“He's A Cyborg, You Idiot!”

“You're gonna have to kill it.”

This 28mm scale "white metal" miniature of a Cyborg Killer is produced by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio", and can be bought alongside a second (differently-posed) model as SKU: DEAL 356. The figure was sculpted by the late Jim Bowen, and was originally previously produced by East Ridings Miniatures as part of their Corporate Wars range,

Prior to priming the figure with two coats of “Vallejo” Heavy Red, its somewhat thick integral stand was trimmed/filed down enough so it could be super-glued onto a 25mm circular plastic base. It was then shaded with "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, and dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Three base-layered Slicks

The stone-cold killer’s pistol and head were base-layered with some “Citadel” Abaddon Black, before they were treated to a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. The robot’s face-covering was later delicately dry-brushed using a little (more) "Vallejo" Gunmetal, whilst its eyes were spotted with "Scalecolor" Speed Metal and the "Citadel" Contrast paint Warp Lightning.

Alongside the Cyborg Killer I have also been progressing a trio of Corporate Wars “Slicks” too. These bald-headed gang-members initially reminded me of the Navigator's Guild from Frank Herbert's "Dune" novels. But having now spent some time working on them I’m also getting a distinct vampire vibe from the “Underworld” movie series – so much so in fact, that I may well paint up a second gang at some point with red leather long-coats and deathly white flesh.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - A Sons of Horus Space Marine awaiting some shading

In the meantime though, I have been pigmenting my three test-pieces in a manner similar to that seen in the Slick Gang’s official “Kickstarter” photographs; albeit I didn’t want (yet) another predominantly all-black band of miniatures, so decided to use some “Vallejo” German Grey for their shin-length jackets as opposed to “Citadel” Abaddon Black. I’ve also decided to go with brass for the gun-toting goons’ fastenings.

Lastly, I am still having a lot of fun working on more 28mm plastic Space Marines by "Games Workshop". I’m planning to soon move on from these multi-part figures wearing MK III power armour and apply my brush to some MK VI Sons of Horus infantrymen instead. Hopefully this change of subject matter will help me maintain my motivation for my initial, five-hundred point, thirty-one figure strong Horus Heresy project…

"Warlord Broton Was A Zygon Commander."

"He kidnapped and took the form of the Duke of Forgill in Scotland."

This 40mm resin model of a Zygon was sculpted by Nikola Stankovic and 3D printed by "Encounter Terrain". The miniature is based upon Steven Moffat's modern-day version of the extra-terrestrials from his November 2013 "Doctor Who" anniversary special  "The Day of the Doctor", and was resultantly painted using a much more 'pink' palette.

The figure was initially primed with two coats of "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone and shaded in "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson. It was then enthusiastically dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone, before being washed with some heavily watered down "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson. As a supposedly final stage I applied a second, much lighter dry-brush of "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone over the entire miniature, and discovered to my horror that somewhere along the process my brush had picked up some super-glue, dried PVA adhesive, or possibly even just some blobby bits of paint from the rim of the pot.

"Encounter Terrain" WIPs - The Kandyman, Ace and Leela

Either way, the smooth surface surrounding my Zygon's face was now distinctly spotty, and short of completely stripping the model back down to its resin, there was no way I was going to be able to salvage it. At least until I suddenly thought I could apply a little "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green to the affected areas and claim it was 'space battle damage'. In addition, this would allow me to mark one of the five identical miniatures out as the group's leader. 

Alongside the last of these alien shape-shifters I have also been slowly working on the rest of the Doctor Who figures I recently bought. These are all actually sculpted as 100mm tall STL (Standard Triangle Language) files, so to shrink them down to a more manageable size, "Encounter Terrain" used the eye-line of the Ace model to base their 40mm printing template upon. This approach has really helped show just how tall and menacing some of the monsters are, with the Kandyman weighing in at 47mm in height.

"Encounter Terrain" WIPs - The Seventh and Sixth Doctor

My goal is progress half a dozen or so of these miniatures a month, and then use them for some collaborative homemade rules with each player 'fielding' their own TARDIS crew against a simple Artificial Intelligence-driven scenario. To that end I've purchased the Seventh Doctor and Dorothy [McShane], as well as the Sixth Doctor and Leela for my initial pairings. Plus, Gilbert M's "psychopathic, candy-obsessed android" as their arch-nemesis.

Those familiar with the BBC's science fiction television series might be scratching their heads at just why Colin Baker's incarnation of the Time Lord would be teamed-up with the 'Sevateem savage', or how a robot from Terra Alpha came to be leading a load of Zygons. But the rule of cool prevailed in some circumstances, whilst in others I was limited as to what characters/creatures had been sculpted. What I can promise though, is that I already own enough STLs to feature both the Cybermen and Sea Devils, as well as some allies from outside the Gallifreyian's genre...

"The Witch-King Is The Greatest Of The Beings Known As The Nazgûl.”

“And is the Dark Lord’s most deadly lieutenant.”

This 28mm scale metal model of the Witch-King of Angmar is produced by "Games Workshop", and these days can only be bought as part of the Nottingham-based manufacturer’s nine-piece resin Nazgûl boxed set. Thankfully, I was able to purchase my ‘terrifying undead servant of Sauron’ separately at a wargaming show's second-hand stall several years ago.

The Ringwraith was actually still partially-primed when I had once considered entering it into the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge, so I simply smoothed this out with an application of "Citadel" Abaddon Black. I then furiously dry-brushed the figure with “Vallejo” Heavy Charcoal before drenching it with “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

"Games Workshop" WIP - This Warg Rider's mount has had its fur blended together

The spirit’s armour, sword and Morgul Blade were ‘picked out’ using a combination of “Vallejo” Gunmetal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil. These areas were then dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” Gunmetal. Finally, in order to better tie-in the palette with that of their master Sauron, I applied a little “Citadel” Reikland Fleshshade to the former King’s armoured gloves and boots.

Considering that the “Hero of Valour” actually costs 100 points when armed with his Morgul Blade, as well as a couple of additional Will and Fate points, I’ve managed to complete my initial 500 point Barad-Dur army for "The Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game" with just two figures.  However, whilst I’m looking forward to seeing just what Sauron and the Witch-King can achieve alone on the tabletop, it’s clear I should also continue with my plan to give the force some actual basic troop choices.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - This Space Marine just needs some washes and a 'tidy up'

With this in mind I have been slowly trying to progress three plastic Warg Riders to use as a scouting force for both my Isengard and Barad-Dur warbands. But to be honest I’m not enjoying painting the large wolves as much as I thought I would. Indeed, I’m not at all happy with how their dark faces and legs are blending in with their light brown fur, and need to revisit these somewhat softly-detailed areas once I’ve finished working on the beasts’ teeth, tongues and toes.

Happily, I am currently having a blast working on more 28mm plastic Space Marines by "Games Workshop". The first ten of these multi-part figures will all wearing MK III power armour and will form the first of three Sons of Horus Tactical Squads I have planned for the Horus Heresy…

"It Is Unknown If These Masked Assassins Are Man Or Machine."

"But rest assured they will not stop until their target has been eliminated."

This 28mm scale "white metal" miniature of a Cyborg Killer is manufactured by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio", and can be bought alongside a second (differently-posed) model as SKU: DEAL 356. The figure was sculpted by the late Jim Bowen, and was originally previously produced by East Ridings Miniatures as part of their Corporate Wars range,

Unfortunately, unlike the vast majority of Crooked Dice's other miniatures, the android comes with its own integrated base, which is surprisingly thick and deep. This meant I would either have to carefully snip the figure from its stand and then patiently file its feet flat, or just quickly trim its edges enough so I could super-glue it to a 25mm circular plastic base. In the end I decided upon the far less time-consuming option, even if it meant the model would stand somewhat taller than most of the company's other figures.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - A Slick, a Cyborg Killer and Max Konigstiger

Once fastened, the Cyborg Killer was primed using two coats of "Vallejo" Heavy Red, shaded with "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson", and dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red. It then had its sword, pistol, head and spare ammunition 'picked out' using a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. The blade and face-covering were subsequently dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Gunmetal. Finally, its eyes were dabbed with a little "Scalecolor" Speed Metal and the "Citadel" Contrast paint Warp Lightning.

Besides my basing decision debatably consigning the entire Corporate Wars range to a self-contained painting project - as I had originally hoped to mix in some Crooked Dice Killbots - I have been rather impressed with the quality of the "retro classics", and can easily see why "133 backers pledged £9,488 to help bring this project to life" on Kickstarter in August 2022. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I quickly wilted and not only bought the Slick Gang, Corporate Hit Squad and Interpol Troopers, but also a few Add-ons too.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Ray & Finny, a Slick and an Interpol Trooper

The "Slicks" are my favourite of the figures as Jim Bowen's sculpts seem to be a mix between science fiction author Frank Herbert's Navigator's Guild from his "Dune" novels, and the hired assassins depicted in "Bullfrog Productions" old computer game "Syndicate Wars". Furthermore, their predominantly dark attire means that they should prove reasonably straightforward and fast to paint.

In addition to the Kickstarter's free Stretch Goal of Max Konigstiger, who for some reason reminds me of the hapless vigilante Kirk Matunas from Russell Mulcahy's 1986 movie "Highlander", the range also appears to include the likenesses of gun sharks Finnigan "Finny" Sinister and Ramone "Ray" Dexter from the British anthology comic "2000 A.D." I actually aim to split up the Corporate Hit Squad into small groups of player-run hitmen for some homemade rules, so this infamous gun-toting duo will doubtless be two of the first miniatures painted from this group...

“You Are Terminated.”

“You only postponed it. Judgment Day is inevitable.”

These four identically-posed 28mm scale metal Killbots are produced by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio", and can be bought individually as Killbot B, or as part of the four-figure deal - SKU: DEAL 347. Clearly evocative of a Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 from the "Terminator" science fiction franchise, I was originally planning on using them as long-serving (near future) robots designed by the American Military to support the government's troopers in the "Corporate Wars". But have since realised that their height (due to them being slotta-base sculpts) won’t really fit in with the old, slightly taller standing “East Riding Miniatures” range. 

Each single-cast model was undercoated with a double-helping of "Vallejo" Heavy Grey before being shaded in "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green. I then applied a dry-brush of "Vallejo" Gunmetal to the quartet, making sure to ‘catch’ their armour plating, limbs and head, so as to suggest some significant weathering had taken place on those areas. I further distressed the Killbots by drowning them in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade and randomly dabbing at their joints with a little "Mig Productions" Extreme Rust Wash.

"Sting of the Zygons."

All of these techniques were later blended together with a dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Grey. Furthermore the robots' firearms were given a combination of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal, and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I also dotted their eyes with a little "Scalecolor" Speed Metal, dabbed these areas with "Citadel" Contrast colour Flesh Tearers Red, and applied a single Allied Star decal to one shoulder-pad on each model.

In addition to completing my current collection of Killbots I have finished three more 40mm Zygons sculpted by Nikola Stankovic and 3D printed by "Encounter Terrain". These figures are based upon Steven Moffat's ‘Nu-Who’ incarnation of the shape-changing aliens from his November 2013 "Doctor Who" anniversary special  "The Day of the Doctor", and were painted up to mimic this more 'pink' palette.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - This Space Marine just needs some washes and a 'tidy up'

Each model was primed with two coats of "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone and shaded in "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson. They were then heavily dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone, before being washed with plenty of watered down "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson. Finally, I applied a second, much lighter dry-brush of "Vallejo” Heavy Skintone over the trio, and 'picked out' their tiny eyes and teeth with a little White.

Finally, I have made some significant in-roads on another 28mm plastic Space Marine by "Games Workshop". This multi-part figure wearing MK III power armour was assembled from pieces taken from the now OOP (Out Of Production) Burning Of Prospero boxed game, and is one of ten figures I plan to field as my first Sons of Horus Tactical Squad for the Horus Heresy…

"Many Of His Men Were Won Over With Promises Of Glory Or Oaths Of Loyalty."

"And many more followed Horus simply because they always had."

This pair of 28mm plastic Space Marines are by "Games Workshop" and come from the now OOP (Out Of Production) Burning Of Prospero boxed game. The multi-part figures have been assembled wearing MK III armour, and will form part of a Sons of Horus Tactical Squad for the Horus Heresy. Both figures were initially undercoated with "Citadel" Sons Of Horus Green, before being heavily washed with Nuln Oil, and dry-brushed with (more) Sons Of Horus Green.

I then applied some "Citadel" Abaddon Black to their shoulder-pads, as well parts of their backpacks and Bolters. The models' power tubes and firearms were subsequently treated to a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Whilst I 'picked out' all the ridges on their shoulder-pads and helmet brows with a little "Vallejo" Gold. These areas were later given a splash of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade and highlighted with some additional touches of "Vallejo" Gold on the sharpest edges and rivets.

Gondor lines up against the formidable forces of Lurtz and Isengard's fighting Uruk-hai

With two more of my Sons of Horus space marines completed, I also managed to participate in another 500 point skirmish using the "Middle Earth: Strategy Battle Game" rules by "Games Workshop". This time my Isengard force simply faced a similarly-sized army of Gondor in a fight "To The Death!" using the rule-book's second scenario. Once again though we slightly reduced the recommended set-up measurements to better accommodate the three foot square table we were using.

To mix things up from my previous victory, and learn a bit more as to how effective archery can be in the game, I decided to line my Uruk-hai scout archers on my left flank facing Beregond's unit of archers. This shoot-out ultimately just showed how difficult it is to actually hit anyone with arrows when using bows, albeit over the course of the battle my leather-clad "Orc-folk" were slowly whittled down by their better armoured human opponents.

Gandalf unsuccessfully attempts to overcome the magical might of the White Wizard, Saruman

In the centre I placed Lurtz along with his contingent of fighting Uruk-hai and Bezerkers. Initially, these faced across some ruins at Gondor's swordsmen and spearmen. But during the fight I quickly split most of my Bezerkers off to the right so as to tackle my opponent's Knights of Minas Tirith. Quite surprisingly, this proved to a most wise decision, as my ferocious fighters easily withstood the inevitably cavalry charge, and then chopped both Knight and horse to pieces before the battle was over.

This massacre then allowed my Bezerkers to rejoin my Uruk-hai who were battling Gondor's increasingly beleaguered swordsmen, and soon afterwards there was little doubt that Isengard would be victorious once again. However, one of the best moments in the entire game was Saruman's sorcerous duel with Gandalf, which at one point looked likely to see my (true) White Wizard roast his Olórin alive with a devastating Flameburst...

“Colours" Showcase 2022

"So, the show goes on. Long live the King."

Having been bitterly disappointed by Newbury & Reading Wargaming Society's "tough decision to hold back in 2021 for the safety of our members and you the public" I was super-keen to attend this year's "Colours" at its usual venue inside Newbury Racecourse. Of course, having visited the show numerous times before, I didn't bother to read the website's "Navigating the Racecourse" guidance, so promptly spent a frustrating thirty minutes desperately trying to enter the facility via its 'traditional' western end, as opposed to the correct access point "between the flats and the course" on its eastern side.

Eventually, after much gnashing of teeth, several three-point turns at closed barricades, and some grumbling with many of the other visiting drivers who were also caught in this nightmarish spider's web of lost traffic, I found my way to Car Park Five. Possibly a sign or two explaining the change of access might not have gone amiss on the closed barriers or even along the route I eventually followed like a lemming..? Though I do appreciate there was a very precise map to the venue on the website - I'll certainly be checking that with much more attention next year..!!

Of course, being late meant that I didn't have to queue up, and in addition, discovered that it was free to enter. This decision seems to have gone down very well with the punters I mingled with, and I certainly felt overall that it was a much better attended show than the last time I visited; albeit, apart from the Bring & Buy section, I never once felt particularly jostled or cramped for room.

"ROK Minis Terrain and Minis - Made the way you want."

Obviously, the mainstay companies such as "Pendraken", "Warlord Games", "Westwind Productions", "Kallistra" and "Deep Cut Studio" were all in attendance, but perhaps the biggest thing to hit me during my repeated walk-a-rounds was the number of 3D printed models on offer from people I'd not really heard of before. Foremost of these was "ROK Miniatures", who immediately caught my attention with their gorgeous display of small-scale Fantasy forces, and ultra-impressive gothic-flavoured science fiction buildings.

I was especially tempted by their 10mm Wargame box sets for "Kings of War" and "Warmaster", which seemed a convincing way to game either rule-set both inexpensively and within a small-sized gaming area. The chap was also very keen to emphasise that he could produce the models at an even smaller sizes if requested, and explained one customer had everything 3D printed in 3mm scale so as to field some enormous armies.

Alongside the opportunity to own an eye-wateringly small "Chivalric Knights, Undead, Wood Elf, High Elf or Chaotic" warband, I was also rather mesmerised by their crisp, 6-8mm resin sci-fi terrain. The company's Airfield Control Centre and Imperial Fortress were especially gobsmacking, and are apparently printed from files by "Grim Dark Terrain" under licence. These appeared just the job for "Adeptus Titanicus" or "Epic", so in the end I quickly scampered away to pick up some Mechanical Men and Magma Apes from "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" before temptation got the better of me.

Some of the displays by "Baccus 6mm", "Broadsword Miniatures" and "Syborg 3D Printing"

Sticking with the PLA/Resin theme, I must also mention the tremendous array of fabulous WW1 aircraft sold by "Syborg 3D Printing". I actually saw this company in something of a fledgling state at "Warfare 2021" and they have clearly expanded their comprehensive range of kits exponentially over the past eleven months. As someone who has always been enticed by the pre-painted aeroplanes for "Wings Of Glory" by "Ares Games", I was very close to hitting the trigger on some of their already-assembled 3D printed Sopwith Camels.

Likewise I was similarly tempted by "Baccus 6mm" and their intriguing looking "Pony Wars" range. For just over a hundred pounds the game's Starter Set was definitely a serious financial investment, yet seemed to contain plenty of small-scale models to keep my magnifying glass busy for months. I was also rather curious to see how the rule-set's card mechanics worked, especially when a chap beside me mentioned he was playing something similar using 20mm figures by "Newline Designs".

Ultimately, I decided to pick up a Royal Navy Fleet Pack and Neo-Soviet Battle Fleet, along with the "A Billion Suns" rule-book by "Osprey Wargames", from "Brigade Models" as my main buy of the show. However, I was momentarily seduced by the large range of metal sculpts displayed by "Broadsword Miniatures". These somewhat roughly-hewn models strongly reminded me of the classic Fantasy ranges from the Eighties, and supported "The Woods: Second Edition" by "Oakbound Studio". Surprisingly though, the blokes behind the booth didn't seem inclined to give me a 'sales pitch' about them, so once I'd snapped a picture I moved to other stalls a bit perplexed...

“Shape-Shifting Aliens From Outer Space!”

"The Skarasen will destroy you all!"

This 40mm resin miniature of a Zygon was sculpted by Nikola Stankovic and 3D printed by "Encounter Terrain". The figure is based upon Steven Moffat's modern-day interpretation of the extra-terrestrials from his November 2013 "Doctor Who" anniversary special  "The Day of the Doctor", and was resultantly painted using a much more 'pink' palette. 

The model was initially primed with a double-helping of "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone and shaded in "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson. It was then enthusiastically dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone, before being washed with some heavily watered down "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson. Finally, I applied a second, much lighter dry-brush of "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone over the entire miniature, and 'picked out' both its eyes and teeth with a little White.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - Three (more) Sons of Horus primed, shaded and dry-brushed

Sticking with science fiction, I have also been busy highlighting five more Space Marines from the now OOP (Out Of Production) Burning Of Prospero boxed game by "Games Workshop". Like the rest of my ten-man Tactical Squad, these multi-part figures have been assembled wearing MK III armour, and will take to the battlefield as part of three planned Sons of Horus infantry units for the Horus Heresy.

I really need to get cracking on with these figures, as I've now received the MK IV Heads Upgrade Set by "Forge World" for a third planned unit of Sons of Horus models. These resin heads should really add some extra 'badness' to the plastic miniatures I've dug out of my Betrayal At Calth boxed set, and mark them out on the tabletop as being particularly loyal to the Warmaster Horus Lupercal.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - Two Warg Riders slowly having their mounts painted

In addition, I have made some more progress on three Warg Riders I plan to add to my 500-point Barad-Dur army for the "Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game", This cavalry unit really is quite basic in composition, wielding just some throwing spears and swords. But are proving a lot of fun to pigment as the wolves' fur is rather two-tone in colour with its mixture of dark grey legs/head and light brown pelt.

Alongside these savage scouts I have also 'picked up' the Fighting Uruk-hai Warrior Command Pack from "Games Workshop" to add some resilience to my Isengard force in the form of a Banner-bearer. This battle-flag will provide Saruman the White's "Orc-folk" with "a single re-roll to friendly models who are involved in a Fight within three inches", and should make my already formidable Bezerkers even more fearsome.

"Sauron Is The Enemy Of The Free Peoples Of Middle-Earth..."

"...And the Lord of the Rings."

This 28mm scale metal model of the dark lord Sauron is produced by "Games Workshop", and these days can only be bought as a multi-piece resin miniature alongside "the prone forms of Elendil and Isildur" in a boxed set. Happily, I was able to purchase my hefty, 68mm tall "most trusted lieutenant of Morgoth" separately at a wargaming show's second-hand stall many moons ago, I don't recall if I needed to assemble/pin the 'brute', but I did need to apply some green-stuff to an annoying gap between the sculpt's pointing arm and its shoulder.

The entire ensemble was initially primed with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, layered using plenty of "Scale 75" Thrash Metal, and shaded in "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I then dry-brushed "the greatest subversive Maia" with (more) "Scale 75" Thrash Metal, before washing its plate armour in "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade. These areas were 'highlighted' using a (third) dry-brush of "Scale 75" Thrash Metal. In addition, I pigmented the "One Ring to rule them all" with some "Vallejo" Gold and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - These Wargs have simply been assembled and base-coated

Due to wanting the figure's giant mace to stand out from his intricate armour, I decided to simply apply some "Vallejo" Gunmetal to the weapon, drown it in "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and later dry-brush it in (more) "Vallejo" Gunmetal. I finished Sauron by carefully dry-brushing a little "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal over his already "Citadel" Abaddon Black cloak, and then blending the two colours together with a copious amount of "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

With the leader of my Barad-Dur army for "The Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game" completed, I thought I'd better turn my attention to providing its "Hero of Legend" with some actual troops. Considering that the "second Dark Lord" already costs 400 points on his own, I realised that I only had a 100 points left for my starting force, so decided I had best build up just a couple of cheap units so I could at least field a reasonably-sized force on the tabletop.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Four Killbots at various stages of completion

To that end I dug out a long-forgotten box of plastic Warg Riders and glued three of together. Comprising of one armed with a sword and shield, and two carrying throwing spears, this cavalry unit would provide Sauron with some fast-moving minions, as well as plenty of points leftover for a dozen or so Orc Warriors. In addition, the "gigantic, evil wolves" would nicely contribute towards the 100 points I currently want to paint as part of my Isengard reinforcements.

Lastly, I've been steadily progressing four more Killbots by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" to use alongside their Corporate Wars range. Having now gratefully received all my miniatures from the company's latest Kickstarter, I'm rather inspired to get these rusty, American automatons finished and subsequently get cracking on some of the new "retro white metal cyberpunk and street fighting miniatures" I now own...

"You Are An Infiltration Prototype."

"Cyborgs don't feel pain."

This 28mm scale metal Killbot is manufactured by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio", and can be bought individually as Killbot A, or as part of the four-figure deal - SKU: DEAL 347. The single-cast model was undercoated with "Vallejo" Heavy Grey, washed in "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green, dry-brushed with "Vallejo" Gunmetal, and subsequently shaded using plenty of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

I then applied some "Mig Productions" Extreme Rust Wash to its joints, and blended this in with a dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Grey, allowing some of the previously-applied "Vallejo" Gunmetal to still shine through. Finally, its weapon was treated to a combination of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal, and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I also dotted its eyes using some "Scalecolor" Speed Metal as a base layer, and later dabbed a little "Citadel" Flesh Tearers Red over these areas.

Beregond shockingly finds his position assailed by deadly Uruk-hai Bezerkers within the opening turn

With the third of my Killbots completed, I also managed to play some "Middle Earth: Strategy Battle Game" by "Games Workshop", fielding my current 500 point Isengard force against a similarly-sized army of Gondor. As this was our first fight using the rule-set for quite some time we played the opening scenario - Domination, slightly reducing the recommended set-up measurements to better accommodate the three foot square table we were using.

Considering that both sides could immediately deploy up to the halfway point of the battlefield, the main aim of both armies was to push the other back so as to claim the larger share of five scattered objective markers. To this end I placed my Uruk-hai scout archers on the edge of a forest on my right flank, relying upon their "Woodland Creature" special ability to allow them to melt into the undergrowth if frontally assaulted, and 'Heroically Moved' Lurtz and his Bezerkers straight towards Beregond's archer unit on my left. This provided the White Wizard, Saruman, plenty of room in the centre to deal with any threats.

Beregond dies whilst battling Lurtz as Gondor looks to its centre and left flank for victory

This bold move clearly threw Gondor into complete disarray as both the Knights of Minas Tirith and Gandalf repositioned themselves, and allowed Lurtz to smash straight into Beregond's terrified troops. Unsurprisingly, my fierce Bezerkers hacked the armoured human archers to pieces, and soon buried their so-called champion alongside them. In addition, Saruman appeared more than a match for a unit of Gondor swordsmen who thought they'd secure the central objective, courtesy of a Sorcerous Blast and The Palantir.

Gondor discovers just how brittle its Knights of Minas Tirith actually are

Reeling from these early blows, Gandalf made a beeline straight for my Scout archers, hoping to catch the leather-clad Uruk-hai in a pincer move with the splendid-looking Knights of Minas Tirith. However, a few flights of arrows actually managed to fell one of the armoured riders and cause them to go their separate ways - with a pair even wheeling right back around and moving to help the survivors of Beregond's poorly performing band.

This change in the cavalry's direction set-up one of the highlights of the game as Saruman managed to hurl a Knight into another rider with another Sorcerous Blast, outright killing the first and unsaddling the second. With Gondor's entire right flank eradicated, and Lurtz sweeping towards the centre, Gandalf's only hope was to attack my Scout archers and then follow it up with a charge from some remaining Swordsmen.

Isengard's Uruk-hai Scouts fend off some of Gondor's better-armoured soldiers

A Sorcerous Blast from Shadowfax's rider definitely got my Uruk-hai Scouts out into the open. But with orc blades drawn, and lead by a Captain, the unit still managed to hold their own against the better armoured infantry of Gondor. Indeed, before long, my Isengard forces had completely whittled away their opponents to a quarter of their starting number and collected numerous victory points with their mastery of the objective markers. A well-won victory for the White Wizard was in the books...

"These Hulking Metal Skeletons..."

"...Are often crudely disguised as humans."

These two 28mm scale metal Killbots are produced by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio", and can be bought individually as Killbot C and Killbot D, or as part of the four-figure deal - SKU: DEAL 347. Strongly reminiscent of a Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 from the "Terminator" science fiction franchise, I actually plan to use them as long-serving (near future) robots designed by the American Military to support the government's troopers in the "Corporate Wars".

Both single-cast models were originally primed with a double layer of "Vallejo" Heavy Grey before being shaded in "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green. I then applied a dry-brush of "Vallejo" Gunmetal to the miniatures, making sure to especially 'hit' their armour plating, limbs and head, so as to suggest some significant weathering had taken place on those areas.

"Each one absolutely will not stop until its programmed target has been terminated."

I continued to 'distress' the automatons by drenching them in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade and sporadically dabbed their joints in "Mig Productions" Extreme Rust Wash. Once applied, it was clear that I had really made quite a mess of the Killbots, so I blended everything together with a dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Grey. This was somewhat delicately done as I wanted to ensure that some of the previously-used "Vallejo" Gunmetal still shone through so as to the pair a slight metallic sheen.

Lastly, I 'picked out' the robots' firearms with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, dry-brushed the weapons using "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal, and shaded them in "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I also dotted their eyes with a little "Scalecolor" Speed Metal, and then dabbed these areas with a smidgeon of the "Citadel" Contrast colour Flesh Tearers Red. To mark the virtually indestructible soldiers out as being American, I applied a single Allied Star decal to one of each figure's shoulder-pads.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - Sauron's armour has been base-coated, shaded, dry-brushed and washed

Alongside these two Killbots I have also been making some progress on my Sauron miniature for the Middle Earth: Strategy Battle Game by "Games Workshop". Costing an impressive 400 points, this second-hand metal monster will eventually command my Barad-Dur forces. But for now is simply being painted up for a rather fun 'What If?' narrative scenario where the Dark Lord single-handedly confronts the treacherous Saruman the White.

In addition though, I have started assembling a trio of Warg Riders to provide my 500 point Isengard army with some reinforcements, as well as ordered a Uruk-Hai standard banner. Along with a couple more Bezerkers, these models will add another 100 points to my force, as well as give the emissary of the Valar both some much needed mobile cavalry and a flag around which my formidably ferocious "Orc-folk" can rally around whilst in the midst of battle...

(Lead) Mountain Musings - "The Lord Of The Rings" September 2022

"A new power is rising. Its victory is at hand."

This month's effort to chip away at my rather large backlog of metal, plastic and resin models will primarily focus upon the completion of an additional 100 points for my Middle-Earth Strategy Battle Game Isengard army. To be honest, I already have enough spare "Games Workshop" figures to complete this task in my collection, having previously painted a sizeable amount of Uruk-hai from the Nottingham-based manufacturer’s old "The Lord Of The Rings" range many moons ago.

However, whilst these extra Bezerkers, crossbow-carrying Uruk-hai and sword-welding "Orc-folk" will doubtless prove useful on the tabletop. They are a bit of a hodge-podge. So I'm hoping to bring a bit more cohesiveness to these 'new recruits' by expanding their numbers into viable, standalone units (which I can then swap in and out of different battles/scenarios) rather than just fielding the odd Orc with a bow here and shieldless Uruk-Hai there. I may even manage to finally pigment some Warg Riders having found a long-forgotten box of the cavalry models.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - Sauron has been primed, roughly layered and shaded

Furthermore, I thought it might be fun to work on some of the rule-set's more recognisable miniatures, possibly with a view to creating either a Barad-dûr, Angmar, Mordor, or Moria force. To that end I have started working on an old metal figure of Sauron, which I picked up second-hand quite a few years ago. This monster costs a whopping 400 points in-game, but can be used as an unlikely ally for my Isengard army, and would therefore allow me to plonk 1000 points of 'Evil' onto my tabletop should I ever need to.

Hopefully, I can get quite a few battles in over the next few weeks too, and become reacquainted with both how the Middle-Earth Strategy Battle Game plays in general and all the little nuances of Saruman's swarthy soldiers. To that end, I'm actually planning on running a few playthroughs against an understrength Gondor force I once painted, as well as any 'opposing' figures I can complete this month - such as what if Sauron single-handedly attacked Isengard as he didn't trust the treacherous White Wizard to keep up his end of their bargain..?

August 2022 - The popularity of 3D printing makes it mark with "Twisted Pinnacle"

There can be little argument that the past four weeks have been disappointing as far as hobby output is concerned. In fact, its been my least productive August in seven years, and would have actually been a lot worse if it wasn't for "Twisted Pinnacle" and their excellent 3D prints of the Sentry Robots from the 1979 science fiction movie "The Black Hole". My Horus Heresy project by "Games Workshop" also badly stalled, to the point where I really need to get a 'wiggle on' if I going to field a 500 point Sons of Horus traitor army any time soon. 

Fortunately, my enthusiasm for the hobby has been rekindled with a sudden return of interest in the Middle-Earth Strategy Battle Game. This alone should encourage me to increase my prolificness over the next few weeks. However, I also have a few other small-scale projects planned, utilising miniatures from "Crooked Dice Game Design Company", "Battlefield Miniatures" and "Alternative Armies", which should cement my monthly aspirations...