couple of toxic pools and a pair of small(ish) woodlands. After each scenario the tabletop was turned 90 degrees, so that by the end of the day, Mankind was actually having to approach the deserted colony through the trees. Once again it pitted a troop of Crimson Fist Space Marines and Imperial Guard against a deadly horde of ferocious extra-terrestrials (which was directed by some simple AI mechanics), but this time Humanity were accompanied by plenty of hover-tanks and wheeled combat cars. Each game lasted six turns, and to win, we had to hold ten points worth of objectives – which had been covertly strewn across the 3 x 3 tabletop.

The Imperial Guard are torn apart by aliens as the Space Marines try to hold them back

The opening scenario was probably the easiest of the encounters as the combined firepower of the vehicles ensured that the Xenomorphs were never going to get too close to the settlement. In addition, the value of the two objectives inside the village meant the infantry were never required to push any further forward, so simply formed up in an overwhelming line of guns, missiles and rockets.

The next two fights were significantly harder, with the alien warriors actually defeating our combined forces at the end of the second skirmish. Much of their success in these games was due to some poor dice rolling by the Imperial Guard when it came to them overcoming the Intimidation factor of firing upon an oncoming Xenomorph, and as a result the deadly extra-terrestrials soon got into close combat with the nervous soldiers. They even managed to tear apart a combat car at one stage too.

“The Viper Is A Fast, Highly-Manoeuvrable Medium OmniMech…”

“…Originally designed by Clan Fire Mandrill on Shadow.”

This 1:285 scale plastic model of a Viper is made by “Catalyst Game Labs” and can be bought together with the Gargoyle, Hellbringer, Mad Dog, and Ice Ferret in the company’s “Battletech: Clan Heavy Striker Star” boxed set. All the pre-assembled miniatures in this “supplement to the BattleTech: A Game of Armoured Combat box” come with an assortment of Alpha Strike cards depicting various colour schemes. However, as I plan to employ this particular sculpt as a Messerschmitt class German War Walker for an upcoming Weird War Two campaign using some homemade rules, I decided to go with a predominantly dark grey palette.

“Fast and well-armoured”, the 36mm tall figure was originally primed using two layers of “Vallejo” German Grey, shaded in “Citadel” Nuln Oil, and dry-brushed using (more) “Vallejo” German Grey with a softly-bristled make-up blusher brush. I then ‘picked out’ the machine’s feet using a combination of “Vallejo” Heavy Bluegrey and “Citadel” Nuln Oil. These areas were later dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” Heavy bluegrey.

LVL Up WIPs - This Demon Hunter has been assembled using parts taken from two of their blind bitz pots

I also tried to provide the Viper with the Messerschmitt fighter plane’s famous yellow nose by painting the front of its highly prominent cockpit with “Vallejo” Sun Yellow and subsequently shading it with “Citadel” Reikland Fleshshade. Finally, the miniature’s joints, exhaust vents, ER Medium Lasers and SRM-6 launcher were treated to some “Vallejo” Gunmetal and a splash of “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

Having finished the latest addition to my 6mm Axis Weird War Two force, I have spent a little time kit-bashing together the first figure in a new project based upon some small bitz boxes sold blind by the LVL Up Gaming Store in Bournemouth. Predominantly made from parts randomly taken from second-hand “Games Workshop” kits, at least as far as I can make out anyway, the small pots contain a mass of arms, weapons, various pouches and the odd leg to add some additional variety to whichever army you’re building.

"The Ion Age" WIPs - These two Retained Knights are being painted as Blood Angel Devastator Space Marines

However, my eldest and I decided to simply purchase a pair of pots each, and use their contents to construct two-to-three ‘character’ models as futuristic demon hunters. The first of my trio is based upon a previously-painted orange Space Marine Sergeant torso, with a load of extra paraphernalia, including what I believe to be the head of a Screamer of Tzeentch.

As I wanted to show that these warriors were slowing being mutated by their persistent close contact with their demonic foes, I also gave him the left arm of a “Mantic Games” Salamander and placed the aforementioned Sky-Shark’s bonce onto his back – to suggest the severed noggin has now been press-ganged into aiding its slayer with whispered advice and directions. Perhaps my favourite conversion though is the mercenary’s right shoulder-pad, which was cut to size from an incomplete Imperial Guard mortar.

“After The Defeat Of France In 1940…”

“…Western Europe became a military backwater for the German Army.”

These three plastic 15mm miniatures are sold by “Battlefront Miniatures” and can be found inside the company’s “Hit The Beach” starter set for “Flames Of War”. The figures consist of an Officer, Panzerfaust and NCO, and together create a 2iC Command Panzerfaust SMG team for the Panzergrenadier Company Headquarters.

As with all my other “FoW” German soldiers, the figures were initially super-glued onto wooden strips, before being primed in “Vallejo” German Fieldgrey WWII, shaded using “Citadel” Nuln Oil, and dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” German Fieldgrey WWII. Their details were then ‘picked out’ predominantly using “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna, Gunmetal, Buff, German Camouflage Dark Green, Heavy Brown and a series of “Citadel” Shades.

A unit of Guardsmen are transformed into alien drones

With both of my Panzergrenadier Company Headquarter stands now completed, I have managed to pay a visit to the LVL Up Gaming Store in Bournemouth so as to play-test some homemade 15mm science fiction rules using my "M.I.S.S." game engine. For this particular series of battles I brought along some figures taken from my “The Ion Age” collection by "Alternative Armies", some Xenomorphs by “Ground Zero Games”, and a smattering of 10mm Face Huggers by “Pendraken Miniatures”.

The three-stage campaign was played across a small(ish) settlement, which had been built up around a couple of bubbling toxic pits, and involved us pitting a troop of Crimson Fist Space Marines and Imperial Guard against an ever-increasing horde of deadly extra-terrestrials (which was directed by some simple AI mechanics). Each game lasted six turns, and to win, we had to hold ten points worth of objectives – which had been covertly strewn across the 3 x 3 tabletop.

The Imperial Guard and Space Marines battle Xenomorph Warriors

The opening scenario involved the Forces of Mankind solely encountering a swarm of Face Huggers which sped towards their lines from three separate craters located just beyond the northern outskirts of the abandoned colony. This enabled us to get used to the game’s core rules and tremble in terror at just how fast the tiny aliens could traverse the terrain before they were upon our infantry. Luckily, Humanity was able to prevail, but one particular highlight was witnessing a unit of Imperial Guard succumb to the Face Huggers and transform in Xenomorph drones during the following turn.

The next two fights was infinitely closer, as actual alien warriors accompanied the swarm of incoming Face Huggers. These humanoid-shaped extra-terrestrials were particularly deadly for the Imperial Guard as the soldiers always have to pass an intimidation test before they can attack them. Luckily, the Crimson Fists suffered no such set-backs, with the Space Marines’ Missile Launcher team proving especially adept at culling any alien foolish enough to get within their sights, and as a result the settlement was ultimately purged of its impurities. At least until next time…

(Lead) Mountain Musings - "Epic" August 2021

"Most of Khorne's daemonic ranks are filled with Bloodletters."

This month's effort to whittle away at my ‘highland of hope’ will be somewhat perversely shaped by my desire to clear a number of long-forgotten wooden painting sticks of their current occupants so as to free them up for my two “Flames Of War” Panzergrenadier platoons by “Battlefront Miniatures”. As a result, I have selected all the MDF rods containing my old plastic 6mm “Epic” Bloodletters and Flesh Hounds of Khorne by “Games Workshop”, with the intention of getting these tiny fellows finished in reasonably short order.

I then intend to slide across to my patiently-paused “Adeptus Titanicus” project and finally get the pair of Legio Mortis Warhounds completed which have long been sat upon my painting table gathering dust, along with any of the other plastic Cerastus Knights or Reaver Battle Titans I can assemble in the meantime. To make matters even more urgent, I’ve discovered that in a moment of weakness I’ve also bought a box of three Questoris Knights, so I really need get these “agile war machines” built and fully-pigmented too…

"Flames Of War" WIP - The V1 Rocket has been assembled, based upon MDF and primed

The next four weeks will also see Dave Stone’s second annual Season of Scenery challenge over on his excellent “Wargames Terrain Workshop” blog draw to a close. I’ve already completed a few 6mm scale resin bases by “TimeCast” for this event, but have an awful lot more planned from the company’s Scenic Accessories range to help populate my 1:285 scale Weird War Two tabletop using the plastic “Battletech” models by “Catalyst Game Labs”.

Furthermore, I have plenty of things left to paint from the Manufactorum Imperialis scenery set for "Adeptus Titanicus". This modular plastic terrain kit by “Games Workshop” is absolutely crammed full of Munitorum armoured containers, barrels, cranes, pipelines and other machinery with which to litter an industrial battlezone, so I’m super-keen to at least complete the few pieces I rather embarrassingly first applied a brush-tip to this time last year.

July 2021 - My interest in 15mm models means there's no noticeable change with my favourite manufacturers

Productivity-wise, the last thirty-one days have resulted in the second most productive July I’ve ever enjoyed, with much of its success actually boiling down to me finally finishing a few older models which have been sat in my queue for far too long. Foremost of these was my Stone Golem by “Zealot Miniatures”, but I’ve also been able to ‘cleanse my palate’ with additional models by Catalyst Games, North Star Military Figures and Rocket Pig Games.

Undeniably my biggest contributor though has been my sudden emersion into 15mm wargaming, courtesy of “Alternative Armies” and “Battlefront Miniatures”. Whether it be the science fiction adventuring of “The Ion Age” range with its visual nod to the Rogue Trader-era of “Warhammer 40K”, or the historically-accurate Germans during the D-Day landings, both of these genres have seen me progress an impressive amount of infantry and vehicles.